For most people who play the game golf is a very frustrating sport. The form of a player can vary from day to day, even from hole to hole and no matter how much practice is put in consistency seems an unattainable myth. Yet there is a move during the golf swing that if mastered can lead to consistent striking and much lower scores.
This move could be called magic move as it enables a golfer to consistently bring the club back to the ball on the same line and swing path. To many it will not come as a surprise that the magic move of golf concerns the plane of the swing.
Secret Magic Move for Backswing Plane
Golf is difficult to master because the plane of the arms on the backswing is different from the plane of the shoulder turn. The shoulders move round on a fairly horizontal plane, yet the arms move up on a more upright plane. The essential difference between the two planes is determined during the backswing when the wrists hinge or ‘cock’ half way back.
Many believe the wrist cock should happen naturally as a result of centrifugal force kicking in as the right side resists, but with most golfers, although it happens naturally it is not carried out accurately enough. However, if perfected the move becomes the holy grail of golf. There is nothing more rewarding to a golfer than being able to swing the arms up and down in the same plane without having to make complicated adjustment during the downswing transition.
Forearm Rotation is the Secret Move for Swing Plane
As the wrists hinge half way in the backswing the left forearm rotates so the butt of the club points towards the ball. With too much rotation the plane of the arms will become too flat - If not rotated enough the shaft of the club will be too steep. If not carried out accurately the swing will have a ‘loop’ in it that leads to inconsistency.
The more accurately the wrists hinge the club into plane the simpler the swing becomes. If the arms travel up to the top of the backswing in the correct plane it allows them maximum time to accelerate in a straight line on the downswing, leading to maximum power through the ball. The most accurate swing will automatically achieve most power.
How to Rotate the Forearms
The easiest way to check the amount of forearm rotation in a swing is by seeing the clubface position and the angle of the shaft half way back after the wrists have hinged. If carried out correctly the shaft of the club will point towards the ball and importantly the toe of the club will be pointing towards the sky. If the forearms have over-rotated the club face will be too open and the shaft too flat (pointing past the ball). If the arms have locked during the takeaway and under rotated the club face will be closed or hooded and the butt of the club will be pointing towards the tips of the golfers toes.
See also: Golf Swing Drill for Takaway and Plane or Right Elbow Photos for Golf Backswing
John Hoskison - John is a class 'A' member of the British PGA and author of the acclaimed book 'Inside - One Man's Experience of Prison'.
