Simple Golf Swing Instruction from Ben Hogan and Harvey Penick

Let’s take a walk down memory lane, just for a moment. How many of you have read “The Little Red Book” by Harvey Penick or how many have read “Five Lessons in the Modern Fundamentals of Golf” by Ben Hogan?

If ever there were golf swing instructions that nailed it, these two books did the trick. Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m not selling these books, but you can still get them if you want at almost any bookstore.

But for golf swing instruction, these gave an insight into what really works.

This is an example of how to get an image of the correct clubhead trajectory and position yourself in the correct plane almost automatically.

In Hogan’s book he talks about swinging under the plane. The plane is a sheet of glass with a hole cut out so your head can fit into the hole. The glass is then extended to the target line, the bottom of the glass sits on the target line while the other end sits on your shoulders with your head through the hole.

This image gives you the exact plane you should have based on how you’re set up, that’s the angle of your spine that will ultimately set your swing plane angle.

Now you need to swing under the glass so as not to break it.

This simple, visual thinking, along with knowing that proper clubhead trajectory leads to excellent angles of attack to and through the golf ball.

Another great thought is the position of the right elbow on both the backswing and downswing. On the backswing, the right elbow should point exactly toward the ground, this places the right forearm perpendicular to the ground and at right angles to the biceps. Your upper arm or biceps should be parallel to the ground.

While this is happening, you want to make sure that you are doing a good shoulder roll. It won’t help to have your right arm in a perfect position and not have a good shoulder roll.

Now the downswing: start the downswing by literally hitting your right elbow directly against your right hip. Straight down and do this hard and fast. Push with your right hand or pull with your left hand, either will work. As you strike your right hip with your right elbow, you will push forward with your left hip. This is a lateral move and is one of Harvey Penicks’ “Magic Moves”. He suggests that you start your swing with this swing to the left and that this movement will help get your right elbow into the correct position.

Try it both ways… see what kind of results you get. And use what works for you.

If you do it right, your swing plane and trajectory will instantly improve as you hit the ball crisp and very solid.