Telling a golfer their club is laid off at the top, or that their lead wrist is bowed, or that their shaft has lost the plane — these are accurate diagnoses. The problem is that they're descriptions of positions most golfers can't feel from the inside.
David Kuhn's Baseline & Plane Drill converts those abstract geometric concepts into a single, simple rule: point at the line.
That's it. If one end of the club is pointing at the orange baseline, the swing is on plane. If it isn't, it isn't.
The drill
David Kuhn — 2023–24 NFHS National Boys High School Golf Coach of the Year, Golf Digest Best in State (Pennsylvania), GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Lynn Blake Certified Master Instructor (one of only 16 worldwide), six-time WPIAL Team Championship coach, PIAA State Championship coach, and Director of Instruction for LagMaster Sports Training Aids — uses the pathpal's two-half modular design to build a dual-angle, baseline-referenced three-dimensional plane track.
Setup
- Rear pathpal half at 70 degrees — backswing plane reference
- Front pathpal half at 75 degrees — follow-through plane reference
- Alignment rod through the base channel — the orange baseline, the constant pointing reference
- Apply the Rule of Pointing throughout the swing
The Rule of Pointing
Takeaway: Sweet spot points at the orange line as the club moves back
Halfway back (parallel): The pathpal's padded rod confirms you're on plane — exception to the pointing rule
The climb: Wrists hinge — butt end points back down at the orange line
Top of swing: Club matches the 70-degree angle of the rear pathpal half
Downswing: Butt end pointing at the orange line, coming down on the same plane
Extension after impact: Sweet spot pointing at the orange line through release
David demonstrates the before-and-after on his student: a bowed, closed, laid-off top of swing that becomes a flat wrist, on-plane, organized position after one session with the drill. The ball flight confirmed it — came right down the line.
Watch the drill
View the full guided drill on pathpal →
Why it works
David's Lynn Blake Master Instructor certification informs the core principle here: a geometrically precise, shaft-plane-based system where the club's relationship to defined reference lines governs every position in the swing. The pathpal baseline makes that abstract geometric reference physically tangible — the orange line is a real object the golfer can see and point at, removing all ambiguity about whether the plane is correct at any given moment.
This alternating checkpoint system gives the golfer a specific, verifiable reference at every stage of the swing rather than just at impact or at the top.
The drill also addresses one of the most common points of confusion in plane-based instruction: the difference between the parallel positions — where the club should match the pathpal angle — and every other position — where the pointing rule applies. The result is a complete three-dimensional plane awareness that transfers to a free swing because every position has been individually confirmed before the full-speed pattern is assembled.
The pointing rule is universal. One end of the club always points at the orange baseline — sweet spot on the way back, butt end through the climb, sweet spot again through extension. The two parallel positions are the only exceptions, and the pathpal rods handle those checkpoints for you.
Who this is for
- ✓Golfers diagnosed with a laid-off, closed club position at the top who haven't been able to feel the correction
- ✓Players with excessive lead wrist bow who need a specific, reference-based drill to rebuild the correct position
- ✓Anyone working within a plane-based instruction methodology who wants a physical tool that matches the geometric framework
- ✓Coaches in high school or junior programs looking for a drill that teaches three-dimensional spatial awareness systematically and progressively
Try it
Start with the club upside down — grip toward the ball — and make 10 slow-motion swings applying the pointing rule at every stage. Feel the butt end pointing at the orange line on the way back, and the sweet spot pointing on the way through. Then flip the club to normal orientation and repeat 10 more slow swings with the same awareness.
Hit five balls at three-quarter speed applying the Rule of Pointing, then remove the pathpal and hit five full shots. The organized, on-plane position David's student found in one session is available to any golfer who applies the same pointing reference.
This drill requires both halves of the pathpal — set to 70 and 75 degrees respectively — plus an alignment rod threaded through the base channel as the orange baseline. The split-half modular design is what makes the dual-angle, three-dimensional plane track possible. Used by David Kuhn at the Golf Academy in McMurray, Pennsylvania.
Related drills
Plane awareness covers both halves of the swing. These drills address the forward swing, the takeaway, and the full arc — natural companions to the baseline-and-pointing framework.
The Forward Swing Plane Match
Taught by Brian Jacobs (Golf Channel Academy Lead Instructor, MS Ed motor learning). Isolates and corrects the forward swing exit plane — the half of the swing David's drill sets up. Together they cover the full arc from takeaway through finish. View drill →
The "Up It, Under It" Swing Plane Drill
Taught by Eric Barlow (PGA Master Professional, Golf Digest Best in State). A complementary shaft-plane reference drill with a single, memorable rule — swing up it going back, under it coming down. A natural pairing for golfers building full plane awareness. View drill →
The Swing Path Fixer
Taught by Jason Gandy (Golf Digest Best Teacher, Tennessee). Uses both pathpal halves to simultaneously address over-the-top and under-plane faults — covering takeaway and downswing delivery in one station. The natural extension of David's three-dimensional plane work. View drill →
About the instructor
David Kuhn is the 2023–24 NFHS National Boys High School Golf Coach of the Year, a Golf Digest Best in State instructor (Pennsylvania), a Lynn Blake Certified Master Instructor (one of only 16 worldwide), and Director of Instruction for LagMaster Sports Training Aids. He has coached six WPIAL Team Championship teams and one PIAA State Championship team at Peters Township High School.
davidkuhngolf.com · @davidwkuhn · Follow pathpal on Instagram
Frequently asked questions
What is the Rule of Pointing and how does it simplify swing plane?
The rule is simple: one end of the club — either the sweet spot or the butt end — must always point at the orange baseline, except at the two moments when the club is parallel to the ground. Sweet spot points at the line on the takeaway. Butt end points at the line during the climb. Sweet spot returns to pointing during extension after impact. At the two parallel positions, the pathpal's padded rods confirm correct plane angle instead. This gives the golfer a checkable reference at every stage of the swing rather than just at the top or at impact.
How do I set up the pathpal for this drill?
Separate the pathpal into its two halves. Set the rear half to 70 degrees for the backswing plane reference and the front half to 75 degrees for the follow-through plane reference. Thread an alignment rod through the base channel to create the straight-line baseline — the orange line that serves as the constant pointing reference. The two angled rods and the baseline together define the complete three-dimensional plane track from takeaway through finish.
Why does practicing with the club upside down help?
David specifically recommends starting with the club inverted — grip end toward the ball — as an introductory feel exercise. With the club upside down, it's easier to see and feel the pointing relationship to the baseline without the weight and momentum of the clubhead creating compensating movements. The inverted version also naturally slows the drill down, allowing the three-dimensional plane awareness to register and consolidate before adding the complexity of normal club orientation and ball striking.
What swing faults does this drill directly fix?
The drill primarily corrects a laid-off club position at the top combined with a bowed lead wrist — the fault David identifies in his student before and after. When the club is laid off, the face is closed and the plane has broken down from its correct arc. The pointing rule prevents this by requiring the butt end to track back to the orange line during the climb — which keeps the club on the correct plane angle and maintains a flat rather than bowed lead wrist.
Do I need both halves of the pathpal for this drill?
Yes — the split-half modular design is specifically what makes this drill possible. The rear half at 70 degrees defines the backswing plane and the front half at 75 degrees defines the follow-through plane. You also need an alignment rod through the base channel to create the orange baseline reference. The combination of the dual angles and the baseline is what gives every stage of the swing a checkable reference point.
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