Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

[BrianW]

I have added this as an article so that I can refer to it.

I spoke about swing plane and path in "Plane and Path" 1 and how we should consider them in our golf swing.

As explained the plane is an inclined surface running up our club shaft, I would like to expand this a little and consider what happens if the plane and path are changed.

Consider the image of a weight swinging in a circle on a piece of string held between your thumb and forefinger to illustrate the swing path, if the weight was allowed to swing freely, it would be swinging on a perfect plane around your hand. If your hand was on a 45 degree angle in front of you and not tilted left or right the weight would make a circular arc around your hand causing the weight to swing on a path down the target line.


To imagine the different paths, consider initially the weight swinging on the string down the line (hand not tilted). If you tilted your hand to the left, the weight would swing out to the left, if you tilted your hand to the right, the weight would swing out to the right. So, there are the three different paths you can have: Swinging straight down the target line, swinging down to the left (out to in), swinging out to the right (in to out).

If we swing our club on these paths and the clubface is kept square to path at impact, the first would send the ball straight, the second would send the ball straight out to the left (Pull) the third plane would send the ball straight out right (Push). So, to generate a straight, pulled or pushed shot we direct our swingpath in the appropriate direction.

Bending the ball:

Now what would happen if the clubface was not square to the swingpath at impact? The face could be open (Pointing right) or closed (Pointing left) It could be open or closed on any of the three swingpaths we discussed above.

If the face is open then it will impart clockwise spin to the ball, this will have the effect of bending the ball to the right. Likewise a closed face will create counterclockwise spin and bend the ball left. The more open or closed the greater the bending effect.




See the diagram below and consider the 9 different ball flights, you will be able to extrapolate from the shot shapes whether the path was down the line (Straight), Out to in(left) or, in to out (right). If you add the effect of the clubface being square, open or closed you will see how each of the nine are generated and consider how you may be able to create them yourself as needed. The general rule is to aim your stance in the direction you want the ball to start and aim the clubface in the direction you wish the ball to finish, then hit with conviction along your start line.






The skill to be able to shape a shot at will or understand what is happening if your ball flight is not how you want it is very important as your game progresses. I hope this thread will help some in their comprehension of ball flight and how it can be used to your advantage.

[Chuck MacW]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

Brian

So.......based on your diagram (bottom one containing swing results) there are three intentional results -- straight, push draw, pull fade --and a bunch of unintentional results.

Unfortunately for me, I can hit the straight shot....and all of the unintentional ones.

Yours,

Chuck

[BrianW]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

Brian

So.......based on your diagram (bottom one containing swing results) there are three intentional results -- straight, push draw, pull fade --and a bunch of unintentional results.

Unfortunately for me, I can hit the straight shot....and all of the unintentional ones.

Yours,

Chuck

Hi Chuck,

Sometimes it is useful to hit shots like an intentional hook or slice to get a ball around a tree or obstacle. There is nothing wrong with a straight shot though

[Chuck MacW]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

Hi Chuck,

Sometimes it is useful to hit shots like an intentional hook or slice to get a ball around a tree or obstacle. There is nothing wrong with a straight shot though

I consider an intentional hook or slice to be one that lands where I want it to. Funny thing is that if I end up more or less stymied in woods on the left, I often can hit a low looping hook that lands on the fairway rolling toward the hole. But if I find myself in the woods on the right, I hardly ever hit a decent slice to achieve the same result.

Like you say: funny old game.

Yours,

Chuck

[lgskywalker37]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

When I see your slice in the daigram I see a large fade and your hook a large draw. A draw or fade starts one direction and moves to the opposite, sometimes it starts way outside and curves back onto the intended target line like your diagram shows, but if it fades too far and goes past the target line, it is just a mishit or mis-judged fade, it doesn't turn into a slice. A fade could be called a pull slice and a draw a push hook.

A hook or a slice start out strait, and then curve a direction. That is why the push is a strait shot, (not in the intended direciton, but strait none the less) that curves right is a push slice as you said, but if it curves left, it is a push hook, or a draw.

That is what I always thought, is there any official definition anywhere in the PGA or anything?

[rogue]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

There is no official definition. Some teachers will look at all of this compared to the players body lines. Some people look at it compared to the target.

I personally would say that a draw or fade are ones that the balls strating line, and finishing position are all within the boundaries of where you want to hit it. E.G. a ball that starts on the right side of fairway and curls left into middle of left side is a draw. However a ball that starts out of bounds to the right and curls back in (even if it lands on fairway) would stilll be a hook in my opinion. There is more chance of error and timing needed with the latter player.

This is purely my own definition though, and i dont think it really matters. Just learn how to control the ball rather than name it

[lgskywalker37]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

, and i dont think it really matters.

Unfortunatley, it does matter online (though I know what you mean by that). Things can be very confusing and using different meaning for the same terms can throw one off and confuse. When someone asks why they are hooking it. I might give them advice based off of my hook and brian might give adviec based off of his hook and they could both be opposite help, and the person asking for help could even have another different definition.

[rogue]

Re: Plane & Path 11 - Shot Shaping

true.
maybe we should try to come up with a standardised way of looking at it. I dunno how we could get it recognised though. it becomes even more complicated when you add impact physics to it though. Some people say they pull hook it when they dont. you can be in to out and still have the ball start left