I’ve been a scratch marker in the past despite never ever really knowing why I hit it well or bad. I’ve read most good golf instruction books although not the TGM at this stage. I’ve come across Jim Hardy’s book ‘The Plane Truth for golfers’ and I must admit I am a convert. I feel his advice is relatively clear and his breakup of swings into 2 possible groups, seems to make sense. Do the guru’s out there feel there is merit in his instruction and is there any parallels with TGM? Thanks

The Pilot

His views are pretty simplistic and do not cater for many swing patterns that do work which do not fall into his categories. For those patterns that do fall into the 2 pigeon holes then life is good.

I am sure that there are many out there that have read the book that know it better than myself so will leave the field open for them to throw in their educated $2 worth.

Thanks for the quick reply ISGG. The way the book talks, you are either a one plane swinger or you are not! The difference then falls into a body/torso release or more of a drop into the slot /arm release. Trouble is, this 1 plane stuff does require reasonable flexibility and good core/torso strength. I don’t necessarily think it is anything too new just well described in the book.
Sorry if it had been previously discussed. My quick search of the forum didn’t reveal too much (but I’m not much of a net geek).

Regards,

T.P.

Yeah I have to admit that this is one book that I had thought more people would have chewed upon in the forum having read it. I am sure we will flush a few of them out in the coming days.

Hi all,

Ive been a pretty serious follower of the JH plane truth stuff for a few years..Both books and his DVD collection as well as to date all of his Secrets series DVDs which followed his DVD collection.

I could write reams of info about the specifics of his instruction and its direction, but thats just goign to be a waste of time. here are a few positives and a few negatives from his material. as I see it:

THE patterns are simplistic – and he definitely leans towards his OPS model. as for flexibility his OPS model feels like it generates from your core.. Thus think any serious student may need to work on thier flexibility. I think his OPS is a great piece groundwork for a pretty good swing pattern BTW.

The problem with the simplistic patterns are that faults tended to be pidgeon hole problems, so i felt you were only fixing a little fault, and sometimes not its cause. for example..in his first and third vault series DVD what he wanted you to with things like your right arm motion through the downswing..

As he segmented his swing models through the book and the DVD, it made me wonder about the breakdown of specific components, parts and motions.. his motions still tended to be by groups. So personally I went looking for more and specific info in some areas (this led me to my first copy of TGM).

It was also frightfully hard to find anyone with or the ability to teach through his system out here in Australia too BTW..

Did I benefit from his material? Yes, no doubt, it was pretty good in many respects, however, was it could, or could it fix problems and more importantly their causes (which is where you really need learned instructors)? conditionally yes but only if you had a swing model that fitted into the defined OPS/TPS model he advocated.

One of the biggest conjectured debates on his website over quite a bit of time was those who many though had his OPS backswing but then fell into his TPS release..watching these models constantly had me believe that his OPS pattern was probably more like a basic hitting pattern from TGM, free shoulder turn against restricted hips knees and feet, club on the shoulder plane for the backswing, with a plane shift release – hands try and come down same plane line but clubhead outside hands on the downswing, and a hard throw ( wrist roll) to the left through impact (full horizontal hinge?)..

I really didn’t like how he had you drop your head height, or increase your spine angle on the downswing either.. it seriously mucked around with the downswing plane..

u8: many thanks for the ‘hands on’ run down.

I developed a nasty snap hook trying this – set me back about 6 months – painful but it has helped me understand my swing alot better. It’s amazing the way the threads start coming back together. The thing that really mucked me up was stacking the left hand side with your weight. Also Hardy never addresses the specific needs when hitting driver. OPS without a teacher will get you into difficulties. Having said that for Pete a very low marker you probably instinctively understand your swing. Just don’t take the OPS too literally.

Hey Pilot, I stumbled down this path a while back now and I too thought Hardy’s OPS looked simple and instinctive and asked for opinions. Think the majority here are TGM disciples as it seems to be alot more adaptable for the wide and wonderful swing types out there, than Hardy’s teachings.

If you’re keen to look a bit more, Jeff Ritter has some good OPS stuff on youtube.

Having said all that, I went back to a swing concentrating on TGM principles (FLW, chip, pitch, punch) because it seems to work better for me. I also like the Edwin right sided swing approach. (I’m off 6, if that makes any difference).

Hey Aidan, I think if you’re going to try the OPS body release and are still (unknowingly) using a hand release as well, then you’re going to hook it.

I once heard someone say “aim the release further forward if you are hooking it”.

Gibbo/Guru
I think I’ve actually stumbled on this by focussing exclusively on swinging with my arms and forgetting about my wrist cock – just letting this (the wrist cock) happen and aiming for a flat left wrist at the top. That and stiffer shafts and some flexibility exercises and I’ve been flushing it. Like I said its amazing when things come together even if it is just for a nano second!

Thanks for the posts guys,
my experiences with the one plane swing will obviously vary to someone else’s path. I have had the tendency (for years, thanks to Jimmy Ballard connection theory) to load up the right leg on the move away from the ball. This coupled with a bad trait of taking the club outside the line (sway back rather than turn over right leg) then arms lifting up in front of chest, gave me a tendency to get steep and then cast over the top on the way down to the ball. Result, deep divots and lots of weak toe hits when I was tight or I got quick and tried to hit it from the top with arms. Not Good!!!

The OPS stuff makes me quieten my legs and rotate over my more stable lower body. The key for me is to feel flat with the arms at the top coupled with Ballard’s left arm/left breast(?) in tight (ie. Tiger taking shirt under arm. ASk me if you don’t understand this). Then though the ball I try to get the club around myself with the left shoulder going left and up (thats what I feel anyway!). The faster I get the torso/shoulder around the further I hit it! Because I’m used to being off the ball and over the right leg, I don’t tend to stack the left side.

By the way, I don’t tend to consciously wrist cock. As long as the forearms are not tense (or the grip tight) it happens properly!

I’m looking forward to reading up on TGM. Guru is good enough to get me a copy.

Regards,

The Pilot

Flat at the top withthe arms is a relative thing remembering I used to be too steep!!

The Pilot