hands only plane
 

Being around good players I began to notice the "lack" of divot most of them produce around the green. They also have exceptional height to their shots without throwaway.

A nationwide tour player I work with recently complained that he was "losing" some of his shots around the green. In his full swing he is working on a right arm take-away and going to turned shoulder.

The reason why is because he was instinctively using the plane angle of hands only around the greens. His practice was so intense around the greens that his golfstroke became his short game's stroke.

Before we get into the hands only plane. I want to know what you all know about it. Do you use it? Do you know how? Let me know.

Oh Master of Chapter 10 where areeeee yooooou!
 

This looks like a job for . . . .

Annikan Ballstriker!!!1

More info please!
 

I would be very interested in a discussion of how to perform different shots around the green.

I am very early on the learning curve of TGM. Basically, at this point, I understand that I use a turned shoulder plane in my full stroke. I am not sure what I use on Basic Motion shots (zero pivot). I have been successful controlling trajectory using hinge action, using pitch, punch or push basic. But when I try to get creative and use different minor stroke types, my motion gets wobbly.

The planes are an area where I have a lot of fog. I would like to see your explanation of the hands only plane and how/when to use it.

I think it would also be helpful if you could include a discussion of each different plane and how/when you would want to use each one. In other words, all other things remaining the same, what does the plane affect and are there situations when you want to use a different plane to obtain a specific result?

BTW, I read your article on planes on your website:
http://www.troliogolf.com/trolioPLANEANGLES.html
but it does not discuss what effect changing the plane has on ball behavior. Any clarification you can provide would be helpful. Thanks.

elliskit

There are only 2 absolute planes. Horizontal and Vertical. Anything in between will be an angle.

Generally for hinges and plane angle:

The more they tend towards a horizontal plane, the more their characteristics will tend towards a horizontal hinge and a horizontal plane.

In reference to your post, the hands only plane will be closer to a horizontal plane.

The more they tend towards a vertical plane, the more their characteristics tend towards a vertical hinge and a vertical plane.

In reference to your post, the turning shoulder plane will be closer to a vertical plane.

Thanks for this clarification comdpa, but I still have some fog related to vj's original post:

Hands only plane tends toward horizontal, which will contribute to a shallower divot. Positioning the ball closer to low point will also contribute to the shallower divot. But, hands only plane also makes hinging more toward horizontal, which would produce a slightly lower trajectory with more roll.

So, here is my understanding. Please correct me or fill in missing information:
As it relates to shots around the green, the hands only plane is used because it takes less of a divot, thus picking the ball more cleanly off the turf. Is this correct, or is there another reason for the hands only plane?
In order to obtain the "height" vj mentioned, you would need to use vertical hinging or at least manipulate the hands away from horizontal or angled more toward vertical, correct?

Also, conventional wisdom says that the ball is back from low point for chip shots. Is that true for the shot vj is referring to? Does using the hands only plane reduce the importance of ball position?

I would like to hear what vj's thoughts were when he started this thread. Specifically, how does the hands only plane help in making better shots around the green? Please fill in the blanks. Thanks!

I think its best to drop VJ a pm and get clarification on the context with which he makes his comments.

In 10-6-E the reference to "Peck" Basic Stroke is issued.

The Peck term "refers" to any 'Wrist Action Only' type of stroke" using strong double action for angled or vertical hinging and strong single action for horizontal hinging.

Strong double action has the right wrist vertical and the left wrist turned to the top of the clubshaft. Strong single action has both the left thumb and the #3 pressure point on the Aft side of the clubshaft for impact support.

Utilization of the hands only plane is learned through time (in my opinion) by lower handicap players because of the need for a "feeling" of the hands in "trickier" shots around the green. The utilization of the perfectly timed throw-away is always haphazard in its efficiency overtime. The club gets stuck in the ground sometimes, the carry yardages never seem to be the same, etc.... So they say "There must be a better way!!!"

Experimentation also teaches that not spin but trajectory is the determining factor of efficiency around the greens "Spin" to all that play comes from "hitting down" on the ball to "pinch" or "trap" the ball. So we experiment with hitting down without looking at the plane angle we are swinging down.The only problem now, your twenty yard toss over the bunker leaves a divot that would resemble the diggings of armadillas in the flower bed. So we can go back to throwing or....

So, we learn hinges--At last we understand the closing only vs. the laying back only and the light bulb begins to go off. Now I can lay the face back and add trajectory to the ball and not have to worry about that throwing of the clubhead. Awesome. But what about these divots?

Stumbling through the yellow book comes the hands only plane. The flattest of the basic plane angles. Now I can move the club around me in a flatter plane than any other shot which will continue the "downward blow" but relieve some of the steepness in my angle of attack because the plane is more horizontal to the ground.

So....with a fine player the plane angle can be flattened (a more circular arc of approach and arc of separation)which will "shallow" the player out because of the plane angle's reference to the ground. The player's grip can be altered slightly for the vertical to angled hinging for more trajectory. After a few shots, throw in ball positioning at lowpoint, vertical hinging, and waaaaalaaaaa!!!! the player has a new shot.

Is it the only shot? Heavens no...We can still utilize the lob or cut shot anytime we want. The vertical hinging is the key. The plane angle can be varied. The short game doesn't have to be a mystery.

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Hitters beware. The bending right forearm is not wanted here. It is a know your hinges, change your grip, "wrist action only" type of stroke that needs #4.

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So that is how I answered the question for myself of why so many tour players hit those little soft shots with no divot. It has many of the qualities in "feel" they treasure it seems. The "wrist-iness", the "shallowness", the "loftiness", etc....

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I teach and practice it with marker paint, hinging, and grip change. "Beware it will feel different!" I seem to say alot. But it is a helluva shot.

"Positioning the ball at lowpoint will relieve this huge divot." Please don't send that one this way. This is simply an explanation of hands only.

Where's that wrench?
 

VJ,

Great stuff. As one who's short game is not nearly what it should be - this extra "tool" will be a welcome addition to the toolbox. I've always tended toward a divot on ALL my shots which sometimes results in those "hot" chips and pitches. This is a great explanation of how to get away from that and attain some consistency on those delicate shots.

I'm liking more and more how the various TGM cross-references work. It's becoming more clear to me why the book is structured the way it is.

Thanks for the explanation.

CG

Low Hands
 

I've noticed that good players often set up with LOW HANDS, or a big #3 Accumulator angle... on their short wedge shots.

Is The Hands Only Plane related to this?