Anyone using video?

[SiberianDVM]

Anyone here using video on a regular basis to improve your swing? Hogan said that if he had had video when he was young, he would have been unbeatable.

I'm really tired of having a crap swing that I can't count on. One shot will be really nice, the next will look like a 36 handicapper.

Maybe I just don't have the neuromuscular coordination to have a good, reapeatable swing. But why then do I get the occasional "perfect" shot?
I think it's because I have no good idea what my swing looks like.

So I'm gonna ask my pro if it's OK if I bring my video camera to the range. I might look like a dork, but WTF.

[Highdraw34]

I use it. I have my fiance hold the camera while I make swings. She is a producer for the Discovery Channel so she can have it edited and tweaked to really help me out. Some things I took away from it the first time I did it were very helpful. #1 I realized that I needed to lose some weight because my gut was preventing me from making an athletic swing. Second I realized all the little things I was doing wrong. Video is very very valuable in learing your flaws and correcting them. Do it ASAP.

[mont86]

I used video at the indoor range this winter, but haven't used it outside yet. I did think it was helpfull. Doc.
edited to add that I have seen a handfull of people using cameras at the range. I think the bad swing your talking about is lack of concentration, it is on my part.

[David B]

But why then do I get the occasional "perfect" shot?

As the old proverb says... "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then."



Don't feel bad, I have the same problem... about 75% of the time I'll nail it right on the screws, but that other 25% makes me look like an utter moron... because it just isn't a slight mishit... we're talking wicked slice or snap-hook.

Usually I just look around at everybody else pretending that I'm trying to figure out who hit that nasty-looking shot...


I think a lot of it is just repetition... the more I practice with 'proper' mechanics, the more natural it feels, and I'm at the point now when I'm starting to take the club back I can tell whether or not it's going to be a good swing... the 25% of the time I shank the ball I can feel it on the backswing... there's just some part of the swing that's outta sync. I think some of it has to do with fatigue, since I hit my worst shots toward the end of my second hundred-ball bucket, though there's days where I just can't seem to hit a damn thing. Those times are getting fewer and farther between, however.

[SiberianDVM]

David, I just remembered your video, and looked at it again. Very well done, with a digital video camera, I assume?

Since you already have the video capability, you might want to get one of the computer programs that allows you to analyze and compare your swing to the pros.
I plan on doing this as soon as I get some video.

[Ltildragon]

Video is highly recommended. If you ever get a chance have someone record you or get a stand and record yourself because it will do wonders. From the very first day I picked up a club I was using video. I still use it but not as much only when I encounter problems or if I make a slight adjustment to my swing. Video helps mostly if you understand the mechanics of the swing. Lots of golfers out there go by just feel alone and I dont think thats enough if you dont even understand the swing itself.

[David B]

Thanks SiberianDVM.

Yeah, I have a Sony Handycam, about six years old or so... It's been a great camera, so I haven't felt the need to upgrade to one of these new-fangled ultra micro 'spycams'.

I just set it up on a tripod at about waist level and set it to record, then pulled the footage into Final Cut Pro and did the editing and scoring.

I'll look into some analysis software, the only problem being that I'm on a Mac, and 90% of the specialty software Windows only. I do have a PC, but it's only a 450MHz PIII, but it's worked great for 90% of what I've thrown at it so far (a bit slow, but doable).

I'm probably going to do some video again here soon, so I can see how my swing has improved (or gotten worse) from the first video I shot. I'm swinging with less effort now, and getting more of a hip/shoulder turn through the swing, so I 'feel' like I'm getting better.

[SiberianDVM]

David, you were doing well there until you said Mac. Then you lost me.

I need to get off my ass and make some video! Maybe tomorrow.

[David B]

LOL... yeah, yeah, yeah... that's where I lose most people.

Mac's aren't as closed of a platform as they used to be... all my RAM, Hard Drives, USB2 card, Ethernet card, etc. are all bought from a local PC shop and aren't Mac-specific.

The only lacking area is software, but mostly that's just specialty stuff, which is why I also have the PC.

But now that the MacOS is Unix underneath, and has a command-line (who'da thunk it), it's much more 'geeky' than it used to be.

I just revel in the fact that I don't have to do anything special to keep virus/malware/adware free... I don't even have to worry about visiting spurious websites, or clicking links that might try to delete my entire hard drive... so there are definite pluses to using a Mac...
Heck, I didn't even have the firewall on my router turned on until I added the PC to my network... then I had to block the outside world from trying to hijack it.

[SiberianDVM]

I finally installed a Turtle Beach video capture card in my home PC. I bought it 6 months ago and it's been sitting there waiting for me to install it.

Sucker even works! After 5 reboots.

I put the camera in the car. Next trip to the range....swing video!

[Jay McNasty]

My new digicam that I just bought will do 60fps video until it fills up the 1gb flash card in it. One of these days I'll remember to actually take it with me when I go swing the sticks.

[obagain]

JUst be ready. What you thnk your swng looks like and what you will see on video wll be 2 very different things.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by obagain

JUst be ready. What you thnk your swng looks like and what you will see on video wll be 2 very different things.

I know. It's bad enough listening to my own voice on the answering machine.

[SiberianDVM]

I took the video cam to the range this evening.......OH.....MY.......GOD

No wonder I can't hit the ball, I suck.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

I took the video cam to the range this evening.......OH.....MY.......GOD

No wonder I can't hit the ball, I suck.

Join the club buddy. I always thought, "Geez I swing a lot like Tiger, how come I suck so bad?" I look more like Arnold Palmer though..... if someone set off an airhorn as soon as he started his downswing. I have had more trouble after seeing my swing actually. I need to take a few lessons. I was swinging in front of a large mirror at the shop the other day, I think that may be better than video.