Learning what an onplane swing truly is is a great way to increase the power of your golf swing. (Courtesy of Meldrum House G.C.)

An 'onplane swing' will increase distance on your golf shot

By Chris Czaja, PGA,
Contributor

Looking for more distance on your golf shots? Hate the fact that you're always first to play your second shot to the green on a golf hole?

Well, I have a guaranteed way to increase the power of your golf swing -- learn about "swing shape" and what an onplane swing truly is. Here are some tips for you:

The first tip is to look at any golf club -- notice the shaft of the club and how it sits on an incline. All golf clubs are built on a slant. The putter is the most upright, and the driver is the flattest. All golf shafts are slanted to various degrees. This is a clue as to the plane of the swing.

The next tip is to look at model swings from down the line. That is where one can see the direction of the swing from start to finish. The hands and golf club should trace an arc around the body. The circle of the swing is on an inclined plane. The target line is formed by the bottom edge of the imaginary incline. Clubheads trace a line through the right shoulder at the top of the backswing in, roughly, a 45-degree angle to the ground.

Most people have smart phones today. Next time you hit the driving range, try filming your swing from down the target line, then check out the SwingFix site for online golf instruction. A SwingFix instructor will be able to analyze your current swing style and make some suggestions to improve your swing shape.

If your swing shape improves, your distance will increase.

An onplane swing has a club that will either point at the target line or be parallel to it at any point of the swing. This is a great check point for your golf swing.

January 25, 2012

Chris Czaja is the 2010 PGA Teacher of the Year for the South Florida Section and was named the 2009 Southeast Florida PGA Teacher of the Year. Czaja is a graduate of East Carolina University and has also been one of the top playing professionals in the South Florida PGA Section. As a PGA Professional, Chris has won numerous Chapter and Section PGA events. He has played in three National Club Professional Championships and was a member of three South Florida PGA Cup Teams. He also spends significant time involved in national and community charities. To book lessons, he can be reached at chris.czaja@pga.com and (561) 213-9213 or via christianczaja.com.