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Robert and Karol Houtman, owners of Mastodon Golf and Simulation Center, stand in front of one of their golf training simulators at their Farmington Hills facility.Local spotlight
Golf training center fine-tunes players
Frank Eichen, right, gets a lesson from director of golf Tom Rinna at the indoor Mastodon Golf and Simulation Center.
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FARMINGTON HILLS -- Dave Tobde walked into Mastodon Golf Training and Simulation Centers just to practice his weight shift; but what the Grosse Pointe Farms resident got was an education in golf that not only corrected his swing, but also conditioned his body.
"When you swing a golf club, you want to swing the club from the inside -- that's been drilled into my head since I was a kid. Jim McClain in his tapes talks about the X-factor and how you're supposed to build resistance in your hips and shoulders," Tobde says about his swing that improved after the instructors taught him the athletic-connected swing, a swing that shifts the body weight backward and forward through the swing.
"It's amazing ... there's all of these teachers and golf gurus and the majority of the things they teach you aren't the way that you do it. I have a lot to work on, but with this knowledge, I have the ability to get better."
Mastodon Golf is a simulation and fitness facility that trains golfers on the Highlands National simulator course using the latest P3Pro digital simulator technology. The software program offers a course with nine or 18 holes, a 400-yard driving range, a practice green and practice course.
It also offers a computer analysis on the form and technique of a swing, club head speed, attack angle and more. The firm also combines a Pilates-based fitness program to condition body muscles and improve strength and stamina to help improve the swing.
Robert and Karol Houtman opened the Farmington Hills center in October 2004. Their mission is to introduce Metro Detroiters to golf using the latest technology and provide youth with better opportunities.
"You have these young people involved in gangs. [If] you give them something like this, give them some positive energy because now with Tiger and all of those influences it'll take off."
Houtman, a Boston native and West Bloomfield resident, has always been a technology geek who always thought sports and technology would merge. He's put himself ahead of the curve by being the only center that offers the P3 Pro technology at an affordable price.
"We're looking at the P3 Pro at Mastodon Golf Training because it's under $10,000. The ones we looked at are in the $45,000 to $50,000 ranges," said Jon Gates, golf professional, Detroit Golf Club. He says the system will increase traffic at the club during the winter season and that makes it a good investment.
Mastodon's has a benchmark technology that's ideal for everyone says proprietor Selina Johnson, Hollywood Golf Institute, "It's a good year-round development program. The technology that the machine produces gives you instant feedback ...there're other simulators out there, but they only play the course. P3 Pro gives you the criteria that you need to play and strike your ball well."
Since its doors opened, Houtman's biggest challenge has been getting exposure, he says. "We still have people staffed here, but we're not getting droves of business so we're not making any money. The biggest burden is getting the facility up and running and it's an on-going thing."
Houtman employs five full-time staffers and seven teachers. Mastodon offers a line of golf clubs; the Mastodon Portable Training System and the Putting Arc. The center offers memberships, league rates, day rates and specialty parties.
Lolita Standifer is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.
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The Detroit News.
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