I believe that swinging on PLANE is one of the most important aspects of hitting the ball consistently solid and straight. And when I talk about swinging on plane, I am talking about swinging the arms and swinging them on ONE PLANE both up, down and up again on that same ONE plane on both sides of the ball. The key is to swing on the correct plane, one that fits physics and human physiology. So, as I promised in Vol 1, I will, in this article, define and explain the correct Plane on which to swing. We will also take a look at the terminology and definition of 1 plane and 2 plane swings.
I guess the best place to start this discussion is with a definition of plane and also path, as they are both intertwined. According to Webster's dictionary, the 3rd definition of Path is a line of movement. PLANE, as an adjective, is defined: 1. flat, level. 2. Of or having to do with flat surfaces or points, lines, etc. on them, as in plane geometry. Plane as a noun is: a flat level surface.
On the first golf Instruction video I produced in the early 1990s, 'Golf, Plain and Simple, Straight Golf,' I defined path relative to a golf swing as, 'PATH is the direction the club is swung back and through, the arch of our oval. PLANE is the angle on which that path lies. The arms are swung up, down and up again on that PLANE.' The arms are swung up, down and up again on that 'PLANE.' I repeated the last sentence for clarity and emphasis, that it is 'the arms' that swing on plane not the club.
For the last 15 or so years, since the introduction of the X-Factor/rotational swing and versions and variations of it, big torso backswing and follow through, swings (with the shaft laid off) have become the major and predominant swing taught the world over. As a result, the concept of 'the club' swinging on plane has emerged. This is prevalent in the famous book that decreed the rotational swing a '1 plane swing' and the Vertical Swing a '2 plane swing.' The rotational swing is considered 1 plane because when the club is at the top of the backswing at the Shoulder Plane (which is described as somewhere around the top of the bicep just below the top of the shoulder) it is parallel to the shaft plane at address, pointing to what would be around 10:00 o'clock on a clock behind it. The arms 'and the club' are in a straight line and thus both are parallel to the shaft plane and hence decreed a 'I plane swing.' I guess we can say the term rotational swing relates to a lot of rotation of the torso (big shoulder turn in the backswing and through to the finish) as well as a lot of rotation of the forearms.
An extension or laser beam out of the butt of the club would have it pointing at the ground somewhere 4 to 6 feet above and out beyond the ball. Thus, in the downswing, or forward upswing as I call it, if the arms and club are swung back on that (same one plane) the club would pass around a foot and a half to two feet above the ball missing it big time on the high side. In golf we call that a whiff.
Since 'whiffing' is not a good option, the rotational swing drops the arms and club back down to the 'SHAFT PLANE' so the club can hit the ball. The follow through continues on the shaft plane until the shaft is around parallel to the ground and then the arms and club are lifted up to the shoulder plane in the finish. Let's run that again and count the number of Plane changes of the arms and club in one swing. The takeaway is on the shaft plane to parallel. 1. The arms and club are lifted to the shoulder plane at the top of the backswing, which is parallel to the shaft plane. 2. In the downswing, the arms and club are dropped or returned to the shaft plane at address and swings on that plane to impact and up in the follow through to around parallel to the ground. 3. From parallel to the ground the arms and club are lifted to the shoulder plane for the finish.
Now, lets analyze what just happened in the rotational '1 Plane swing.' For starters we are dealing with 2 Planes. We have the SHAFT PLANE and SHOULDER PLANE. That is 2 planes, not one as it is called. And, to make it real interesting, every rotational swing will move or change on these planes 3 times per swing. There is nothing in this swing dealing only with one!
Now let's look at the so called '2 plane' Vertical Swing.
The vertical swing is termed 2 plane because at the top of the backswing the arms and club are not on the same plane hence being on different planes and thus a 2 plane swing. Remember, in the first two sentences of this article I say swinging on plane is critical for hitting it solid and straight and it is the arms that swing on plane. I believe the true swing plane is described as a pane of glass (I will from now on call it the PLANE of GLASS) from the ball through the neck, resting on the shoulders and beyond as described by Ben Hogan in his book, 'Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.' I also use the image of a wagon wheel, with the bottom on the ground at the ball and with the yoke around the neck and resting on the shoulders.
The takeaway of a vertical swing is the arms lift the clubhead, from the shoulders into the mitt, toe up. The forearm of the left arm will be brushing the underside of the Plane of Glass. Once the clubead is in the mitt, parallel to the ground, the arms lift the club up the tree, or as I call it, 'stand the club up to 12:00 o'clock to the light position.' The forearm of the left arm remains brushing the underside of the Plane of Glass all the way to the top of the backswing. While the left forearm is still brushing under the Plane of Glass, the club is going vertical, perpendicular to the ground, 12:00 o'clock and light. (Note: the laser beam pointing out the butt of the grip is pointing at the toe line.) The club going vertical is breaking through the Plane of Glass. This is why the vertical swing was declared a 2 plane swing.
The key here at vertical is that the relationship of the left arm from the shoulder to the wrist to the face of the club has not changed and can be connected with a line from the head to the shoulder to form a triangle. If you hold a club vertical, then rotate your arms (never changing the triangle relationship of the left arm to wrist to clubhead) to the right or downward until it reaches 10:00 o'clock, it is still the same except for its relationship to the ground. The arms and club are no longer in harmony with gravity and your physiology.
When the transition takes place and the arms and club are pulled down, the left forearm remains brushing the underside of the Plane of Glass, even as the club is pulled a little backwards and flatter. The right arm and hand fight to make sure the club stays as vertical as possible and does not drop too flat and too far inside. The left forearm remains brushing the Plane of Glass all the way to impact, returning the club basically to the address position. (Note: the club was below the hands at address, lifted up into the mitt and then up the tree above the hands at the top of the backswing and returned to the ball below the hands from where it all started, all with the left arm brushing the one same Plane of Glass.)
After impact the left forearm is still brushing the Plane of Glass until the right arm releasing (also rotating in exact opposition to the left arm to swing the club toe up into the forward mitt) now becomes the forearm brushing the underside of the Plane of Glass, with the club breaking through the plane of glass as it is stood up vertical, all the way up to the T-Finish. The key for the vertical swing is one of the forearms is always touching the one and only one Swing Plane of Glass for the entire swing.
You might be wondering why the club in the vertical swing breaks through the Plane of Glass when the forearms stay on the underside of the swing plane. At address the club is below the hands which are gripping it with the palms perpendicular grip. In the takeaway into the mitt, the club is lifted up by both arms lifting from the shoulders. The lift continues all the way to the top of the backswing, maintaining the same relationship between the forearm, wrist and shaft at address through the entire backswing so the club at the top ends up above the hands. The downswing (forward upswing as I call it) swings the club back down, returning the club back to below the hands to impact.
The next question is why the club in the vertical swing is stood up to 12:00 o'clock and in the rotational swing is the club is swung to 10:00 o'clock, a lower and flatter or laid off (due to being laid down relative to perpendicular to the ground) position, as it is called. Because the rotational swing has less lift and much more rotation of the forearms, so the club ends up laid off in the HEAVY position. Why is it called heavy at 10 versus light at 12 o'clock? Because it is heavier. Try this test to feel the difference.
Hold a club straight up at 12 o'clock in your right hand at the top of backswing where you look like you are taking an oath. Feel the muscle tone in you arm, neck, shoulder and back, the energy needed to hold it there and, most importantly, feel the weight of the club. Now rotate your arm back until the club reaches 10 o'clock and hold it there. Feel the muscle tone in your arm, neck, shoulder and back, and the energy to hold it there. Feel the weight of the club. It is much heavier. It places more stress on all the muscles groups to hold it there, and uses much more energy to keep it there because 10 o'clock and laid off is not in harmony with gravity. At 12 o'clock the club, shaft to head, is directly above the hands and light. At 10 o'clock the club is laid off with the club head far out from the hands and heavy. It is obvious you can hold the vertical light club up much longer than the laid off heavy club. Vertical is swinging the club using gravity as your ally, your friend. It is also swinging your arms the way nature intended, as God designed your arms to swing straight up and down in front of your body, over your toe line, in harmony with gravity.
So now I ask two big questions based on the fact that the arms are the primary players in swinging on plane. 1. How can the rotational swing be called a (1 Plane) swing when by definition it has 2 planes (shaft and shoulder) that the arms swing on and changes or switches 3 times in the swing? 2. How can the vertical swing be called a 2 plane swing when the arms swing on the same plane from start to finish?
Let's finish with one last big question based on Secret Number 1 of the PPGS which states, 'Golf is a game of angles, the fewer the better.' Plane is definitely an angle. Question: Would not swinging on 1 plane be much easier, consistent and with less margin for error than swinging on 2 planes and changing 3 times?
I think so, and so do all vertical swingers.
The Surge!
Comments
Don, thank you for explaining
Don, thank you for explaining this concept, but can you please explain why a plane of glass passing over your shoulders to the ball, is the correct plane, or "The plane." As i don'tÃÂ believeÃÂ this to be the case at all, surely this plane would only be correct if at address the arms and the club were in a straight line (seen from the Down the line view) and the angle of the club to leading edge was more upright to give this higher hand position the correct lie angle to hit the ball. In a more conventional address position where you have an angle between the arm plane and the club shaft plane (at the wrists) wouldn't the correct plane be the arm plane from the shoulders??
If not, why is the correct plane one that passes through shoulders and ball? As this would require the body to change angles at the waist to hit it, as you need to straighten out the spine as you hit the ball, right?ÃÂ
You are absolutely right. The
You are absolutely right. The natural swing plane is the planeÃÂ that passes through the left arm as it hangs at address. Keep the left arm in that plane throughout the swing and,ÃÂ as you swing back,ÃÂ let the club rotate to lie in that plane at the top. This would give the very steep plane recommended by Don. As the clubs get longer, the hands would be a bit further from the body at address and the plane correspondingly flatter. This is not inconsistent with Don's thesis. If you look at DJ's (Don's son) swing with the driver, the plane is definitely flatter than his plane with a wedge. The Hogan Pane of Glass on the Shoulders only works if you think of keeping the clubhead touching the underside of the glass throughout the swing. All the other plane lines that the gurus draw on the videos are generally inaccurate, rubbish, or wishful thinking.