V1 Home

I recently downloaded some software called "V1 Home" - it's analysis software that lets you draw lines on videos of your swing, play videos at super slow motion and compare it to pros' swings etc. They have several versions, one of which is free (so if you think it looks rubbish, you haven't shelled out anything):

http://www.v1home.com/getthev1software.asp

Also, a slightly different site geared more towards the pros - has a download for "V1 Golf" which is $90, and has a few more features than the "Home" version - also some nice info about how the software works:

http://www.ifrontiers.com/consumer/default.asp

Some video tutorials:

http://www.ifrontiers.com/consumer/l...g_center.asp#3

I've been playing around with the $40 "V1 Home Premium" version, which is pretty good (similar to the free version but with a few more bells and whistles). Unfortunately, it doesn't play quicktime videos - the format all my swings are recorded on, natch! As a result, I've only been able to look at pro swings from their library so far. But it does play most other formats (avi, mpeg etc.).

Just wanted to know what people thought, especially the pros on the site. I understand that the pro version is almost identical to what several top teaching academies use such as David Leadbetter and Claude Harmon (both of whom are quoted in the testimonials section)....

Also, you can upload your swing for $30 or so, and a pro at the "Faculty" will look at your swing and send you back instruction.

Note: if you have a firewall or internet security activated then you need to take the usual steps to allow the V1 software to open an internet connection when you launch it for the first time. I had a few problems at first (but then I'm a technical dunce...)

And honestly, I have absolutely no affiliation to this company whatsoever! Just spreading the joy!

Hi Carter,

I did try out the trial version. Incidentally, my golf school (Peter Senior and Gary Edwin Golf Academy) is using something similar to that as well - I forgot what they were using though.

I also seem to experience some issues with some video formats, but what you can do is find some video conversion tool (lots of free ones out there) and convert your swing videos to the more likeable AVI format.

Definitely a great tool for analyzing one's golf swing. No doubt about it

Hey Simon - thanks for the feedback - I'll take a look on Google for a video conversion tool.

Cheers!

The folks here use CSwing - a fantastic suite for picking apart your golf swing. However, it's only got a limited 7-day trial before asking for quite a few bucks for the full version. That said, the software is fantastic.

V1 Home is the version I use right now, and it gets the job done. Granted, I've got some other toys to figure out things like swing speed, etc, but overall it's good for a piece of free software.

I bought the V1-Golf, the $90 version earlier in the season. I looked at all versions and V1-Golf had a few goodies that I knew I would regret if I didn't get it.

The best part about the V1-Golf version is that it contains sections that help you troubleshoot your swing based on what your problems are. For example, say you are slicing, it will prompt you to look for different problems in your swing. Then you go back an see if you have that problem. After you have identified your problem, V1-Golf then gives you specific drills to use to fix it. The drills are very clear and are actually small videos that show you just how to execute these drills.

It has more neat features, too numerous to mention.

For $90, you can't beat it....

Chessbum.....

Hey Chessbum

Yeah - just looking at V1 Golf a bit more now - it does seem to have a lot more stuff in there (also gives you tutorials about how to set up your camera by the looks of things) - I wonder if I can upgrade from the one I have for $50....

Just found a good video conversion tool that is free and simple to use:

http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm

They request a donation if you're happy with it - I just converted my quicktime videos to avi files with no problems.

Thanks for the advice Simon!

I too recently bought the V1 Golf software, and I'm seriously impressed.

The swing video analysis part is very simple to use and quite intuitive, and the 'identify your faults' part analyses your ball flight, setup and swing parameters to identify faults and suggest corrections - all of which are supported by some really great video drills.

Nasty australian accent on that pro though - but good and clear instructions loaded with simple logic that makes it all make sense to the common hacker (ie ME)

I did make one general mistake though.

When loading my videotape onto the computer, I only took the good shots (remember when practicing to indicate the ball path of each shot, so that you can remember when you get home), and all the good shots were eerily similar on the video, despite club used.

Of course, this was because the good shots most often resulted from good swings, so there was no faults to identify.

Trick is to get ALL of your shots into the system and then COMPARE your good shots with your hooks, slices, duffs, sh*nks etc.

It becomes BLATANTLY obvious what you're doing wrong.

For instance, it was very clear that when I was too far from the ball at setup, that would result in a shallow swing-plane and an out-to-in path at impact, resulting in an open clubface and a pull-slice (nasty little bugger that).

Software gave me a few solid drills to work on at the range - one of which has migrated into my game ON the course (stalling at the 'set' position in the backswing to ensure that shaft is on line with toes).
It looks like hell, but it does help my swingplane a lot.

Last weekend while watching the Solheim Cup, I noticed that Suzann Pettersen had the exact same pause in her backswing. I wonder if her trainer uses V1 Golf



Anyway ... in short, it probably isn't worth much compared to regular sessions with a good Pro, but it's good fun, and great to use as a follow up between the sessions with the Pro. Are you doing what he told you?

At $90 (plus a billion in danish taxes, vat etc ... sigh) I think it's a great buy.

I have all my mates on V1 Home at the moment, and I think quite a few will spend the cash for V1 Golf, or at least the V1 Home Premium.

__________________
//Mox
2008 bag:
Mizuno MX-500 460cc 10.5* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff. (about to be replaced by MP-600 10,5* UST Proforce V2 stiff)
Mizuno F-50 3w 15* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff.
Wilson Deep Red 5w 18* Graphalloy Fatshaft stiff
Cleveland HALO 3i hybrid 22* graphite regular
Mizuno MP-60e forged 5i-PW True Temper Dynamic gold R300 steel
Mizuno MP Black OX raw haze 50/6 GW, 54/9 SW, 58/10 LW
Heavy Putter B3-M
Titleist NXT Extreme

I actually don't mind a pull slice (well, OK, I do mind, because I end up thinking about it), but it usually plays like a strong fade. Much better than, say, a straight slice, or worse, a push slice.


As Ian may chime in, once your fundamentals are sound, it's time to work on other things (like the mental side). I don't see my pro much, lately. Instead, I pack the camcorder with me on every round, and tape my warmup. Then I make mental notes of the problems I had on the course, and review with V1 once I get back.

I'd say it's cheaper than continued lessons with a good pro, and may be able to save you a trip or six, depending on how much you learn about the golf swing, and how it applies to you.

This isn't to say that a pro is useless (I'll head back for a 2nd set of eyes if I can't figure out what's going on), but that if you understand your swing, you may be able to figure it out by watching and analysing yourself.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

You're right about the pull-slice, I guess ... It could have been a lot worse (and sometimes it is).

I'm still far from completely understanding my swing-fundamentals, so I still need that pro to tell me what to look for and then I can get back to the V1 software and check what's going on.

On the subject of swing fundamentals - is there a book out there that solidly explains all the fundamentals: stance, ball position, wrist action, swing plane etc. ?

For the 2 plane swing, do an internet search for Leslie King.

Fabulous instruction.

Thanks - I did and found this.

Looks good.

Edited to add: A lot of those pictures can propably be loaded into V1 as reference models. (plus I love the fifties look of the drawings ... very 'golf')

I'm pretty sure that's the site I always end up at when looking to read King stuff.

I use v1golf, I think I have the pro version. Not sure got it from my coach. But this program video has allowed me to get my swing on plane.