golfrewind.com

i am a 21 year olf with a 4 handicap, through the years of golf, i've always had a very flat swing. lately, my golf pro said that i needed to get my swing closer to up right(not actually upright, but just more upright than my swing is currently) and away from that flat swing. when i do the drills he suggest and swing on the "correct" planes, i just feel i dont control the club head like a do with my "flat" swing.. i tend to hook the ball and with a driver, i like a high draw, and with the new swing, its a quick hook... any one have any experience with a flat swing coversion or any other thoughts?

my ball striking is fine, i CAN hit a fade, but prefer a draw.... any thoughts???

Believe it or not when your swing changes you may also have to adjust your grip also. It is for this very reason why I am going back to my natural grip which is a weak one with right hand (V pointing at chin instead of right shoulder just like Tom Kite and Craig Stadler). I have no problems getting my hands thru so with a neutral or srong right hand grip my hands come thru too fast and I hook my Driver like crazy. I seriously am going to hit someone or end up paying for someone's window.There is no one correct way to grip a club so play with it and see what the effects are.

Agree might be to strong of a grip as hard as it may be to believe because a flatter swing plane usually is earier to hit a draw or hook.

My other thought there is nothing wrong with a flatter swing plane. You just may have a bad instructor who only knows of one-way to hit a ball, his way or no way. A good instructor can work with your style and abilities, and not a one size fits all mode based on the modern swing taught by the PGA. Something to think about with a 4 handicap.

I'd second this. People are all built differently, and if you are built for a flat swing, so be it. I guarantee you can find many pros with flat swings -- for example Mr. Zach Johnson, flat didn't hold him back too much at a little course known as Augusta National, nor a few weeks after that.

Have you asked the instructor to detail exactly how having a flatter swing path is holding you back? What exactly about a more upright swing is going to open doors you cannot with your current swing? What can you do with a more upright swing that in no way could you compensate for with your flatter swing; i.e. what is impossible to do with your current flat swing that is possible with a more upright swing? If your instructor does not have a bunch (and I mean a bunch!) of good answers for this, I'd dump 'em, and find someone with the ability and desire to work with you and with your current swing.

I've been working on this very issue. However, the difference between flat and more on plane is simple. A flat swing requires more timing. If you play in tournaments, or want to make a living out of the game, a flat swing will be a slight bit harder to control under pressure. However, a swing on plane takes a bit of the timing out of the swing and it's easier to repeat.

Right now, working on some swing changes that I know will make me better in the future has made the first few months of the golf season kind of miserable. However, I know how it feels when I make that proper swing on the range, and in order for me to do what I want to do with this game I need to make these changes. Good luck, make sure you're committed to the changes you are making and aren't doing it just because someone said you should.

No offense intended, but what you just said is a myth. The way you stated "MORE ON PLANE" is false and gives the impression that an UPRIGHT PLANE is the only correct way. Fact is either flat or upright is ON PLANE and correct.

Body build has a lot to do with it. For example if you are short and stalky, a flat swing plane is the only option for you. If you are tall and your knuckles drag the ground, then your only option is upright.

I also do not agree a flatter swing plane is harder to time, because there is a lot less rolling of the arms and opening the club face to keep it square with the arc of the swing plane. Up Right swing planes require a lot more rolling of the arns, and IMO require a lot more timming to get the clubface square at impact. For myself I use a "Natural Golf Swing, which is very flat with no arm roll or opening the club face up. It is just back around and foward through the ball.

Humm well I am finally starting to understand things about the Golf Swing. I am short and stocky I see now why my swing is flat and why I have struggled to do anything else but swing flat. This would also explan that when my timng is off on my Driver why I Hook.
It is a little frustrating 6 or 7 drives in a row at the range are straight and 2 in a row are hooks. 5 straight and and another hook and so on. I see now that it is just timing and that I need to just stay in my plane till I can get my timing more repeatible. But those hooks get in your head and ruin your round and it only happens with the Driver

Would be helpful to see a vid and see how flat you are. I have a flat-ish swing, and when I started I had a VERY flat swing. I could not for the life of me get the club more upright, but I knew that I really needed to. Flat is ok, but only up to a point... and I was past that point, haha. What finally worked for me was to think about only my left wrist during a lengthy range session. My hands were rotating over too much on the backswing, and the outside of my wrist (where a watch face would sit) was pointing too much toward the sky at the top. I made a conscious effort to try and point that "watch face" out in front of me instead of toward the sky, and bingo, more upright.

I would only suggest trying to change it if you are very very flat though, can you take a vid?

i may have a video, tell you what, i'll take some low quality vids with my still picture camera, and i'll swing a couple times, once with the old swing and once with the newer swing. i';; try to post them tommorrow and we'll discuss it that way..

here's my thought, i know that a flat swing is a great way to strike the ball( on flat or up hill shots) but once you get into the ball avove or below the feet or a downhill lie, i tend to reall have problems with good contact. and remember, i'm a 4 handicap, so dont just say its my lack of talent to hit those shots. i dont know what pelsh is talking about, once i get a good shoulder turn and the club into the correct position, i hit many solid shots. take divots and really compress the ball...

but i'll get a vid online tommorrow and we'll take a looksey....

I would be interested in hearing what tips the pro gave you to make your swing more upright. If you have a one plane swing this could be as simple as bending over more. With a two plane swing one would have to try and lift the club straight up and keep the hands in front of the torso. Your hands should not go beyond the boundary of your torso with a two plane swing.

The comments about your grip also needing to be checked to see if they're too strong, are spot on. If you are really trying to get steeper with your swing plane there's really only one thing you need to do. Swing the club more vertically with your arms.

Think of it like a triangle.



You lift your arms and you turn your body. When you do those two things together you create the plane. When you do more of x then your swing will be flatter. When you do more of y then your swing will be steeper. There's really no reason to think of doing anything else.

I'm a bit curious WHY he thinks your swing is too flat. What is his reasoning behind it?

I would stick with your old swing plane. A decent golfer named Ben Hogan had a flat swing, too.

Hooking with the driver is normaly common with a flat swing plane. You have to come around your body on the downswing and you end up comming over the top producing the hook.

I just been having lessons to work out my flat swing plane, i never felt i swung the club flat untill i seen it on the recording! But its worth ironing it out some, i got much better consistancy and more distance

i promised a video and i'll get one, had to order a new batt for the camera. i havn't really had time lately to hit balls, we have the ladies state am this week so i'll be pressed for time this week. i'll see what i can do, but keep posting, i'm enjoying the thoughs. plus i'm about to purchase ben hogans book and read a little bit.. i think he may know a biit more than i..