Swing Path Is Not Golf Swing Plane (Video) - by Peter Finch
Swing Path Is Not Golf Swing Plane (Video) - by Peter Finch

When you're looking at improving swing path or identifying swing path, what you have to understand is swing path and swing plane are not the same things. Swing path refers to what is happening at the point of impact. So just before impact to just after impact, what that club head is doing. And as we've already mentioned, it can generally go from out-to-in, in-to-out or very, very straight along the target line. Swing plane refers to the position and the actual inclination of the plane as the club moves around the body throughout the whole swing.

Now, it is perfectly possible to have a very, very flat swing plane, so a swing plane which moves very much around the body, and then to have an out-to-in swing path. Now, this may strike some people as odd because if they think that they're swinging around the body, then this must mean that path must be very, very in-to-out. But that's not the case. It is very easy to have this position in the back swing – or extreme position in the back swing. And then if you move through the ball to get that club moving from the outside to the inside. All you need to understand about swing path, it is happening from about here to about here. It's where the magic happens so to speak. So swing plane is more built around the consistency of how that club is traveling on this inclined plane around the body. Path is very much focused on what is happening at the point of impact. It's very key, especially if you're seeing a coach or if you're trying to work on your own game, at understanding the split between these two swing fundamentals. So, remember, plane and path are interlinked but they are separate. They are separate. It's perfectly possible to have a slightly odd swing plane, but to have a very good path. And it's certainly possible to have a very good swing plane, but a slightly offline path. Once you understand that, then it's going to be a lot easier to figure out why certain things are happening to your ball flight. 2016-10-05

When you're looking at improving swing path or identifying swing path, what you have to understand is swing path and swing plane are not the same things. Swing path refers to what is happening at the point of impact. So just before impact to just after impact, what that club head is doing. And as we've already mentioned, it can generally go from out-to-in, in-to-out or very, very straight along the target line. Swing plane refers to the position and the actual inclination of the plane as the club moves around the body throughout the whole swing.

Now, it is perfectly possible to have a very, very flat swing plane, so a swing plane which moves very much around the body, and then to have an out-to-in swing path. Now, this may strike some people as odd because if they think that they're swinging around the body, then this must mean that path must be very, very in-to-out. But that's not the case. It is very easy to have this position in the back swing – or extreme position in the back swing. And then if you move through the ball to get that club moving from the outside to the inside. All you need to understand about swing path, it is happening from about here to about here. It's where the magic happens so to speak.

So swing plane is more built around the consistency of how that club is traveling on this inclined plane around the body. Path is very much focused on what is happening at the point of impact. It's very key, especially if you're seeing a coach or if you're trying to work on your own game, at understanding the split between these two swing fundamentals. So, remember, plane and path are interlinked but they are separate. They are separate. It's perfectly possible to have a slightly odd swing plane, but to have a very good path. And it's certainly possible to have a very good swing plane, but a slightly offline path. Once you understand that, then it's going to be a lot easier to figure out why certain things are happening to your ball flight.