Birdia product page (in beta) · reviewed 12 Oct 2026
Birdia (our product, in beta) measures tempo with your phone camera: it detects the start of the backswing, the change of direction and impact, and works out the backswing-to-downswing ratio. The benchmark is the 3:1 John Novosel measured in tour players (Tour Tempo). No sensors or watch needed, and on the greens tempo is shown as information, not flagged as a fault.
What Birdia does for this
Tempo on every swing: backswing/downswing ratio against the 3:1 Tour Tempo benchmark; if it drifts, you get the "rushed tempo" fault with its drill.
Swing phases detected automatically: takeaway, backswing, downswing and finish.
In bunker, chip and putting modes tempo is shown as data, not scored: 3:1 is a full-swing benchmark.
Your swing history, so you can see whether the ratio settles down with practice.
Voice commands and a Bluetooth remote trigger, so you can hit swing after swing without touching the phone.
Tempo comes from the video, so its precision depends on the frame rate your phone records at. Birdia measures the tempo of your body and hands; it does not measure clubhead speed.
The web app runs at golf.birdia.app. The Android and iPhone apps are in beta: sign up and we send you an invite.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal golf swing tempo?
The most cited benchmark is John Novosel's (Tour Tempo): timing tour players' swings, the backswing takes about three times as long as the downswing (3:1). What changes from player to player is overall speed, not the ratio.
Is the tempo a camera app measures reliable?
For the backswing/downswing ratio, yes, as long as the phone records at enough frames per second and sees your whole body: the start of the backswing, the change of direction and impact are all visible moments. What the camera can't give you is club speed; that needs a launch monitor or a sensor.
Does it measure putting tempo too?
Yes. In putting mode Birdia shows stroke tempo as data, against Tour Tempo's rough 2:1 benchmark for putting, but it does not flag it as a fault. On the greens what gets scored is body stillness on short putts.
How much does Birdia cost?
There is a free plan. Premium costs €14.99/month or €99/year and Pro-IA €29.99/month, VAT included. Payment happens only inside the app, through the App Store or Google Play. Birdia is in beta.