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Improve Your Golf Swing With Keeping Your Golf Club On The Correct Swing Plane
from: Sean CochranWe as golfers have heard the term swing plane many times during
our golfing careers. But do we really know the definition of it
and the bearing upon our golf swing?
Recently, I had a conversation with Dean Reinmuth (top 30
teaching pro ranked by Golf Digest) and I think he described
swing plane the best. Dean suggests to think of the swing plane
as an imaginary circle. The imaginary circle that represents the
swing plane is set at an angle. It is the path on which it is
necessary for the club to travel in order to execute the swing
correctly.
Beginning at address, the clubhead and shaft should be
positioned at the "bottom" of the swing plane. During takeaway
into the backswing and at the transition point of the swing, the
clubhead and shaft are to remain on the swing plane. These three
phases of the swing represent the club traveling "up" the swing
plane to "top" of it. Keep in mind the visual of the circle and
the shaft of the club dissecting the shoulder during these
phases of the swing.
Once the transition is complete, the downswing begins and the
clubhead is moving down the swing plane. The path on which the
club is traveling down should be the same as on the backswing.
Continuing on with the swing plane, the club is to travel to
again the "bottom" of the swing plane for impact with the golf
ball. Once impact has occurred with the golf ball the
follow-through of the swing occurs, and it is still necessary
for the club to travel upon the correct swing plane. This
assures that you are releasing the golf club correctly.
The swing plane on the follow through is essentially a "mirror
image" of it on the backswing. The golf club, again, must travel
up an imaginary circle that dissects your front shoulder up into
the finish position.
What does the swing plane represent?
The swing plane represents the path on which your golf club
should travel upon during the swing.
Why is it so important for the golf club to travel upon the
swing plane?
The golf club must travel upon the correct swing path in order
to impact the golf ball correctly. Impacting the golf ball
correctly provides the greatest possibility of delivering
powerful, accurate, and consistent shots on the course of play.
Oftentimes the golf club does not travel upon the correct swing
plane. What happens in such instances?
The path of the club becomes and "outside to in" move resulting
in a slice, or an "inside to out" swing plane resulting in a
hook. Overall, the club's not traveling on the correct swing
plane results in poor shots.
Now that we know what a proper swing plane is within the golf
swing and we can visually create a picture of it, how do we
develop the proper swing plane?
This is the hard part, and there are no secrets about it.
Referring back to my conversation with Dean Reinmuth, he
suggests that it is a process of creating "feel" for the proper
swing plane. Creating "feel" is a process of knowing where the
clubhead is on the swing plane. This allows you to know where
your golf club is in regards to the proper swing plane required
of the golf swing.
How do you go about creating "feel" within your golf swing?
It is a process of understanding the mechanics of swing and
developing the proper swing mechanics within your golf swing.
This allows you to know what the golf club should be doing,
where it should be during each phase of the swing, and when it
is not where it should be when you are swinging the golf club.
Overall, it becomes a process of recognition. Recognition of
what is the right and the wrong movements/positions within the
golf swing. Once "feel" is developed within your swing, I would
definitely say you are close to mastering the golf swing.
This does require time and effort on your part. But if you are
willing to put in the time and effort, rewards on the course
will be well documented.
Sean
About the author:
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness
instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour
regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson.
He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf
swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the
website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can
email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
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