There's more to Medicus than a hinge

Maybe Bob Koch's little invention will improve your golf game or maybe it won't, but Koch's story definitely is a reflection of the American dream. A failed mini-tour player who started his business career in 1986 with a hinged steel stick he called Medicus, Koch is building an empire. Using a collection of high-profile touring pros and instructors - anchored by two-time major champion Mark O'Meara and prominent instructor Hank Haney, who advises Tiger Woods - Koch has been running his Medicus infomercials on television for 14 years.   Meanwhile, the lineup of Medicus products has grown substantially and is available not only through the parent company but also from major golf retailers around the world. "It's gone crazy," Koch said simply. Bob Koch Because Medicus is privately owned and Koch talks abstractly about sales volume, the precise impact of Medicus on the golf industry is not known. However, Koch does say that more than a half-million of the hinged clubs have been sold. On the Medicus Web site (www.medicus.com) the club carries a retail price of $119.85.   If Koch's vision comes true, the Medicus influence will extend far beyond the company's current conglomeration of training aids: Dual-hinged driver, 5-iron and 7-iron for correct tempo, swing plane, clubface positioning and release (swing faults cause the hinges to release and the club to fold). Weighted driver, 7 -iron and L-wedge to build strength and proper muscle sequencing during the swing. Power Meter for measuring swing speed. Vision Track, an alignment aid that graphically illustrates the swing path as it relates to the target line. Various other training devices that go by the names Armmaster, Coilmaster and Motion Developer.   Beyond these devices, the 48-year-old Koch is completing his golf blueprint with books, videos and, eventually, Medicus golf clubs. Yes, real golf clubs for real rounds.   Until now, Koch, a quiet, unassuming man, has not discussed all his golf dreams in public. He sheepishly laughs at his audacity for daring to believe that Medicus could compete with major

Medicus Golf Institute instructor Chuck Evans works on Brett Ochsenreiter's swing at Emerald Bay Golf Club.   golf club manufacturers. Regardless, Medicus has become a well-known brand in golf.   "Most avid golfers are aware of the Medicus name," said Kerry Kabase, vice president of purchasing for Edwin Watts Golf. "They've always tried to come up with something different. Over the years, we've found that those informercials drive people in to see the product. In our catalog sometimes we've said, 'As seen on TV.' It's been good for us."   The crown jewel of the expanded Medicus concept, though, may be the Medicus Golf Institute (www.medicuscorporation.com). Under the umbrella of the name Swingology, Medicus is preparing to emerge as an omnipresent force in golf instruction.   There will be more golf schools, but one already is thriving in Destin in the Florida Panhandle. From juniors to mini-tour players to other instructors, the disciples of Swingology are beating a path to Emerald Bay Golf Club, where teachers Chuck Evans and Randy Sparks are the Zen masters of Koch's philosophy.   Let me be honest here: This is the way, I always wanted golf instruction to be. I wanted it to be comprehensive. I wanted it to be realistic. I wanted to embrace my own swing, not copy somebody else's. I was looking for a wise Buddha to tell me exactly how to practice and prepare for tournaments.   The hallmark of Swingology is that it applies to many different swing patterns. Right now, DVDs of the Stack and Tilt swing philosophy are being featured on the Medicus Web site. Stack and Tilt is a wonderful swing for some golfers, Evans said, although it doesn't fit others.

This observation is logical, but how does a golfer identify the swing that is distinctly his or hers?   "There are multiple ways to swing a club," said Evans, the Swingology director of instruction. "It is our job to help golfers understand what they can or cannot do. Then we match up all the components of their swings. That's what Swingology is all about."   Evans is known as an expert in The Golfing Machine, the revered but complex golf instruction book by Homer Kelley.Still, Evans is quick to say that Kelley's research has helped him become a much better instructor for all swing patterns.   Tom Stickney, director of instruction at Cordillera Golf Resort in Edwards, Colo., and Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., told me much the same thing after attending a Swingology school.   "Chuck is the leading authority, in my opinion, on Homer Kelley and his book," Stickney said. "In general, I want to take that massive amount of data (from Kelley's book) and apply it to the fundamentals of the golfers I teach, no matter what kind of swing they've got."   It caught my attention when LSU men's coach Chuck Winstead and Ed Ibarguen, director of golf at Duke University Golf Club, also attended Swingology schools.   Medicus' success is built on swing trainers, such as the Dual Hinged Driver On the other side of the spectrum is 10-year-old Tyler Cohen. He and his father, Cliff, considered several instructors before settling on Evans and Sparks.   "Tyler's game has improved remarkably," said his father, "but I'm more impressed by what Tyler has learned about etiquette and respect for other people. It's a big part of the program there."   Explained Sparks, "We lead juniors step by step. We want them to know exactly what they have to do on a daily basis. When they play in tournaments, they are required to call us after practice rounds on a new course."   How to warm up for a round of golf? Swingology students know absolutely how many balls they need (32) and what kind of shots to hit.   In the world of Medicus, these golfers are hinged for success. Bob Koch wouldn't have it any other way.