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Swingbyte Review

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By Don Smith

GolfWRX Contributor

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Tested: Swingbyte mobile swing analyzer

I’m always looking for the next swing improvement tool, because it is often the Indian, not the arrow, who causes most errant shots.

I was excited for the opportunity to evaluate the Swingbyte, a swing analyzing system that attaches to your golf clubs and sends swing data to a mobile phone or tablet through Bluetooth.

Swingbyte captures club head speed and acceleration at all points through the swing, the club’s true plane from address to impact, club face angle relative to swing path, static and dynamic loft and lie at address and impact, as well as angle of attack, club path and tempo. But like any gadget, especially one that promises so much and is as cheap as the Swingbyte, I approached testing with caution.

 

Pros: Swingbyte provides an incredible amount of information for the very modest price of $149. The information provided was accurate and relevant, once you understood how to sort through it. It’s compatible with Apple iPhone (3GS or later), as well as the iPod Touch and all iPads. It also works with Android phones and tablets 2.3.3 with Bluetooth 3.0 or later.

Cons: Setup was difficult, and the user interface is not very intuitive. The unit also rotated left on the shaft after several swings, which resulted in bad readings, meaning I had to keep realigning the unit to stay square to the clubface. At times, I found it difficult to understand the information that Swingbyte provided.

Overall: The device is simple to attach and fairly easy to use. It was free of any technical glitches, and I found it easy to sync the results. For $149, the Swingbyte provides an unbelievable amount of data. But some of the data is so in depth and technical that you may need to talk to your PGA Professional to get the most out of it.

 

 

Here are some of the screen displays:

 

Out of the box, the Swingbyte setup guide was difficult to follow, and I could have used some audio instruction to go along with the pictorial. I also found it difficult to switch from the swing view screen to the data screen, which I believe should be be more user friendly, requiring only one click back and forth.

The Swingbyte did a lot of thing very well, however. It worked equally well with my iPhone as it did my Samsung Galaxy Tablet. I had no problems turning unit turned on and off, and swing data and swing screen animations it provided were excellent. Although I first struggled to interpret the large amount of data that Swingbyte provides, once I developed a corrective action plan with my PGA Professional the device was excellent at tracking progress or absence thereof.

If you consider how much it would cost to get this level of information on an ongoing basis, this price of $149 dollars is extremely modest. With just a few simple improvements, this could be a “got to have” swing improvement tool.

Click here for more discussion in the “Equipment — GPS/Range Finders/Mobile” forum. 

 

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GolfWRX is the world's largest and best online golf community. Expert editorial reviews, breaking golf tour and industry news, what to play, how to play and where to play. GolfWRX surrounds consumers throughout the buying, learning and enrichment process from original photographic and video content, to peer to peer advice and camaraderie, to technical how-tos, and more. As the largest online golf community we continue to protect the purity of our members opinions and the platform to voice them. We want to protect the interests of golfers by providing an unbiased platform to feel proud to contribute to for years to come. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX and on Facebook.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Pingback: Swingbyte 2 Golf Swing Analyzer Reviews | Golf Swing Tips

  2. JB

    Mar 11, 2013 at 5:07 am

    OK, so now that I’ve collected a bunch of data on how horrible my swing is, what do I do with the data that I dont know how to read? Now that I’m confused more with this data, I have to fork out another $150 for a pro to analyze the data? Why don’t I just go straight to a pro and have him analyze my swing from the get go? I sometimes don’t understand products like this.

    • Jack

      Mar 12, 2013 at 1:52 am

      I think you can easily see and understand the swing path, the clubhead face angle. If anything, I like it so I know what my driver clubhead speed is. It helps you know when you make a good swing. Also you can see what your tendencies are, recorded, so you can see after a range session if you are more likely to draw, fade, straight, or slice/hook. Swing tempo is something you can google, and it’s very helpful in achieving a consistent swing. You can even see shaft lean I think where you can see if you have a descending blow on the ball, or if you are scooping. It doesn’t tell you ball speed and launch angle cuz it doesn’t have those means, but indeed there is a lot of worth data available from such a small device.

  3. Turbo182

    Dec 29, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    I just wanted to say that I received the Swingbyte for Christmas, and it is the best gadget that I have ever used for swing training, I realized how my swing was incorrect, and was able to correct it the very first day. Being able to view my swing arc is the most helpful tool that I have ever seen! When I first started, my down swing was out side of my back swing, and now it is below my backswing which is correct, however I never knew that before yesterday. The contact with the ball is now so much more pure feeling that I can hardly believe it! I compared my swing with some of the top pros on V1 sports app for iPad and was able to emulate them! This is one of the best gifts that any golfer could ever receive! One person mentioned in their review that the Swingbyte rotated on the shaft, I lifted one end of mine up on the grip and now it does not rotate, it will stay in place through all of my swings, that is an easy fix for me. I am extremely pleased and I believe you will be too!

  4. Adam

    Dec 9, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    Do you have to strike a ball to use this or can I swing my club at the office or at work?

  5. James

    Nov 20, 2012 at 1:38 pm

    Has anyone done a review of the 3bays GSA Pro unit? I would love to hear unbiased review of this golf swing analyzer as all I can find is some videos from the company itself.

  6. Smockgolf.com

    Oct 30, 2012 at 1:13 am

    I think this all sounds awesome I am curious to see how well it works becuase i have used alot of bluetooth in many different thing however never golf, and they dont always work that well so i am kind of wondering if it works very well. But like most have said for 150 bucks it is probably worth trying and if it works well that is a great tool to help with giving lessons, your swing, and much more

  7. ronniemartin

    Oct 10, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    We (IPGA) just recently had our Teaching and Technology summit at Cog Hill. Manzella was there with his Trackman unit, as were the guys from Swing Guru, and Swingbyte. I finally had the opportunity to use Swingbyte and Trackman simultaneously. Although the numbers were’nt exactly alike, it gave me the path and face numbers and they were spot on. Pro- you don’t have to hit from a mat or lie board. I’m one that believes that the strike is influenced by the type of surface you are hitting on. When hitting from an acylic lie board, it’s difficult NOT to hit a good shot. If you hit it fat, the board gives enough to allow the clubface to bounce into the ball and hit it pretty well. Also the spin axis is affected. It take quit a bit of hand action action to purposly hit a hard slice or diving rope hook. The board almost gives the strike agear effect. I’m sure someone smarter than myself can explain what that is.

    Con- You must be very cognizant of your alignment. You need a practice station, and you also need to check to make sure the unit has not moved due to a heavy strike. The other thing you must do is make absoloulty certian that you’re aiming where you think you’re aiming, even if you have to stand DTL like you would in your pre-shot routine.

    although Trackman is the standard in LM technology, all most of us will use it for is pre-strike path and face to path angle at impact. Then the attack angle and vertical launch, spin, swing speed, and ball speed. But all I want my students to use it for is path and face. I they can learn to “zero out” their swings on their own, we can then spend more time on short game, playing lessons, and learning to PLAY GOLF, instead of grinding on positions that might or might not improvem their ball striking. At the end of the day, all your looking for is consistancy in your ball striking, and the ability to quantify the path and face angle conditions is what has made Trackman the future of ball striking instruction, and for $150 bucks, how can you not give it a try?

  8. jimmy

    Oct 3, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    swingbyte is not user friendly,however,there is alot of info to be gleaned ounce you figure out how to set up and decipher how to assimilate the info provided.like all other techno devices thst are new,this will get better.i know i sound negative,i’ve been using swingbyte for a month now,my advice…..get it.it’s a good device just be patient

  9. Eric H

    Sep 27, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    Curious how this compares to some of the other recent swing analyzers out there. Especially since I think this is one of the cheaper options. (3bay one is $199).

    Also, can you give us a little feedback on some of your own specific results and how this feedback let you know what to work on with your swing?

    For instance I have a problem of coming over the top. What reading (if any) on this device would tell me if I am coming over the top? Does it show an arc of your swing path to the ball?

    Thanks,
    Eric

    • Apotheosis

      Oct 8, 2012 at 7:48 pm

      Eric, the ‘Face to path angle’ will tell you if your coming over the good top, causing a slice.

      A positive angle will be a cut shot, a negative angle would be a draw.

    • david

      May 23, 2013 at 6:33 pm

      eric you get what you pay for, 3bays is based on superior technology and tested much better in our testing than swingbyte
      have a good one
      dave

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Motocaddy M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC electric cart review

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I have been thinking about electric golf push carts, or trollies, ever since I started playing in my league seven years ago.

Motocaddy has been making high-quality electric, and non-electric, carts since 2004 and has a couple of great options for the golfer who loves to walk. Motocaddy was nice enough to get their M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC in my hands to try out on the course for a few weeks.

I have had a lot of people stop me to ask about the carts, and the one thing I keep telling them is that these carts are just flat out fun to use on the course.

Motocaddy M7 Remote

The M7 Remote was very easy to get set up right out of the box. All you have to do is charge the battery, install the wheels, and you are pretty much ready to go. The M7 folds up pretty small, just a little larger than the 3-wheel pushcart that I had been using for years. Getting it to the course should be no problem with just about any trunk space. Now, the one downside to an electric cart is the weight when moving it around, and both carts come in at around 35 pounds each. Even with that extra weight, I didn’t have much trouble lifting them in and out of the back of a pickup.

The M7 unfolds quickly with the flick of two levers and extends the front wheels automatically. Once unfolded, you drop in the battery, plug it in, and secure your bag. If you own a Motocaddy bag, they have developed a really nice system called EasiLock that involves two metal studs that fit into the bottom of the cart. This system also includes a molded base that prevents the bag from rotating at all, even on the roughest terrain. You can still use the M7 with almost any other golf bag as it includes elastic straps that wrap around the top and bottom of the bag.

As soon as you plug in the battery the LCD screen comes to life and you are ready to go. You can use the M7 without the remote by using the dial on the handle to control the starting, stopping, and speed. But the M7 has a remote that is activated by a simple press of the power button to get going. The remote is very simple with just five buttons to control where the M7 goes.

Getting a feel for the M7 takes no time at all and by the time you drive it from your car to the 1st tee you will be in complete, and confident, control of the cart. You simply press the “+” button to start moving forward and the cart takes off gently without any rattling of your clubs, and you can press that same button again to increase the speed. The cart will go from a slow crawl, for bumpy or tight areas, too, as fast as I could run with just a few presses of the button. The big red “stop” button in the center stops the cart immediately, and when stopped it is locked in place, even on steep hills. You don’t have to worry about remembering to set the brakes or anything because it is done automatically.

Steering is just as easy: simply press the right or left button to turn the cart. Small, quick presses will just slightly adjust the cart as it moves down the fairway while a long hold of the button can make it turn on a dime to the right or left.

Almost everyone asked me how stable the cart was and if it would tip over. I can proudly say that it has stayed upright even on some unseen bumps at maximum speed. Side hills, ruts, and even curbs are handled with ease with the help of the small rear wheel.

I really enjoy strolling down the fairway with nothing but the M7’s remote in my hand — it just makes golfing more fun!

Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC

After using the M7 and its fancy remote, I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like not having it. But to be honest the M5 was just as fun to use, but for a different reason.

As the name suggests, the M5 has a built-in GPS with 40,000 courses preloaded into it. The screen is a good size, pretty responsive to the touch, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Having the GPS directly on the cart is great, you drive up to your ball and immediately have yardage to the front, back, and center of the green as well as bunkers and hazards. You can easily toggle between screens on the GPS and it offers a couple of different views to help navigate the hole. The M5 can also keep score and let you know shot distances right on the screen. Motocaddy even includes nice little touches like a screen protecter kit to ensure durability.

Driving the M5 is just as easy as the M7 with using the dial on the handle. And speaking of the handle, the grips have a great tacky rubber that grips well even in hot and humid conditions. To start the M5 you just press the dial down and the cart will gently start down the fairway. You can turn the dial to increase or decrease the speed — I found between 5-6 to be the most comfortable for me. But the speed can go up to a very fast pace if you are looking to set a record for fastest round of the day.

As you walk down the fairway, or rough, stopping the cart is as simple as pressing he dial again. When stopped the M5 engages a parking brake automatically so you don’t have to worry about it running down a hill without your approval. The M5 has tons of power to go up just about any hill and the Down Hill Control (DHC) keeps the speed consistent even when going down a steep decent.

Since the M5 has so much power, and it is a little heavy, I thought steering would be a little bit of a challenge. It wasn’t, at all. Guiding the M5 took very little effort and slight adjustments going down the fairway were very easy. Really tight turns took a slight bit more effort as the torque can want to go forward a little more than turn. Again, once you get the M5 from the car to the first tee, you will be a master at driving it.

Overall, Motocaddy has created two great carts that provide additional enjoyment to walking your favorite 9 or 18. Having the ability to walk without carrying or pushing your bag, clubs, and whatever else goes with you. I like them so much that it is going to be hard to get the M7’s remote out of my hands when I go play!

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Crossrope weighted jump rope & app

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An 18-hole round of golf averages out to just under five miles of walking, which on its own is a good workout. Once you throw in some potential uphill trekking you get some serious cardio too, but if you all looking for a quick workout between rounds of golf look no further than Crossrope.

Crossrope – The details

Crossrope is a system of the weighted jump rope that allows you to quickly switch the weight of the ropes you are using to boost your workout—they range from 1/4 lbs all the way up to 2 lbs depending on the kit you start out with. There is an accompanying app that helps you go through multiple workout routines and is available free, or you can upgrade to the entire library of workout routines along with more workout tracking options.

This is NOT your middle school jump rope

The handles are heavy duty and feature precision bearings to allow the rope to move smoothly around as you go through a routine. They are also ergonomic and fit into your hand naturally, which making gripping easy, something that is really nice when you’re swinging a 2 lbs coated steel cable around. The handles also come with a fast clip system to make changing cables depending on your selected workout easier too.

The ropes themselves are made from braided steel and are almost impossible to tangle, allowing them to be easily transported and stored when not in use. All in you are getting a premium piece of workout equipment that is effective and easy to store—hard to same the same thing about a treadmill.

When it comes to a workout, skipping rope is one of the most effective cardio workouts you can do, and with Crossrope, you can get both cardio and low impact weight training when using the heaviest ropes, and follow along with the guided workouts.

As someone that hadn’t used a jump rope in over a decade, starting out lighter was a nice way to ease in before moving up, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy and fun some of the workouts in the app were. If you are looking for a fun way to add something to your workouts, or you just want to try something new to get you into golf course walking shape, this could be right up your alley. To learn more check out crossrope.com

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