Does Watching Your Swing on Video Help or Hurt Your Golf Performance?

[ProtoSports]

As a sponsor on The Sand Trap, I have had the opportunity to share posts and threads about my new product that allows you to video your swing using an iPhone on the range or the course. I have had some good feedback from the members, especially the ones who have the iPhone, but I am curious to know how many people out there love to video their swings and alternately who out there cannot even bear to look at it.

Personally I like to look at my swing in spurts. Sometimes I cant stop looking at it and improving it, and other times I would just assume rather not. Even if I am hacking it up that day. So I am back and forth because sometimes I think it makes me better and sometimes I think I just get into my own head!!

I would love to hear what you think??

[tiger187126]

since i do a lot of practicing into a net at home, watching my swing is very important to me. i still haven't fine tuned my eyes to see certain faults i may have when i watch, but big picture stuff i can figure out by taking a few videos and comparing them to to different videos of myself or to certain pros who i try to emulate some.

plus it's fun to look back and see the before and after.

[Jon Robert]

A picture is worth a thousand words then a video is worth a million. But you need to know what to look at.

Johnny Miller: How to analyze a swing sequence

The trick is knowing what to look for.
Here is a frame-by-frame guide

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/full-swing/2007-09/miller_swinganalysis#ixzz23vk3uQ2y

[Lihu]

Thanks for posting this. I will try it out. Is there also a post or article to help with setting the ball position at address? What are the optimum positions in all three dimensions in space?

[Jon Robert]

Originally Posted by Lihu

Thanks for posting this. I will try it out.

Is there also a post or article to help with setting the ball position at address?

What are the optimum positions in all three dimensions in space?

WOW!  I wish I could answer that. I would be rich.

I suggest that you go to the sand box and play.  Observe your swing arc witness in the sand and work out your front to back position.   Observe the repetitiveness of the in to out arc at various positions and work out the how far from the body ball position, but the lie angle of the club also determines how far from the body.  You also want to perfect the "lag" of the swing otherwise your positioning is a frustrating effort in futility.

Use your torso as reference points to duplicate points later.

[Lihu]

I will try the sandbox drills you suggest. Hopefully, I will get the feel. Thanks again for your help. I did not realize this was a very complicated problem.

[onesome]

Seeing your self on video can be very helpful for those who understand how and why any flaws are occuring, too often it sounds as though new players think the remedy for some very bad flaws can be remedied with a change in grip or tweaking their alignment in a bad position, beginers need to understand that getting themselves in a good starting position is the first key in making a good swing, being so new to the game makes the argument to get good instruction with a trained instructor imperative. I am able to catch a few of my flaws on occasion cause I have been doing this for over 30 years but even then I don't get very deep into making any long and lasting changes without an instructor.

[Jon Robert]

Originally Posted by Lihu

I will try the sandbox drills you suggest. Hopefully, I will get the feel.

Thanks again for your help.

I did not realize this was a very complicated problem.

ps long grass can be used as well bu the witness obviously vanishes quickly after you brush through

bonus:  My theory:   I am very right handed and in fact my natural unforced swing arc peak seems to be around my right foot. Hmmmmm?????

Could it be that truly balanced ambidextrous people have a swing arc peak near the body center and left dominant have theirs near the Left foot?   Hmmmmm?  Don't know

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jon Robert

Could it be that truly balanced ambidextrous people have a swing arc peak near the body center and left dominant have theirs near the Left foot?   Hmmmmm?  Don't know

No. That doesn't make any sense (if you're talking about the low point of the swing). The low point should be fairly close to the lead shoulder regardless of the side you swing from.

[WUTiger]

I get the most out of video lesson summaries. I compare the before to after, and play the after prior to going to the practice range.

[Morkin]

Watching your own swing on video is invaluable. What you think you are doing and what you are actually doing can be very different.

[Patch]

I only had my swing video taped once, and I have to say it helped immensely. It led the way to single digits for me. Everyone should do it at least once.