Videos of your swing
 

Do many of you watch videos of your golf swing in order to improve? I've been playing for over 35 years and have never really seen my own swing aside from some photos of myself in varying swing positions, and not many of those. I play pretty well, and I'm not sure if seeing a video of myself would help me. People tell me my swing looks pretty nice, but I know by feel that it's somewhat limited as I've gained a lot of weight as I've gotten older. I'm not sure I want to see it at this point, because I have a bit of a "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" mindset, especially at my current weight. I know by feel what I'm doing wrong when I'm swinging poorly, and seeing a video of myself might complicate things for me if it caused me to pick my swing apart.

I know that having my wife and daughter watch videos of themselves swinging has made swing deficiencies easier for them to understand. Deficiencies that I have trouble explaining to them. They both take lessons from a coach I worked with as a teen, and he trusts me to explain what he wants them to do when we're between lessons. Having them watch their swings has made explaining swing plane, hand position, and follow through/weight shift easier.

Watching videos of your swing, yea or nay?

Kevin

The guy that I go to for lessons uses a two sided video analysis of my swing to show me my faults. Then we work on getting to positions for feel and visual feedback. It has really helped me learn that just because I feel my backswing is short does not necessarily mean I'm not in a great position to attack the ball. I have a problem of taking too big of a shoulder turn and getting stuck. So with the video I can take a backswing and see how perfect my position is even if it feels like I'm barely going back. I would never be able to visualize that without the help of a video showing me where I am. It has really boosted my confidence and gotten me compliments on how nice my swing looks. It actually impresses me to see it on film when I'm hitting the ball good.

I haven't watched any since I started playing again last year. I have old videos of us at driving ranges and at a couple of courses (took the camcorder out on the course!), but nothing recent.

Some things when seen can never be unseen...In my mind I swing like Hogan so I'm just going to leave it at that.

Yea here. I had no idea until I watched my swing how bad it really was. Over the top and a really bad sway problem, but that may be common for a 18 handicapper? I still do it sometimes, but working to improve what I was seeing brought my cap down quit a way's. I may go with a mask next time so I can post it!

Face made for radio? http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...es/biggrin.png

Kevin

Yep! My GF say's I look great from behind... http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo.../confused2.gif

I usually video my swing once a year, mostly when I am stuck with a bad habit(hooking, htting it thin, ect..). I am no expert but sometimes a swing fault can jump out at me when I am looking at the basic things ie. posture, swing plane, whether or not I am coming up out oif my swing, ect...

When I practice I bring my video camera every time. It is my 15th club. When I am working on something I want to see if I am doing it right. Without it I have no idea of I am doing things properly. I don't trust my feel. Sometimes I feel like I am in the correct positions but after watching the video I often found I had slipped back to my old habits.

I find it is most helpful after a lesson.

Same here, (except I'm "Jack").


I think videos can help if you start out learning with them. But if you've been at this game for a very long time, I think they tend to add more confusion and create more stuff to think about than they're worth - the "old dogs/new tricks" angle.

I also believe that "feel" players won't benefit from videos as much as "mechanical" players will. The whole idea of "feel" just doesn't jive with video because video suggests that you're searching for patterns and feel doesn't lend itself to patterns very easily.

Like anything else, if videos help someone, then by all means, use them. But I really don't think videos are for everyone.


-JP

My wife took some videos of me from a down-the-line perspective when I was preparing for a tournament earlier this year. I noticed a couple of things I wanted to fix.

Prior to that, my Son-in-Law and I videotaped ourselves during an outing and it messed us both up for a few days. That was back when I first started to play.

My pro laughs at my every time he shows me my swing because as soon as the video starts I start saying stuff like "Ohhh! Ugghhh!!!! Wha what is that?!?! NOO!!!!!!!"

I am personally an avid fan of watching videos of your own swing. I have worked with a few friends, and almost all of them say the same thing..." I am not doing that". It seems to me that most people will not believe they are making certain motions in their swing, because they dont feel it, unless they see it. It also helps people get into correct positions I think. A correct position can feel so out of place and incorrect that sometimes, seeing it is the only way to believe it.