Elite Golf Academies has launched a putting studio at its Gosforth location, with PGA professional Jonathan Levey leading on the creation of the state-of-the-art facility.
Developed by Jonathan alongside Elite director Steve Bainbridge, the putting studio at The Golf Hub is powered by the industry leading Capto Putting Analysis System. It also has a custom floor designed by Wellputt, which runs at 10 on the stimpmetre and features a number of targets, guides and breaks.
“To have the backing of Steve and Elite Golf Academies to create the putting studio, and be able to focus on an area of the game which is so often neglected and yet so important to players at every level, is a fantastic opportunity,” says Jonathan, who will be continuing his professional development as a putting coach, having taught across all areas of the game for more than 10 years.
“Working with Catpo and Wellputt, we’ve created a space at The Golf Hub which is unlike anything else on the market, certainly in the North East of England.
“I started my development as a putting coach because it was a weakness in my own game,” adds Jonathan. “From there, I’ve gone down the scientific route and draw a lot on data to analyse how players putt, which is where Capto comes into it. Having done the Capto training and spent a lot of time reading and learning about both the science and art of putting over several years, it’s fascinating how much we can lift performance through even the smallest adjustments in technique.”
The core piece of equipment in the new studio is Capto, the Italian-engineered system which runs through a small device, weighing just 65g, which is attached to the shaft of any putter. This measures 40 parameters through its nine-sensor inertia system, relaying where the putter is in 3D space through its app.
“The Capto system will be at the heart of my coaching going forward,” adds Jonathan. “Being able to attach it to any putter and work anywhere – whether in the studio, on the putting green or out on any golf course – takes putting data capture to the next level.
“Creating real-world scenarios, with an element of the pressure we feel in competition, is one of the most difficult obstacles we must overcome as coaches. With Capto, we can get closer to achieving that than anything else by using it during a round, without any bulk on the putter or extra devices. We can then download the data and objectively analyse what happens when a player gets out onto the golf course – comparing that to what they do in a practice environment to ultimately improve performance.”
The putting studio at The Golf Hub is open now. Players can book lessons with Jonathan via the Elite Golf Academies website.
