How to Film a Golf Swing

Filming your golf swing is one of the most effective ways to see what’s truly happening with your mechanics, providing the honest feedback you need to get better, faster. So much of golf is based on feel, which can be deceiving, but video tells the truth. This guide will walk you through exactly how to film your swing like a pro coach, covering the essential camera angles, simple equipment, and what to look for once you hit record.

Why Bother Filming Your Swing?

As a coach, I can tell a player, "You're coming over the top," until I'm blue in the face. But the moment I show them a video of their swing, something clicks. The "Oh, I see it now!" moment is a powerful catalyst for change. The goal isn't to be overly critical of yourself, but to bridge the gap between "feel" and "real." What you feel like you're doing and what you're actually doing are often two very different things.

Filming provides you with objective data. It helps you:

• Identify Root Causes: You might think your slice comes from an open clubface at impact, but a video might reveal the real issue starts in your takeaway.
• Track Progress: Having a "before" video is incredibly motivating. When you feel stuck, looking back at where you started can prove just how far you've come.
• Make Practice More Efficient: Instead of randomly hitting balls and hoping for a different result, you can focus on a specific move or position you saw on video, giving your practice sessions clear purpose.

Seeing your own swing is the first step toward owning it. It removes the guesswork and empowers you to make meaningful improvements.

The Gear You Need (It's Simpler Than You Think)

Let's get one thing straight: you do not need expensive, professional-grade camera equipment. The high-powered camera sitting in your pocket is more than enough to get the job done.

Here’s all you really need:

1. A Smartphone: Any modern smartphone with a decent camera will work perfectly. The ability to shoot in slow motion is a huge bonus, and nearly all recent models have this feature.
2. A Tripod: This is the most important accessory. A stable camera is non-negotiable for getting clean, usable footage. A wobbly video taken by a friend is almost worse than no video at all. You can get a simple, lightweight smartphone tripod online for less than the cost of a box of premium golf balls. Look for one that's adjustable in height.
3. A Makeshift Alternative: If you don’t have a tripod, get creative. You can prop your phone up in your golf bag, balance it on a water bottle, or stick an alignment rod in the ground and lean your phone against it. The key is to keep it stable and at the right height.

That's it. Don't let a perceived lack of equipment stop you. Your phone and a stable base are your ticket to game-changing feedback.

Setting Up the Shot: The Only Two Angles You Need

In golf instruction, there are two primary camera angles that reveal 99% of what a coach needs to see. Getting these angles right is absolutely vital. If the camera isn't in the correct position, the video can be misleading, showing apparent flaws that aren't really there or hiding the ones that are.

Angle 1: The "Down-the-Line" (DTL) View

The DTL view is the gold standard for analyzing your swing plane, path, and posture. It tracks the club's journey around your body.

How to Set It Up:

• Position: Stand directly behind the golfer, in line with their toes and the target. Imagine a straight line running from the target, through the ball, and straight back. Your camera should be on this line.
• Height: Set the tripod so the camera lens is between your waist and chest height. When I’m analyzing a student, I prefer it to be right around hand height at address. Too low or too high can distort the perspective of the swing plane.
• Framing: Make sure you can see the entire golfer, from their feet to the top of their club at the top of the backswing. Don't cut off their head or the club.

What to Look For in DTL:

• Posture at Address: Are you slouched over or too upright? Is your spine angle maintained throughout the swing?
• The Takeaway: Does the club start back "on plane" (the clubhead covers the hands when the shaft is parallel to the ground) or does it whip too far inside or outside?
• Swing Plane: As you swing to the top and back down, does the club shaft travel on a consistent angle? A great reference is to draw a line from the ball through the player's elbow at address. A classic swing will see the club travel roughly along this plane. Coming "over the top" will be glaringly obvious from this angle.

Angle 2: The "Face-On" (FO) View

The Face-On view is perfect for analyzing things related to your body's movement from side to side and rotationally. It's all about weight shift, ball position, and the dynamic movements at impact.

How to Set It Up:

• Position: Stand directly in front of the golfer, perpendicular to the target line. The camera should be positioned so it's looking right at the center of their stance (your sternum, about).
• Height: Similar to DTL, aim for a height between the waist and chest. This gives you a clear, undistorted view of their body mechanics.
• Framing: Again, capture the whole golfer and the full motion of the club. Ensure there’s enough space on both sides to see the full width of the swing arc.

What to Look For in FO:

• Setup and Ball Position: Is the ball correctly positioned in your stance for the club you're hitting? (Middle for short irons, progressively forward for longer clubs).
• Weight Shift: Watch how your pressure moves. You should see a clear shift of pressure into your trail foot on the backswing and a powerful push and pivot onto your lead foot through impact. A "reverse pivot" (leaning toward the target on the backswing) is easy to spot here.
• Head Position: Does your head stay relatively stable, or does it sway significantly side-to-side or bob up and down? A little movement is normal, but excessive movement makes consistent contact very difficult.
• Impact Position: Pause the video at the moment of impact. Ideally, your hands should be ahead of the ball, your hips should be open to the target, and most of your weight should be on your lead foot. This is the "look" of a powerful and compressed strike.

Pro-Tips for Better Swing Videos

Once you’ve mastered the angles, a few minor adjustments can take your swing analysis to the next level.

• Use Slow Motion: This is a game-changer. Standard video (30 frames per second) is too fast to see the subtle movements at the top of the swing, during the transition, or - most importantly - at impact. Switch your phone's camera to the "Slo-Mo" setting. Aim for at least 120fps, and 240fps is even better. It gives you the clarity needed to see what's really happening.
• Use an Alignment Stick: Place an alignment stick on the ground pointing at your target. This is useful in both DTL (to confirm the camera is aimed correctly) and Face-On views (to confirm your setup and body alignment).
• Check Your Lighting: The best lighting is when the sun is in front of you, lighting you up for the camera. If the sun is directly behind you, you'll end up as a dark silhouette, and a lot of the detail will be lost. An overcast day is actually perfect for filming.
• Film Several Swings: Don't just record one swing. Hit 5-10 shots with the same club from each angle. This gives you a better sense of your typical misses and tendencies, not just a one-off swing.

How to Do Your Own Swing Analysis

Okay, you've got the footage. Now what? The key is to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Don't try to fix ten things at once. Instead, start simple.

Use a free video analysis app that lets you draw lines, circles, and angles over your swing. Many are available for both iOS and Android.

Start with the biggest "bang for your buck" areas: your setup and your pivot.

1. Check your fundamentals first: From the DTL view, draw a line along your initial spine angle. Does it change dramatically during the swing? From the FO view, draw a circle around your head. Does it move all over the place? Simple checks like these often reveal the root of many swing faults.
2. Focus on one thing: Pick one single thing to work on. Maybe it's keeping your spine angle more constant or making a better turn on the backswing. Go to the range with only that one thought in mind. Film yourself again after the practice session to see if you've made a change.
3. Compare to a Pro: Your goal isn't to look exactly like a Tour pro, but they provide a great model. Find a video of a pro with a similar build and look at their key positions side-by-side with your own. Pay attention to their setup, position at the top, and impact. It will provide fantastic context for what you're trying to achieve.

Final Thoughts

By learning how to film your golf swing using the correct Down-the-Line and Face-On views, you give yourself the a gift of clarity. It cuts through the fog of "feel" and provides you with the unmistakable visual evidence you need to understand your swing and make smart, targeted changes.

Of course, seeing the issue is only the first step, knowing how to fix it is the other half of the battle. Once you've identified a move you'd like to improve on your video, you might start asking yourself, "What's the best drill to fix my early extension?" or, "How do I add more wrist hinge?". That is where we can help. Ask Caddie AI any golf question you have, 24/7, and you’ll get simple, clear advice - instantly. This turns the feedback from your videos into an actionable plan to play better golf.