Kent State University: How They Increased Balls Hit By 50% Using Power Tee
- This case study explains how Kent State University’s Division I golf team used Power Tee to increase the number of balls hit during practice sessions to help develop new patterns and the swing of its golfers.
- After practicing on Power Tee, the women’s golf coach saw a 50% increase in the number of balls hit per minute.
- Golfers were also able to practice more during the winter months because of the weather resistant Power Tee hitting surfaces.
About the Client
- School Name: Kent State University
- Location: Kent, Ohio
- Type of Operation: Practice facility
- Number of Bays: Four
- Key Audience: Division I women golfers
- Notable Features: Auto-tee technology, and premium mat hitting surfaces
The Challenges
- Regularly teeing up balls manually for players working on their swing and new patterns, slowing down practice sessions
- Find a solution that allows golfers to hit more balls in less time without sacrificing the quality of their practice
- Spend less practice time resetting TrackMan because ball position keeps changing
- Find solution to allow golfers to train more often during colder winter months instead of hitting on frozen or muddy grass
The Solution: Implementing Power Tee
Led by Coach Casey VanDamme, the Kent State women’s golf program stands out as a model of sustained excellence — across decades, coaches, and players — combining dominance at the conference level with respectable national competitiveness. Their record streak of Mid-American Conference titles, consistent NCAA appearances, and breakthrough national finishes show that with investment, coaching stability, and institutional support, a “non-Power 5” school can build a top-tier golf program.
Since joining the D1 program as its women’s golf coach in 2021, Kent State has won the Mid-American Conference Women’s Golf Championship in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, extending the program’s unbroken streak to 26 consecutive MAC titles. The Flashes have not only preserved its dominance in the conference, but also maintained strong individual performances, coaching recognition, and continued presence on the national stage.
Power Tee Difference is ‘Mindboggling,’ says Coach
In the summer of 2025, Kent State University added four Power Tee units to its driving range to help its golfers work on new patterns and their swing. While Kent State University hasn’t had Power Tee machines for a long time, the results speak for themselves.
Coach VanDamme said, “The thing that has opened my eyes is how many more balls you can hit on a Power Tee, as well as how many more reps you can get in during a condensed amount of time.
“I’d estimate that Power Tee increases the number of balls being hit by 50% compared to the time it took for me to tee up the balls for my players in the past.
“It gives our golfers much more golf experience in a shorter amount of time, and that’s the biggest feature we’ve seen so far.”
The Science of Power Tee
Hitting a ball off a Power Tee provides a consistent and repeatable setup for practice, which is ideal for building muscle memory, rhythm, and confidence. It benefits all levels of golfers, from beginners to elite-level players.
When golfers hit on a Power Tee, the next ball tees up automatically. Therefore, the golfers always stay in position, maintaining their stance and grip, and avoiding the disruptive step of placing the ball on a tee each time.
“Before Power Tee when we were working on new patterns and their swing, I was spending the time teeing up the ball for the players, getting out of the way, letting them hit, getting another ball ready to load, and finding the tee that just got broken in half. We were also always moving around a lot from spot to spot to avoid the divots, too.
“The other aspect of this is that we have multiple golfers hitting on separate Power Tee units at the same time. This way, I can look at all of them at the same time as they’re working on the pattern. It frees me up to observe if they’re doing it correctly.”
Kent State University: Power Tee Also Helps Golfers with Swing Mechanics
“Sometimes when you’re working on a new swing pattern, you don’t want the player figuring out how to not hit it off the heel or how not to ‘chunk’ it a little,” VanDamme explained. “You want to make it easier, so they’ll actually adjust the swing pattern.
“Power Tee makes it really easy so you can see the swing pattern and adjust it a few seconds later when the next Power Tee ball pops up.”
Subsequently, Power Tee’s premium hitting mats are a benefit to Kent State University’s women’s golf team. Each mat includes an artificial tee line.
“The advantage is that you’re aligned the same way along the tee line every time. That helps my golfers focus and lock in on what the new pattern is,” VanDamme added.
“People are interested right away when they see Power Tee. It’s very well constructed, and the mats are really good. I’m also glad to see that it’s sturdy and very stable. It’s not a problem to clean, and it’s easy to mow around.
“There’s definitely an attraction to the aesthetics of it, and that’s important to us. It doesn’t look out of place at all at our facility.”
Competitive Advantage: Practicing Golf Through the Winter
During winters in Ohio, there’s always the potential that golf can’t be played on the grass because of the cold, frozen weather. But with Power Tee’s quality mat, there’s no stopping.
“In winter, having access to Power Tee to practice golf outside is a big advantage. Our players have a designated place to hit where they’re improving their swing and working on new patterns.
“Our golfers are very happy that they have a place to hit on a Power Tee instead of having to hit on grass where mud is flying in their face or a frozen ground that they’re hitting off.
Another Competitive Advantage: Ease of Use
D1 Coach VanDamme referenced the role of technology in training his golfers, and how Power Tee offers advantages compared to TrackMan.
“Setting up the TrackMan on the ground, you constantly have to move it.” said VanDamme. “When you move a TrackMan, it gets out of the zone pretty quickly on the grass. Then you have to reset the target [on TrackMan] once again.
“It sounds silly, like ‘You’re kidding me, you can’t take an extra five minutes to do that?’
“Well, when someone like me knows that you only have 45 minutes to practice, is it worth taking all that time to have to reset the TrackMan several times in that session?”
On the other hand, “With Power Tee, the ball is in the same spot every time,” explained VanDamme. “Power Tee is set up, and it never has to move. All you have to do is put your name on the TrackMan. That gets people to use that technology more, which benefits everyone.”
Kent State University Coach Casey VanDamme’s Success
Casey VanDamme has led the Kent State University women’s golf program since 2021, sustaining its historic dominance while adding new achievements of his own. Since taking over, he has extended the program’s unmatched streak of Mid-American Conference championships — reaching 26 consecutive titles by 2025 — and has coached numerous golfers to All-MAC honors, including conference Golfer and Freshman of the Year award winners.
VanDamme himself has earned multiple MAC Coach of the Year awards, reflecting strong peer recognition. Bringing prior experience from South Dakota State and the University of Tennessee, he has emphasized player development, technical instruction, and maintaining the strong culture he inherited. Under his leadership, Kent State has continued to reach NCAA postseason play, preserving its national relevance and solidifying the program’s long-term stability and growth.
Why This Matters
Based on the experiences of Coach Casey VanDamme and the Kent State women’s golf program, here are the three key reasons why Power Tee matters:
- Drastically Increased Repetition and Efficiency
- Superior Mechanics and Muscle Memory
- Year-Round Competitive Advantage and Tech Integration
Next Steps
To learn how Power Tee can improve performance at your facility, contact us at 1-877-769-3781 or via our Contact form at powertee.com/contact