Check Your Plane

The swing plane is often misunderstood in the golf swing yet it’s one the most critical elements that control the quality and direction of ball flight.  Think very simply of the swing plane as being the angle that the shaft travels on from start to finish, just the same as the shaft sits on an angle when you address the golf ball. One of the key points that we like to check with students is the 3/4 position during the back and down swing, if we can be close to plane here we can likely return the shaft close to plane at impact.

In this photo the shaft is basically parallel to the base of the plane (yellow line), requiring no manipulation of the shaft to return back to the ball.

In the next photo notice how the shaft does not match the yellow line being flat (left) and steep (right), both of which require a downswing adjustment.

Finally, notice the natural path the club wants to travel on the down swing when the shaft is out of position.

Practice the 3/4 position in a mirror to get your swing back on plane and you will find your ball flight getting straighter and more solid.

AGI: play better golf.