tracing the plane line

[moreira85]

i bought a two way laser to practice with in the cold off season. i have never used one before but i am liking the results. on the downswing the only way i can get my club head going down the target line is by tucking in my right elbow to my hip. i assume this is correct, i have always tried to do but was not successful. now that i have the laser to help keep me on plane perhaps it may help me in the long run.
repitition, repitition, repitition.

 

[GolfVn]

You need to clear the hip so the right elbow can fall in there.

 

[Leek]

i bought a two way laser to practice with in the cold off season. i have never used one before but i am liking the results. on the downswing the only way i can get my club head going down the target line is by tucking in my right elbow to my hip. i assume this is correct, i have always tried to do but was not successful. now that i have the laser to help keep me on plane perhaps it may help me in the long run.
repitition, repitition, repitition.

What plane are you trying to trace? I think Brian has oftentimes posted the important thing is to have the right shoulder trace the straight (target line) plane.

 

[birdie_man]

I love this thought/image right now. (esp. cause I'm using a Rotated Shoulder Turn) I like Hogan's "plane of glass" too. (as a feel)

Pair that with effective clubface control (and right forefinger behind the shaft) and....I've got a good image of my power package and on plane. I like it.

 

[moreira85]

What plane are you trying to trace? I think Brian has oftentimes posted the important thing is to have the right shoulder trace the straight (target line) plane.

trace the target line through the ball. as you take the club back the butt end (laser should run though the ball and on the downswing the laser of the butt end will go back through the extended target line and through the ball and now the clubhead (laser will trace that target line).

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7WtzWAoZ6Zk

 

[tank]

Here is a video where Martin Hall & Morgan Pressel demonstrate tracing the plane line with lasers

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bRTqx4tW3mQ

 

[moreira85]

i just got in my butch harmon lasers and have one pointing down my club head through the ball and the other attached to the butt end. on the back swing in order to get the butt end laser on the target line MAN DOES THAT FEEL UPRIGHT TO ME!!!! IF THAT IS CORRECT THEN I HAVE BEEN DOING IT WAY WRONG. WHEN I USED MY NATURAL SWING THE BUTT END LASER ON THE BACKWING IS WAY OUTSIDE THE TARGET LINE.

 

[tourdeep]

WHEN I USED MY NATURAL SWING THE BUTT END LASER ON THE BACKWING IS WAY OUTSIDE THE TARGET LINE.

every one of my golfing buds, handicap did not matter, who tried the lazer had the same results as you did. Most were not even close to the mat. And the same for me. Now, pretty ez...

Go after jim's putting record!

 

[moreira85]

DID YOU FIND THAT IT HELPED AND IS THAT REALLY CORRECT? when i try my regular swing the butt end of the club laser is almost 20 inches outsid the target line. i used to be able to swing a wedge 3/4 swing in my basement without hitting the ceiling (low ceiling). when i use the lasers and swing it on the target line i cant even swing 3/4 without hitting the ceiling it is so upright. at least i think it is upright compared to the way my regular swing is. well thats why i bought it to get the right feeling and use it indoors during these winter months. It will also help me to practice at home especially since my first baby is on the way in april and i probably will not be playing as often.

 

[JeffM]

To those who are using the laser light and state that butt end laser light points outside the ball-target line - at what point in the backswing/downswing is that happening? Does it occur immediately after the end-takeaway position when the clubshaft should be roughly parallel to the ground and roughly parallel to the ball-target line, and immediately before the clubshaft reaches the delivery downswing position (where the clubshaft is parallel to the ground and parallel to the ball-target line)?

Jeff.

 

[moreira85]

yes corrrect, when i get halfway back witht toe up and club parallel to the ground, from there as i start cocking my wrist the butt end laser points more than 2 feet outside the line same on the way down. when the laser stays on that line the whole time the swing feels very upright.

 

[tourdeep]

DID YOU FIND THAT IT HELPED AND IS THAT REALLY CORRECT?

dunno the true answer to that. I'll let you know next year

There are some that will say that outside the line is not really a bad thing. The Italian dude will say that there are hall of famers that do exactly that and there's nothing wrong with that. Even tho you may be outside the line w/respect to the mat, extend the red line out to infinity by matching it to base of a wall, and follow it to where your hands are at the top. See where the lazer touches or where it is relative to the extended line at that point. If it touches the base of the wall or that extended imaginary line, you've got a shift, but on plane. Just a couple to a few ways to get to the top and I don't think there is an ideal way to get there.

You already know your tendencies and where the ball goes, and how you would like to improve. So, see if the adjustments made with the lazer has on overall affect on your ball flight. For you, it's more of an "up" thing. See what happens to the ball after playing with the lazer. If the results are something you can measure, then I say it's worth its weight...

I think the lazer can be manipulated to fit a particular pattern. But, if the goal is to repeat a swing, then it has its purpose whether that means tracing the true plane line or a personal and creative plane line.

I tend to swing at full speed and watch the red blur and if I am close to it, I'm ok with it. Initially, I worked at it probably like you will. But now, after a few minutes of plane tracing, it's moving on to something more important for my game,,,throwing a few balls down on the mat and rolling a few to 50 or so in the hole!

 

[JeffM]

Moreira85 - According to Martin Hall, one really only has to trace the plane line when the hands are below waist level.

My related question - when you use your "natural swing" (which is flatter above waist level) can you consistently trace the straight plane line below waist level? In other words, does your clubshaft angle steepen consistently as your hands reach below waist level, so that it can easily trace the straight plane line in the later downswing? If you can accomplish that feat, then it presumably doesn't matter if your clubshaft angle is flatter when your hands are above waist level.

Jeff.

 

[holeout]

But now, after a few minutes of plane tracing, it's moving on to something more important for my game,,,throwing a few balls down on the mat and rolling a few to 50 or so in the hole!

Are you referring to the drill in Brian's 8th YouTube? Because if so, I'm interested in what you mean by "rolling a few...in the hole!" Whenever I do this drill outside, the ball rolls off a good 20-30 yards. Am I missing something?

 

[Leek]

I think you should consider working on tracing the plane with your right shoulder, not the butt of the club. I understand Mike Jacobs asks students to imagine a laser in their right shoulder and have that trace the plane line. I actually believe Mike has a lazer that can be put there for this purpose.

Brian has posted many times that great ball strikers trace the plane line with their right shoulder.

 

[Kevin Shields]

I think you should consider working on tracing the plane with your right shoulder, not the butt of the club. I understand Mike Jacobs asks students to imagine a laser in their right shoulder and have that trace the plane line. I actually believe Mike has a lazer that can be put there for this purpose.

Brian has posted many times that great ball strikers trace the plane line with their right shoulder.

That's a good point. I think I remember a video moreira85 posted practicing his downswing where is right shoulder was pointing a little steep.

 

[moreira85]

so as i am using the the laser to trace the plane line i had said that it feels so upright in the backswing. I put it on video and holy ##$$ that does not look steep or upright at all. It actually looks like the ideal back swing in the prefect postion., it just felt really steep because of the way i was swinging before.

 

[tourdeep]

Are you referring to the drill in Brian's 8th YouTube? Because if so, I'm interested in what you mean by "rolling a few...in the hole!" Whenever I do this drill outside, the ball rolls off a good 20-30 yards. Am I missing something?

apologies,

there is a mat that comes with the lazer. It works for putting as well. There is literally a "hole" with a long "target line" directed at it that works great for putting.

 

[holeout]

apologies,

there is a mat that comes with the lazer. It works for putting as well. There is literally a "hole" with a long "target line" directed at it that works great for putting.

Ah, I see. I thought by "throwing a few balls down" you meant something like Brian's drill, not just dropping them down on the mat to putt. Thanks for the clarity .

 

[tourdeep]

I think you should consider working on tracing the plane with your right shoulder, not the butt of the club. I understand Mike Jacobs asks students to imagine a laser in their right shoulder and have that trace the plane line. I actually believe Mike has a lazer that can be put there for this purpose.

Brian has posted many times that great ball strikers trace the plane line with their right shoulder.

you can with this device. If the transition between back and down is connected between the hands and right shoulder, this constant should remain and can still trace it. The transition and its relationship between the two has a togetherness, as if it were one piece. If the right hand gets too involved and starts to pull or the right wrist wants to lose its angle, then it's time to call Houston...

Now, somewhere by the hip, this might change..