NewGlfr
New member
Ugh, that sucks.
Too much going on at home this weekend and couldn't get out at all. Next weekend maybe, but the temps are going to be in the low 40s.
SwingByte 2.0 THP Review Thread
Ugh, that sucks.
Too much going on at home this weekend and couldn't get out at all. Next weekend maybe, but the temps are going to be in the low 40s.
The new latch was better but still didn't work properly. It came off two of the three times I tried to do the five swing SwingCoach plan.
I really hate to even give the appearance of being ungrateful (because I'm not) but I think this unit just isn't for me:
Two times out and it hasn't worked 100% correctly either time.
I prefer the dynamic of human interaction during a lesson over the idea of hitting five balls then stopping to watch videos, etc.
There was a disconnect between what I saw the ball doing and the feedback given. I'm sure my swing had the flaws but the ball went mostly straight, high and an appropriate distance. I care more about that than having a technically perfect swing.
I really hate to even give the appearance of being ungrateful (because I'm not) but I think this unit just isn't for me:
Two times out and it hasn't worked 100% correctly either time.
I prefer the dynamic of human interaction during a lesson over the idea of hitting five balls then stopping to watch videos, etc.
There was a disconnect between what I saw the ball doing and the feedback given. I'm sure my swing had the flaws but the ball went mostly straight, high and an appropriate distance. I care more about that than having a technically perfect swing.
NewGlfr
New member
Being honest isn't showing being ungrateful!! I'm sure many appreciate your honest feedback.
I am also a little frustrated. When I got the unit it wouldn't pair with my phone. That took a few days to work out. Then the latch broke and that took another week or so to work out.
Once I got the latch back and made sure it worked, I had set aside two sessions, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, to work with the Virtual Coach and at both sessions, the Virtual Coach function was "Unavailable. Try again later". I didn't have later, LOL!
I also agree with you that the ball path on the app isn't exactly what I'm seeing IRL even after making sure the device itself was in the correct orientation.
That being said, it is a very cool gadget. I also fully intend to continue to work with it and see what it can do for me.
After this unit being out for a couple of years, some of these software and hardware kinks should really have been worked out long ago.
TheCrest4
#UrbanLumberJack
Great job guys keep up the great work. One of the reasons I love THP reviews always honest and gives us a great idea of the product as it is in the real world.
SwingByte 2.0 THP Review Thread
I was able to install the new latch I received from SwingByte customer service (shout out to great customer service, I received resolution to my problem within 2 emails and received the replacement piece within a couple of days) and logged 104 swings today at the range. I warmed up with a few wedge swings, attached the device and went right into the virtual coach using my 8 iron. I felt like 4/5 swings were good, I saw good ball flight and they were dead straight, the 5th was a bit fat (I was too close to the ball) and faded to the right. My "lesson plan" was broken up into 3 lessons:
1) Spine too upright/Excessive knee bend - Address Drill
I have worked on this recommended drill before and found it to be very helpful in producing a better ball flight, consistent direction and distance.
2) You have a flat shoulder turn - 7 drill videos
I'd be curious to know what effect the first drill would have on this swing flaw as well. It seems to me that if my spine was at a better angle, it would create a more vertical shoulder turn and this wouldn't be a concern (Paging Freddie).
3) Your club is across the line - 8 drill videos
Still working through this, not sure if I really understand what they are asking me to do here (biceps curls??)
The Good:
I AM seeing positive changes in my swing, leading to more consistent results, and I scored better in my last round. The lessons make sense (and are relatively easy to do), and when performed correctly you see immediate positive feedback.
The Questionable:
Shot shape reading - according to the device, only 9 of my 104 swings today produced "straight" shots while the majority of the readings were "hook" or "draw" with 2 "slices." I can assure you that I hit many more than 9 straight shots today, and was pleasantly surprised with how many straight shots I actually made.
Testing - I'm also curious about when "testing" the swing after the lesson and how it determines you are making a better swing. I was seeing a more desirable result, but wasn't able to get above 60 on the game?
The Clasp Device - It seems that it is trying to grasp the shaft tight enough not to rotate upon impact with turf or mats. My guess, the tension needed to do this is causing it to fail at the weak points (where rubber meets metal). Rhetorical engineering question alert: Would it be possible to make the rubber strap a fraction longer so it could be attached at the base of the grip instead of at the top of the shaft? It wouldn't need as much tension because the rubber of the grip would prevent it from twisting, it would just need to be tight enough not to move vertically. Not sure what that would do to the data, but I'm sure that could be accounted for more easily than replacing broken straps.
Conclusion (for now): I think this device certainly has potential. With the purpose of buying this being to improve your swing, I am seeing that happen and the improvement of my scoring go with that. The data collected (even if somewhat flawed) is still producing positive results, and the app has given a good learning platform. The virtual coach has correctly assessed my swing flaws, made recommendations and "fixed' the problem. The user interface is easy to use, but may provide too much information for some golfers without fully explaining what it is recording. There are some issues with the clasp, but customer service has done a great job backing this up.
Let me know if there is anything you are curious about, or you would like me to look out for my next time out.
I was able to install the new latch I received from SwingByte customer service (shout out to great customer service, I received resolution to my problem within 2 emails and received the replacement piece within a couple of days) and logged 104 swings today at the range. I warmed up with a few wedge swings, attached the device and went right into the virtual coach using my 8 iron. I felt like 4/5 swings were good, I saw good ball flight and they were dead straight, the 5th was a bit fat (I was too close to the ball) and faded to the right. My "lesson plan" was broken up into 3 lessons:
1) Spine too upright/Excessive knee bend - Address Drill
I have worked on this recommended drill before and found it to be very helpful in producing a better ball flight, consistent direction and distance.
2) You have a flat shoulder turn - 7 drill videos
I'd be curious to know what effect the first drill would have on this swing flaw as well. It seems to me that if my spine was at a better angle, it would create a more vertical shoulder turn and this wouldn't be a concern (Paging Freddie).
3) Your club is across the line - 8 drill videos
Still working through this, not sure if I really understand what they are asking me to do here (biceps curls??)
The Good:
I AM seeing positive changes in my swing, leading to more consistent results, and I scored better in my last round. The lessons make sense (and are relatively easy to do), and when performed correctly you see immediate positive feedback.
The Questionable:
Shot shape reading - according to the device, only 9 of my 104 swings today produced "straight" shots while the majority of the readings were "hook" or "draw" with 2 "slices." I can assure you that I hit many more than 9 straight shots today, and was pleasantly surprised with how many straight shots I actually made.
Testing - I'm also curious about when "testing" the swing after the lesson and how it determines you are making a better swing. I was seeing a more desirable result, but wasn't able to get above 60 on the game?
The Clasp Device - It seems that it is trying to grasp the shaft tight enough not to rotate upon impact with turf or mats. My guess, the tension needed to do this is causing it to fail at the weak points (where rubber meets metal). Rhetorical engineering question alert: Would it be possible to make the rubber strap a fraction longer so it could be attached at the base of the grip instead of at the top of the shaft? It wouldn't need as much tension because the rubber of the grip would prevent it from twisting, it would just need to be tight enough not to move vertically. Not sure what that would do to the data, but I'm sure that could be accounted for more easily than replacing broken straps.
Conclusion (for now): I think this device certainly has potential. With the purpose of buying this being to improve your swing, I am seeing that happen and the improvement of my scoring go with that. The data collected (even if somewhat flawed) is still producing positive results, and the app has given a good learning platform. The virtual coach has correctly assessed my swing flaws, made recommendations and "fixed' the problem. The user interface is easy to use, but may provide too much information for some golfers without fully explaining what it is recording. There are some issues with the clasp, but customer service has done a great job backing this up.
Let me know if there is anything you are curious about, or you would like me to look out for my next time out.
Ray, not sure if this was mentioned by you earlier, but would you say that what the SwingByte had you doing for swing corrections & drills matched up with what you had been working on in lessons?
And that question goes for everyone as well - if you have been taking lessons also, or have recently taken lessons, were the drills and faults found by the SwingByte the same as what you were working on through lessons? Or were they completely different?
And that question goes for everyone as well - if you have been taking lessons also, or have recently taken lessons, were the drills and faults found by the SwingByte the same as what you were working on through lessons? Or were they completely different?
NewGlfr
New member
The first batch of lessons on the Virtual Coach I did said my grip was too strong which the Pro at our driving range absolutely disagreed with.
I also mirror the ball flight path question. My IRL results rarely matched what the device was describing and one of my weekly swing reviews was WAAAAY off. I think I posted a pic of it somewhere in this thread.
Good question Russ. I would say yes (and more) as the purpose of the drills I have been doing on this seem to be trying to get me on the correct swing path/plane and in the right position at the top. This is what we were working on during my lessons, with similar methodology now that I look back on the video lessons in this app and remember the drills he had me doing. Both are leading to a similar swing being created.
My coach hadn't worked much with my spine angle (yet), but I've only had a few lessons with him and none since starting with the SwingByte.
I'm going to try and get a lesson in between Xmas and New Years to really compare the two.
NewGlfr
New member
Question for the Reviewers:
Has anyone used the camera to record their swing, compared it to the Practice Mode and then looked at what you saw recorded and what the Virtual Coach recommended?
I'm going to try to do this in the next couple of weeks if I can. Anyone else tried this?
Has anyone used the camera to record their swing, compared it to the Practice Mode and then looked at what you saw recorded and what the Virtual Coach recommended?
I'm going to try to do this in the next couple of weeks if I can. Anyone else tried this?
So I'm going to say kind of. We've never worked on clearing my lead hip specifically, but it's likely a byproduct of my coach trying to get me into the right finish position. I've definitely worked with my coach on transferring weight to my front foot though.
Have not yet. Range time is usually solo time for me though. If I'm able to drag the wife out, I'll have her do the video bit.
This is a great question and one that I was really thinking about last night. My SB ID'd these three issues: across the line at the top, flat shoulders on take away and swinging too much down the line.
The last two are possible. My instructor and I don't really talk in these terms, so some interpretation is required. But it is very possible he has had me make changes that relate to the last two items.
I'm pretty impressed by the tool's diagnostic abilities. Swinging too much down the line and coming across the line make sense - the device naturally moves on those planes. But I was surprised by the one about having my shoulder on too flat a plane. I did some drills that I already know about at home last night to assess it myself and sure enough I am very flat. Impressive.
NewGlfr
New member
I use a $10 Tripod I got at Walmart and an attachment called the "Streamaroo" to attach and hold my phone to the Tripod.
http://streamaroo.com/
moosejaa
Mr. Inconsistent
I won one of these awhile back and have not been able to take advantage of it due to lack of practice time and such.
The few times I used it I thought it was pretty cool and the latch worked fine for me.
If anyone would like to give it a shot, send me a PM and your address and I will send it out.
The few times I used it I thought it was pretty cool and the latch worked fine for me.
If anyone would like to give it a shot, send me a PM and your address and I will send it out.
I did, although I can't figure out how to download those videos, and saw what the virtual coach was suggesting my faults were. I haven't recorded the last 2 sessions, but I will next time out.
NewGlfr
New member
Mac or PC?
PC or iPhone
NewGlfr
New member
If you have Quicktime on your PC you can connect your iPhone to your PC via USB and record your iPhone screen using Quicktime. That's how I did it for this thread, but I have a Mac and Quicktime is included.
Rusty Dave
#staffproto
Not really. I've been working on my right hand position throughout the swing with my pro. No mention of that from the VC. I've also been working on getting through the ball with my pro. No mention of that with VC.
I will give the virtual coach some credit though. Part of me getting good extension post impact involves a better pivot and turn. VC diagnosed me with thrusting hips/raising spine. After looking at a couple of the videos I really started to get a good feel for a proper hip turn in the downswing. We did notice that I actually had some decent separation between the lower and upper body on my lesson. I continue to work on this on my own.
So I think there are some good points to the VC. The key is finding out which ones will truly help your game. Probably need a real coach for this.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
SwingByte 2.0 THP Review Thread
I hated how negative my experience was yesterday so I had to come back and try again. I remembered a concept I had early on - how could we use this device at home over the winter? I put that to the test tonight.
First, welcome to my high tech hitting range (a sliver of space inside my garage between the workbench and other stuff, hitting toward the inside of my garage door);
Here's my "ball" (medium size store brand marshmallow, refrigerated for a few hours)
The device recorded each swing without incident. The latch never came unhinged (I suspect the softer impact helped).
I can't figure out how to post screen shots from SB but I got three different things to work on today from yesterday. I see that as a good thing - I reflected on yesterday's feedback and translated it into things my instructor has asked me to do. In short, my swings tonight should have been different from yesterday. So that's all good stuff.
Whereas yesterday I said this wasn't for me, I could see using it in this manner - being at home affords me more time and ability to swing, review videos and come back to work on things.
I hated how negative my experience was yesterday so I had to come back and try again. I remembered a concept I had early on - how could we use this device at home over the winter? I put that to the test tonight.
First, welcome to my high tech hitting range (a sliver of space inside my garage between the workbench and other stuff, hitting toward the inside of my garage door);
Here's my "ball" (medium size store brand marshmallow, refrigerated for a few hours)
The device recorded each swing without incident. The latch never came unhinged (I suspect the softer impact helped).
I can't figure out how to post screen shots from SB but I got three different things to work on today from yesterday. I see that as a good thing - I reflected on yesterday's feedback and translated it into things my instructor has asked me to do. In short, my swings tonight should have been different from yesterday. So that's all good stuff.
Whereas yesterday I said this wasn't for me, I could see using it in this manner - being at home affords me more time and ability to swing, review videos and come back to work on things.
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Press the home (bottom of the face) and lock buttons (top or right bezel) and the iPhone will take a screen shot of what you're looking at. Good update!
Here are the flaws IDd in the last post where I hit five shots with a marshmallow in the garage.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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NewGlfr
New member
That's an awful lot of Drill vids!!!!
Yes! Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. The other day at the range was overwhelming...@50 videos to considering during a range session was just too much for me.
That is a lot of videos. The way I'm approaching it is to find a couple that resonate with me, and focus on those. For instance when I was working on my flaw found in my first lesson I found a video about getting weight on the front leg and one about how to rotate my lead hip out of the way. These resonated with me based on some of the swing feedback I've received in the past from my coach. I don't think there's any way you could watch and execute all of those video tips. That's way too many thoughts to have swirling around, at least for me.
Addressing the number of drills
Addressing the number of drills
Hi All,
Pat from Swingbyte here. Love the feedback. The more honest the better. I really appreciate you guys sticking with it as well. Some of you had frustrating experiences (Virtual Coach was down or you latch broke) but you stuck with the testing. So thanks for that.
A quick response on the comments about the number of drill videos. There seems to be some confusion about how one should proceed with their lesson plan.
We're going to make a few updates to the user interface in the next app release which should help clear things up a bit but in the meantime, I'll attempt to explain how we hoped the user experience would work -
There's one swing fault associated with each lesson. You'll get up to three lessons. So you shouldn't worry too much about the following lessons until you've addressed the first one. Or if you're getting stuck on the first, move to the next. They're all related.
The workflow is designed to work as such:
- Start with your first lesson
- Watch the explanation for the fault in that lesson to understand what you're doing wrong and why it matters (that's the featured video on top with the big blue play button).
- Work on fixing it your fault with "Work on This Fault" test - (pink and blue bars)
- When you work on that fault you're being assessed on that specific fault. We're looking at the impact data and seeing if you're improving in the direction that you should be improving.
After you've started to work on the fault, you'll probably want to try some drills to help you really understand what you need to do to improve. That's where all the drills come in. You can choose to watch any of the drills associated with that lesson plan too. We've provided several drills for each lesson to give you options, you're not supposed to watch all of the drills unless you want to. We know that not every drill "clicks" with every user so we just wanted to give you plenty of options. Users should rate the drills that work best for them. Some lessons will have more drills than others. In the future we'll be working on adding more drills. Think of drills suggestions on different ways for you to improve that fault.
Hope this helps! Ideas are welcome!
Addressing the number of drills
Hi All,
Pat from Swingbyte here. Love the feedback. The more honest the better. I really appreciate you guys sticking with it as well. Some of you had frustrating experiences (Virtual Coach was down or you latch broke) but you stuck with the testing. So thanks for that.
A quick response on the comments about the number of drill videos. There seems to be some confusion about how one should proceed with their lesson plan.
We're going to make a few updates to the user interface in the next app release which should help clear things up a bit but in the meantime, I'll attempt to explain how we hoped the user experience would work -
There's one swing fault associated with each lesson. You'll get up to three lessons. So you shouldn't worry too much about the following lessons until you've addressed the first one. Or if you're getting stuck on the first, move to the next. They're all related.
The workflow is designed to work as such:
- Start with your first lesson
- Watch the explanation for the fault in that lesson to understand what you're doing wrong and why it matters (that's the featured video on top with the big blue play button).
- Work on fixing it your fault with "Work on This Fault" test - (pink and blue bars)
- When you work on that fault you're being assessed on that specific fault. We're looking at the impact data and seeing if you're improving in the direction that you should be improving.
After you've started to work on the fault, you'll probably want to try some drills to help you really understand what you need to do to improve. That's where all the drills come in. You can choose to watch any of the drills associated with that lesson plan too. We've provided several drills for each lesson to give you options, you're not supposed to watch all of the drills unless you want to. We know that not every drill "clicks" with every user so we just wanted to give you plenty of options. Users should rate the drills that work best for them. Some lessons will have more drills than others. In the future we'll be working on adding more drills. Think of drills suggestions on different ways for you to improve that fault.
Hope this helps! Ideas are welcome!