A solid golf swing is the key to an impressive golf record. The game can hinge on this one skill. The whole purpose of a good golf swing is to drop strokes from your game. Perfecting the golf swing is the one goal that keeps amateurs up at night and professionals constantly practicing. Every golfer has a swing pattern that’s unique in its own way. Correcting it doesn’t change the uniqueness. But, it can make it more effective. There are fundamentals as the swing is a technical aspect of the game. A golfer will bring a special brand to the basics of posture, proper coil, wrist cocking, and unwind.
Of course, practice is the key to perfection. But, if you’re practicing all wrong, you’re just perfecting your deficiencies. A good golf swing analyzer can not only illuminate your deficiencies but show you how to correct them. Imagine having your own personal golf pro that you can summon at a moment’s notice. You get expert analysis and correction tips with no judgement. As golfers, we sometimes pick up bad habits. This can be the difference between a professional and amateur. A professional will aim to break those habits doing whatever it takes to stay true to the fundamentals.
Here are some key areas where amateurs differ from professionals with their golf swing:
Backswing
Professional golfers make a full shoulder turn and keep their left arm straight during the swing. This enables them to hit the ball on the downswing with power. Amateur golfers usually don’t rotate their shoulders fully and bend their left arm during a backswing thus producing less power and causing them to chop down on the ball.
Downswing
Professional golfers swing the club down to impact on the inside path, allowing the club to swing through impact at maximum speed by letting the club approach the ball from the inside of the target line.
Amateur golfers usually swing from outside the target line, forcing them to compensate by pulling the club across their body at the last second to hit ball. This reduces the speed and accuracy of the swing.
Impact
Professional golfers reach impact with the club shaft angled toward the target This takes loft off the club, producing a longer ball flight.
Amateur golfers usually strike the ball with the club shaft angled away from the target, producing more loft, creating higher-than-desired ball flight and shorter hits.
Release
Professional golfers square the club face at impact and let the club release past their hands. This technique produces straight shots as the release allows the toe of the club to rotate over the heel in the follow through.
Amateur golfers swing through an impact with an open club face and don’t allow the club to rotate over properly until well after the impact. This produces shots to the right of the target.
Another key difference between professionals and amateurs is the number of practice hours. This is where using a golf swing analyzer makes even more sense.
Although the golf swing is mainly a technical aspect of the game, there are some non-technical aspects that determine the effectiveness of a golf swing. Developing mental toughness and focus is key. Also, learning your triggers can go a long way in correcting your swing. The mental game of golf coupled with the correct mechanics is what creates winners like Jordan Spieth.
Mindfulness
As far fetched as it may sound, the practice of mindfulness can take your game to a whole other level, including from amateur to professional. Self awareness is a key factor to success of any kind. Golf is no different.
Perhaps, the biggest difference between amateurs and professionals lies in the depth of their awareness. Mindfulness expands your self awareness. It also helps with stress management during competition, and focus. The practice helps golfers to stay focused on the moment, not the play that just happened. The problem with past and future thinking is you lose the ability to be present. Your mind gets tied up in very judgmental thoughts. The practice of mindfulness creates a sense of being in “the zone”, when an athlete is completely absorbed in his or her actions and experiences a unity of mind and body. Thus, practicing mindfulness has been tied to increased performance.
Research on the application of mindfulness in sports has suggested that practicing mindfulness in addition to physical training resulted in improved mental and physical performance. This seems to suggest that the practice of mindfulness along with swing analysis training could lead to optimal performance.
After spending a little time correcting your deficiencies, you’ll start to notice a difference in your game. So will your golf buddies. No one has to know your secret, unless you choose to share it with a few select friends. A good golf swing analyzer is a must have for a golfer of any caliber. Even Jordan Spieth splurged on a golf swing simulator, after becoming #1.
We’ve found some of the best golf swing analyzers on the market.
Blast Motion Golf Replay/3D Motion Capture Trainer with Smart Video Swing Analysis
Blast Motion Golf Replay/3D Motion Capture Trainer with Smart Video Swing Analysis and performance data overlay, this analyzer records, analyzes, and improves a golfer’s game. It boasts motion accuracy and features video improvement tips and drills to help golfers improve their game. The Blast Golf replay attaches to the end of almost any regulation driver or putter.
Bluetooth technology is used to connect to an iPhone or iPad. It records video of the putts and swings in the app and the Smart Video Capture technology will automatically identify the actions and create a series of video highlights, overlaid with the golfer’s swing and putting metrics. Golfers are able to analyze their progress over time. The Blast Motion Replay also features one touch social sharing to share stats over social media. The Blast Motion Golf Replay is only compatible with the iOS operating system.
3Bays GSA Zone Swing Analyzer
BaysGSA Zone Swing Analyzer is simple to use. It only requires sticking the GSA into a golf club and turning on the app. The golfer is able to see the angle of the shaft when the ball is struck. It also illustrates the difference between the release point and optimal point. The 3BayGSA Zone syncs with iPhones, Androids, and iPads and features 3D views to show the golfer’s swing including indicating when there is an over-swing.
Epson M-Tracer
Epson M-Tracer for Golf fastens to most clubs except putters and recalibrates after every swing. It provides instant access to the swing data via a mobile app so that golfers can make improvements to their game. It gives golfers a complete 360-degree view of their swing and provides insights that are not visible to the naked eye.
Epson Golf Swing Analysis System M-Tracer Golf Mt500g2 provides instant swing data via a mobile app (iOS and Android). Key swing metrics are analyzed such as club head speed, attack angle, face angle, and club path. Golfers can view their swing from any angle and compare their swing tempo. It also keeps track of critical checkpoints such as V-zone, halfway back, and at the top.
Plane Sight Laser Golf Training Aid
Fix Your Swing in Seconds – Plane Sight Laser Golf Training Aid attaches to the end of any golf club to provide immediate feedback on a player’s golf swing plane. The golfers only need to find or create a target line against which to measure their swing plane. After practicing with the laser, golfers will develop muscle memory and eventually transfer their training to the course and improve their golf swing.
SKLZ Golf Flex Strength and Tempo Trainer
SKLZ Golf Flex Strength and Tempo Trainer encourages a flatter swing plane and forces the downswing to be initiated by the lower body to fight slices. The head is made of durable polyurethane to sustain frequent use. The shaft length helps flatten the swing plane. It has a golf grip with guidelines to aid in proper hand positioning. The shaft is made of flexible fiberglass to teach lag and help eliminate early release.
Sport Sensors Swing Speed Radar
Sport Sensors Swing Speed Radar is a small microwave Doppler radar velocity sensor that measures the swing speed of golfers. The Swing Speed Radar measures golfers’ swing speed and monitors their swing consistency. With these metrics golfers are able to determine the best speed for optimum performance and select the club that best suits their swing type.
Zepp 3D Swing Analyzer
Zepp 3D Swing Analyzer attaches to a golf glove sending data to a smartphone or tablet after every swing, allowing golfers to track their club head speed, swing plane, hand path, tempo, back swing position, and hip rotation. It allows golfers to record and analyze their swing in HD video and replay and review their swing from any angle. The Swing Speed Radar features Pro video swing analysis, training tips, and drills. It also allows golfers to compare their swing directly to PGA Tour Pros in 3D and video.
3Bays Android Version Golf Swing Analyzer
3Bays GSA PRO (Android Version) is the world’s lightest golf swing analyzer which fits at the end of the golf club. Its advanced sensors deliver swing plane playback and key swing metrics to smartphones or tablets via the GSA PRO app. Golfers are able to compare their swing to make adjustments.
3Bays GSA PRO
3Bays GSA PRO (iOS Version) features the same benefits as the Android version. It helps golfers make swing adjustments by comparing against their own best swings or their instructors’. While the features are the same, this version is compatible with the iOS operating system.
Vktech Golf Swing Trainer Practice Guide Gesture Alignment Training
Vktech Golf Swing Trainer Practice Guide Gesture Alignment Training is a simple yet effective golf training tool that creates correct swing positions by setting the correct hinge position at the top of the golfer’s back swing. It allows golfers to increase their distance and accuracy by correcting the face alignment throughout their golf swing. It works with both right and left-handed golfers.
Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator
Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator allows the golfer to play replications of some of the world’s most famous golf courses. It uses 16 infrared optical sensors to accurately measure the club through the impact zone capturing shot impact conditions. Golfers are provided with distance to pin, elevation, wind speed, and direction. The OptiShot includes an overhead map, shot tracer, putting grid, flag marker, automatic flyby, keyboard shortcuts, and multiple camera views. The results are relayed in real-time in a visual display. The golfer can play with up to four players. Players have the option to putt on their own or choose auto-putt.
While these are just a few of the analyzers on the market, we believe they are among the best. Don’t just take our word for it. Take your pick and try it out. Remember your golf game is only as good as your swing. Most people can only dream of lowering their score. With good swing analysis, you can actually create a plan for lowering your score.
If you practice mindfulness during your game you will increase your chances of executing that plan. Visualization has long been a technique in sports. Having self awareness as you visualize can make it that much more potent. Your inner game has a direct relationship with your outer game. Your inner game can be controlled by you just as your outer game. However, it is usually underestimated or neglected all together. Most amateurs focus on the outer game with no regard or knowledge of the inner game. That is a serious faux pas.
Everything that we are is governed by what we tell ourselves consistently. If you believe you are an average golfer, you will think like an average golfer, and perform like an average golfer. You must correct the inner scripts that are informing you about you. As esoteric as it sounds, you are the orchestrator of your outcomes. Those outcomes include the results of your golf game. Where the mind goes the body is sure to follow. If your mind breaks down, your body is certain to do the same. As, it is the mind that governs the body.
After mastering the mental aspect of the game while analyzing your swing and becoming aware of your deficiencies, you will be in a better position to become more like a professional in your playing.
