I have been trying to learn the one plane swing for over 2 years. I have been able to hit all of the clubs good except the driver. The ball just rolls down and to the right. It feels like I am pounding the ball down into the tee. Very frustrating. I had actually gave up hitting the driver and started playing only short courses. This week I bought a new driver and was determined to learn to hit it. Well, the result has been devastating. I would feel better if I was actually hitting slices- anything where I actually put the clubface on the ball.

A teacher a memorial park told me that I was proably hitting the ball with the bottom of the driver because my hand were to far out in front of the ball.

Please help.

Jeff

Jeff:  I just joined this forum this evening, primarily because of your post.  I have both of Jim's books and the original dvd series.  I've been working on this since his first appearance on Golf Channel with Jake.  Like most I've had my struggles including the same one you're now having.  I also fought this for two years until last fall when I took a lesson from Stan Utley's brother John.  This fixed part of the problem, namely clubhead too inside and too low on takeaway.  His words were "hands in, clubhead out."  I believe you are topping the ball which is what I was doing. The second piece of the puzzle was that I was loading into my right (rear) side too much instead of staying centered.  I fixed this last fall by putting about 60% of my weight on my lead leg and keeping it there.  I still had trouble sometimes not being able to rotate fully through the shot and finish on my left leg.  I did not realize that Jim had started this forum, and that realization and subsequent reading was the final piece.  The hip action, specifically, is what I'm referring to.  I'd taken the books too literally about not consciously using the lower body.  As soon as I spent a few minutes working on the lead hip (I was already using the rear hip properly), all by problems were solved.  I now hit the driver with a consistent five yard draw and can fade it when I like (with the exception that I sometimes "balloon" it).  I went from an average of about 230-240 yds. last fall when I first "got it right", so to speak to about 240-250 now.  I'm 62 years old so I'm pretty happy with that.  I hope this helps you- I nearly gave this stupid game up, but glad I didn't.

Duane     

Duane

Thanks so much for your reply. It must be nice to hit a driver 250. Do you live in the Houston area? My email address is Boso1960@hotmail.com. I would like to email you directly. I haven't meant very many people that also have the one plane swing. Most people that I have meant at the golf range or in my golf social group have never heard of the one plane swing or Jim Hardy. It would be nice to communicate with someone else about the one plane mechanics. I might like to try the same teacher that helped you.

Jeff

Jeff:

I live in SW Missouri.  John Utley is in central Missouri, Columbia, specifically.   Frankly, much of the improvement which I have had, following John's help with the low/inside takeaway, has been as a result of reading this forum the past two months.  One thing is certain, Jim Hardy is hands down the most knowledgable teacher in this game.  His ideas, when you analyze them a bit, are perfectly lodgical.   Some of what he says I suppose didn't get through to me initially.  For instance, the requirement to maintain equal weight balance at address and through the backswing, is something I read, thought I was doing, but was not.  I also had a rearward spine tilt going to the top.  Jim calls this a death move for the one planer--as usual, he's correct!  I sent you my email address moments ago.

Duane

Duane

How do you put more weight on you lead leg? Do you turn your hips slightly to the left?

Jeff

Jeff:

My apologies for being this long getting back to you.  I just don't spend much time on the computer.  When I first "got my driver back", I was placing about 60% of my weight on the lead leg at address and focusing on just maintaining that balance through the backswing.  This worked well all last fall.  You really need to also pay attention to getting your back elbow up and behind you and maintain that arm position to impact.  After reading many of the posts on this site by several of the guys who are way more advanced , I worked on my hips.  Chris O'connell's work on the blog with Matt was enormously helpful.  I had never picked up on the correct hip action in the books and dvd's.  Yes, it states repeatedly that the "two move" is simply setting about 60% of your weight over onto your lead leg as/before you start down.  This always became more of a hip slide for me and less a turn.  Chris' description of holding the butt against the butt line,  having the rear butt go behind the line going back and not leaving the line going down until you pull the lead hip/leg away and forward at about a 45 degree angle really finished this up.  Jim also talks about this on the video of Alvaro Quiros (WHAT A SWING).  Jeff, this pretty much boils down to if you move any weight to your back leg on the backswing and/or allow any rearward tilt of your spine, this all has to be reversed before impact.  Otherwise, the low point of your swing plane, or arc, is behind the ball.  This gets more critical as the ball goes forward in your stance with the longer clubs.  If the center of your torso is two inches more behind the ball at impact than it was at address, the clubhead is coming up sooner and coming inside sooner, especially if you are turning the clubhead inside as you should, and not releasing "down the line."  Hope this helps.  Duane

Duane

Thanks for the reply. I will try this.

On your downswing, do you swing with your shoulders and torso more than arms? Here is the same question worded different. After the right arm drops, does the whole package of shoulders. torso and arm placement go to impact together?, Watching some of the good one plane swings on here, it seems like the shoulders come down and that right arm and elbow stay back all the way to impact. If shoulders don't lead then how do you keep the right elbow back?

Thanks

Jeff

Jeff

If you live in Houston, you are lucky>
Click on instruction, above, go to certified instructors.  Jennifer is certified @ Blackhorse Golf Club.
Great place, great course. Great teaching facility.  Go see her, quit trying to figure it out on your own, Short cut the learning curve.
Afterwards, stop @ Jakes Grill inside ( named after Peter Jacobsen) get a Southwest Ceasar salad, and enjoy.

There are a bunch in Houston.  Mark Miller, Jim Hardy (believe it or not, a DIFFERENT guy named Jim Hardy), Jen Burdette, Marty Fleckman...I think we will have another one or two after the Seminar from this past week as well.

Instructors are great if you can afford them. I am currently part of the 10% unemployed in the USA. I would like to find a friendly low handicap one planer here in Houston who could meet me at a golf range for some swing advice. I would like to try to improve while I have got all this time on my hands. I have just hit a brick wall when it comes to hitting a driver.

Jeff

"hands in clubhead out" HELP! should the longer shafted club feel the same as swinging my 9-iron? i'm also having trouble hitting the driver, i've spent the winter working with short irons swings. transitioning to longer sticks is proving troublesome (pushes and inconsistency). Mike LaBauve's video of the flat swing putting the hands in the back pocket watching the ball fly long down the fairway is what i'm aspiring to accomplish. the FEEL between that move and my short irons seems dramatic! i'm guessing i'm not swing with a straight/centered enough spine, not swinging enough around, unfortuantely having serious left knee issue. any comments appreciated! i'm espescially curious to how much around a good swing shoud feel?

I would suggest you start a new topic to get more respones. I would respond if I had a clue. I am drowning in a horrible swing fault that I have yet to correct. Tonight I hit 75 balls with my driver and probably did better the first day I ever hitt balls 35 years ago. Boy this is hard. Any normal person would probably quit after experiencing all the frustration I have. I am just to hard headed to give up. If the object of life is to learn humility, then I am getting alot of spiritual milage out of golf.

Boso1960, I feel your pain. I know that I had some success very early on trying the one plane swing but like most, struggled mightily after a short while. I don't know if it is from trying too many things, trying too hard or getting too technical? It can be very frustrating. I will only tell you that it is worth it. Hang in there. I believe getting in the proper set up with the proper angles is key for success. I know you said you are having some financial issues, but the certified pros are going to save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run. You will have the potential to improve exponentially getting some help like that. Just making sure that you are set up properly and doing the basics correctly will give you plenty to work on. From there you can really work on improvement and won't necessarily need continued lessons.
best of luck either way.
B

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I will work on my setup.

I will add that video is extremely helpful. I am sure you have read it here many times but it can not be stressed enough and that is what you feel/think you are doing can be vastly different than what you actually are doing. I don't know what your current level is but looking at your swing on video and being able to see what you are doing and diagnosing some problems is very helpful. I am sure if you posted the video here, you would get a lot of help from some of the very knowledgable people here.

Jeff, I love that your working on your swing and your game while looking for work. Come and see me at Hearthstone in Houston and pay my $75.00 lesson fee after you get a job. I think that within an hour you will have a clear idea of the direction you need to go.

YBL

Very nice gesture Jim. I'm sure Jeff will appreciate it.
Bob

Thanks Jim, I will come see you at Hearthstone.

Boso1960 - I sent you an e-mail as well.  Let me know if you got it.

Chicago

I didn't get your email. My email is boso1960@hotmail.com. Try again.

Thanks
Jeff