Golf Ball Tracer: How to Add a Shot Tracer to Your Videos
You filmed a great golf shot. Then you watched it back and could barely see the ball.
A golf ball tracer adds a visible line to your video, making the flight easier to follow. With Ball Tracer in SwingGrade for Android, you mark the ball in selected frames, choose where it landed, and turn your clip into an animated shot tracer video.
What is a golf ball tracer?
A ball tracer is a video effect that shows a golf ball’s flight as a colored trail. You may also see it described as a golf shot tracer or ball flight tracer—the familiar effect that helps you follow a shot on TV.
In SwingGrade, you control the points used to create the trail. The app builds a smooth path from your marked positions and calculates a continuation toward your chosen landing point when the ball is no longer visible. That gives you a way to finish the effect even when the camera cannot show the whole flight.
How to add a shot tracer to your golf video
1. Open your video in Ball Tracer
Choose your golf video in SwingGrade and open Ball Tracer. Select the part of the clip you want to use, keeping the strike and enough of the ball’s early flight to mark its path.
2. Mark the ball in selected frames
Move through the video frame by frame and tap the ball’s position. Keep your taps centered on the ball and check each point before moving on.
You do not need to mark every frame. In our experience using the effect, marking every second or third frame often works well. This is a useful starting point, rather than a fixed rule for every recording.
Use more closely spaced points where the ball’s path curves or its speed visibly changes. Those sections deserve extra care if you want the tracer to follow the shape of the shot closely. The frame rate and how clearly you can see the ball also affect how many points you need.
3. Choose the landing point and flight time
Tap where the ball landed. If the landing is outside the visible part of the flight, an estimate is fine; you can drag the point to adjust it.
Set the flight time and tap Show path to preview the result. The continuation beyond the last marked point is calculated from your inputs, so review both its shape and timing.
4. Refine the curve and appearance
Replay the clip and look for any section that feels out of place. Use Points to revisit your marks. Adjust the flight, landing point and available shape controls where needed.
Choose a tracer color that stands out against the sky and course. Customize the look of the trail to suit your video, then replay it once more before exporting.
5. Export your Ball Tracer video
Tap Export video to create a new video with the animated tracer. Your original video stays as it is. You can save the finished result and share it with friends, your coach or your golfing community.
Tips for a smoother, more natural tracer
Keep the camera still. A tripod or stable support makes it easier to mark the ball consistently. Frame the shot with room above the golfer so the early flight stays visible.
Record a clear ball. Good light and a background that gives the ball some contrast make point placement easier. Review the clip before starting: a sharp image is more helpful than guessing at a blurred ball.
Add detail where the flight changes. Start with every second or third frame, then add points around curves and visible speed changes. A few carefully placed extra points can be more useful than marking every frame of an easy, straight section.
Check the last visible points. When the ball becomes too small to identify reliably, avoid adding uncertain marks. Review the calculated continuation and adjust the landing and flight time to match what you saw on the course.
Does Ball Tracer track the ball automatically?
Ball Tracer in SwingGrade uses positions that you mark manually. The app then creates the smooth animated path from those points and your landing settings. It does not automatically detect the ball throughout the video.
The tracer is a visual effect. The estimated part of the flight is not a measurement of distance, ball speed or spin.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to mark every video frame?
No. Every second or third frame often works well as a starting point. Mark more closely around curves and visible changes in speed, and use the preview to decide whether more detail is needed.
Can I add a tracer if the ball disappears?
Yes. Mark the visible part of the flight, choose a landing point and set the flight time. SwingGrade calculates the remaining path. That section is an estimate based on your settings.
Can I change the tracer color?
Yes. You can choose a color and customize the trail’s appearance before exporting.
Does exporting replace my original clip?
No. The export creates a new video with your ball tracer and keeps the original.
Is Ball Tracer available on Android?
Yes. Ball Tracer is available in the current SwingGrade app on Google Play.
Make your next golf shot easier to follow
Start with a clear clip, mark the ball’s visible flight and give extra attention to the curves. Then choose your look and export a video that shows the shot you want people to see.
Get SwingGrade on Google Play to create your own Ball Tracer video.
Want to explore the other tools? Learn more about SwingGrade, or see how SmartCapture records your swing.
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