Filming your own swing: two positions, 240 frames, one goal

A phone is the cheapest training device in golf and the worst positioned. Almost every video somebody takes of their own swing stands in the wrong place, runs at the wrong frame rate, and therefore shows nothing you could fix. Three settings change that.

Frame rate is the most important setting

An ordinary video runs at 30 frames a second. That leaves 33 milliseconds between frames, and in that time everything in a golf swing that matters happens. Modern phones film slow motion in 1080p at 120 or 240 frames a second (Apple, tech specs).

At 240 frames there are a good four milliseconds between shots. Only then do you see the club at impact rather than a blur. So set slow motion to 240 rather than 120, and film in daylight or under good light, because higher frame rates need more of it.

Position one: down the line

The phone stands behind the ball, exactly on the line from ball to target, framed so that the ball and your hands are in shot. Height decides: at hip height you see the swing plane correctly, from the ground you see a steeper plane than you have.

This position shows three things: where the club goes on the backswing, how the club path comes into the ball, and whether you touch the ground before or after it. Those are precisely the points where most mistakes are visible.

Position two: face on

The phone stands at a right angle to the target line, level with the ball, again at hip height. Here you see weight shift, head movement, where the ball sits in your stance, and whether your upper body is still behind the ball at impact.

One position is never enough. A steep strike is visible down the line, a ball position too far forward only from the front. So always film two series and look at them side by side.

What a video can show

Everything big and slow: posture, grip, ball position, swing length, weight shift, whether you lift your head. Those are beginners' mistakes, and they make the biggest difference. Nobody needs a measuring device for them, only a camera and one honest minute.

Take one question per recording. Not how does my swing look, but is the ball too far forward. A video without a question ends with the feeling that something is wrong and no point at which to start.

What a video does not show

Numbers. Club head speed, face angle at impact, attack angle, spin and launch direction cannot be read off a side view, not even at 240 frames. The club head moves too fast and the decisive angles are too small.

That is exactly where a bay comes in: a device beside the ball delivers those values shot by shot, and many systems record video themselves and lay the numbers into the picture (TrackMan). What each number means is in How golf simulators measure.

The order that works

Film first, measure second. Anyone with crooked posture does not need to know that their face angle is three degrees open; they need to stand up straight. Conversely, there is no point reading a video when the fault is a number you cannot see.

A good rhythm for a season: two series a month, always from the same two positions, always with the same club. That makes the recordings comparable, and progress visible rather than felt.

How to set the phone up

A small tripod or a golf bag will do. Without a mount the phone lies on the floor, and then the plane is wrong. Film in landscape, get the whole swing in shot including the club at its highest point, and keep the ball away from the edge.

Distance: two to three metres is enough for an iron, three to four for a driver. Further away is better than too close, because the perspective distorts less. And never put the phone in the line of the shot.

Apps, and what they add

The camera app is enough for the recording. What analysis apps add are lines, a frame-by-frame slider and the option of overlaying two recordings. That is useful when you compare yourself with yourself three months ago, and not very useful when you compare yourself with a professional.

Comparisons with tour swings mislead: a professional swings with a mobility and a speed that cannot be the point of the comparison. The only useful comparison is with your own better shot.

Light and background

A higher frame rate needs more light, because each frame is exposed for less time. At 240 frames a second (Apple) you therefore want daylight behind the camera or a well-lit bay, or the picture comes out dark and grainy.

The background decides whether you see anything at all. Against a hedge or a white wall you can make out the club; against backlight or a busy car park you cannot. Stand so that there is a quiet surface behind you, and never film into the sun.

What to mark on the picture

Three lines are enough, and they work in any app that allows drawing. First the shaft line at address, extended upwards: it shows whether the club stays on it during the backswing. Second a vertical line at your head, which makes head movement visible.

Third a line at the ball, which fixes its position in your stance. More lines make the picture unreadable, and three cover the faults that can be seen on video at all. What only numbers show is in Understanding launch monitor numbers.

How to keep the recordings

One folder a month, two recordings per position, always the same club. It sounds pedantic, but it is the whole difference between a collection and a comparison: only videos shot the same way can be overlaid.

After a season you have twelve pairs and can see what really changed. That is more than most people know about their swing, and it costs two minutes a month.

More on this: Golf swing for beginners, Learning golf from YouTube or from a pro?.

Together with a pro

Video makes an hour of coaching considerably more valuable. Bring two recordings and the first half hour does not go on finding the problem. 95 of the 126 venues in the directory list coaching on site, many with video analysis included.

If you start alone: one recording, one question, one change. Three changes at once do not produce a better swing but a different one. A venue with coaching is on the map.

Frequently asked questions

What frame rate should I film my golf swing at?

240 frames a second in 1080p if your phone can do it. At 30 frames there are 33 milliseconds between shots and impact falls between them. At 240 it is a good four milliseconds, and you see the club rather than a blur.

Where do I put the camera?

In two places, both at hip height: behind the ball exactly on the target line, and at a right angle to it level with the ball. Two to three metres away for an iron, three to four for a driver. Never in the line of the shot.

What can I see on video and what not?

Visible: posture, grip, ball position, swing length, weight shift and head movement. Not visible: club head speed, face angle, attack angle, spin and launch direction. Those need a measuring device.

Do I need an analysis app?

No, the camera app is enough. Analysis apps add lines, a frame-by-frame slider and the option of overlaying two recordings. The useful comparison is with your own earlier swing, not with a tour swing.

What does video add to a simulator lesson?

The video shows what is big and slow; the device supplies the angles and speeds. Many systems record video themselves and lay the numbers into the picture. 95 of the 126 venues in the directory list coaching on site.

Sources

• Apple: iPhone 17 Technische Daten (Slow Motion 1080p mit 120 oder 240 Bildern pro Sekunde)
• TrackMan: Simulator und Videoaufnahme