Let’s take a walk down memory lane, just for a moment. How many of you have read Harvey Penick’s “The Little Red Book” or Ben Hogan’s “Five Lessons in Modern Golf Fundamentals”?
If ever there were golf swing instructions that hit the nail on the head, these two books did the trick. Now, don’t get me wrong here, I’m not selling these books, but you can still get them if you want at almost any bookstore.
But for golf swing instruction, these gave insight into what really works.
This is an example of how to get an image of the correct trajectory of the clubhead and place itself on the correct plane almost automatically.
In Hogan’s book he talks about swinging under the plane. The plane is a sheet of glass with a hole cut out so your head can fit into the hole. The glass is then extended to the target line, the bottom of the glass sitting on the target line while the other end sits on your shoulders with your head through the hole.
This image gives you the exact plane you should have based on how you’re set up, that’s the angle of your spine that will ultimately set the angle of the swing plane.
Now you need to balance under the glass so as not to break it.
This simple, visual thinking, along with knowing that proper clubhead trajectory leads to excellent angles of attack onto and through the golf ball.
Another excellent thought is the position of the right elbow on both the backswing and the downswing. On the backswing, the right elbow should point exactly toward the ground, this places the right forearm perpendicular to the ground and at a right angle to the biceps. Your upper arm or bicep should be parallel to the ground.
While this is happening, you want to make sure that you are doing a good shoulder roll. It won’t help to have your right arm in a perfect position and not have a good turn of the shoulders.
Now the downswing: Start the downswing by literally slamming your right elbow directly into your right hip. Straight down and do this hard and fast. Push with your right hand or pull with your left hand, either will work. As you drive your right elbow into your right hip, you will push your left hip forward. This is a side move and is one of Harvey Penicks’ “Magic Moves”. He suggests that you start your swing with this stroke to the left and that this movement will help bring your right elbow into the correct position.
Try it both ways… see what kind of results you get. And use what works for you.
If you do it right, your swing plane and trajectory will instantly improve as you’ll be hitting the ball crisp and very solid.