Down-the-Line View
Also known as: DTL angle
The down-the-line view films the swing from directly behind the golfer along the target line. It is the best angle for reading 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 so the golfer's back is roughly toward the lens. From this angle, the club's path relative to the target line, the steepness or shallowness of the swing plane. The shaft's delivery angle into impact are all visible with reasonable clarity. This is. This 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, since all three are at its core about the club's direction relative to the target line. This means exactly what a down-the-line view is positioned to show.
What a down-the-line view does not show well is hip and shoulder rotation amount or weight transfer toward the target, since those movements happen mostly toward and away from the camera rather than across its field of view. This means which 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. This means a classic over-the-top signature best seen from this angle.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
SwingVantage reads club path, swing plane, and delivery position primarily from down-the-line video, since these measurements are relative to the target line the camera is aligned with. It prompts for this specific angle when path or plane observations are the focus of a review.
Related terms
- Face-On ViewThe face-on view films the swing from directly in front of the golfer. It is the best angle for reading hip and shoulder rotation, weight transfer, spine tilt, and early extension.
- Camera Angle GuidanceCamera angle guidance is instruction on where to place the camera before filming a swing for analysis. This means typically down-the-line and face-on. Because the wrong angle can hide or distort exactly the information the analysis needs.
- Swing PlaneSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body during the swing. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.
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