lpgahf9
Posted:7/4/2006 12:18:43 AM

Let's get this clear; in a 2PS the right elbow comes down close to and in front of right hip/ribs with the hand and wrist held above it. In a 1PS, the right elbow stays back as the right hand, wrist, forearm throw down first then around, away from elbow. This throwing down at start of downswing and assuming the left arm is soft enough creates the forearm rotation in both forearms (left rotating left and right rotating left) resulting in club being turned down and swing motion being directed around body to left. This must occur in a tight "inner circle" so the clubface finds the ball on the "outer circle." I have so many students who go "fishing" out to the ball shoving their hands out to it so much that they cannot find the inner circle therefore cannot hit the ball solidly. They hit it with a flip/flick of the hands.

Since this right throw down and around must occur in a tight, inner circle most of us cannot imagine how far behind you the right hand/forearm comes down. I have heard/seen Jim teach good players that they must throw down into their right hip pocket. That is way back there!!! Look at Furyk, Duval when he was really good. Furyk scrapes fabric off of the right side of his pants.

There is one other extremely important condition for this downswing throw: the arms, wrists, hands must be very, very, very supple and soft. If there is tension in any hinge, you will not create successful strikes. Does a pitcher look tense as he/she is throwing? You cannot throw if there is tension.

In the new dvd, soon to be available, Jim shows the one arm drill. The arm being used is the right. Try hitting balls a short distance using a half swing (get that right elbow back and up even in a small/partial swing) with right hand, arm only to get the sequencing and location of this release. Throw that hand down way behind your right hip (inner circle) as you turn your hips. Do not hurt yourself.

And yes - the left arm/elbow more or less surrenders to the throwing right past impact. But it is in a soft state so it can surrender bending at elbow back and up - just like the book says. Have fun!!

This is all VERY hard to visualize! Its a shame we can't see a picture of what u are talking about! Hopefully the DVD's will help!

Having read Jim's book and trying both swings I've migrated to this site to fill in some missing blanks. I can make the 2 plane swing work but the one plane is what would prefer. Your point about tension in the arms and hands may be the reason I'm not getting any height or crisp contact. I also noticed another posting about a sore neck with the one plane swing.. which I also experienced .. and as soon as I read your post about tension I think that also might explain that.. Thanks.

Thanks lpgahf9 for the helpful and thorough post. I need to go fishing only in a boat, not off the inner circle

Today, I watched the new DVD from the educational series, "secrets from the plane truth vault" and Jim Hardy demonstrates this perfectly.

It was very helpful to see this throwing down demonstrated, and would recommend the DVD.

JH also shows the right arm only swing and some of its challenges.

Wow thank you so much for posting this. It really turned on a mental lightbulb for me!

To someone who has always thrown my hands towards the ball and made a million compensations to even make contact, this motion where I..

"cannot imagine how far behind you the right hand/forearm comes down"

...feels almost like Im going to stick the club behind my ass! But I see that this is how you get your hands to the inner circle at the beginning of the downswing instead of getting your hands to the inner circle at sometime around impact like I've always tried to do.

Golfaholic, thanks so much for resurrecting Carol Mann's statement on throwing down into the back pocket! I miss her great contributions to this forum.

DaveH

There has been many new comers to the Forum recently, he is a gem that could help many. It quotes Carol Mann.
Read from the top.

Good Luck.

bob

Boy am I reluctant to comment on my experience for concern that I may jinx myself!
I have spent the last year plus focusing on the backswing only, hoping that if I get that aspect of the swing right, then everything would just fall in place if I turned my shoulders hard in the downswing. I just could not hit the ball consistently or square without making all kinds of compensations.
I finally got fed up and watched the Plane Truth DVD's again, only this time focused more on the downswing. As I watched the DVD in the past, I got impatient after the backswing and would not concentrate on the instruction, I was in a hurry to go out and hit balls!
The inner circle was abstract and a mystery to me.
Very recently, after focusing on the Downswing portion of the Plane Truth DVD, I decided that I needed to change my swing. I really focused on throwing my right hand/palm down, with my elbow back along my side, and throwing around to my left side. Made a HUGE difference to me. I think I finally found the inner circle. I guess I ignored the inner circle as I thought it would come as a natural consequence to getting into a good backswing position at the top. That did not work for me.
I think I was and probably still will fight being a chronic "over the top swinger", but now I know how different it feels and how much higher and farther my iron shots as well as driver go. Not sure if this is my AHA! moment or not, but I have never felt the club contact the ball with the feeling I have now. I hope I didn't jinx myself! Find the inner circle!! Mike

Between what I have read here and what I just read from Hardy's blog about the inner circle I think I get it. Correct me if I'm wrong. When I initiate my downswing, I lean on my left side while I simultaneously  shut down the club face. From there I simply keep the handle moving left. Is it just that simple? This seems to cure my chronic problem of getting stuck. I have only had an opportunity to try this with small shots but the quality of my impact conditions has been so great that it seems almost alien. What I needed to remember is that I must keep the handle moving left. You can't have one move without the other.  Right? I hope!