Here’s why Rory McIlroy stopped looking at his own golf swing on video

Rory McIlroy, a bit like the rest of us, used to spend significant time studying swings.

“I used to look at a lot of different golf swings,” he said on Wednesday ahead of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. “I’d look at early 2000s Tiger a lot. … Grant Waite was always the model on V1 when I was growing up and he had a pretty nice swing.”

He’d look at his own golf swing on video a lot, too. He’d hone in on different details, then work on getting them a bit better. It’s probably why his move has become the envy of golfers everywhere.

But somewhere along the line, he found the returns started diminishing. Rory would see footage of himself and all he’d start thinking about was his golf swing, and the ways it could get better.

“Honestly, I don’t like watching my highlights anymore because I’ll start picking my swing apart,” he says. “I don’t think it does me any good, so I’ve tried to steer away from looking at a lot of swings on video. … I’ll be too perfectionist with it.”

Don’t be dependent on the camera

Like almost every pro, he’ll consult the camera when he needs too, of course. And forgoing the camera doesn’t mean Rory has stopped working on his swing — he still does. Rory just knows his tendency to become too much of a perfectionist with his golf swing when he gets in front of a camera, and so works on keeping it in check. It’s more about honing in on a feel that works for him and focusing on the results.

It’s a good reminder for the rest of us. The camera on your phone is there to help you, but don’t let it dominate everything you do. Work with a good coach who can help you improve your swing with some simpler cues, and take it to the course with more freedom.