GolfRx: Swing Plane Simplified

The swing plane is one of the most misunderstood and sometimes the most complicated principle of the golf swing. Is my swing too upright or too flat? Do all clubs swing on the same plane or do they have different ones? These are the questions that I hear many times a day. What is a swing plane or the path of the club? Here is the definition from the PGA Teaching Manual: “An imaginary flat, thin surface which is used to describe the path and angle on which the club is swung. Plane has inclination or tilt, i.e., flat, medium, upright, as well as direction- inside, outside or down the line.”

Okay, now doesn’t that help? I don’t think so. Keeping the club on plane in the swing does not have to be a geometry problem. Let’s simplify the swing plane.

One way that I like to have players picture and feel the club on plane during the swing is to keep the club head in front of the chest during the swing. Think of the club head as being in line with your sternum or buttons of shirt. If you can keep the club in line with the center of your body as you make a good turn in the back swing you are on plane. In the down swing the club should feel like it swings down on the same line it swung back on.

That is an easy, non-technique way of looking at swing plane. Lets look at a few important positions you can check to see if you are on plane.

USING THE GRIP END OF THE CLUB TO CHECK YOUR SWING PLANE

THE BACK SWING

I believe one of the easiest ways to check and work on improving your swing plane is by being aware of where the grip of the club is pointing. The first position to check is the hip high position in the back swing. The grip of the club should be pointing to the target (Photo1). This puts the shaft of the club on a line that is parallel to the target. The most common fault I see would be players swinging the club inside too much and having the grip of the club point to the right of the target.

At the half-way position, the grip of the club should point down to the target line (Photo2). Some better players will have the grip point to the inside of the target line but never over the top pointing outside of the line (Photo 3). This is one of the most common swing faults I see everyday.

At the top of the swing the grip of the club should be pointing straight back so that the shaft of the club should be pointing down the target line. I will put a golf ball or range bucket on the ground behind a player just inside the heels of the shoes for a target to point the grip of the club towards (Photo 4). For most players the back swing ends up being longer then they realize so when you feel the grip pointing to the ground it really will be over your shoulder pointing back to a spot into the air or the shaft of the club will be pointing in the direction of the target.

THE FORWARD SWING

As I like to say, the set-up is like a prerequisite to the back swing. A good set-up can lead to a good back swing and a good back swing can lead to a good forward swing. It is never a guarantee that a good back swing will lead to a good forward swing but at least it gives you a chance.

The grip of the club checkpoints are the same in the forward swing as they are in the back swing. What is different is the forward swing starts with the legs moving first then the shoulders, arms and then the club. When the club is in the hip high position the grip of the club is pointing to the target as in the back swing, the difference is the hips are open to the target and the hands lead the club head to the ball (photo 5).

I like to have players think of the follow-through to the finish as a mirror image of the back swing. When the club shaft is in the hip high position in the follow-through the grip of the club should be pointing straight back from the target (photo 6). From this position let momentum carry you to the finish.

The hip high positions in the down swing before impact and in the follow-through are the two most important positions to find. As well as the two most common positions that better players position their golf club. They might be a little different in other areas, but not in these two positions: just before impact and post impact.

I hope using the grip end of the club helps improve your swing plane.

Any questions, comments or suggestions for future articles please contact Joe at joep@carlsgolfland.com

GolfRx: Greenside Bunker Play

Being positive and confident when playing from the sand is the key to being successful. Most golfers are afraid of the sand shot. Just like in all golf shots, this will make a player tight, preventing them from swinging through the ball. Decelerating into the ball will leave the club head in the sand and that usually means the ball will stay there, too.

I find that players will have the same swing faults in the sand as they do for a short pitch shot. The difference is that in the sand they will not get away with it because of tension and lack of confidence playing out of the sand. As with any trouble shot, players will not get away with poor positions as they might when hitting from the middle of the fairway.

The sand wedge is shaped differently from other irons where the back of the sole of the club is higher than the leading edge of the sole. This is called the bounce; it prevents the leading edge of the club from hitting the ground first. This would cause the club to dig into the sand and get stuck. When hitting a sand shot you want to hit the sand first, the bounce on the club will allow the club to swing through the sand without digging deeper.

BASIC SET-UP

Feet, hips and shoulders should point left of target or open to the target line.

Picture a “V”, your club face aims down one side of the “V” pointing at the hole, while your body is aligned on the other side of “V”.

Position the ball inside your left heel.

Your hands should stay slightly behind the ball. The shaft of the golf club will be angled away from the target. Remember to hold the club slightly above the sand because the rules of golf do not allow the club to touch the ground prior to the stroke.

Give yourself a secure footing by digging your feet into the sand; your feet should be below the surface an inch or two. This will help you determine the texture and density of the sand. In wet coarse sand the ball will come out faster and go further so you will have to take a shorter swing. In fine, powdery sand the sand will slow the club down so you will need to take a bigger swing.

THE SWING

The sand shot is different than other golf shots because the club should hit the ground before the ball. The club should hit the sand first, 2 or 3 inches behind the ball and come out of the sand at least as much in front of the ball. The club should not directly come in contact with the ball; the sand should take the ball out of the sand and onto the green. A good thought to have is to try and splash sand out onto the green; let the sand bring the ball out of the sand.

The set-up changes make the club hit the sand first without you having to try to hit the sand first. The feet being below the surface of the sand helps the club hit behind the ball. The ball placement forward in the stance with the hands behind the ball will cause the club to hit the ground near the middle of the stance. The rest of it is the swing. Try to take your normal swing and adjust the length of the swing for the length of the shot. The club will swing on the line of your body making it feel like you are cutting across the ball.

To insure that you accelerate through the ball make sure you make a complete follow through, even if it is bigger than your back swing.

Common swing faults that I see that cause bigger problems in the sand include: taking the golf club too far inside and/or having a closed club face in the back swing. In the follow-through, players will try and help the ball out by breaking the wrist to try and scoop the ball out of the sand. Make sure you have good extension with your arms and club in the follow-through.

If you need to get the ball up quicker, open the clubface in the set-up. This will add loft to the golf club, helping the ball go higher.

Now it is time to practice. Players need to hit practice bunker shots so they gain confidence in the shot. Take practice swings using the “splash the sand on the green” thought. It is a good one. After a few practice swings, put a ball down and splash sand on to the green, and the sand will bring the ball out with it. Good luck with your bunker play.

GolfRx: Putting – Preparation for the Stroke

There is more to putting than practice. Your pre-swing preparation can be just as important as practicing your technique. In a typical round of golf there are more strokes made with the putter than any other club.

On the PGA tour the lowest current average number of putts per round is 27.21 and the highest is 31.25. On the LPGA tour the lowest is 27 and the highest is 28.71. Let these numbers help you determine the average number of putts that fit your level. If your goal is to score in the 70’s you better look for an average closer to 30 putts per round. I believe a realistic goal for most golfers would be to average no more than 2 putts per hole or 36 for 18 holes.

If you are not sure how many putts per round next time you play keep track. Your pitching and chipping does have to do with the number of putts. You can’t leave yourself with 25-foot putts all day long and expect to lower your putting average. Lets look at the process that leads up to the actual stroke.

READING THE GREEN

Reading the green should start before you take your fist step onto the putting surface. As you walk up to the green look at the big picture first. Is the green flat, or is it sloping to one side or the other? Is it uphill or downhill?

Once you step onto the green notice the slopes on the green itself. If you are not the first to putt watch others. Even if their putt is from a different line you can still learn from the break and more importantly the speed.

Picking your line depends on the speed of the green and the severity of the slope; the speed being more important. When visualizing the roll of the ball, keep in mind that the middle of the hole is not a straight line from the ball to the hole, but the side of the hole that the ball would be breaking down to.

Once you pick your line you must commit to that line and trust it through the stroke. Trusting it through the stroke means putting the ball on the line we pick even if that line is two feet to the right of the hole.

Speed is always more important than direction. Not only is speed important as far as leaving yourself with a short 2nd putt but also how that speed influences the break. The ideal length putt would roll 18 to 20 inches past the hole, this also gives each putt a chance to go in. A faster rolling ball will not break as much as a slower moving ball.

It is important to know whether you missed a putt because of bad speed or a bad line. If you miss a putt on the high side of the hole, but it rolls past the hole by six feet, you may have missed the putt because you hit the ball too hard and not because you played too much break.

PRE- SHOT ROUTINE

The pre-shot routine is one of the most important aspects of all shots. A pre-shot should be consistent for each shot and should help players prepare themselves for the stroke. In putting it starts with marking your ball. Some

players will line the manufactures name up with line that they pick. If that does not seem to help at least place the ball on the green the same way each time. An example would be to have the number on the ball on the backside so you line the middle of the clubface with the middle of the ball each time. It will also give you a spot where you can fix your eyes each time.

Whether you stand behind your ball and take a practice stroke, or take 1, 2 or 5 practice strokes on your line for your pre-shot routine, always keep the same routine. Look at the target longer than you look down at the ball. Golf is very much a target sport, but unlike most other target sports, we do not look at the target during the stroke. The longer you look at the hole, the more you will be able to keep the picture of the target in your minds eye when you make your stroke.

When you make your practice stroke try to feel a swing that would make the ball go the distance of your putt. When you feel that you are positioned over the ball correctly take a last look at your target and make your stroke.

MENTAL SIDE

Confidence is a huge part of success. Confidence comes from sound technique and spending time on the practice green. Practice with short one or two foot putts, even if they would be “gimmes” on the course, making a bunch these will do wonders for your confidence. Gradually increase the length of the putt trying to keep the same feel in your stroke.

Before each round I get on the practice green to get a feel for speed of the green with some longer putts but always end with very short putts that find the bottom of the cup. You are better off leaving the green with a positive feel – and sound – of the ball going into the hole. Even if you only have a few minutes before you play, you are better off spending that time on the practice green than the range.

Be positive. Tell yourself that you will make the putt. Play in the present. Forget about the last hole where you may have missed a short one. You can’t change the past.

Finally, before you make each stroke picture in your mind’s eye the ball going into the bottom of the cup. This will not guarantee that you will make each putt, but I guarantee that you will make more putts thinking about the ball going in than if you are thinking about something else.

GolfRx: March 2007

You shouldn’t wait until the courses open and you plan your first round of the year to think about improving your game. It can be very frustrating to a golfer to play year after year and not see any improvement. Regardless of your level of ability, golf will be more fun if you see improvement over time.

There can be many reasons for the lack of improvement; limited practice time, practicing your strengths instead of your weaknesses, not understanding swing technique and the fear to change, among others.

The more you know your game the more you will be able to see improvement as you play and practice throughout the year. Players that improve over time understand the golf swing to some degree. Your body can only do what your mind tells it to do so, if you have no concept or a poor concept of the swing it’s difficult to get better. You need to practice with a purpose. That means knowing what parts of your game need the most work and what to do to improve those areas.

EVALUATING YOUR GAME & SETTING GOALS

Whether you are a single digit handicap or not even at a level where you keep track of your score, evaluating your game is an important part of making progress. You must determine your strengths and weakness in order to know which areas to spend your practice time. One of the first questions I ask a player when they come in for a lesson is, “What bad shots prevent you from having a lower score?”

Before you pick up a club, think back to your last few rounds and identify what type of shots cost you the most strokes.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

Tee Shots –

• How many fairways did I hit?

• How many tee shot cost me a penalty shot?

• How many tee shots prevented me from having a second shot?

There is a difference between a tee shot that is out of bounds, or behind a tree, and one that is off the fairway by five yards. Being off the fairway by five yards still gives you a swing to at least advance the ball.

Fairway Shots –

• How many greens did I hit in regulation?

• Can I hit my fairway woods off the ground?

• Do I have trouble hitting shots from different lies?

Short Game –

• Do I get my first chip or pitch shot onto the green?

• How many putts per round?

Your questions and goal-settings need to match your level of play. For example, a low handicap player keeps track of how many pitch shots he hits within two feet, whereas a higher handicap player might be keeping track of how many pitch shots he gets onto the green with the first try.

TIME FOR THE RANGE

Before you start hitting balls spend some time warming up the body. Do a few of your favorite stretches; focus on your back, hamstring and shoulders. Swing a weighted club a few times. If you don’t have a weighted club, swing two of your irons at the same time.

Especially early in the year, it is a good idea to start hitting your fist few shots with shorter and slower than normal swings.

A good place to start would be to hit balls with the toe of the club up drill. Two of the common positions of a better player would be to have the toe of the golf club almost pointing directly to the sky at the hip high position in the back swing (Fig. 1) and the mirror image of that position in the follow through. (Fig 2).

You can practice this at home without even having to hit balls. Not only look for the toe of the club position, but also check that the shaft of the golf club is parallel to the target when it is hip high.

After hitting balls with a short swing for a few minutes, increase your swing until you are taking your normal full swing, keeping your swing slower than normal. Better players will have a practice swing speed that is slower than normal. This can help in several ways.

First, early in the year your body needs a chance to get back into the swing of things. Most golf injuries happen early in the year when our bodies are not stretched or warmed up enough. Swinging slower and easier than normal will also help you relax. Tension is one of the biggest reasons why players hit bad shots.

Swinging slower will also help you feel what you are doing in your swing. If you can’t feel where your club is, or what your body is doing during your swing, it is difficult to make any improvements.

Keep your mind free of technical stuff for the first couple of times hitting balls. Use this time to loosen up and evaluate your shots. Look for patterns to your bad shots. If you have a pattern to your bad shots, you can look into your swing to make corrections. If you are not sure how to make corrections, it might be time to learn more about the golf swing whether by book, video or by taking a lesson. No one can see their own swing, even the best players in the world who understand the golf swing completely need another pair of eyes.

Have fun with your spring season practice.