Of the many hopeless feelings in golf, struggling with your swing and having no idea what you’re doing wrong might go at the top. A close second is thinking you know what’s wrong, trying to fix it, only to realize that wasn't it.

Both problems are the focus of AI technology used in the Mustard Golf app, where golfers can upload videos of their swing and have them analyzed against 3D data models and motion capture from thousands of pro and amateur swings. The app does not require any sensors or other equipment, just a swing video looking down the target line. After uploading a video, AI goes to work to produce a baseline swing analysis, and then Golf Digest’s top-ranked coach Mark Blackburn provides personalized drills and explanations to remedy your flaws. Many of the corrections and practice drills are designed to be done at home. Users can track progress by posting more swings and move onto new content at their own pace.

The Mustard Golf app is the latest offering from the company co-founded by renowned pitching coach Tom House that was first an analysis tool for pitchers looking to improve their mechanics.

Golf Digest social media coordinator Luke Hooten knew what he was doing wrong in his swing—a sometimes excessive in-to-out path with contact off the heel—but he had no idea why or how to fix it. When Hooten started working with the Mustard Golf app in April 2024, he had a 17.9 Handicap Index and was struggling with heel shots and the occasional block to the right.

Could AI confirm the issue and help provide an explanation?

Hooten’s first step was to upload a video of his swing to the Mustard app. Even before diving into the report explaining his areas of improvement, he found the visual of his club path enlightening.

“The visual itself is super cool,” he said. “It's nice having a natural visual of what your swing path actually looks like versus what you think it looks like."

Seeing his club drop slightly under his backswing plane as he approached impact gave Hooten the visual confirmation of what he instinctively knew was an in-to-out path.

Yet the most interesting part for Hooten came in the swing report, which breaks down the swing, focusing on backswing and downswing hand and body movements, before giving scores for each part, as well as an overall number. The app then tells you what your biggest priority is in your swing.

Flaw #1: Hand path

When Hooten first used the app in April, he was told his biggest flaw was his hands getting too far away from him in the downswing.

“That was something I never considered in terms of why I might be a little heely or losing it right every now and then,” he said. “That was really nice and interesting.”

OK, so he knew what he was doing wrong, but how should he fix it? Along with the diagnosis, the Mustard report includes numerous short videos by Blackburn in which he explains possible causes for your issue. Since every swing flaw can be caused by several different things, the app runs you through the most common for your specific problem.

Blackburn then prescribes drills that you can work on to fix the issue. It’s a sort of college curriculum, where you learn, complete the homework and then take the test again by uploading a new swing.

Blackburn recommended a few drills to fix this hand path, including right-arm only swings and swinging to miss an obstacle placed outside the proper swing path. Hooten worked on the drills for a few months and improved his hand path so much so that in his most recent report, his overall score was higher and the original flaw was no longer the primary area of suggested focus.

Flaw #2: Early extension

Instead, the app identified a loss of posture in the downswing, commonly known as early extension. This had always been something Hooten felt in his swing, so this confirmation was encouraging, especially considering Blackburn had some drills to help.

“I know that when I get excited and I'm trying to swing fast, I pop up right as I'm starting down,” he said. “The drills are super simple. Obviously, Mark Blackburn—you trust him, he knows what he’s talking about. He puts it in really easy to understand terms and gives you a ‘go try this at home’ type of thing.”

Having recently been given this report, Hooten is keen to work on fixing this early extension to more reliably hit his preferred baby draw, instead of the occasional block fade that he fights. In the several months that he has been working with Mustard, Hooten has already seen an over two-stroke improvement, with his Handicap Index now down to 15.2.

“I think everyone has an idea of what they look like when they’re swinging, and this is confirmation of it or telling you that you’re way off,” he said. “It takes the guesswork out of it and gives really positive feedback, and it also gives you stuff to work on.”

Mustard Golf is available in the Apple App Store. Users can upload a video and see their top swing fault for free. Premium features come with monthly or annual subscriptions.

(Article originally published on GolfDigest.com)