Daily Video Blog

Authored by: Brady
Posted on: 21 March 2026

Don Trahan's analysis of his own swing with different clubs reveals golf's most misunderstood concept: it's your arms that swing on plane, not the club.

Most golfers focus on getting the club on plane, but Don's demonstration shows this is wrong. At address, your arms start below the plane—especially the trail arm (right arm for righties, left arm for lefties). This is correct and necessary.

During takeaway, Don rotates the clubhead first, moving the toe toward "the catcher's mitt" and "up the tree." This rotation naturally lifts his lead arm onto the plane, where it stays throughout the backswing. At the top, his lead hand and forearm align perfectly on the plane while the clubhead passes through it.

The downswing shows his lead arm maintaining plane contact until just before impact. After impact, physics takes over—the trail arm moves onto the plane while the lead arm comes off it, demonstrating equal and opposite reaction.

Don's vertical swing style... Read More

Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 1 March 2010
Yesterday I discussed my first lesson with Larry, his setup and swing and his physical issues of a stiff neck and shoulders, with quite a limited degree of rotation that hurt him and medical... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 28 February 2010
I met Larry for his first lesson with me.‚  He called me because his best golfing friend recommended me as I had helped him regain his swing and more after double knee transplants and a hip... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 27 February 2010
Comments: 1
I was on the lesson tee with Frank, an IC member from Chicago. A rotational swinger, he played to a 5 handicap until his back gave out and he just about gave up golf. I should mention that... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 26 February 2010
I have written many times and it has become my mantra or even battle cry that the hands are active players in the golf swing.‚  I believe that the grip must be relatively firm, not light,... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 25 February 2010
Keeping Stats is a personal matter in that you decide what data you want to know about every shot of every round.‚  Cyrus asks the simple question of what stats we need to keep or record as... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 24 February 2010
Comments: 1
We finally got a good day in over a week and I went to the golf club late yesterday afternoon to walk a quick nine.‚  I went into the shop to check in and the Head Pro, Cory, asked me for... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 23 February 2010
Doug, in his question and comments below threw me a curve.‚  As I was reading his words, especially referencing Joe'€™s question about losing distance, I thought I was being led to answer how one can... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 22 February 2010
DM was here in the US straight over from Australia on business. Being a student of the PPGS, he booked a day'€™s lesson with me. DM is a scratch player and he was hitting the ball fairly well but... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 21 February 2010
Comments: 2
This past weekend was filled with a wonderful private session with a student who came in from Australia. Ah, the stories. More about that next week. But one thing popped up that I wanted to... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 20 February 2010
Working the ball is the term for intentionally curving the ball the way you want to or need to, at will.‚  As I mentioned in the first article, there are basically two degrees of working the... Read More