Every once in a while I like to circle back to the fundamentals of the Single Plane Swing – as a way of resetting my mind on the principles that make this swing more comfortable than the conventional golf swing.  Let’s do a quick review.

The Basic Concept

The fundamental principle of the Single Plane Swing is simplicity due to one major factor: The Single Plane Swing starts impacts on the same plane as an address.  When you understand this fundamental principle, you also might say “It makes so much sense. “ You might also ask “Why doesn’t everyone swing this way?“ Let’s review the simplicity of the Single Plane.

Conventional golfers start on two planes and then impact on a higher plane as seen in this photo.

You can see in picture 3 that to move the club from a little plane to a higher plane you must lift your body to accommodate the upper shaft position into impact. In the simplest terms, you must “jump” to hit the ball.

For years, the golf world has ignored the complications of this lifting occurring during the golf swing.  Why? Because, most people don’t even question their conventional “hang the arms straight down” – address position. It is an unquestioned tenant of the golf swing.

Moe Norman

What if this key address position, the foundation of the golf swing is wrong? What if the primary conventional address position is too complicated? Furthermore, a man knows as the best ball-striker in the world named Moe Norman didn’t address the ball this way. Moe would often say “Keep it Simple Stupid” when it came to his golf swing.

By observing his address, you immediately notice that difference – he held the club on a Single Plane – aligning the club on the Impact plane at address making the swing more natural. Here is Moe at address, and impact:

The Simplicity and effectiveness of Moe’s swing makes you wonder, “Did he discover an easier way?”  We believe he did.

The Single Plane address makes golf more natural from the very beginning by starting on the same plane as impact. Here is a picture demonstrating how you begin and change on the Same “single” plane.

As you can see, the hands are higher at address placing the club and arms on the same plane. Then at impact, the club returns to this same plane.

This simple concept of “start on the same plane as impact” simplifies ball-striking by making it easier to return the club to impact. The body no longer has to lift, and the feet can remain on the ground.

By starting on the same plane as impact, the difficulty of conventional swing has removed.

In this KISS series, I am going to discuss the swing from the ground up – to explain how the Single Plane Swing is more comfortable on the body starting from your feet. Stay tuned.