SwingDrawHow to record a golf swing with an iPhone camera.
Good analysis starts before you press record. A stable, repeatable camera position matters more than adding another line after the angle has changed.
A repeatable setup beats a different angle every time
- Choose face-on or down-the-line for the question you want to discuss.
- Keep the golfer and the full club movement in frame; check one test swing.
- Use a stable support and keep the camera position consistent across comparison clips.
- Review one checkpoint and one cue instead of comparing unrelated moments.
Continue with reference lines and angles, or compare video-review apps.
Best iPhone placement in one sentence
Stabilize the rear camera near the golfer's hand height at address, move far enough away to keep the entire body and club in frame, and record every comparison from the same marked position.
Quick setup
- Use the rear camera. It generally gives the best image quality. Clean the lens before recording.
- Stabilize the phone. Use a tripod, bag mount, or secure support. Do not ask someone to follow the club with a handheld phone.
- Place the lens near hand height at address. That gives a useful starting perspective for common down-the-line and face-on reviews.
- Move far enough back to keep the whole club visible. Leave room above the hands at the top and around the finish.
- Record the same view again. Mark the tripod and hitting positions if you plan to compare sessions.
Down-the-line camera position
Use down-the-line when the question involves shaft plane, hand path, takeaway direction, posture, or how movement looks relative to the target line. Keep the phone on a consistent line behind the golfer rather than moving it casually between the feet and the ball.
There is no single camera line that makes every coaching method agree. If a coach gave you a specific setup, repeat that setup. The important point for self-comparison is that today and next week use the same perspective.
Face-on camera position
Use face-on when the question involves lateral movement, width, ball position, head movement, or the relationship between the golfer and the target. Keep the lens perpendicular to the golfer and avoid standing far toward the target or behind the trail side.
Frame rate, slow motion, and light
- Prefer good light over extreme slow motion. Higher frame rates need more light. A dark, noisy clip can be harder to inspect than a clear standard-speed clip.
- Avoid digital zoom. Move the tripod when practical and keep the entire swing visible.
- Keep the phone level. A tilted horizon makes body and shaft references harder to compare.
- Record a short test first. Confirm that the clubhead stays in frame at the top and finish.
Make the next session comparable
Save a note with the club, view, drill, and tripod position. On the next session, repeat the physical setup before comparing clips. Camera consistency will not make a swing better, but it keeps the video from inventing a difference that was not there.
Choose a capture rate, then inspect a test clip
For footage recorded in Apple Camera, open Settings → Camera → Record Video or Record Slo-mo to see the resolutions and frame rates supported by your iPhone. Those settings belong to Apple Camera; they do not set the in-app recorder’s capture rate. Record a short test in the lighting you actually have, then import from Photos.
| Captured frame rate | Approximate time between frames | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| 30 fps | 33.3 ms | A fast contact or release can occur between captured frames. |
| 60 fps | 16.7 ms | More samples, but shutter blur can still obscure the subject. |
| 120 fps | 8.3 ms | Useful only if the recording remains bright and sharp. |
| 240 fps | 4.2 ms | Available modes depend on the iPhone; a darker or noisier clip may be less useful. |
These intervals are arithmetic examples (1,000 ÷ frames per second), not an accuracy promise. They describe a constant capture rate; edited or variable-rate files may differ. Playback at 0.25× does not turn a 30 fps original into a 120 fps recording. Keep the original high-frame-rate file rather than a messaging-app copy that may have been recompressed.
Apple documents model-dependent recording formats and slow-motion settings in its iPhone camera guide.
Check the recording before the next rep
| Problem in the test clip | Change before recording again |
|---|---|
| Hands or club leave the frame | Move farther away or reframe with room for the whole action. Keep the phone safely outside the practice area. |
| A fence or foreground object covers the checkpoint | Choose another protected view that keeps the golfer visible. Keep the tripod and people clear of the swing arc and ball-flight area. |
| The fast-moving subject is a blur | Improve the light and inspect another test. A higher frame rate alone cannot guarantee a sharp exposure. |
| The view changes between attempts | Mark the support position and record its height, distance, orientation, and zoom. |
| Artificial lights create dark bands or flicker | Try another supported capture mode and inspect the test before filming the session. |
Your next range session,
on the record.
Record or import a swing, mark the frame that matters, and compare it with last week. Every tool is included.