How to Film Your Golf Swing for a Coach (Two Angles)

The two angles

• Down the line: the phone sits behind you, on the line that runs through the ball toward the target. It shows the path of the club, your posture, and how your body moves toward and away from the ball.
• Face on: the phone sits in front of you, square to your chest, looking straight at you. It shows your weight shift, your head position, the width of your swing and how you finish.

Setting up down the line

• Put the phone about 10 to 15 feet behind the ball, on the target line, roughly at hand height when you set up.
• Point it down the line so you can see the ball, your hands and the target direction in the frame. Lay a club on the ground pointing at the target to check the line.
• Hold the phone upright (portrait) so your whole body and the club are in the frame at the top of your swing.

Setting up face on

• Put the phone about 10 to 15 feet in front of you, square to your chest, at about belt height.
• Keep it level. A tilted phone makes your spine look leaned and makes a good setup look wrong.
• Make sure your head, your hands at the top, and your finish all stay in the frame.

What to film

• Two or three swings with the same club from each angle. Pick a club you are working on, or your 7-iron if you are not sure.
• If your problem shows up with one club, such as the driver, film that club.
• Film swings at your normal speed. A slow swing hides the problem.
• Hit the ball if you can. The coach can match the ball flight to the swing. If you are indoors with no ball, a real swing is still useful.

Mistakes that make a video hard to review

• Too close: your hands or club leave the frame at the top. Step the phone back.
• A shaky phone. Use a tripod, or lean the phone on a bag against a stable object. Do not hand-hold it.
• Dark or backlit video. Face the light so it falls on you, not behind you.
• Cutting off your feet or the top of the club. Check one frame before you swing.
• Wearing loose baggy clothing. A fitted shirt shows your body's movement.

Five-minute filming routine

1. Lay a club on the ground pointing at your target. Stand with the ball on that line.
2. Place the phone behind you, hand height, in portrait, pointing down the club line. Check the frame, press record and hit two or three swings.
3. Move the phone in front of you, belt height, square to your chest. Check the frame, press record and hit two or three swings.
4. Watch both clips once. If you can see your whole body and the club in every frame, you are done.

What you should feel: Nothing special: you are just checking that a stranger could see what you are doing.

Indoor or garage version

1. Clear enough space for a full swing and check for low ceilings, lights and people nearby.
2. Use a net or hit into a towel with a foam or plastic ball. Do not hit real balls into a wall.
3. Set up the two angles the same way, with the phone about 10 feet away if the room allows it.

What you should feel: A normal swing, with the space to finish without hitting anything.