Golf Swing Plane Drill - Golf Plane Exercise

Swing Drill, Use Centrifugal Force to Locate Plane of the Swing

May 4, 2009

Swing the golf club back and forwards on a good swing plane for consistent golf shots. Use this drill to swing on plane and build an on plane swing that is easy to repeat

Most golfers know that the swing plane is important. A swing that travels up and down on the same line is vital for good golf shots, but being able to find the correct angle round the body for more powerful and accurate shots requires good technique.

Centrifugal Force for Swing Plane Drill

Golf is a complex game because a golfer does not stand to the ball with the club in the correct plane. Because a golfer stands at an angle to the target, the plane has to be found during the swing. The earliest this can happen is when the club reaches half way back.

In a good swing, where the take away is on the right line and the club has built up enough momentum, centrifugal force kicks in and makes the hands automatically hinge onto the right line. Carried out correctly it should feel as though the club is swept away and then ‘slung’ onto the right plane. Almost a drag back and then a flick up.

But if the swing is off line in the early stages, the golfer, rather than being able to rely on centrifugal force, has to manipulate the club onto the right plane. Although this is possible it requires talent and hours of practise.

Exercise to Swing On Plane

This can be done at home or at the range. Take a seven iron with a cavity back and a coin. The idea is to find a club where you can take up your address and balance the coin in, or against, the back edge of the club (i.e. other side of where the ball would normally go).

This concept of the exercise is to use centrifugal force to automatically find the plane of the swing. Once you have practised it several times, when you swing the club normally, your muscles will be used to the feeling and direction of the correct swing path.

After taking up your stance, with the coin or disc balanced against the back edge, make a full back swing as though you were going to hit a ball. If you have a good swing, the coin will be swept back with the club for the first few feet, then as centrifugal force kicks in, it will be slung powerfully away into the distance. (To avoid losing the coins practise near a wall - with no windows!)

Swing in Plane for Consistent Golf Shots

The golf swing is a chain reaction of movements. If the takeaway is correct, mostly likely the rest of the swing will be on line and in plane. This exercise virtually guarantees the first move is on the right line which makes it almost certain you can rely on centrifugal force to hinge the wrists - the momentum of the writs hinging will fire the club into plane.

If the take away is not correct the coin would immediately slip off. There is only one way to effectively ‘collect’ the coin and that is with a coordinated move of all the right muscles. This is known as a 'one piece' takeaway.

The beauty of this exercise is that you don’t have to learn the swing inch by inch. You are relying on natural forces to find the plane. Simply sling the coin away as far as possible, letting the club to be slung onto the correct line. Anything other than a good line and the coin will weakly slip off onto the floor.

Turn and sling the club back on the correct plane - then learn to swing through the same line when hitting a shot.

The copyright of the article Golf Swing Plane Drill - Golf Plane Exercise in How to Play Golf is owned by John Hoskison. Permission to republish Golf Swing Plane Drill - Golf Plane Exercise in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.