Swing Path is an Arc
While we can talk about swing path in many ways, one thing is constant. Swing path IS NOT a straight line. Instead it is an arc. Whether you look at it from top down or along the target line, you will see that the swing path curves, and the reason it does so is that it is ultimately attached to a “relatively” fixed point. The clubhead is attached to the shaft, which is attached to the grip, then our hands, arms, shoulders, and, finally, our trunk, the point that is “relatively” fixed. When I say “relatively” fixed, I mean that generally our trunk remains constant and the rest of our body swings around it. Most good swings will have some movement of the trunk, but there is relatively very little compared to the rest of our body when swinging.
The amount of arc in the swing path will vary from player to player based upon many things, including the individual’s physical makeup, posture, and even desired shot type. For example, taller players typically have a lesser degree of arc when viewed from down the line compared to shorter players, but have more of an arc when viewed face on. <> This is what is often referred to as “swing plane”, a generic term for the degree at which the swing path arcs, but I prefer to use the term swing path as it better describes something that is variable and fluid.
Notice when viewed from either down the line or face on, there is a point of maximum extension (farthest right on the down the line view or the bottom of the arc when looked at from face on)। This point of maximum extension it the ideal point at which to connect to the golf ball, and is the point at which the clubhead is traveling with the greatest amount of power. Just as a pendulum begins to slow down once it has reached this bottom of the arc, so does the clubhead. A fine point: there are reasons to vary the impact point from this point of maximum extension slightly. When hitting a driver, it is better to be slightly past it. While you may generate slightly more transfer of energy at the exact point, the combination of launch angle and spin rate would not produce the optimal result for achieving overall distance. Likewise, with a wedge or a pitch shot, impacting the ball slightly before the point (more on a downward approach) imparts more spin on the ball, a desired quantity with many shorter shots.
The amount of arc in the swing path will vary from player to player based upon many things, including the individual’s physical makeup, posture, and even desired shot type. For example, taller players typically have a lesser degree of arc when viewed from down the line compared to shorter players, but have more of an arc when viewed face on. <> This is what is often referred to as “swing plane”, a generic term for the degree at which the swing path arcs, but I prefer to use the term swing path as it better describes something that is variable and fluid.
Notice when viewed from either down the line or face on, there is a point of maximum extension (farthest right on the down the line view or the bottom of the arc when looked at from face on)। This point of maximum extension it the ideal point at which to connect to the golf ball, and is the point at which the clubhead is traveling with the greatest amount of power. Just as a pendulum begins to slow down once it has reached this bottom of the arc, so does the clubhead. A fine point: there are reasons to vary the impact point from this point of maximum extension slightly. When hitting a driver, it is better to be slightly past it. While you may generate slightly more transfer of energy at the exact point, the combination of launch angle and spin rate would not produce the optimal result for achieving overall distance. Likewise, with a wedge or a pitch shot, impacting the ball slightly before the point (more on a downward approach) imparts more spin on the ball, a desired quantity with many shorter shots.
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