YOUR SWING VIDEOS ARE PROBABLY WORTHLESS FOR ANALYSIS

Most golfers try to prop their phone against their bag, balance it on a tee, or ask someone to hold it. But here's what Golf Digest Top 40 Under 40 Instructor Joe DiChiara discovered after analyzing thousands of amateur swing videos:

"90% of golfer videos are worthless for analysis because they're shot from the wrong height, wrong angle, or too shaky to see the critical details."

ARE YOUR PRACTICE VIDEOS ACTUALLY MAKING YOU WORSE?

Here's what nobody tells you: practicing with bad video feedback reinforces bad habits.

When Joe DiChiara reviews amateur swing videos, here's what he sees:

• Phone propped on a tee = Can't see hip rotation
• Waist-height filming = Misses the club path entirely
• Shaky footage = Impact position invisible
• Wrong angles = Guessing at face angle

"Although not intentional... you're wasting your time, mine, and I want to help you the best that I can, especially after you've taken the effort to submit your swing."
— Joe DiChiara

THE SCIENCE OF SWING ANALYSIS: WHY HEIGHT MATTERS

Tour players film every practice session from multiple angles at the exact right height, because that's how you catch the tiny details that make massive differences.

What Different Heights Actually Capture:

• At 3 feet (phone on ground): Sees 40% of swing arc
• At 4 feet (on golf bag): Sees 65% of swing arc
• At 6 feet (proper quadpod): Sees 95% of swing arc plus body rotation

Those missing percentages hide your biggest flaws.

HOW TO FILM YOUR SWING CORRECTLY (STRAIGHT FROM JOE)

"Taking the time to properly set up and film your golf swing will reward you with a valuable library of consistent angles that can be accurately analyzed during your session or used for future comparisons as you improve."

Joe's Exact Filming Requirements:

Down-the-Line Setup:

• Set camera 10-12 feet behind you at belt height
• Center it right in line with your hands
• Ensure you can see the top of your swing in frame
• Use alignment sticks to mark your target line

Face-On Setup:

• Set camera 10-12 feet away at belt height
• Locate camera directly in line with ball position
• Ensure camera is square to target line
• Club head must be visible during entire swing

Critical Details:

• Film in well-lit area (avoid pointing at sun)
• Use same setup every time for consistency
• Take practice swing first to check alignment
• If filming alone, flip camera to face you and check frame

"You'll be grateful later for learning how to film your swing correctly. Taking the time to set up and film your golf swing properly will pay off with a library of great swings from the same angle that can be accurately analyzed."