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How to Hit Irons and Drives Consistently with Simple in Plane Swing
Most golfers have heard the expression the ‘plane of the swing.’ But understanding what the plane means is the key to building a better golf swing that consistently hits straighter irons and drives..
With knowledge of what defines the plane and what is responsible for finding it accurately, a golfer will be able to build a swing with good technique and mechanics that is easy to repeat and will produce better golf shots.,
Golf Swing Plane Explained
- The plane of the swing describes the angle at which the club swings around the body. Each golfer has a different swing plane, which is dictated by their stance. However, golf is particularly complicated because the golfer does not start off in the right place, they have to swing onto it halfway through the backswing.
- To understand more clearly, think of a carpenter hammering in a nail. As he takes aim, his hammer swing starts off in the correct plane. He simply has to pick up the hammer and deliver the blow in a simple up-and-down action. Golf is very different.
- Because a golfer stands at an angle to the ball, the plane has to be found halfway back. Locating the plane accurately while the clubhead is gaining speed is an extremely complicated maneuver, and any mistakes make a simple up-and-down swing impossible.
- The best chance of finding the swing plane accurately, time after time, requires a one piece takeaway on the right path where centrifugal force can then automatically sling the club onto the right line. After a poor takeaway, the golfer cannot rely on centrifugal force and has to manipulate the club onto the plane. Manufacturing this move is much harder than learning to swing the club into position.
Tips to Find the Swing Plane
As the swing builds up momentum and reaches halfway back, centrifugal force makes the wrists hinge. The hinging action is responsible for the plane of the swing.
If the hands and forearms over rotate, the club will be swung onto an angle that is too rounded and flat. Conversely, a golfer who has a limited hinge will be too upright.
If the club is not in the plane on the way back, the golfer cannot swing up and down on the same line. At the top of a bad backswing, a golfer is instinctively aware they are in the wrong slot or plane and have to make adjustments to try to find the right line for the downswing.
The more out of a plane on the backswing, the harder this becomes. The more efficient the backswing, the easier it is to hit the golf ball, irons, and drives consistently straight,
Train the Hands to Hinge into Plane
In tandem with improving and practicing the takeaway, like any other skill, the halfway back wrist cock or hinge can be practiced.
A professional practices this move more than any other, and there are several training exercises to help give a feel for carrying out this move correctly.
Finding the correct plane allows the club to travel up and down on the same angle and is critical for consistent straight hitting. The related articles below may be of help.
