hands only plane

[vj]

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.

[vj]

"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.

[cometgolfer]

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

[lagster]

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?

[vj]

I believe so. Years ago, when I was coming up, we hit these short shots with an open-open set up and traced the line left. This create a "steep" angle of attack and some divot. Decades later I am standing on the tee working on a swings and every tour player I work with has a much shallower angle of attack. No mystery to it, they are using a very flat plane inside 20 yds of the green.

[Sbark]

The hands only works well, as you state inside the 20 range,
and I can function fairly consistently once the range opens up to 45 yds and more........

problem is those tweener chip-pitches, too far for hands only, and too finisse/feel for a pitch...


looking for thoughts/advice

[cometgolfer]

The hands only works well, as you state inside the 20 range,
and I can function fairly consistently once the range opens up to 45 yds and more........

problem is those tweener chip-pitches, too far for hands only, and too finisse/feel for a pitch...


looking for thoughts/advice

SB,

Do you usually "hit" or "swing" for that length shot?

CG