Down-the-Line View
Also known as: DTL angle
The down-the-line view films the swing from behind the golfer, along the target line. It is the best angle for swing plane, club path, and delivery position.
A down-the-line camera sits a few feet behind the ball, aimed straight down the target line. The golfer's back is roughly toward the lens. From this angle, the club's path relative to the target line is visible with reasonable clarity. So are the steepness or shallowness of the swing plane and the shaft's delivery angle into impact. That is because the camera is looking straight along the very line those measurements are relative to.
This is the angle most associated with diagnosing an over-the-top move, an in-to-out path, or shallowing in transition. All three are fundamentally about the club's direction relative to the target line. That is exactly what a down-the-line view is positioned to show.
A down-the-line view does not show the amount of hip and shoulder rotation or weight transfer toward the target well. Those movements happen mostly toward and away from the camera rather than across its field of view. That is why face-on video is used to cover that half of the picture.
Example
Filmed from directly behind the ball on the target line, a golfer's club is clearly visible looping outside the backswing plane on the way down — a classic over-the-top signature best seen from this angle.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Down the line is the view Motion Lab needs to fit a swing plane; a rear view also works. Tap the clubhead on a few frames going back and coming down, and it compares the two planes. It also draws a reference line through your hands at address, angled for your club, and shows your hand path against it. It does not read club path or delivery position from any view.
Related terms
- Face-On ViewThe face-on view films the swing from in front of the golfer. It best shows hip and shoulder rotation, weight transfer, spine tilt, and early extension.
- Camera Angle GuidanceCamera angle guidance shows where to film a swing from, usually down-the-line and face-on. The wrong angle can hide or distort what the analysis needs.
- Swing PlaneSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.
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