Nov 24, 2023

Distance Series (Part 5): Using the Stack System with Dr. Sasho MacKenzie

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In his first phenomenal appearance on the podcast, Dr. Sasho Mackenzie, co-founder of ‘The Stack System’ presents a captivating narration on the inception and evolution of this innovation. Stemming from an inquisitiveness that brought together his diverse backgrounds of golf and track & field athletics, Dr. Mackenzie sought to revolutionize the world of golf. The podcast unveils how he ardently translated principles from track and field, leveraging science and research to amplify club head speed in golf, subsequently giving birth to 'The Stack System’.

This episode unravels the behind-the-scenes journey of 'The Stack System’ from its nascent stage through the heights it has reached today. The proprietary premise of the system is firmly grounded in extensive research, and its launch was significantly propelled with the profound backing of tour players. The game-changing introduction of an accompanying application sets the system apart, Galvanized by the idea of a responsive personal trainer, the app designs personalized workouts, motivates the golfers, and tracks their progress to fine-tune their performance.

This episode is a must for golf enthusiasts, those seeking an edge in performance, and inquisitive minds seeking insight into this revolutionary tool having a transformative impact on the golf world. Dr. Sasho Mackenzie captivatingly intertwines anticipation and curiosity throughout the session, and you will surely learn a lot from him. Here’s a summary of the episode.

The Stack System's Unconventional Philosophy

The core element that distinguishes the Stack System is its philosophy, which vastly deviates from other contemporary fitness devices. The focus is not merely on altering the weight proportions. Instead, the prime goal is to adjust the percentage of load experienced by athletes concerning the forces applied to the grip and their swinging speeds. Several factors, such as the addition of weight and the length of the stack, contribute to the amount of force perceived at the grip. The length of the stack has gone through several iterations before finalizing the hybrid length to ensure an optimal swing experience.

Continuous Research and Improvement

The progress of the Stack system did not stop at the launch. Continuous research and analysis, combined with user feedback, have played an instrumental role in further enhancing the system. An initial version of the software incorporated Excel for workout programming; however, introducing an app made life easier. The app automatically processes the developed algorithms, ensuring a streamlined user experience. Thanks to the feedback from more than 25,000 users, the programming keeps enhancing, helping to strengthen the recommendation process, making it more personalized to each user's specifics—factors like age, driver length, starting speed, handicap, and the completed program.

Personalized Training

The Stack System emphasizes an individualized training process. The journey begins with a baseline session that assesses the participants' initial abilities. This baseline is crucial for motivational purposes and serves as a reference point for measuring progress. The software then creates a unique workout plan, frequently adapting and modifying it according to individual progress. The highly responsive system ensures that each user gets a tailored fitness journey, adapting to their pace and capability. This engaging, responsive, and individual-oriented feature of the Stack System is what keeps users consistently engaged, and looking forward to every next session.

The App's Iterative Process Towards Perfect Programming

Sasho stresses the iterative process behind the app, suggesting its design continually improves with an increasing user base. The app uses information such as a person's age, fitness level, driver length, and speed to develop customized programs for each user. The more data analyzed, the more precise the program becomes. This approach ensures every workout is engaging, adaptable, and tailored to help every user improve their fitness level through workouts that last just about fifteen minutes, making the program a convenient and effective training tool.

Increasing Maximum Speed Through Stack System

The Stack System aims to increase an athlete's maximum speed, which in turn allows them to use less effort when lifting weights. Sasho uses pro golfer Bryson Debo as an example and explains how increasing capacity reduces the effort percentage required to perform at maximum speed on the golf course. With the Stack System, the users can swing easier and more in control while achieving faster speeds.

Reasonable Expectations with the Stack System

According to Sasho, the Stack System does not suggest that hard work on the golf course will yield immediate results. Instead, it's about understanding how the effort exerted off the course translates to skill and precision on the course. Trusting the process allows users to gradually improve their performance without feeling overwhelmed by the rigor of the sport.

Data from the user base's top 5000 users show the most diligent users average a 12 mph improvement in speed after consistent use of the system. Expectations during an introductory six-week program generally range between 6 and 10 miles per hour, while about 0.5% of users experience improvements under 3 mph. By interacting with these outliers, Sasho and his team can further improve the system to benefit all users.

Miles per Hour to Yards Translation in Swinging Speed

Sasho takes time to elaborate on the translation of swinging speed from miles per hour to yards. He notes that a golfer with a slower swing can gain about three yards per mile per hour. For instance, a swing increase from 80 miles per hour to 85 (a five miles per hour increase) can result in about a 15-yard gain. However, as the swing gets faster, the yardage gain reduces. So, for a high-speed swing (for example 130 miles to 135 miles per hour), the resultant yardage gain is closer to 2.5 or 2.6 yards. Hence, the majority of the golfers can expect a range of 2.5 to 3 yards gain per mile per hour.

Improving Golf Swings: The Role of Observation and Training

Sasho further delves into the techniques that can help improve swing speed. One of the key avenues to increasing swing speed is through observation and training. He suggests filming one’s swings and comparing them with those of professional golfers like Scotty Scheffler. This can help identify discrepancies and make necessary adjustments. Sasho also underscores the need to loosen the grip and increase effort, which many golfers restrict fearing they might miss fairways. He believes that the notion of "never losing balance" is exaggerated and golfers can benefit from loosening up and trying out high swings and max efforts in controlled settings.

The Potential Benefits of Using a Trainer

The conversation then progresses to the potential benefits of engaging a trainer. Sasho suggests that with a trainer, the golfers he works with, including his son and Matt Fitzpatrick, can reinforce positive swing mechanics with increased effort. This can help address common problems like struggling to get onto the lead side or rotating around the trail foot only.

Speed Training: Beyond Improving Swing Speed

Sasho underscores the fact that speed training is not just about improving swing speed but also working on the mechanics of body movement. He shares that many golfers who struggled with a slice were able to start playing a draw after six weeks of speed training. Sasho suggests that while working on increasing swing speed, golfers can also focus on improving other aspects such as grip, posture, or swing direction. He emphasizes the importance of working on elevated efforts to achieve noticeable improvements.

Golfing Demographics and the Stack System

The Stack System, conceived for those dedicated to improving their golf game, is designed to suit anyone with the time to commit to practice, regardless of their life stage or regular golf routine. If you can set aside at least two hours a week for dedicated golf practice, whether at the range or the putting green, the Stack System can be of great help.

Individuals who play frequently or casually can certainly derive benefit from this system. Especially for golfers in cold climates who find it hard to maintain their practice during unfavorable seasons, the Stack system can be an excellent tool. In places like Canada, where the golf season is comparatively shorter, players can use this system to maintain and even improve their playing abilities during the off-season.

Women and the Stack System

While the number of female users of the Stack System is lower than their male counterparts, it is worth noting that the changes witnessed by female users have been transformative. Many female golfers can benefit from an increased level of aggression embedded in their technique, and the Stack System helps facilitate this. Working with the Stack System can help players learn to swing harder during their training, which will lead to improved overall performance.

If you are a player who rarely misses a fairway or consistently achieves 200 yards off the T, then you are not optimizing your game for distance. In golf, both distance and accuracy matter, and to improve, you must balance the two. The Stack System encourages players to go that extra mile for the sake of distance, even at the risk of missing some fairways.

The Stack System Putting System

The Stack System includes a Putting System, which aims to revolutionize how golfers practice their putting stroke. The program offers a variety of visually appealing interfaces enabling golfers to enter their missed putts and the reasons they believe they missed them. The app then guides you through different "holes," optimizing your performance in the areas that differentiate good and bad putters.

The Putting System emphasizes working on putts between 4 feet and 10 feet, as these are the ones that separate good putters from bad ones. Also, it tracks all your misreads and your progress over time, providing profound insights into your game. You can also tailor the Putting System to meet your needs, designing the practice rounds you fancy, and tracking their performance over time.

This robust system also allows for comparisons to be made across different techniques. For example, you could compare your results between an arm lock technique and a regular technique, providing clear statistical results on which is more effective for you. Whether you are playing a premade course or creating your own, the Stack System provides the opportunity to understand and improve your game in meaningful ways.

To get a special discount on the Stack System, click HERE and use discount code, TTGOLF at checkout.

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