On a chilly November afternoon, Sandhills men's golf coach Gus Ulrich spent the day instructing members of the Flyers golf teams. Not on the course mind you, but in front of a computer.

Ulrich, the head instructor for the E-Golf Academy at Pine Needles, was using the latest in computer technology to help the golfers improve their swings.

"The most important part of the swing is the impact area," Ulrich says to Nate Phillips.

Ulrich uses a video and computers to analyze all areas of the golf swing. In the case of Phillips, Ulrich has honed in on the part of the swing where club strikes ball.

"We want to get to a better impact position," Ulrich tells Phillips as he shows him a drill he can use this winter.

Ulrich, who is in his first season as the head men's golf coach at Sandhills Community College, held his final team meeting with the members of both men's and women's teams.

The team is in its first season. It has played a practice and one regulation match in the fall. The team returns to action this spring.

For the players the one-on-one session with Ulrich and the computer gives them an advantage.

"I am seeing the things that I can do better," said women's team member Ashley Brooker.

Brooker and the other members of the teams, went through a similar analysis earlier this year. Ulrich hopes the instruction will translate into something more than just lower scores.

"We've had a couple of kids who have made dramatic improvements in their golf swing," Ulrich said. "I haven't had a lot of time to get out on the course and work with them but I think this will give them something they can work on until we get together again."

Brooker and her teammates say the video lessons are working.

"I certainly didn't realize before how much it was helping me until I saw it there (on the screen)."

For Phillips, who calls himself a "visual guy", the lessons have started to translate to improvement on the course.

"I can kinda feel it out on the course," Phillips said. "But to see it there on the screen makes a big difference."

Golf team member Cliff Blanquicet says Ulrich has been a mentor as well as a teacher to him and the other members of the team.

"He has helped me develop better fundamentals and he is a good mentor," Blanquicet said. "I'm definitely hitting the golf ball straighter, and more solid."