Instruction – On Plane

Swing plane is very important and having the correct swing plane for each individual student, since everyone is different, helps improve a player’s consistency, accuracy, and distance. Swing plane and club head path are closely related, as a club head’s path is the line that the clubhead travels along through impact. The drills I have demonstrated for this month will help with not only swing plane, but clubhead path and angle of attack as well. These are all important when it comes to hitting better shots off the tee.

In this drill you will be hitting driver while on your knees. This drill helps if you are having problems with your angle of attack being too steep or shallow, or if you tend to have an over the top swing or you are too much in-to-out with your swing path. 

For this drill, lay a towel on the ground for comfort and kneel making sure you are the correct distance from the golf ball. Start by making practice swings above the tee with no golf ball, feeling as if you are making a flat baseball like swing plane. Once you have done this several times without hitting the ground try hitting some golf balls starting at fifty percent swing speed and slowly move up to one – hundred percent swing speed. You will notice if you have too steep of a downswing you will smother your shot and your clubhead will hit the ground after the ball. While, if you have too shallow of a path or too much in-to-out path you will hit the ground before the ball. Gaining consistency hitting golf balls with a driver from your knees will help you gain consistency in your drives off the tee box by allowing you to have a more neutral swing path. The key here is allowing the swing to be not too steep or too shallow and allow you to have a square clubface at impact more consistently while having a more consistent angle of attack.

•  Proper on-plane swing path.

•  Too much inside swing. Results in striking the ground before the ball.

•  Over the top swing. Results in pulling, topping or hitting the ground after the ball

The golf bag against your butt drill ensures you maintain proper posture and spine tilt throughout your entire swing. Set up with your butt slightly against your golf bag and from here go to the top of your backswing making sure your butt is still against the golf bag (I see many students butt pull in as they are going to the top of their backswing). From here start your downswing making sure your butt doesn’t leave the golf bag until after impact. I see far too many students butt pull in on the downswing leaving the golf bag too early. When a person’s butt pulls in it can make the student “cast” the club, have early extension, swing over the top and many other faults causing them to lose a lot of power and shot consistency. 

Either of these two drills can really help with your club path and attack angle, which is a key to being more consistent off the tee and hitting more fairways. 

Kirsten Pike is the lead Teaching Professional at Las Colinas Country Club. To improve your scores follow her on Instagram at kirstenpike_golfinstruction and visit kpikegolf.wixsite.com