Getting your golf swing on plane may sound like something reserved for ‘better players’, but every amateur can strike the ball better with this simple drill. A lack of understanding of how to get your swing on plane could be holding you back on the course – but here’s the perfect expert advice to help.
There are some commonly overlooked faults when it comes to swing plane that negatively affect the performance of many amateurs, particularly high-handicappers. Identifying the problem and applying the correct fix is important.
There are plenty of drills to help get your swing on plane, but what sets this particular drill apart is that you can do it anywhere you can find a mirror – making it super convenient.
WHAT DOES ‘ON PLANE’ MEAN IN THE GOLF SWING?
If your golf swing is ‘on plane’, your club is essentially moving on the correct angle relative to your body, with the clubhead moving on a consistent path throughout the swing.
The best players in the world do this effortlessly, but you too can improve this aspect of your mechanics using the drill below, helping you strike the ball better than ever before.
HOW TO GET YOUR GOLF SWING ON PLANE: SIMPLE MIRROR DRILL
Pic 1
This is a perfect drill to rehearse in front of a mirror. It allows you to practise how to start the backswing and ensure your chest and arms are working together, allowing the hinge to gradually set onto the plane.
Although this drill might look a little complicated, it’s not! The best golf drills are simple to set up and carry out, but offer plenty of scope for improvement, and this one is no different.
It’s one to try if you have a tendency to get the club behind the hands in the takeaway and too flat in the shaft plane. This exercise can also help those who don’t use the body enough and have a ‘handsy’ takeaway, as well as golfers who flare the club open.
Pic 2
Take your 7-iron and place one alignment stick down the back end of the grip and another on your ballto-target line.
You don’t need any tape – just hold it in place with your fingers (as shown in the image above).
Note how the plane I have set the shaft on matches the target line. From here, I can just rotate the torso to the top and keep everything matching up nicely.
Pic 3
At the top of my backswing, in the image above, I’m on a good plane. If the alignment stick were pointing too much outside the target line, the shaft would be too flat and I’d have to make compensations in the downswing.
I really like this drill for golfers who tend to set the wrists late, which can cause the club to be either too ‘laid off’ or across the line at the top of the swing.
