Even a visionary like the late Steve Jobs probably didn't expect that the iPad could be used to capture and analyze a golfer's swing and compare it with Tiger Woods and others.
But this is precisely what you can do with Tiger Woods: My Swing HD ($9.99), a joint effort between Tiger Woods Foundation and developer Shotzoom.
This ambitious iPad app takes advantage of the tablet's rear camera to record your movements—from the back and side—and lets you pull up Tiger's same shot with the same club (e.g., 9 iron, 3 wood, etc.) to show stance and swing. Whoever is about to capture your swing will need to move closer or farther away to ensure you fit into the onscreen silhouette, before pressing record to capture the actions. You can also slow down the swing, trim the video, add voice or text notes, change between right- and left-handed and have stance "lines" drawn on, above and in front of the golfer.
You see, there are dozens of instructional HD videos that has Tiger demonstrate his swings, while talking to the camera at the same time. While explaining, a number of colored swing lines will appear on Tiger's body that shows what angles you should be standing and swinging at for optimal performance.
My father is an avid golfer so I used him as my subject to capture his swing. After saving the video, I pulled up Tiger's swing beside his and tapped to overlay the lines for both golfers to compare performance. The app can also analyze your swing—yes, it seems it's "all in the hips," as club pro Chubbs Peterson says in the film Happy Gilmore—as dotted and solid lines suggested my dad's backswing and follow-through needed a bit of work to obtain longer drives.
By capturing videos over time, you should see an improvement in your drives and putts, if Tiger's advice is taken into account.
The home screen for Tiger Woods: My Swing HD is broken into three main areas: Capture New Swing, Swing Library and Tiger Woods Videos.
The Swing Library breaks up videos as Unsaved Swings, Tiger's Swings, My Swings and Friend's Swings—with a large number for each section that indicates how many swings can be viewed, along with a thumbnail video image for each, too. This way, you can easy see all the swings at a glance and tap to watch, compare and analyze them.
The Tiger Woods Videos section begins with an intro from Tiger about what the app is all about. "I believe practice and analysis are the keys to improving your game; I directed the development of My Swing based on the routine I’ve used throughout my professional career," says Woods. "It provides instant feedback whether I’m playing a tournament or practicing at home. The app also includes all the tools necessary to analyze and break down your swing, and best of all you don’t need another set of eyes or expensive equipment to do it. I really hope fans enjoy it."
Along with multiple driving and putting videos, there's also a look into Tiger's golf bag, plus you can learn about the family connection behind Tiger's famous headcover and Tiger's connection to baseball.
All saved videos are stored on your free personal profile at Golfshot.com and you can view them on a computer at home or work (and perhaps get additional feedback from coaches and friends). New videos will be available over time, says the app developer.
Tiger Woods: My Swing ($4.99) is also available for iPhone and iPod touch.
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