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Golf swing-recording camera sticks into the turf like a giant tee

By Ben Coxworth
October 31, 2012
Golf swing-recording camera sticks into the turf like a giant tee
Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Swing Recording Video Camera
Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Swing Recording Video Camera
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Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Swing Recording Video Camera
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Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Swing Recording Video Camera
Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a Golf Swing Recording Video Camera, for golfers who want to improve their technique
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Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a Golf Swing Recording Video Camera, for golfers who want to improve their technique

If the amount of products available is anything to go by, golfers definitely like to analyze their swing. There are apps, training clubs, and even simulators, all aimed at helping them perfect their technique. One of the latest gizmos is Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Swing Recording Video Camera.

First of all, you may be wondering why the user couldn’t just get one of their fellow golfers to record them with their smartphone. Well, they could. They could even use something like the Casio Exilim EX-FS10S camera, that’s optimized for golf swing analysis.

The idea behind the Hammacher Schlemmer camera is that it can be used by a lone golfer, or perhaps by one who doesn’t trust the videography skills of their partners. It’s similar in form to a Tiki torch, or the earlier-mentioned giant golf tee – the camera sits at the top, and is supported by a three-foot (0.9-meter) monopod that has a turf spike on the bottom.

Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a Golf Swing Recording Video Camera, for golfers who want to improve their technique
Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a Golf Swing Recording Video Camera, for golfers who want to improve their technique

The user carries it with their clubs, jabs it into the ground when they’re ready to swing, then sets it recording. It has a wide-angle lens, can be set to a resolution of either 720p or 1080p, and a frame rate of 30 or 60 fps.

Its rechargeable battery should allow for about five hours of use per charge, and up to two hours of footage can be stored on its 8GB of built-in internal memory. A USB port allows that footage to be transferred to a computer.

It’s priced at US$349.95.

Source: Hammacher Schlemmer via 7 Gadgets

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SportsGolfVideo CamerasHammacher Schlemmer
2 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

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2 comments
livin_the_dream
you're havin a laugh, $350 for a pole with a webcam attached, think I'll just tape me smartphone to a £1 brush shaft and dig it in.... At least that has a screen for instant reviewing and adjustment to my swing.
Woody Nash
Anyone who understands how important it is to capture quality video for meaningful golf swing analysis will appreciate the difference between this and a smartphone.
First, it captures 60 frames per second whereas a smartphone only captures 30 fps. Second, it has a battery capable of recording 2+ hours of HD video vs. the typical smartphone which runs down after a mere 18 minutes of recording. Third, while it is possible to have someone hold your smart camera for you, most pros I know say the recoding quality is basically unusable since people rarely hold the camera steady.
Additionally, since most golfers are usually only together on the tee-box making it only convenient to have someone record your drives, which is no better than the driving range where it is easy to record yourself on a tripod. The real value of this SwingShot camera is capturing your play from the rough, on uneven lies, and out of the bunker. The Casio is a nice camera, but it is also nearly impossible to use out on the course.
Recording your golf game with a smartphone is like putting with your driver...technically its possible, but any serious golfer would want to use a putter since it is specially designed for the job. You could say the same thing about the GoPro camera and yet any serious action sports enthusiast will tell you its almost useless to record your ski run or mountain bike ride with a smartphone. The SwingShot camera offered by Hammacher is specially designed to make it easy to record your entire round without slowing play.