D-plane

[white_feather]

Has anyone invested too much time researching this?

I've now watched countless youtube videos which have tried to explain to me what it is.

From what i can tell its says that if you hit down with an iron and you want it to go straight, you need to aim out to the left.

If you hit a driver on the up-swing then you need to aim out to the right.

Is this an oversimplification of it?

Also isn't this looking at a pro's perfect swing and not taking into account all the imperfections we all have in our swings?

 

[JustOne]

What you have said is basically correct. It's is all about the clubface, the path and the AofA. What is it you need to know?

 

[SamQuirkePGA]

The D Plane in Golf

D Plane in very simple terms is the correct ball flight laws in a 3D explanation. I say correct because often they’re referred to as new. They’re not new to me, in that the PGA (UK) was teaching these ball flight laws when I embarked upon the PGA diploma 12 years ago.

They were in fact touched upon in the book Search for the Perfect Swing, first published in 1968, the term D plane was popularised by Theodore Jorgensen in the book The Physics of Golf. This is not to say I wasn’t taught off the incorrect ball flight laws when I first started to play!

In brief:

The Clubs direction; The club is traveling in a swing plane (a circle around the golfer), at the same time the club is traveling inline, in to out, out to in (from a horizontal perspective) the club is also traveling level, upward or downward (from a vertical perspective).

The Clubs orientation; The club has loft and is therefore pointing upward, then there’s the lie angle which can be upright or flat and the face position open, closed or square.

At impact the ball is on the face for 1/2000 of a second, one assumes a centred strike to negate the account of the gear effect on spin axis.

Assuming a centred strike the balls starting direction is 85% face.

Sam Quirke

 

[Foxholer]

The D Plane in Golf

D Plane in very simple terms is the correct ball flight laws in a 3D explanation. I say correct because often they’re referred to as new. They’re not new to me, in that the PGA (UK) was teaching these ball flight laws when I embarked upon the PGA diploma 12 years ago.

They were in fact touched upon in the book Search for the Perfect Swing, first published in 1968, the term D plane was popularised by Theodore Jorgensen in the book The Physics of Golf. This is not to say I wasn’t taught off the incorrect ball flight laws when I first started to play!

In brief:

The Clubs direction; The club is traveling in a swing plane (a circle around the golfer), at the same time the club is traveling inline, in to out, out to in (from a horizontal perspective) the club is also traveling level, upward or downward (from a vertical perspective).

The Clubs orientation; The club has loft and is therefore pointing upward, then there’s the lie angle which can be upright or flat and the face position open, closed or square.

At impact the ball is on the face for 1/2000 of a second, one assumes a centred strike to negate the account of the gear effect on spin axis.

Assuming a centred strike the balls starting direction is 85% face.

Sam Quirke

A couple of points always worth mentioning here.

I'd sooner (though it aim't gonna happen) that these (old/new/correct) were referred to as 'flight of ball' laws as there are another set of (5) laws that are also deemed 'ball flight laws' - that everyone agrees.

Better to use the word 'Path' rather than 'plane'. I believe only Moe Norman (and those that copied his swing) had/have a consistent (single) swing plane, but the description of the club-face as having a path - in to out, up, down etc - is correct for every swing.

 

[SocketRocket]

Better to use the word 'Path' rather than 'plane'.

The 'Plane' in 'D' 'Plane' does not refer to the swing plane but the theoretical Bi-Cubic 'Planed Surface' created, this is swept between the extended clubface vector and swing path vector at impact. The balls axis of rotation will lie at a surface normal to this plane.

 

[Foxholer]

The 'Plane' in 'D' 'Plane' does not refer to the swing plane but the theoretical Bi-Cubic 'Planed Surface' created, this is swept between the extended clubface vector and swing path vector at impact. The balls axis of rotation will lie at a surface normal to this plane.

Happy with D-Plane.

It was Sam's 'Direction' plane I was referring to - should probably have highlighted (though 'I did refer to 'direction').

BTW. Having read your description, D-Plane makes perfect sense!

 

[Fader]

When I started reading this thread from the OP comments I though great i'm not the only one that isn't grasping the term D Plane. Then as I read on seeing the repsonse I'm left thinking hopefully I'm still not the only one that doesn't get it...

 

[Foxholer]

When I started reading this thread from the OP comments I though great i'm not the only one that isn't grasping the term D Plane. Then as I read on seeing the repsonse I'm left thinking hopefully I'm still not the only one that doesn't get it...

The answer is to not think about - just hit it as you hands, body and eyesight have been telling you to do for the last n years! It's only if you really want to know what is happening that you need to get any deeper than that. Just keep making (slightly) left facing divots!

Mankind got away with knowing night followed day for a long time before Newton 'explained' gravity - and Einstein refined that .....

 

[SocketRocket]

The 'Plane' in 'D' 'Plane' does not refer to the swing plane but the theoretical Bi-Cubic 'Planed Surface' created, this is swept between the extended clubface vector and swing path vector at impact. The balls axis of rotation will lie at a surface normal to this plane.

I would suggest if you struggle with the technical explanation you might try putting the ball on a tee and tonking it up the fairway.

 

[JustOne]

When I started reading this thread from the OP comments I though great i'm not the only one that isn't grasping the term D Plane. Then as I read on seeing the repsonse I'm left thinking hopefully I'm still not the only one that doesn't get it...

Some people know how to 'zoop' up their cars the get more horse power out of them, either you choose to learn that aswell or you just drive what you have

Not much point in making a thing of it though. It ain't a secret or rocket science... you either want to know/learn, or you don't.

 

[SocketRocket]

When I started reading this thread from the OP comments I though great i'm not the only one that isn't grasping the term D Plane. Then as I read on seeing the repsonse I'm left thinking hopefully I'm still not the only one that doesn't get it...

The basics of it aren't that difficult.

1) The ball will start off close to the direction the clubface points.
2) If your swing path is to the right of the clubface direction the ball will curve to the left in flight.
3) If your swing path is to the left of your clubface direction then the ball will curve right in flight.
4) if your swing path is square to the clubface the ball will travel straight in flight.
5) The greater the difference the more the ball will curve.

The best way to understand it is to just try it. Hit some balls at the range and see the effects of opening and closing the clubface by small increments. keep the clubface pointing straight ahead and align yourself in different open and closed directions.

You will soon get what happens.