I think (know) that one of the most important skills of an accomplished ball striker is the ability to read ball flight and to make adjustments to the D Plane as required. In addition, understanding the relationship between clubface and swing path angles is paramount to developing shot shaping skills and/or developing the ability to hit the ball relatively “straight” or grooving a preferred shot shape (for players of all levels).
As a self-taught player, I read whatever I could get my hands on back in the mid-1970’s--Five Lessons, Golf My Way, etc. I’m not sure there was much more than that back in the day. Could have really used this Forum! I idolized Jack, but realized much later that a lot of the things he felt like he did in the swing were probably not exactly what he did. This is probably true for all great players who write instruction books/articles.
Early on, I thought Jack’s way of shaping shots was the simplest in theory (not necessarily the easiest in practice though). Anyway, I think it’s fairly common knowledge that he was using the “old” (incorrect) ball flight laws, and if he was really doing this the way he thought he was, it’s doubtful he would have had the record he did. So, how did this work/not work for him?
Recently, I read Clampett’s book. And, I’ll be darned that if in the section on Straight Plane Line, that he reveals a complete misconception of how the clubface and path work to make the ball do what it does. He too is convinced that path (alone) always determines the initial starting direction! Not comparing his record to Jack, but during the period in question he was probably the best amateur in the country. Personally, I think Clampett’s short game and putting from ten feet and in where what made him a world-class player, but his ball striking was still remarkable. (Especially in the first two rounds of the 1978 US Open). So, how did this work/not work for him?
The ball doesn’t lie.
