Proper Golf Stance

Elevate Your Game: Mastering Your Golf Swing Plane

What type of swinger are you—a one-plane or a two-plane? Both types have their advantages, and both have their disadvantages. Both also work well when mastered.

 

The key for you is to decide which golf swing plane works for you, then mastering it. Doing that can take your game to the next level and help you break 80 consistently.

 

Below we help you decide what type of swinger you are and give you golf tips on how to perfect your swing type. Review the information below, determine what type of swinger you are, then ingrain the golf tips in your swing.

 

That will payoff in lower scores and more enjoyable rounds of golf.

mastering golf swing plane
Mastering golf swing plane

Decide what type of swinger you are

 

First, you must decide what type of swinger you are. The one-plane golf swing is flatter and rounder than the two-plane swing. It’s also simpler. That’s because you don’t have to re-adjust your swing to square up the club at impact as you do with a two-plane swing.

 

The two-plane swing is more straight up and down than the one-plane swing. It’s also more complicated than the on-plane swing. It requires you to adjust your hands slightly at the top to square up the club at impact.

 

Here’s a drill that can tell you what type of swinger you are:

 

Stand farther from the ball, bend over, and hold your driver like a hockey stick. Now swing in a flatter more “around” path. Next, stand upright, turn back, and thrust your hips at the ball before your arms swing through.

 

If you hit better shots from the first position, you’re a one-plane swinger. If you hit better shots from the second position, you’re a two-plane swinger.

 

The one-plane swing is ideal for hitting higher numbered clubs and wedges, but not so good for hitting lower numbered irons and woods. Vice versa for the two-plane swing. But there are work arounds for both types of swing.

 

 

 Golf tips for one-plane swingers

 

The intentional draw is the ideal shot type for one-plane swingers. The draw is a more controllable swing than a fade. Plus, the ball runs with it hits the ground. Aim just to the right of your target and the ball will come back to your target.

 

Additional golf tips for one-plane swingers:

 

  • Bend over more at address. Standing tall or transferring your weight aggressively from one foot to the other impedes your swing.

 

  • Keep your head still on the backswing. Don’t get “behind the ball” as you may have heard an instructor say in golf instruction sessions.

 

  • When it comes to your thoughts, think about swinging around your body. Also, start to rotate your arms early in the swing.

 

  • Avoid feeling as if you’re pulling the club through with your left arm (right arm for left-handers).

 

  • On the downswing, turn your body as hard as you can and hit aggressively with your right hand (left hand for left-handers).

 

Golf tips for two-plane swingers

 

Two-plane swingers come down on the ball more steeply than do one-plane swingers. That makes hitting short irons and wedges a challenge. Doing drills designed to create the feel of a longer, flatter swing helps.

 

Restricting your backswing and follow-through also helps. It siphons off much of the “up” out of the swing. If you’re a two-plane swinger, keep the following in mind:

 

Addition golf tips for two-plane swingers:

 

  • Stand upright a little more. Standing tall facilitates the transfer of weight that your swing needs.

 

  • Keep the hands relatively relaxed and hanging in front of you at address. Don’t reach for the ball when swinging.

 

  • Push your hips through the ball to keep them in front of your arms on the downswing. This move gets the club moving automatically on an in-to-out basis.

 

  • Pull the club down with your left arm (right, if you’re left-handed) on the forward swing. Resist the temptation to swing your arms too fast.

 

Use the golf tips we’ve provided to refine your swing, depending on whether you’re a one- plane swinger or a two-plane swinger.  Doing so will help you chop strokes off your scores and take your game to the next level.

 

But first, you need to determine what type of swing-plane works best for you. Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Just make sure the type you choose suits you and your game.

 

4 Keys to Achieving the Perfect Golf Swing Plane

 

If you’re hitting big banana slices off the tee or duck hooking from the fairway, you could be committing a common swing flaw that many weekend golfers make: You’re not on the right swing plane.

 

You can something wrong in your swing and get away with it. But if you screw up your swing plane, you’ll find yourself hitting shots from anywhere but the fairway. Below are four keys to achieving the perfect golf swing plane:

 

  1. More than one effective golf swing plane exists
  2. Set up determines your swing plane
  3. Maintain your club angle throughout the swing
  4. Rotate big muscles to stay on plane

 

Swing plane is the path you take to the ball. If you’re outside or inside where it should be, you’ll mishit the shot, costing you distance and shots. But keeping your swing on the right path helps you hit solid irons consistently:

 

  1. There’s more than one effective golf swing plane. Tom Watson and Ben Hogan, for example, are among the game’s best ball strikers. But they use different swing planes to hit the ball at impact. Watson’s is upright and steeper. Hogan’s is flatter and a bit rounder. Both are effective.

 

  1. Your setup determines your swing plane. If you set up tall and upright, you’ll have a steeper downswing. And vice versa. So, if you have a steeper swing plane, use your lower body to start your swing. If you have a flatter swing plane, try to maintain your spine angle through impact.

 

  1. The key to staying on plane during your backswing is to maintain the club angle at address until the club reaches waist high. That establishes the proper swing plane. Your natural body rotation takes over as you take the club to the top.

 

  1. Having reached the top of the swing, the easiest way to maintain your club angle is by rotating the big muscles in your body. That’s the easiest and most repeatable way of keeping your swing on plane during the downswing.

 

Use the golf tips described above to help you achieve the perfect swing plane for you. Maintaining that swing plane through impact helps you hit solid irons. That will help you chop strokes off your golf handicap and break 80 consistently.

 

Hit Solid Irons with this Golf Swing Plane Drill

 

Do you hit solid irons consistently? If you don’t, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The reason not hitting solid irons is simple: You’re taking the club back too steeply in your backswing, throwing your swing plane off when you come down.

 

Doing that forces you to do one of two things—create either an over-the-top downswing or a looping swing that throws off your timing. These flaws rob you of consistency and distance.

 

The golf swing plane drill below eliminates these flaws. It trains you to swing back and through on the same swing plane.  That increases your swing’s efficiency and boosts consistency and distance.

 

Golf Swing Plane Drill:

 

You’ll need an alignment stick or a headcover (or noodle) for this golf drill. Stick the alignment stick in the ground at a 45-degree angle. Then put your noodle or headcover over it.

 

Now, set up so that the end of the noodle is touching the top of your wrist, like where you’d wear a watch, and then take a step directly towards the target. Swing back.

 

When going back, keep your hands below the noodle. When you swing through, make sure hands do the same. Now drop a ball down and hit it using the approach described above.

 

The headcover provides instant feedback. If you commit either of the two swing errors described at the top of our article, you’ll hit the headcover (noodle)—either going back or coming through the swing.

 

Keep working on this drill until you’re ingrained the mechanics in your swing. You’ll find yourself hitting solid irons consistently.

 

 

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