Golf Evolution is not magic, but it's the next best thing.
By BOB HARIG
Published April 22, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - He is not a golf pro, but at first glance, Flip Pyfrom can tell you what is wrong with your swing.
He is not a scratch golfer, but if that is your wish, Pyfrom can help you become one.
Or he can have you on your way to breaking 80, 90 or 100.
Pyfrom does not perform magic or miracles, and he certainly has no quick fixes. But he is trained to see your physical limitations and knows exactly how that translates into poor golf shots.
A physical therapist for HealthSouth, Pyfrom has his own business in St. Petersburg called Golf Evolution. After an evaluation, Pyfrom can tell if a bad shoulder inhibits your swing, or if poor flexibility keeps you from being consistent.
"We've had such advancements in equipment, that we don't put enough credence into the body that swings it," said Pyfrom, who works with all levels. "What we're trying to do is bring to the average golfer what has been afforded the professional for years. They have a swing coach, they have a therapist who works on them. They have someone who talks about nutrition. They have someone who talks about their mental game.
"And they have plenty of people who come to them with new heads, new shafts, new balls, new equipment. They constantly have to look at their body to see how best they can effectively use it to their advantage."
During a 60- to 90-minute evaluation at his St. Petersburg office, Pyfrom will look at a golfer's posture, flexibility, strength, balance, and range of motion in almost every joint from head to toe.
"Based on that," he said, "I can pretty much tell you where your golf ball goes, when, where, how and why it changes. And what you can do to fix it, what you can do to make it better. And certain things you cannot do."
Pyfrom has been working with golfers for nine years as a therapist in the HealthSouth physical fitness vans that have traveled to PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events. He started his business a year ago. During his travels, Pyfrom noticed that the No. 1 flaw is poor posture. He also found that injuries lead to poor swings, and that physical therapy can sometimes eliminate those flaws.
"He is not a teacher of the game of golf," said Mike Vandiver, a high-single-digit handicap golfer who is a Golf Evolution client. "They teach you how to play pain free and how to correct things in your body that would prevent you from having a reasonably good golf swing. They teach you how to do the strength training and how to improve your game. It's been wonderful."
Without seeing him hit a shot, Pyfrom told Vandiver that his tendency was to hit a shot high and to the right or a dead pull to the left, that his irons had a low trajectory and that he had difficulty getting them to stop on greens.
"He goes through and describes my golf game as if we have been playing every day for the last 10 years," Vandiver said. "He had never seen me swing a golf club, period. He described my problem exactly. He fixed me in a matter of minutes.
"It's like going to a miracle doctor. "I've got this pain right here.' He grabs your finger and twists it and all of sudden the pain goes away. It's been a very, very unique experience for me. I grew up in the era of thinking you need to go out and pound golf balls and pound golf balls to get better. Part of that is true. But if you have inherent problems that need to get fixed before you go to the range, you'll never get it fixed unless someone diagnoses the problem."
Pyfrom also has a believer in Scott Young, 33, who is in his first year on the Hooters Tour and hopes to try for his PGA Tour card later this year.
"He pointed out some weaknesses in my posture and what I needed to work on to get my posture better," Young said. "Then I worked with a trainer for three months to get stronger. ... I have a tendency to do more of an arm swing instead of getting over to my right side, and that was also because of a problem with my posture."
The fee for Golf Evolution's services varies depending on the length of the evaluation and the amount of time the golfer puts into the program. The initial evaluation can range from $125-250 with follow-up visits from $50-75. Pyfrom tries to establish goals for the players, hoping to find out their commitment level.
"Is it to play five days a week and enjoy themselves? Is it to get better distance off the tee and more accuracy? You want to work on your putting game? You want to lower your scores, which is the highest hurdle I get, I'll tell them fine and give them a plan," Pyfrom said.
"Sometimes I'll finish an evaluation and say you don't have a prayer. You don't have the tools to be able to do this. You have the tools to play recreationally, but that's it. I don't mind being blunt about it because they are paying me for my opinion."
Pyfrom said he is not trying to compete with PGA teaching pros but hopes to give students a better understanding of what to work on.
"I don't teach the golf swing," he said. "I like to work hand in hand with PGA professionals. I wouldn't want to step on their toes. But understanding how the body works so students can enjoy and benefit the most from the lessons is what I want to do."
- For more information about Golf Evolution, call 727-520-0800 or visit www.golfevolution.net
