To Video or Not to Video

[markwarne]

What's the general consensus out there regarding the videoing of your swing etc when taking a lesson.

I am a firm believer in supporting your club pro wherever possible, and that clearly includes taking lessons from him.

My regular playing partner asked if the pro videos my swing, etc and then shows you what you are doing well / badly so at least you can see as oppose to interpret what you are being told.

Currently, my pro doesn't. Any views anybody?

 

[GB72]

Does he offer this facility? I only ask because some local pros in my area offer it but it costs more than a regular lesson.

I believe it can be very helpful but would not change my pro for that reason alone.

 

[TonyN]

Its always good to look atyour swing in slow motion and its easier to pin point where your going wrong( if you are)

From just one video posted on here, the lads really elped me to hit the ball better. They pointed out that i was over swinging and reverse pivoting. This is easy to spot by watching but sometimes swing paths are not so easy.

I am gonna start having video lessons soon!

 

[madandra]

Set up your own vijo then. To be honest we all think we have a fairly good swing until you see it on telly and it is woeful. The best thing about taping your swing is the fact you can break it down and focus on the flaws one at a time.

Do it, tape it and post it on here. You will get superb feedback form the lads on here. I posted mine a few weeks back and based on their advice I am joining my new netball club on Wednesday.

 

[markwarne]

GB72, I have to admit I haven't asked. I will do next time I get a lesson. It maybe something he has thought of and dismissed or not thought of and may decide to do in the future.

Like you, I would not not get a lesson from him on the basis that he doesn't.

 

[markwarne]

Madandra - lol. That will probably be the same netball team I will be joining. See you there

 

[Parmo]

I see no problem with videoing ones self with a pro, you may or may not have to pay extra and it might well end up on YouTube.

 

[Down_The_Middle]

Would be worth doing just to see what your own swing looks like

 

[MVP]

In My opinion Videos are absolutely Essential!!!!!!!

 

[brendy]

Unless you can see your swing, how are you supposed to see where you are going wrong?

 

[mickytwodesks]

Agree, absolute essential.

My swing vision thread is below:

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/forums//showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/25490/an/0/page/4#25490

Recieved excellent advice and encourgement.

The video is from my last lesson and it really helps to be able to review it - i'm going to post my next lessons video once i have arranged a date.

 

[medwayjon]

Absolutely essential, recently had a video lesson myself and it was incredibly valuable.

 

[RGuk]

Essential....no, not at all. Preferable....yes, it really helps.

I had only video analysis/lessons in the early days, but my pro tends not to bother unless he is specially asked. t.b.h. he's ace at spotting anything without vid.

I have to talk about something in regard to this later.....I'll be back.

 

[viscount17]

I have recently started with a new pro - nothing against the old one but the chance came up. A second opinion is priceless.
The old one had an indoor studio which we sometimes used, I always felt it to be a bit restrictive hitting into a net draped wall. Playback was on a laptop.
My new pro has an indoor/outdoor studio with two fully fitted bays, which we use all the time. You can see where every shot is going both in terms of flight and distance - there is no disguising the hooks and slices here. Every session is video'd and selected clips emailed to me, together with the notes for each session. Playback is on a large screen located above the bay.
The one drawback is that there is no escape - you get it warts and all in glorious technicolour. (I have now discovered I do not quite have the slim athletic figure - there a few odd lumps and bumps!)

 

[Leftie]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The moment I saw my swing on video I knew exactly why I couldn't hit a consistant ball. It needed the expertise of the coach though to help me back onto a better more repeatable swing.

Diary note - must ring Paul for a check up.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to say I think it is imprtant but not essential. My teaching pro filmed my swing before we made any changes and then again at then end of the 2nd lesson. The change was subtle in terms of changing things but looked worlds apart on screen.

Since then we have only filmed my swing once more when I was REALLY struggling to hit the ball. Hadn't gone back to my old ways but there were a few gremlins in the works.

He has now moved to a new facility and I have a lesson booked for the 30th. I'm interested to see what its like as he is setting himself up as a pure teaching pro so is looking to get a state of the art bay sorted.

 

[HTL]

I reckon its a must, it really helps me trust my pro by knowing what we are working on and seeing my improvements, and also a good way of comparing your swing against a pro`s.

 

[RGuk]

RANT....(surely not, Dave?)

My lessons back in the last millennium always had the camera out. It was a huge thing (like a 70's Wimbledon tennis cameras) which cost over £1,000. The boys at the pro training centre (Kings Norton) used it between them and taught straight from the classic book and the then quite new DL system.

Using the vid was the same cost as not.....£14 for 1/2 hour.

I'm a fan of the video lessons, as someone said, a picture does indeed tell a thousand words.

Round here (and I'm guessing it's the same everywhere), if you want a video lesson you have to pay on a completely different scale.......as if a mini camcorder is some kind of luxury gadget in the teaching world......

Now, some of you know that I do some coaching (not golf) and if I/we decide that a video is useful, we bring it along to training sessions and just get on with it. I don't invoice at a different charge.....utilising technology is all part of good teaching. Do our kid's schools send a bill home for the children that benefit from interactive whiteboards or I.L.P.s

http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/learningfromexperience/EBS/Good-Practice/ILP.htm


I don't use the range teacher here, nor any of the other club pros that charge extra for video lessons. Call it my personal protest against unnecessary extra cost.

If your pro charges £20 for a lesson and wants extra for the video.....go with it, it's worth it. If the lessons are £30 or something (£60 per hour) and the video is extra, ask him why.....all the best teachers use it or not depending on their teaching style - mine doesn't, but he would if I ASKED. He's already said, there'd be no extra charge.

enough......let me get back to reading....

Hal Draper - The Two Souls of Socialism
(1966)

 

[nackanut]

i found that 4 video lessons were the best 100 quid ive spent so far at golf. your pro can compare your swing with dozens of tour pros through the laptop. okay you wont hit it like them but because you can see what you are aiming to achieve then in my opinion it become easier to associate swing feelings to different positions in the swing.until you look in detail at what you are trying to do then how are you supposed to just know? if you just knew then you wouldnt need the lessons!! i was shocked at how much latteral sway and crouching i did in the backswing. go for it and you wont be dissapointed.

 

[RGuk]

nackanut.....good call here. £25 a pop sounds ok.....it's a scary thing though.....I video my own swing now and again....don't like it!

I'd recommend it to anyone, just don't see why we should pay a premium.....