Two-Plane Swing
A two-plane swing is a golf swing in which the arms swing up onto a steeper, more upright plane than the flatter plane the shoulders turn on, so the arms and shoulders travel on two separate planes at the top of the backswing.
What is a two-plane swing?
The name comes from what happens at the top of the backswing. In a two-plane swing, the shoulders rotate on one plane while the arms lift onto a second, steeper plane above them. Those two angles do not match, which is where the “two” comes from. A one-plane swing, by contrast, keeps the arms roughly level with the shoulder plane so everything works on a single angle.
The terms were popularised by golf instructor Jim Hardy in his 2005 book The Plane Truth for Golfers, and within a few years “one-plane” and “two-plane” had become common language among teachers and players. Hardy’s core idea was that a golf swing belongs to one family or the other, and that mixing pieces of both is what causes trouble.
Two-plane players tend to stand a little taller at address, with the arms hanging more vertically and the ball positioned fairly close to the body. The arms then swing somewhat independently of the body turn. Hardy described the two-plane swing as one that suits players of all abilities, while reserving the flatter one-plane action for more athletic golfers.
How a two-plane swing works
Watch a two-plane golfer from behind, and the give-away is the height of the hands at the top. As the club goes back, the shoulders turn on a relatively flat plane, but the arms keep lifting until the hands finish high, above the plane the shoulders are on. To make room for that, the lead arm often separates slightly from the chest, and the body shifts a touch away from the target.
From the top, the arms drop into position first, then the body rotates hard toward the ball. The follow-through mirrors the backswing: the arms swing up again to a high finish over the lead shoulder. Tom Watson and Jim Furyk are two of the most recognisable two-plane swingers. Furyk’s tall, looping action is an especially clear example, while Ben Hogan sits at the opposite end as the classic flat, one-plane model.
None of this needs to be copied move for move to understand the term. The point is recognition: if the hands climb well above the shoulder plane at the top, that is the two-plane look.
Two-plane swing vs one-plane swing
Most people arrive at this term because they are trying to tell the two styles apart. The clearest difference sits at the top of the backswing, but the setup and the source of power differ too.
| Feature | Two-plane swing | One-plane swing |
|---|---|---|
| Arms vs shoulders at the top | Arms swing onto a steeper plane above the shoulders | Arms stay roughly on the shoulder plane |
| Posture at address | More upright spine | More bent over from the hips |
| Stance and ball position | Narrower, ball closer to the body | Wider, more around-the-body feel |
| Main power source | Arm swing plus body rotation | Body rotation, with the arms more passive |
| Overall shape | Steeper, more up-and-down | Flatter, more rotary |
| Classic example | Jim Furyk, Tom Watson | Ben Hogan, Moe Norman |
Neither style is automatically better. As instructors on the Golf Monthly forum have pointed out, the ball only responds to what the clubface and path are doing at impact, not to how the club got there. Both actions can be accurate, and both can be powerful. What matters is whether a player can repeat their chosen shape.
Why “two-plane” can mean two things
Reading around the topic, golfers often run into two different definitions, which is a common source of confusion. The dominant one is Hardy’s: the arm plane sitting above the shoulder plane at the top of the backswing. This is the meaning behind almost all modern one-plane and two-plane instruction.
A second, looser usage describes a swing where the club goes back on one plane and returns on a different plane, so the “two planes” are the backswing and the downswing rather than the arms and the shoulders. Some teachers and older articles use the term this way. The two ideas are not the same, so it helps to check which one a given article means before comparing notes.
Related Golf Terms
- Swing path — The direction the clubhead travels through impact.
- Kinematic sequence — The efficient order in which body segments fire during the downswing.
- Low point — The bottom of the swing arc, ideally just ahead of the ball with irons.
- Hinge and hold — A short-game method that sets the wrists and keeps them firm.
- Ground reaction force — Pushing against the ground to generate speed and power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a two-plane swing better than a one-plane swing?
Neither is better on its own. The one-plane swing is often described as simpler to repeat, while the two-plane swing can feel more natural for many players. The right choice depends on the golfer’s body and what they can repeat.
Is a two-plane swing good for beginners?
It can be. Jim Hardy described the two-plane swing as suitable for players of all abilities, and most golfers start out with something close to it because lifting the arms feels natural.
Which professional golfers have a two-plane swing?
Jim Furyk and Tom Watson are two of the clearest examples, both showing the tall, arms-above-the-shoulders position at the top.
How can a golfer tell if they have a two-plane swing?
Filmed from behind, a two-plane swing shows the hands finishing well above the shoulder plane at the top of the backswing. If the hands stay level with the shoulders, it is closer to a one-plane swing.
Does a two-plane swing cause a slice?
Not by itself. A slice comes from the clubface and path at impact. A steeper, more upright swing can make an over-the-top move easier to fall into, but the plane style alone does not decide the result.
Sources
- Hardy, Jim, and John Andrisani. The Plane Truth for Golfers: Breaking Down the One-Plane Swing and the Two-Plane Swing. McGraw-Hill, 2005. Accessed July 2026.
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Plane_Truth_for_Golfers.html?id=1iA6wzOncJwC - Plane Truth Golf. “About Jim Hardy.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.planetruthgolf.com/about-jim-hardy/ - Golf Today. “The Plane Truth (Part 3): One and Two Plane Golf Swings.” Accessed July 2026.
https://golftoday.co.uk/the-plane-truth-part-3-one-two-plane-golf-swings/ - Palmetto Dunes Golf Academy (Doug Weaver). “Two-Plane vs. One-Plane Swing.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.hiltonhead.com/two-plane-vs-one-plane-swing/ - Swing Align. “Golf Swing Plane Tips.” Accessed July 2026.
https://swingtrainer.com/blogs/instruction/golf-swing-plane
