I just recently broke down and purchased a laser training aid and was wondering what is the best way to get the most out of it and to improve my swing. This winter I am set on improving my ball striking and swing and wondering if I made the right purchase or not? Any ideas on how to use it effectively would be appreciated. Thanks, Alex
Alex,
Does your laser trainer have its beam at the end of the shaft? If so, you are being encouraged to commit the common error of focusing on the wrong end of the club. Per 5-O, that concentration should be on the Hands and not on the Clubhead. The beam of light from the laser trainer should ideally emit from the #3 Pressure Point. [See Homer's definition of Right Forearm in the Glossary and also the discussion of this exact point near the end of 5-O.]
With the trainers I've seen, it is quite possible -- even probable! -- that the beam can be pointed at the Plane Line, while the tracing line of force from the #3 Pressure Point is nowhere close! That might work with "beam pointing on the living room rug," but it won't work on the golf course with the flag up, the chips down, and the game on!
What to do? First, put away your laser trainer and get a simple flashlight. Hold it with the lens at your #3 Pressure Point and trace the Plane Line through Start-Up and into the Backstroke. When you get past the parallel-to- the-ground alignment on your way to the Top, flip the flashlight in your hands, and allow the lens to once again shine its light at the Plane Line.
If, following this procedure, you still are unable maintain the beam pointing at the Plane Line, then you almost certainly have a Pivot problem. And that disruption is preventing the Hands from correctly executing their On-Plane assigment. For example, is your Right Hip clearing properly? If it is not, then your Hands have no choice but to leave the Plane to the outside. That is why Zone #1 (Body Control per 9-O and 9-1) is the deliberately sequencedfirst step toward mastery of Zone #2 (Arms) and finally Zone #3 (Hands).
At the end of the day, Zone #3 (where you are currently working) can be no better than Zone #1 allows it to be. Per 9-0, "...unless developed in sequence, a very weak 'compensated' game is inevitable."
Actually your reference was interesting as was your write up. Regarding PP#3 and the flashlight. I am not sure I understand how that is to work.
How do you hold it and still swing? (not trying to be funny) Taping it to the right forearm (5-0) but ..... Does the light aim down the shaft or does it aim out in front of the shaft?
Lasers/Flashlights - if they follow the alignment that HK defined as the club on plane (2-F) both ends of the club, what is exactly wrong? Seems as if they do in accomplish the check. Are you saying to move the light up to the grip end only to make this an accurate check?
Marty,
In my post, I made the case against the shafted laser trainer to practice your Plane Line tracing. Instead, use the flashlight as I described (gripping around the lens, then flipping it end-for-end at the parallel to the line and ground position). There is no Club or Shaft involved! Per 5-O, the Hands must learn to monitor only themselves -- not the Body and not the Club -- and thereby dictate total Component compliance with the alignments so crucial to precision G.O.L.F.
Later, once practice of the correct Mechanic has produced a reliable Feel, practice with your Club pointing at the Plane Line per 2-F and 2-N-O.
Interesting reply Yoda. Probably like a few people, can you explain this more in layman's terms if possible. Thanks, Alex
Alex,
We are talking about a drill that will help you to Feel when your Golf Stroke is On-Plane, i.e., properly aligned so that the Sweetspot will pass correctly through the Impact Interval and thereby produce the desired effect upon the Ball.
Please re-read my original post and the reply post to Marty above. Then, tell me specifically what you do not understand, and I will help.
I suppose I should of added that the laser trainer that I have is the one that Butch Harmon endorses. There is a laser at the butt end of the club and one that attaches onto the shaft so that it can point in front of the clubhead. Yoda, is this the type that you said that could be harmful if not used correctly? Thanks, Alex Padiwan Learner
All Yoda seeks is a laser trainer with the beam emiting from an area inhabited by the #3 Pressure Point. The laser you have described -- and with which I am not familiar -- does not appear to meet that qualification. That doesn't mean it is not useful. It simply means that it is less than ideal as a means for Plane Line tracing via the #3 Pressure Point.
The laser from Butch can also be adjusted to be focused on the sweet spot.
I have this item, but I haven't really ever used it, yet.
Just for the following question, can we ignore the fact that the laser doesn't start from PP#3.
But, as far as it focusing on the sweet spot, it actually is focused just in front of the leading edge of the club. So, it's actually about an inch or so in FRONT of the sweetspot.
If any laser on a golf club was to point at the sweetspot of the clubhead/face, then it would just shine onto the sweetspot and not on to the ground (target line). Does this make any difference? Is it okay for the laser to be pointing in front of the leading edge?
Given the limitations of the laser trainer, as long as the laser beam lies in the same Plane as the Sweetspot, you'll be all right.
However, never forget that your ultimate goal is to educate The Hands (per 5-0 and 6-G-0) to execute the Three Imperatives -- including the Right Forearm / #3 Pressure Point Plane Line Tracing we are discussing here -- through the Three Stations (Address, Top, and Finish per 12-3). This does not require a Shafted Club -- laser or otherwise -- and in fact, for reasons I've stated in previous posts, the presence of a shaft can be detrimental. Again, per 5-0, the Hands must learn to Monitor only themselves, not the Clubhead or Body.
Here's a recommended training program for Plane Line Tracing:
1. Begin with a shaftless device, e.g., a flashlight with the lens at the #3 Pressure Point. Find any floor or driveway (but remember, neighbors will talk!) and Trace every straight Plane Line you can find.
2. Once a good Tracing motion has been established, work with a Headless Shaft -- that eliminates any "sweetspot" pointing problems! -- and Trace away. In fact, you might want to use two headless Shafts in your training: the first with the Shaft cut off at the bottom of the Grip (to enable you to assume your Grip as you Trace while retaining total focus on the Hands and what they are doing; and the second with the Shaft cut at the Hosel (for direct Plane Line pointing). And don't forget to include some closed-eyes training (per 5-0 and 3-B).
3. Then take it to the range and Monitor the Clubhead through the Impact Interval in actual Stroke Execution. Few golfers actually do this: Most suffer from an incurable case of DownStroke Blackout! As a cure, per 8-0 (#3), visualize the path of the Clubhead through and beyond Impact. Then. make sure you actually see the proper blur of the Clubhead passage through Release. Look, Look, Look per 3-B. This is a precision system dependent on precision execution!
Now, do the great Players do this? You bet they do! They know exactly what is happening during the Moment of Truth. One of Byron Nelson's most important Swing keys was to "watch the Clubhead flatten out at Impact." Johnny Miller says the same thing, only he refers to the process as Brushing. Specifically Brush-Brush, back and through. Lee Trevino has the mental image of the Clubface going through four balls -- not just one -- during the Impact Interval.
We call it Plane Line Tracing.
But we're all talking about the same thing: Controlling the Clubhead Line-of-Flight (2-N-0) through Impact. It is best done with Educated Hands controlling the entire operation, and they are best educated -- certainly in the early learning stages -- without the distraction of a physical shaft...whether that shaft be on a laser trainer or otherwise.