IT HAD to happen, of course. Take the computer age we live in, use the video camera which has revolutionised coaching, and add in the swing doctor to beat all golf teachers. What do you get? "ComputerCoach: The Future of Golf." a state of the art instructional and analysis programme devised by David Leadbetter.

The system is planned to allow players, of whatever standard, to combine video and computer technology to analyse their game. And Mark Reid, a native of Greystones, is finding it extremely popular in his capacity as teaching professional at the David Leadbetter Academy based in Mount Juliet.

The actual computer disk features a number of the top players coached by Leadbetter, including David Frost (but not, surprisingly, Nick Faldo) although Mark has his own video of Faldo's swing which he can incorporate into the personalised video package presented to people who avail of the half day session at the Thomastown academy.

The half-day session at Mount Juliet (priced at £90 per person, with a maximum ratio of 3:1) incorporates three hours tuition with a take home video analysis. Indeed, Reid has the technology to compare you with the player or players of your choice.

"It enables people to compare their swing at various positions side-by-side with that of one of the top touring professionals," says Reid. It also allows people to use multi-frame function to learn the cause of possible problems in their swing.

"The visual feedback is very important, people can see the difference very quickly. To be honest, we only use the equipment in half-day sessions. We feel one hour is too short. If you take it that the very top professionals need an entire morning to get something across, then the ordinary golfer can't expect to solve his fault in just an hour," insists Reid, demonstrating the point on his computer screen in the DLGA wooden hut close to the 18th green at Mount Juliet.

"There are some golfers who are feelings orientated who won't relate to it," admits Reid, honestly. "However, we have found that it is a considerable help to most players, especially when they compare their swings simultaneously with top golfers and see the difference."

While such comparisons are included in the take-away video, the ComputerCoach disk is also available for sale from the Leadbetter Academy in Mount Juliet, retailing at £49, for those of a really analytical nature. The graphic package also enables the user to learn Leadbetter's "eleven links" of the golf swing.