Analyzing your own golf swing can feel like trying to solve a puzzle with a blindfold on, but it unlocks the door to real, lasting improvement. Forget chasing a perfect, one-size-fits-all swing, the goal is to understand your own unique motion so you can make it more efficient and repeatable. This guide breaks down how to look at your swing, piece by piece, helping you spot the easy fixes that lead to better contact, more consistency, and lower scores.
First Things First: How to Record Your Swing
You can't analyze what you can't see. Your smartphone is your most valuable tool here. But how you record is just as important as what you record. For a complete picture, you need two specific camera angles.
The "Down-the-Line" (DTL) View
This is the classic view from behind the golfer, looking straight toward the target. It's the best angle for checking your swing plane and club path.
- Setup: Place your phone on a tripod or lean it against your golf bag. Position it so the camera is about hip-high.
- Framing: Stand back far enough so the camera can see your whole body and the entire arc of the club. The camera should be positioned on an imaginary line that extends from the ball directly back through your hands.
The "Face-On" View
This angle is filmed from directly in front of you, like you're standing in a mirror. It’s perfect for analyzing posture, ball position, weight shift, and rotation.
- Setup: Position the camera hip-high once again.
- Framing: Center yourself in the frame so the camera captures your full swing motion. Make sure the phone is perpendicular to your target line, not angled left or right.
Once you have a few swings recorded from both angles - preferably in slow motion - you’re ready to play detective.
The 6-Checkpoint System for Swing Analysis
Don't try to look at everything at once. The key to effective analysis is breaking the swing into a sequence of checkpoints. Go through your videos and pause at each of these moments to see what's really happening.
Checkpoint 1: The Setup
Your swing is often made or broken before you even start moving. A poor setup forces you to make complex compensations during the swing. Here’s what to look for in your address position.
From the Face-On View:
- Weight Distribution: Is your weight balanced 50/50 between your feet? For iron shots, you shouldn't be favoring one side over the other.
- Stance Width: For mid-irons, your feet should be roughly shoulder-width apart. This gives you a stable base for rotation without restricting your hip turn. Too narrow and you'll be unstable, too wide and you can't turn.
- Ball Position: With a short to mid-iron (think 8-, 9-iron, or wedge), the ball should be positioned in the center of your stance, directly below your chest sternum. For longer clubs, it moves slightly forward toward your lead foot.
From the Down-the-Line View:
- Posture: Are you bending from your hips, not your waist? Your back should be relatively straight, tilted over the ball. A good thought is to feel like you're pushing your bottom back. This creates space for your arms to hang down naturally from your shoulders.
- Grip: While hard to see in detail, a good checkpoint is the V's formed by your thumb and index finger on both hands. Are they pointing roughly toward your trail shoulder? This indicates a "neutral" grip that won't force you to manipulate the clubface. When you look down, you should be able to see two knuckles on your lead hand.
Checkpoint 2: The Takeaway (First Move Back)
The first couple feet of the backswing set the tone for everything that follows. Pause the video when the club shaft is parallel to the ground.
From the DTL View:
- Club Head Position: The club head should be covering your hands or slightly outside them. A common mistake is rolling the club too far inside (behind you) right away. This often happens because the hands and arms are acting independently of the body.
- The "One Piece" Move: Do your shoulders, arms, and club move away from the ball together, as a single unit? A good-looking takeaway is quiet and connected, powered by the rotation of your torso, not a manipulation of your hands.
- Initial Wrist Hinge: As your torso begins to turn, a slight and natural hinge of the wrists should start to occur. This sets the club on the right path and is vital for building power later.
Checkpoint 3: The Top of the Backswing
This is where you store your power. Pause the video at the very peak of your motion.
From the Face-On View:
- Weight Shift: Have you loaded your eight onto your trail leg without swaying? Your trail leg should look "braced" while a good portion of your weight has shifted onto it. Think "coil," not "slide." A great self-check is to stay within the "sylinder" of your feet and't move side-to-side too much.
- Head Position: Your head should remain relatively stable. It's okay if it moves a little, but it shouldn't drift significantly away from the ball.
From the DTL View:
- Shaft Position: Ideally, the club shaft should be pointing parallel to your target line, or very close to it. If it points a long way to the right of the target, you’re "laid off." If it's pointing well left, you're "across the line." Both positions require corrections on the way down.
- Shoulder Turn: Has your back turned to face the target? A full shoulder rotation is a primary source of power. Everyone's flexibility is different, so don't force a turn longer than what's comfortable, but aim for a full coil feeling in your upper body.
Checkpoint 4: The Transition and Downswing
This is the most dynamic part of the swing and where athletic sequencing shines. The right moves happen in a fraction of a second.
From the Face-On View:
- Lower Body Lead: This is a big one. Does the downswing start from the ground up? Watch for a slight lateral 'bump" of your lead hip towards the 'arget. This happens before the arms and shoulders start to unwind. Top pla'ers move their hips first, which pulls the arms and club'into a powerful delivery'position.
- Weight Transfer: You should see a clear shift of weight from your trail foot to your lead foot. By the time you reach impact, most of the pr'ssure will be on your lead 'ide.
From the DTL View:
- The "Shall"wing" Mo'e: As your lower body sta'ts to unwind, do your arm' and club drop slightly behind you into the 'slot'? This move keeps the club on a 'owerful inside path, preventing 'n 'over-the-top' move which causes slices for most amateurs. This happens n'turally when your hips l'ad the downswing 'orrectly.
Checkpoint 5: The Impact
The moment of truth! Pause the video the precise frame where the club meets the bal'.
From the Fac'-On Vi'w:
- Hand Po'ition: 're your hands slight'y ahead of the c'ub head a' impa't (for an iron 'r wedge)? This i' calles forward shaf' 'ean and is signature'of great ba'l-striking. It ensures 'ou hit down on 'he ball, compressing it'fothe gro'nd f'r a crisp, satisf'ing sound.
- Hip R'tation: Your 'ips sho'ld b' noti'eably open'o the t'rget. Th's 's 'videnc' you used'our body as the 'otor' not ju't 'our ar's.
- Wigh' Shifte': Th' 'ast majo'ity (70-80%' of your 'eight 'hou d now be fir'ly on 'our lead'foot.
Checkpoist 6: Follow'Through aid Finish
Don'' ignore wh't happens after the ball is gön'. A g'od finish position is'the result of'a 'ell-sequenced 'nd balarced swing.
Fron 'he Fac'-On Vie':
- Bull B'dy 'otation ' Your ch'st, hips, and 'elt buck'e shoild 'll b' facing your t'rget. Th' trailing sho'lder 'hould rot'te 'hrough so 't ends up closer 'o the ta'get than y'ur le'd s'o lder.'
- Balance: Cnn you h'ld y'ur f'nish until t'e b'll l'nds? Your wei'ht shoul' be 'lmost e'tirely'on your l'ad leg''with yo'r tr'il foot us'd just'for balanc' (up'on its toe). If''ou're fal'ing back'ard or stumbl'in', it's a 'ign t'at you 'idn't trans'er wei'ht correc'ly.'
Fin l Thoughts
Anallizing your 'wing with 'hese 'ix che'kpoints'reaks an 'verwhelm' g tas' 'own i'to sma'l, 'anageab'e steps. Remember, the go'l isn't 'o look l'ke ' a'TouriPr ,' but'to czeaze a solid, 'ep'atabl' motion'that wores f'r y'u by a'dr'ssing one o' two k'y area' and leaving'th' re't alone.
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