by PGA Professional Paul Purtzer

PURTZER GOLF ACADEMY GOLF SWING PLANE TIP

April 18, 2004

Hopefully after last month's tip you have checked out www.aspiringgolfer.com as a tool to help you all get the most out of your game.

This week's tip is designed to help you with your swing plane. Most of my students have a problem with swinging the club too much around their body on the backswing and/or too much around their body on the forward swing. Ben Hogan talked about the swing plane in his book 5 Lesson: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf and explained the correct angle to swing the club on.

The following drill will help you get pretty close to where you should be on the backswing and the forward swing..

Put your heels a foot and a half to two feet from a wall (depending on your height-taller may be able to be closer/shorter may have to be farther from the wall) or imagine there is a wall behind you approximately that far away or maybe even a little closer.

Swing back like you normally would and try to avoid the wall or the imaginary wall. If the club hits the wall on the backswing you are swinging the club too much around your body (you may be starting the club too much inside).

Solution Make sure the thumbs go up as the wrists cock and shoulders turn back on the backswing.

If the club hits the wall on the forward swing, you are swinging too much from the outside-in (coming over the top or cutting across the ball, etc.

Solution On the forward swing, swing the club from the inside (the target line) so the club swings more toward the target instead of swinging to the left of the target (for right-handed players). Feel like you are swinging from 7 o'clock through the ball to 1 o'clock (imagine a clock on the ground-with the target being 12 o'clock ). You should feel like you are finishing up taller and more toward the target than around to the left.

You will know you are on the right track when the club stops hitting the wall (your clubs will feel better as well).

As always, I hope this will help you enjoy this great game even more! See your professional soon if you have questions so he can make sure your fundamentals (grip, stance, etc.) are correct as well as your plane so you can play your best!

Keep it in the short grass!

Paul

Paul Purtzer, President
PURTZER GOLF
3939 E. Taro Lane
Phoenix, AZ. 85050

602 569-7960
www.purtzergolf.com