How many times on the golf course, practice range or TV have you heard the phrase “hit the ball” in regards to the golf swing? Probably more times than you can count. Over his career as a PGA professional, Jim Hackenberg heard the same thing – and he didn’t like it. In fact, he knew it was wrong. You don’t hit the ball, you swing through the ball.
The Orange Whip swing trainer
Hence the creation of the Orange Whip, which over the past few years has become one of the more popular – and best – training aids on the market. You don’t have to watch 80 hours of video to use the Orange Whip – just swing it. That’s right, swing it.
“As an instructor, the No. 1 issue I was dealing with most people about was their intention just to hit the ball,” Hackenberg said. “They weren’t concerned as much about swing and balance. But just trying to hit the ball is a much different motion (than swinging the golf club). So a lot of people I was dealing with were very tense golfers and therefore not hitting it very far and slicing it quite a bit. Trying to teach my students to swing was an ongoing battle.”
The Orange Whip can help win that battle. Hackenberg got the idea for the Orange Whip by watching the rhythm of balance of PGA Tour players.
“They were swinging in rhythm and it appeared to me that the golf club no longer looked like a golf club,” Hackenberg said. “To me it looked like a ball on the end of chain. I thought if a person could swing a golf club like a ball on the end of a chain, they would have a very athletic motion.”
The Orange Whip combines a counter-weighting system and flexible shaft that work in unison to fuel what Hackenburg calls the “natural golf swing motion” unique to each individual. The Orange Whip, Hackenberg says, helps golfers find their ideal swing plane, creating optimal lag, achieving perfect sequence of motion, promoting balance throughout the swing and building core muscle strength.
“I relate what I do with orange whip to brushing my teeth,” Hackenberg said. “In about two minutes I get a great stretch, a great workout and my tempo and rhythm improve.”
The Orange Whip has been used by more than 150 players across the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. It is available in three different lengths – the Trainer for taller men and men, the Golden for men, women, teens and seniors, and the hickory for juniors up to 12 years of age.
The Orange Whip ($99 or $109 depending on length) is available through the company’s website at http://www.orangewhiptrainer.com.
