You're coaching a student, watching their swing, and something looks off, but you’re struggling to put your finger on it.

Here's the thing: the human eye misses a lot. Swing faults happen in milliseconds. Shifts in weight and changes in posture are all happening too fast to catch in real time.

That's where video analysis comes in.

When you slow down a golf swing and break it down frame-by-frame, the faults that were invisible before suddenly become obvious. And when you use tools like CoachNow's annotation features, skeleton tracking, and VS mode, you can show your students exactly what's happening and how to fix it.

In this post, we're breaking down three of the most common golf swing issues that we see and exactly how to spot them using CoachNow's built-in tools.

Let's dive in.

Fault #1: Over the top (casting)

Fault #1: Over the Top (Casting)

What it is:

The club moves outside the proper swing plane early in the downswing, approaching the ball from an "out-to-in" path. In simpler terms, the club is coming over the top instead of dropping into the slot.

Why it matters:

Slices and pulls, inconsistent contact, and loss of power/distance. Over time, golfers compensate for the slice, which compounds the problem.

How to spot it with video:

  1. Set up a down-the-line CoachNow recording. 

  2. Use the annotation tool to draw a reference line from the ball through the golfer's hands and shoulders at address.

  3. Slow the video to 0.5x or 0.25x speed and watch the club from the top of the backswing into the downswing. If the club drops *outside* that reference line, you've spotted the fault. 

  4. Draw another line showing the actual club path.

CoachNow Pro tip:

Use side-by-side comparison to show your student a pro's down-the-line swing next to theirs. Seeing the pro's club drop into the plane versus their club go over the top is way more powerful than any verbal explanation.

Fault #2: Early extension

Fault #2: Early Extension

What it is:

A golfer's spine straightens (loses forward tilt/posture) during the downswing and into impact, instead of maintaining the angle they set up with.

Why it matters:

Inconsistent ball striking, loss of face and ball flight control, loss of distance, and back/hip strain.

How to spot it with video:

  1. Record from down-the-line in CoachNow. 

  2. Draw a vertical line along the golfer's spine using the annotation tool.

  3. Advance frame-by-frame through the downswing and into impact. If the spine becomes more upright (the line moves closer to vertical), that's early extension. 

  4. Compare the spine angle at address vs. impact - a dramatic change equals a clear fault.

CoachNow Pro Tip:

Use skeleton tracking to automatically highlight the spine and key joints. Record a voice-over explanation while the tracking does the visual work.

Fault #3: Reverse pivot (weight shift issues)

Fault #3: Reverse Pivot (Weight Shift Issues)

What it is:

The golfer's weight moves toward the target (front foot) on the backswing instead of loading onto the back foot. 

Why it matters:

Effects timing and sequencing, ball flight, and loss of power/speed

How to spot it with video:

  1. Record from face-on in CoachNow. 

  2. Draw a vertical line down the center of the golfer's body (through the sternum or head). 

  3. Advance to the top of the backswing. If the line has moved toward the target, that's a reverse pivot. 

  4. Use skeleton tracking to highlight hip position at address vs. the top of the backswing.

CoachNow Pro Tip:

Create a multi-camera recording with both face-on and down-the-line angles. Show your student the weight shift from the front view, then how it affects the swing plane from the side. 

When you can slow down a swing, identify the issue, and show your student exactly what's happening, they finally understand the problem instead of just hearing about it. 

These three issues we commonly see are all fixable, but you have to be able to identify them clearly first.

With frame-by-frame analysis, annotation, skeleton tracking, side-by-side comparisons, and voice-over feedback, CoachNow will help you notice these issues more easily, as well as correct your athletes with clarity.

Ready to level up your golf coaching? Start using CoachNow’s video analysis tools today - let us know which one is your favorite!