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.
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
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.