SwingProfile: tester reviews

Three Golf Monthly forum members were given the chance to test the SwingProfile iPhone app. Find out what they thought

SwingProfile

David Cramphorn:

The SwingProfile app in my eyes is a very useful and clever, mainly due to the fact that it detects your swing and will draw lines etc which help with the analysis. I used mine with my pro and he thought it to be a very good app, although at £20.99 possibly a bit expensive.   Also iPhone screen size makes it somewhat hard to free draw the lines. I'm sure this would be better on the iPad but at £10 more I don't know if it would be worth it.   Overall the app runs very smoothly, and has an easy to use interface. The only changes I would make are the ability to upload current swing videos, and also adjust the sensitivity of the camera.

Personally I found this app very useful and will continue to use it. I would recommend it to anyone who is keen to analyse their swing, however at £20.99 it is a tad expensive.

Scott Roots:

On first play in the office, it looks and feels very slick, simple navigation by a pull out slide bar and everything seems self-explanatory. Delving deeper into the instruction, there is tonnes of tips and feedback. This is key. As an 18-handicapper, I can look at my swing all day and not know how to improve it, so the content is great for helping see and understand my issues, such as a steep backswing.   On using the app in record mode, there are some great features. The light balance tool is fantastic, driving ranges are notoriously bad for filming due to lighting, so the app gets the best picture quality for you. The automatic stop start of the recording is one of the best features, on setting up the phone on a stand/bag/chair/tripod, just take your position and swing away! All of your swings will be individually saved, edited and even offer a breakdown in still pictures of each part of your swing.   On playing with the app more, I do have a couple of gripes. Navigation, while looking slick, is actually a little fragmented, and I would like to swap videos I am watching quickly with a swipe rather than go back to a folder. Cost wise, for the average player like me, I probably wouldn't pay £20.99 for it, as there are others out there (allbeit, not as good, but free). However, if you practice a lot or are a teaching pro, it's a must have!

Nick Garbutt:

Having tried many golf swing apps before, I was interested in what SwingProfile could bring to the table. First of all the set up is very simple and easy to navigate. On opening the app it instantly opens up to the recording mode for easy start. What I like best about the recording mode is that you can just set up the phone and it will start recoding once motion is detected. Fairly simple idea at first, but what this offers above other apps is that the recording mode is a continuous recording, allowing for you to just set it up and away you go.

For me this is a really good feature as someone who likes to practice on my own and only having my golf bag to set up the phone to record on, this makes it so much easier. The in-video options are simple and do not over complicate things. Lines can be drawn and the angles can be identified but other than speed of video there isn't much else. I've never understood why you would ever want to draw a circle on your golf swing anyway so for me this is the best way to present the video.

Once recording has been taken and the menu is opened there are a few options. The video option takes you to the last recorded video. Library takes you to all the available videos. In the library you can select which video to use for comparing and viewing. And you can also add notes to each video.

Another option in the menu which sets this app apart from the others is the sequence option. This allows you to break down a swing in to the different positions like downswing and follow through. It will auto break up the video but you do have the option to fine tune these positions to where you want. This is handy when you are working on certain positions in the swing and want to check on them.

Overall I would say that Swingprofile is worth the money in the end. For me the features that it has over other apps well out way the additional cost. I would recommend this to anyone.  

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x