The Lesson Tee - Golf Instruction Blog

18

Jan '12

The Offseason: Understand your swing plane

By Swingpal.com staff

For the last 11 weeks in our Offseason series, we’ve covered a variety of topics to help you keep improving your golf game during the winter months.

That journey comes to an end today with segment No. 12, and it’s an important one, as we talk about one of the most common yet misunderstood terms in golf, that being “swing plane.”

In this video segment, Swingpal.com instructor Jim Williams explains what the swing plane is and the fact that each individual swing plane is going to be a little bit different. He’ll also have some tips for you on how to work on your swing plane in the comfort of your own home if the weather isn’t cooperating where you live.

Enjoy this video, as getting your swing on plane will put you on a great path toward improved ball-striking.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Offseason series!

Bookmark this page as a reference point for the future if you're having problems in any of the areas we've covered, and stay tuned to The Lesson Tee this spring for new video content relating to golf fitness.

Additional videos from The Offseason series:

Nov. 2: Evaluate your fitness level

Nov. 9: Improve lower body mobility

Nov. 16: Maximize your shoulder turn
Nov. 23: Stop coming over the top

Nov. 30: How to create more width
Dec. 7: Slow down to make changes
Dec. 14: A better position at impact

Dec. 21: Improve putting fundamentals

Dec. 28: Better tempo on the greens

Jan. 4: Hit your line when you putt

Jan. 11: Improve your set-up position

Tags: The Offseason

Archives

May 2013 –

The Practice Range: Proper driver setup May 13
Tip of the Week: Hit solid shots from leaves May 2
The Practice Range: Learn to draw the ball May 6
Tip of the Week: Get your takeaway on plane May 9
Tip of the Week: Recover from tall grass May 16
Rotate and stay in your golf shots better May 20

April 2013 –

The Practice Range: Shallow out your swing Apr 15
The Practice Range: Round out your swing Apr 1
Tip of the Week: Escaping from waste areas Apr 4
The Practice Range: Weight shift and lag Apr 8
Tip of the Week: Maintain lead-arm extension Apr 11
Tip of the Week: Proper swing path, shape Apr 18
Dealing with hardpan from the fairway or rough Apr 22
Tip of the Week: Learn to strike the ball first Apr 25
The Practice Range: Maintain lag coming down Apr 29

March 2013 –

Tip of the Week: Make sure to stay level Mar 14
The Practice Range: Maintain angles and rotate Mar 4
Tip of the Week: Get warmed up properly Mar 7
Find your personal redline to maximize power Mar 11
Sequence your swing to shallow out your path Mar 18
Tip of the Week: Understanding ball position Mar 21
Playing shots from hardpan around the green Mar 25
Tip of the Week: Alignment, plane principles Mar 28

February 2013 –

The Practice Range: Improve your takeaway Feb 25
The Practice Range: Check your spine angle Feb 4
Tip of the Week: Dial in your alignment Feb 7
The Practice Range: Getting your feel back Feb 11
Tip of the Week: Slow motion winter work Feb 14
Initiate your downswing with your lower body Feb 18
The Practice Range: Establishing a good grip Feb 21
Tip of the Week: Make more solid contact Feb 28

January 2013 –

Five Questions: Get to know Erika Larkin Jan 8
Tip of the Week: Control distance and spin Jan 18
Winter is a great time for putting practice Jan 2
Tip of the Week: Learn to stay connected Jan 4
Tip of the Week: Understanding the swing arc Jan 11
The Practice Range: Staying in your posture Jan 15
Match up the "swoosh" to work on your timing Jan 21
Tip of the Week: Over the top quick fix Jan 24
Everyone should take advantage of club fitting Jan 28
A lesson is the perfect way to lose winter rust Jan 31

December 2012 –

Tip of the Week: Lose your over-the-top move Dec 28
The Practice Range: Better posture at setup Dec 4
Tip of the Week: Check your swing plane Dec 7
The Practice Range: Improve your setup Dec 11
Tip of the Week: Don't flip your hands at impact Dec 14
The Practice Range: Better grip pressure Dec 18
Tip of the Week: Timing your downswing Dec 21

November 2012 –

Tip of the Week: Effective offseason practice Nov 9
Tip of the Week: Eliminate the shank Nov 30
The Practice Range: Improve your alignment Nov 13
Tip of the Week: Make a better takeaway Nov 2
The Practice Range: Proper follow through Nov 6
Tip of the Week: Improve your balance, tempo Nov 16
The Practice Range: Focus on the swing Nov 20
The Practice Range: Improve your iron play Nov 27

October 2012 –

The Practice Range: Work on recovery shots Oct 30
Tip of the Week: Better feel on the greens Oct 5
Five Questions: Getting to know Chris Rowe Oct 2
Five Questions: Get to know George Connor Oct 16
The Practice Range: Control your ball flight Oct 23
Tip of the Week: Finish your swing properly Oct 12
Tip of the Week: Eliminate an early release Oct 19
Tip of the Week: Stay connected and turn Oct 26

September 2012 –

Five Questions: Getting to know Tim Cooke Sep 4
Tip of the Week: Effective troubleshooting Sep 28
Tip of the Week: Use two balls to get on plane Sep 7
Tip of the Week: Lower body synchronization Sep 13
The Practice Range: Hitting solid iron shots Sep 18
Tip of the Week: Get rid of your slice Sep 21
The Practice Range: Improve your transition Sep 25

August 2012 –

Tip of the Week: Establishing your goals Aug 31
The Practice Range: Warming up properly Aug 20
Tip of the Week: Create some shaft lean Aug 9
The Practice Range: How to eliminate a scoop Aug 13
Tip of the Week: Is your grip too weak? Aug 16
Tip of the Week: Better posture, better shots Aug 2
Five Questions: Swingpal's Justin Bruton Aug 6
Tip of the Week: A better impact position Aug 23

July 2012 –

Make sure you know your physical limitations Jul 2
The Practice Range: Simulate an entire round Jul 16
Tip of the Week: Get your swing on plane Jul 12
Five Questions: Get to know Doug Spencer Jul 23
Tip of the Week: Keep the club to the inside Jul 5
Five Questions: Get to know Gary Cliplef Jul 9
Tip of the Week: Flight your ball down Jul 19
Tip of the Week: Stop flipping at impact Jul 26
Five Questions: Get to know Garrett Chaussard Jul 30

June 2012 –

Proper club-fitting a crucial step for everyone Jun 10
The Practice Range: Get on plane right away Jun 4
Tip of the Week: Improved posture at address Jun 8
Tip of the Week: Improve your backswing Jun 15
The Practice Range: Shift your weight properly Jun 27
Tip of the Week: A better grip for control Jun 29
In golf, patience is a virtue ... just ask Tiger Jun 6
Three Swingpal instructors make top-50 list Jun 13
Five Questions: Get to know Brian Crowell Jun 18
Debate over long putters certain to rage on Jun 20
Tip of the Week: Utilize the broom drill Jun 22
It's not all about the full swing at Swingpal Jun 25

May 2012 –

Tip of the Week: Understanding swing path May 18
Tip of the Week: Turn back, don't sway May 3
Curdt wins tourney and invite to LPGA event May 7
Five Questions: Getting to know Josh Dyer May 9
Tip of the Week: Get hands ahead at impact May 11
Five Questions: Get to know Mike Fay May 14
The Practice Range: Make better contact May 16
Five Questions: Get to know Jason Sedan May 21
Five Questions: Get to know Jason Helman May 29

April 2012 –

SwingFix sweepstakes offers big opportunity Apr 2
Larkin wins prestigious teaching award Apr 4
Tip of the Week: Create better posture angles Apr 6
The Practice Range: Check your ball position Apr 9
Lessons from Bubba Watson's Masters win Apr 11
The Practice Range: Initiating the downswing Apr 16
Five Questions: Get to know Alison Curdt Apr 23
Don't stand too far away from the ball Apr 25
Tip of the Week: Get rid of the shanks Apr 27
Five Questions: Get to know Bernard Sheridan Apr 30

March 2012 –

Tip of the Week: Don't neglect the short game Mar 2
Commentary: A better golf experience for all Mar 7
Tip of the Week: Maintain your posture Mar 9
Course Management: Fairways and greens Mar 14
Tip of the Week: Eliminate a reverse pivot Mar 16
The Practice Range: Understanding impact Mar 19
Prepare properly for your next round of golf Mar 21
Tip of the Week: Turn correctly, don't sway Mar 23
Improve your balance by removing your shoes Mar 28

February 2012 –

Bain receives PGA's 2011 President's Plaque Feb 1
The Swingpal teaching platform in full effect Feb 8
Tip of the Week: Get the club in balance Feb 17
The Practice Range: Get set up properly Feb 20
Tip of the Week: Shallow out your downswing Feb 24
Quality video is crucial in the lesson process Feb 27

January 2012 –

It's time to establish your goals for 2012 Jan 2
The Offseason: Hit your line when you putt Jan 4
Five Questions: Get to know Tony Ruggiero Jan 9
The Offseason: Improve your set-up position Jan 11
The Practice Range: Understanding bounce Jan 16
The Offseason: Understand your swing plane Jan 18
Tip of the Week: Getting ready for spring golf Jan 20
Create adversity when you work on your game Jan 25
Tip of the Week: Improve your takeaway Jan 27
Golf Channel's official SwingFix press release Jan 30

December 2011 –

Tip of the Week: Widen your swing arc Dec 2
The Offseason: Slow down to make changes Dec 7
Tip of the Week: Stop slicing your driver Dec 9
The Offseason: A better position at impact Dec 14
The best Holiday gifts a golfer could hope for Dec 19
The Offseason: Improve putting fundamentals Dec 21
Tip of the Week: Release the club better Dec 23
The Offseason: Better tempo on the greens Dec 28

November 2011 –

The Offseason: Evaluate your fitness level Nov 2
Tip of the Week: Developing consistency Nov 4
The Offseason: Improve lower body mobility Nov 9
Tip of the Week: How to find more fairways Nov 11
Five Questions: Getting to know Tim Brown Nov 14
Martin Hall shows off SwingFix platform Nov 15
The Offseason: Maximize your shoulder turn Nov 16
Tip of the Week: Improve your grip Nov 18
Five Questions: Getting to know Brett Packee Nov 21
The Offseason: Stop coming over the top Nov 23
Course Management: Play better in the wind Nov 28
The Offseason: How to create more width Nov 30

October 2011 –

Make proper preparations for your offseason Oct 3
Tip of the Week: Be a better lag putter Oct 6
Course Management: Distance control is key Oct 10
Swingpal, Golf Channel launch partnership Oct 12
Tip of the Week: Chipping vs. pitching Oct 14
Five Questions: Flynn talks PGA Q-School Oct 19
Tip of the Week: Dealing with cold weather Oct 21
Five Questions: Get to know Raegan Earney Oct 25
The Swingpal Experience: Keep getting better Oct 31

September 2011 –

Tip of the Week: Improve your wedge play Sep 2
Tip of the Week: Proper footwork is a must Sep 8
The Practice Range: Get target oriented Sep 12
Course Management: The pre-shot routine Sep 14
The Practice Range: Focus on the short game Sep 19
Tip of the Week: Drive the golf ball better Sep 23
The Swingpal Experience: Track your progress Sep 26
Course Management: Control your emotions Sep 28
Bain wins national award from PGA of America Sep 29
Tip of the Week: Learn from your divots Sep 30

August 2011 –

Course Management: Develop a go-to shot Aug 1
Tip of the Week: Free up your putting stroke Aug 3
The Swingpal Experience: Video lessons Aug 5
Course Management: Stay in the moment Aug 8
Five Questions: Get to know Kate Tempesta Aug 12
The Practice Range: Getting your body loose Aug 15
Tip of the Week: Make more short putts Aug 19
Course Management: Develop a game plan Aug 22
Tip of the Week: How to work the golf ball Aug 26
Five Questions: Karen Palacios-Jansen Aug 31

July 2011 –

The Practice Range: Quality over quantity Jul 5
Putting together an impressive team Jul 8
Tip of the Week: Control your ball flight Jul 11
Course Management: Don't be a hero Jul 13
Course Management: Commitment is crucial Jul 18
Tip of the Week: The camera never lies Jul 26
Five Questions: Jackson talks preparation Jul 28

June 2011 –

The Swingpal Experience: Welcome! Jun 23

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