“The sculpture is already inside the stone” ~ Michelangelo.

Who is Luca Menci?

Luca Menci was born and raised in Arezzo, which is a city in the region of Tuscany, Italy. The 56-year-old has one brother and is married to his business partner, Francesca. They have two young boys.

Luca Menci early career.

His early career was dominated by mechanical engineering, and he gained his degree at the University of Florence which is about 60 kilometers away from Arezzo. It was here that he was introduced to the world of 3D (three-dimensional space) and he went on to specialize in measurements of energy using sensors and computers. For the next twenty years, he worked on 3D mapping in the geological, architectural, and forensic fields and eventually finished up working on aeronautical and satellite applications.

Luca Menci enters Golf Advancement Technology.

In 1999, he founded the engineering company, Menci Software, which specialized in remote aerial and satellite measurement. During this time he collaborated on many projects with famous Italian universities and exported his technology throughout the world. His first foray into golf came in 2016 when he founded a new company, Precision, which produced Capto, a device designed to help golfers analyze their putting strokes using a high-frequency inertial system.

“The child looks at the world with the ingeniousness, innocence, and intelligence of its age.
It gets excited for reasons that cannot be attributed to mere rational thought.” Giovanni Pascoli.

A childlike fascination?

I first met Luca at a Capto putting seminar in Italy in 2018 and was struck by his almost boyish innocence and delight as he discussed his vision to help golfers become better putters using the world of science and technology. He has worked tirelessly to develop a tiny unit that attaches to the shaft of the putter which contains fourteen sensors.

Capto putting analysis technology.

Capto golfs putting technology analysis system can determine where the putter is in 3D space, has its own Wi-Fi, is lightweight, waterproof and mobile. This is the first time that this type of technology has been introduced to putting in golf and has been described as a game changer.

Capto Interface System

The interface for the system is designed to be as complex or as simple as you wish with multiple parameters available on request and also custom screens to satisfy both the teacher and the pupil. It contains an interesting screen displaying lie, shaft and face angles which gives you the ability to determine if the putter is the correct fit for the player using it.

3D putting analysis

3D is measured in both graph and video display with Luca’s unique take of what he terms putting kernels (a robotics term) in which he describes the basis of his putting theory, the law of the pendulum concerning the main rotation and secondary rotations. Needless to say for someone who was brought up on a staple diet of tilting up through the ball, this was a fascinating insight into the future of golf.

“Zero in Putting.”

Luca Menci the golf book author.

Having spent some time with Luca at his home in Tuscany, I found him to have a deep understanding of the science behind golf motion in both the long game and specifically putting. He has written a book on the subject called “Zero in Putting” which talks about his theories on golf but it is akin to reading Ulysses by the noted Irish author, James Joyce, strictly for the aficionado. In saying that, I enjoyed it but I would have been exposed to 3D at the Titleist Performance Institute and would have a keen interest in the subject!

“Zero in Putting” the book.

The book is divided neatly into sections addressing all the facets of putting and it is a quote early on in the book that resonates, “The child looks at the world with the ingeniousness, innocence, and intelligence of its age. It gets excited for reasons that cannot be attributed to mere rational thought.” Giovanni Pascoli.

Magnitude of Studies

This is precisely how you will feel as you wander through this masterpiece; the man is either a fool or a genius such is the magnitude of his studies. His putt kernel and shaft kernel theory are at the heart of his rotational scientific hypothesis and are groundbreaking in terms of his assertion that many terms that we use to describe common problems in putting today are open to interpretation. 

“The center is the  putt kernel which is the main rotation.” ~ Luca Menci

Become a better putter the easy way.

On a broader level, he feels that it is quite difficult for the golfer to have the proper perception of their body in space, which ties in nicely with the Harrington Golf Academy assertion that golfers are guilty of trying to bring a static solution to a dynamic problem.

Golf putting mistakes and how to improve.

This unique awareness problem is heightened when you see golfers looking at static positions in their swing as if trying to mimic a specific swing position that they had seen in a magazine!

Putting future success with Luca.

Luca asserts that the future of golf is the six degrees of motion described in 3D space and not static positions. The balancing of actions and reactions translates into harmonious development around the center (the putt kernel ~ main rotation) and research of the center is the key to understand the movement. He encourages us to try and find the essence of putting through the laws of physics.

Exciting collaborations ahead.

 Research and development continue apace in Tuscany with some new and exciting products coming to market that will debut at the golf show in Orlando in 2020. The Harrington Golf Academy has recently partnered with Capto Golf to develop and test future products to help golfers improve. The vision of both companies is to bring the repetitions needed to learn the required motor skills for golf down to manageable proportions for the average golfer.  The future looks bright for Luca and Capto Golf.

Thank you for taking the time to read! It is appreciated. Follow our Ryder Cup Captain at our dedicated Ryder Cup page and over at his website. Finally, don’t forget to sign up for my FREE monthly digital magazine plus a Charity Kindle book for Xmas which this year is being produced for Goal. Finally, you also have a chance to win a dozen Titleist Pro V1’s each & every month. Tadhg.

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Tadhg Harrington

Tadhg Harrington is a full time, professional golf instructor, and owner of the Harrington Golf Academy, based in Dublin, Ireland. He is a graduate of the Titleist Performance Institute and Setanta College. He is the eldest brother of three-time time Major Champion, Padraig Harrington.

He succeeds, employing empathy, passion and exceptional customer service, teaching above the noise, the quick tips, and the latest fads and is truly unique in the Irish golf industry.

The Harrington Golf Academy provides long term coaching programs designed to bring sensory processing to motor learning skills. Tadhg teaches the long game at Drynam Park Golf Centre and short game at Roganstown GC. His business partner, Ex European Tour Player, Rebecca Codd, also teaches full time at Drynam Park Golf Centre.

//harringtongolfacademy.com

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