One plane swing: steeper spine angle and fat shots?

[ipoh]

Hi all...I am experimenting with OPS and am hitting quite a lot of fat shots. I am guessing the reason is that with the "recommended" steeper spine angle, my fitted-for-a-more-upright-stance clubs would be a bit too long?

 

 

1. Should I grip down on my clubs?

 

2. Or extend my arms out, further away from my body without gripping down?

 

3. Or is it possible to have a one plane swing with a more upright stance?

 

 

What do you think?

[oneplanedan]

I think you should work on releasing the club towards the target NOT the ball imagine you are casting a rod towards apond in front of you i.e. the target.....check out some video's by clemshaw on youtube

[pbjoe]

It's really hard to tell anything without a video

[akanacl]

When I first switched to OPS fat shots were caused by left arm not staying on my chest at impact. You can't keep keep your arms in front of you as in a two plane swing. The OPS drill with a head cover under the left armpit works good for detecting this problem.

[arrowcreek900]

I go to mike LeBeauve in AZ like once a month and hes a really good teacher. the one plane swing is deffinately not steep and upright. you should be bent over at address, make a downwards baseball swing. if you are having trouble buy book "The Plane Truth" by Jim Hardy. It will answer all your questions about 1plane and 2. There are also DVD's on it. My good friend Scott McCarron has a feel and drill that may also help. You fold a headcover and put it under your left armpit(if right handed) and keep it there throughout your backswing. One plane is deffinately more consistant in ball striking. Send me a message if you need more info.

[ipoh]

Thanks everybody for your feedback...

 

Looks like I need to work on mechanics (or consult an instructor) before making changes to my clubs... :D

 

The only reason I thought it may be a club-fit issue is because with OPS, I am bent over quite a bit more and therefore the clubs would be too long and hence would dig a lot more?

[arrowcreek900]

you may atually need to bend your clubs a little flat, never more than 2* though. but u agree you should see any one before a change in equipment

[darnoldil]

Jim Hardy says in his book that hitting it fat is the result of not keeping your spine angle during the swing, so you are basically "bobbing" somewhere in your swing. It seems to me if you keep your left arm against your chest as Jim says you should do it will also have the effect of helping you to keep your spine angle more consistent. Regarding your clubs, Jim writes that a 1 planer will most likely need a "flatter" lie angle. My experience and research suggest that you would know if this is the case when your ball flight and accuracy are noticeably different or if you are hitting the inside heel part of the club on the turf consistently. I'm not a professional teacher or anything close, just my two cents. Others more knowledgeable will be able to assist you better but I hope this helps.

[hayam]

There are a few informations in the book which will cause Casting, OTT and FAT shots. If improperly understood.

 

1, Initiating the swing by turning the torso, spine perpendicular, always shift weight gradually first first then turn. There are always Axis tilt in any swing.

2. the delivery path of the OPS is a circle surrounding the body , the low point of the club delivery path is below the left shoulder not the center of the spine. This causes OTT . Toe shots and fats.

3. Bend down 45* with extremely low hands, passive arms, pulling the arms way back, = flipping(fat shots) or you will get slice, Unless you know exactly what he means. the arm being all the way behind, have to play catchup. A little casting = hit behind the ball.

 

You have to visit their instructors to get the proper mechanics.otherwise, keep your old swing. There are alot of missing informations . And alot of these tips are not absolute,, they are relative.

[geo0113]

I find it easier to stay on one plane if my torso is bent forward more at address with less knee flex. This way at the top of my swing, the plane formed by my arms and shoulders points down to the ball (if viewed from behind golfer). if your torso is too upright at address and you swing back with one plane, one of two things will occur. 1) the swing plane will be too flat and the plane formed by the arms and shoulders at the top will point well above the ball. or 2) you will dip your front shoulder swinging back so that the arm and shoulder plane will point down to the ball at the top. this will cause the bobbing motion mentioned above that could lead to fat shots.

 

try to have someone stand behind you while you swing to the top. stop at the top and ask your buddy if the line formed by your arms & shoulders points at the ball. next focus on finding a spine tilt that will allow you to swing back to this position without dipping your shoulders down. try reading Ben Hogan's five lessons, great book that has improved my ball striking tremendously. it's a really quick read and his illustrations and simple and self-explanitory. also his tip of imagining a glass plane from the ball to your shoulders is great. hope this was clear enough to help.