Equipment

18Birdies AI Coach: Golf’s first video-based swing analyzer

Published

4 years ago

Jun 15, 2020

18Birdies has launched golf’s first video-based swing analyzer that uses the power of artificial intelligence to help golfers improve their game: AI Coach.

18Birdies’ AI Coach combines a video swing analyzer and personalized improvement recommendations in design to revolutionize the way golfers analyze, understand and improve their game.

The swing analysis and instruction tool works by golfers recording a video of their swing with the 18Birdies app with the video then analyzed and given a swing score. Through this score and the basic swing flaws which the app identifies, the AI Coach then delivers personalized drill recommendations designed to help the user improve their game.

Speaking on the new AI Coach app, Eddy Lui, founder and CEO of 18Birdies said

“For decades, golfers have been given limited choices when it comes to receiving instruction. They could either pay an arm and a leg for in-person coaching or try to implement generic tips and drills gathered from the other golfers on the range or the internet without guidance as to how to apply to their specific game. In fact, on average less than 20% of golfers take a lesson in a given year. AI Coach brings golf instruction into the future and fills this obvious gap in the market, providing golfers custom-tailored instruction based on their own swing wherever and whenever they want. It is a great way for both beginners and experienced golfers to receive meaningful instruction on their own terms.”

In addition, swing videos can be taken indoors or outdoors and don’t require the use of a club, allowing users to analyze and improve their swing on their own time – whether it be on the course, range or at home.

18Birdies’ AI Coach is available now for download in both the App Store and Google Play as a part of its premium subscription which offers free trials.

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Equipment

Rory McIlroy spotted testing a new TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron at the 2024 Valero Texas Open

Published

15 hours ago

Apr 3, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Update, 5:30 p.m.: Regarding his prototype iron, McIlroy offered this in his pre-tournament press conference:

“Yeah, I went out, spent a couple of days with the TaylorMade guys at the Kingdom. Yeah, they just produced these couple of proto, I guess like are they the MC replacements maybe…

“They performed really well. It’s just as fast as the 760 that I was using. Launch is a little higher actually, which was surprising, and it’s just sometimes I felt like when I hit my 5-iron in the blade and then the 4-iron in the 760 it was such a different feel. To go from a 5-iron now to that 4-iron, it feels a little closer to what I feel in the 5-iron. So just a little bit more responsive, but didn’t lose any performance from it, which is great. Yeah, it will be in the bag this week.”
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Now just what do we have here?

On Wednesday at the 2024 Valero Texas Open, GolfWRX.com spotted Rory McIlroy testing a new, mysterious TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron.

Clearly, the 4-iron is a prototype, but since it doesn’t say “Rors Proto” or “RM” on it, then maybe it’s a prototype for an upcoming iron release from TaylorMade. Or, maybe it’s an upgrade for a previous or existing iron model from the company.

For reference, the photo below shows what McIlroy’s previous P760 4-iron looks like…

If the new prototype was an upgrade on the former P760 design, that would certainly be a large design departure, aesthetically speaking. It’s not impossible, but the new proto definitely looks significantly different.

McIlroy’s new proto – aesthetically, at least – looks more similar to TaylorMade’s P7MC irons, a model that Collin Morikawa uses for his 5 and 6-irons, as pictured below.

The new proto is also reminiscent of TaylorMade’s old P750 and P770 irons:

So what could McIlroy’s new TaylorMade “Proto” be? Is it a one-off prototype for McIlroy? Is it a re-design of an older model? Is it a harbinger of a bigger release in the future?

What is it?!

Unfortunately, TaylorMade hasn’t yet commented publicly on the prototype iron, so for now, we wait. And enjoy the photos of McIlroy testing it on Wednesday in San Antonio.

Here’s what it looks like from address…

And here’s what McIlroy’s numbers looked like while testing it on the range…

Uhh, yeah. Those are pretty good 4-iron numbers.

Will McIlroy make the switch into the new prototype 4-iron this week? That remains to be seen, but it should be noted that it was the only 4-iron in his bag on Wednesday.

*We’ll update this post as further information becomes available

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron here, plus more photos!

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