AIM-MATE PUTS GOLFERS ON THE RIGHT LINES

- Wednesday, 15 December, 2010

Two British inventors are out to prove that the simplest ideas are often the best, following the launch of their new Aim-Mate golf training aid.

Aim-Mate is a flexible rubber strip with helpful markings which assist golfers to achieve correct alignment and set-up on the tee, fairway and green, and on the driving range.

At just £ 14.99 RRP, the distinctive yellow Aim-Mate is 50cm long, and can be carried easily in the pocket or stored flat in the golf bag. It is reversible, with a convex side for use with the long game, and a concave side for use when practising putting. Both sides feature grooves designed to act as visual alignment aids, and there are holes in the product which enable the golfer to anchor it to the ground using tees.

The product's inventors, both keen golfers, are two British businessmen now based in France: ex-construction company director Dave Young, and business consultant Mark Trickett.

'It looks deceptively simple,' says Dave Young, 'but like most seemingly straightforward things - for example the golf ball, or the safety pin - the final model is the product of many design iterations. Our goal is for Aim-Mate to take its place alongside the golf glove, and the bag of tees, as an ever-present item in every golfer?s bag. It's the only golf alignment aid you'll ever need.'

The British pair's faith in the new product is shared by some of the sport's key influencers. 'At Stoke Park, a prestigious establishment which is investing heavily in new facilities and training programmes, Aim-Mate is now being used across the board,' says Mark Trickett. 'We feel that this enhances the product's credibility.

'Aim-Mate has provided me with a simple but effective and visual way to get the message across to my pupils. Every serious golfer, no matter what their ability, should have one' says Stuart Rank, Head of Instruction at Stoke Park Country Club and Resort in Buckinghamshire, UK.

The Aim-Mate's portability, functionality and instant appeal have attracted praise from other golf coaches throughout Europe. PGA Coach Jef Carr from Science & Motion Sports in Sweden says: 'If I could only have one teaching aid, it would be Aim-Mate. It gives you putting, full-swing and on-course lessons all in one.' And Gerry Taylor, Head Pro at Hartl Golf Resort in Bad Griesbach, Germany, says: 'The response from my pupils has been fantastic - I have noted an immediate effect in their results. I intend to introduce Aim-Mate to all 35 PGA Pros in our academy.'

Mark Trickett says: 'While developing this product with PGA coaches, we discovered a shared belief that golf training aids are generally too large, complicated and expensive. We believe that Aim-Mate overcomes these hurdles.'

'Have you seen where you are aiming?' is something every golfer has heard from his or her friends before' says Dave Young. 'Mark and I developed Aim-Mate as poor alignment is such a universal problem for golfers.

'There is no substitute for real-world testing, so in 2009 and early 2010 we trialled early prototypes with some of the UK's top PGA professionals and their pupils, making refinements based on their feedback. We believe that Aim-Mate is now validated, and the many positive endorsements it has received from PGA teaching professionals suggest that it is poised to make a big impact on golf around the world.'

'Poor alignment costs most golfers several shots per round,' says Mark Trickett, 'but using Aim-Mate regularly will quickly get you back on the right lines - literally!

'All PGA professionals teach correct alignment as one of the game's fundamentals. The Aim-Mate will help all golfers, from complete beginners to Tour players, to score better.'

Aim-Mate is available to buy online from www.aim-mate.com and from stockists across the world. Stores in the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Holland, Japan and Switzerland already stock Aim-Mate, with many more territories set to open in 2011. A full stockist list is available on the company's website, with links to Aim-Mate demonstration videos on YouTube.

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