Single Plane Golf Swing

Be Different

August 2, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By: Tim Graves, PGA

We have discussed this before, but I am constantly reminded and want to bring up again and again and again when I watch “typical” golfers practice at local ranges and golf courses…. the importance of being DIFFERENT than the typical/average golfer.

First – want to remind you of a few stats.

1. The average male golfer shots a 97, female average is 107.
I assume everyone wants to be different than this – wants to shoot better scores….

2. Less than 20% of golfers get some type of “formalized” instruction, whether a lesson, clinic or school. And 75% of these 20% are ladies or juniors.
Meaning – most golfers are trying to improve on their own.

3. Of all golfers who purchase video type instruction, less than 10% ever watch the video(s). (Not just true for golfers, but video instruction in general.)

4. A very small percent (unknown exact percent) have a particular “model” they follow in their golf instruction.
Meaning – a majority of golfers are GUESSING when they are trying to improve.

5. Fifty percent of golfers who practice will get no better, 40% will get worse.
Meaning – only 10% of golfers who practice will improve. 90% will see no improvement or make themselves worse.
Meaning – a high majority of golfers have no idea how to practice.

6. The typical golfer spends 95% of their time practicing their long game, and less than 5% of their time practicing their short game.

If you ask me, I want to be different than the “average” golfer listed above and want to make sure every time I practice I am getting better – EVERY TIME!!

So – What do we need to do to be different?

1. Have a model you study, have a model you practice.

Hopefully every one of you is dedicated to the Moe Norman Single Plane theory. That is a BIG start…. being dedicated to this system – you are starting to be different than most golfers who are guessing on trying to improve.

The model/theory can be studied/learned by watching our Single Plane Solution instruction.

(And be one of the ten “percenters” – actually watch the Instruction – LEARN something, study the model, get a good picture in your head what you are working on/towards.)

Understand and learn (everything can be found in the single plane solution) the:

Grip
Single Plane Address Position
The Pivot Point™
The Mid-Spine Intersect™
The Seven Positions and Movements of the Single Plane Golf Swing
The Transition Moe – Moe’s Vertical Drop

2. Work on positions in the swing, short game, etc… Don’t guess on what you are working on.

Many times, if not most of the time, working on these positions can and should be done with drills that don’t involve hitting golf balls.

Learn / study the following:

How Moe addressed the ball and why a bad foundation causes inconsistency and poor ball-striking.
How to feel and master the perfect address position.
How to learn the ideal positions the golf swing.
How to make the proper swing positions with the PVC Drill.
How to know what ideal positions feel like with a golf club.
How to work on the proper lower body, leg and knee movement during the swing.
How to feel the proper shoulder and club plane.
The importance of proper spine positioning.

3. Every time you practice – make sure you are practicing CORRECTLY.

As stated above, 90% of golfers when they practice, get no better or make themselves worse. Do not be in the 90%.

When you practice – use training aids, check your practice with these training aids and check positions of the training aids.

These training aids include the Alignment and Ball Position Trainer, Grip Training Club, Leverage Bag, Short Game Trainer, and a few others.

4. Set Goals for Yourself

I would guess that less than 1% of golfers have ever sat down and listed a set of goals for themselves and their golf game. You might think this is only for the good / great players – UNTRUE. It is/should be for everyone.

Maybe you’ve never broken 100 – write down that goal and then list how you are going to do it. Write down 5 or 10 things that will help you reach that goal. Maybe working on your short game more, maybe working on a certain fundamental flaw you have, etc. etc… Maybe just practicing a little more during the week on CORRECT fundamentals … write down how you think you can reach these goal(s). Try and make a plan for yourself.

5. Actually practice your short game.

Practice your putting, chipping and your pitching.

70% of your scoring occurs within 100 yards of the green. But a majority of golfers spend less than 5% of their time practicing this part of their game…. If you want to improve, you MUST spend time practicing the scoring part of the game.

Remember my saying – “I have never seen a good player with a bad short game, and I have never seen a bad player with a good short game.”

Long story made short… (as they say) – Please, please, please be different than the “typical” golfer. And that is a REALLY good thing. If there is anytime you want someone to think you are “different” – it is in your golf game.

“Different” golfers are in the 10% group, “different” golfers have a plan, “different” golfers know how to practice, “different” golfers will get better every time they practice, “different” golfers know they are getting better – they have a plan, “different” golfers actually practice their short game.

So, I am telling you to be DIFFERENT when it comes to golf…. and yes, that is a VERY good thing.

Remember – Always Practice with a Purpose

Give Yourself the Best Chance

August 2, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Hello Everyone, I thought I’d write a little about wedges, spin and the importance of having a good wedge game.

First – as most of you have read from me before – the wedge game is a CRITICAL part of the golf game. When I am talking about wedges, I am basically talking about anything inside 100 yards for most. (For some will be a little further, for some a little shorter). This is a part/large part of the “scoring” part of the game.

Second – Again – as most of you have heard me say before – no one should have an advantage over you in this part of the game. Meaning – it is not a strength issue, but rather a practice/technique, etc… issue. In other words, you can have a GREAT wedge game as long as you work on it properly and have the proper equipment to give you the best chance.

Third – You need to make sure your equipment allows you to maximize your wedge game. As I have come to find out, it seems a majority of golfers don’t understand wedges, how they can work for them and how to use them…

So, let’s talk about wedges and hopefully working with your equipment can help improve your game, or at least, give you the best chance to score your best.

I believe you should carry the maximum amount of wedges “your bag” will let you carry. Meaning – as you can only carry 14 clubs – I would recommend carrying at least 4 wedges (including your pitching wedge). If possible, carry 5. (Pitching, Attack, Gap, Sand and Lob). Reason – the more wedges you carry the better your yardages will be between the wedges. In other words, you will less gap in yardages between the wedges the more you carry.
Different wedges are made to use for different shots. Let’s talk about the sand wedge first (typically 54 to 56 degrees).
Most sand wedges have at least 10 degrees of bounce or more and a S or C type Grind on the wedge. The Bounce is the angle on the sole from the back of the club to the front. Every club in your bag has a little bounce, the sand wedge has increased bounce (typically 2 to 3 times as much) to help you keep the club from digging in the sand (soft surface) too much. Meaning, it is a very good bunker/sand or medium to high grass club, but not so good at hitting short shots from “tight” (minimal grass) or hard lies. The added bounce on the club will make the club skip/bounce on hard ground and will cause blade/thin type shots. Most see this when hitting chips/or shot shots off of tight lies. It is not recommending to chip or pitch with a sand wedge from tight/hard lies. The grind on the club allows for the club to be played in many different situations including tight lies, rough, high rough, bunker, etc..
The lob wedge (typically 58* +) is a great wedge for high pitch/lob type shots. Reason – appropriate bounce, added loft and typically a little “wider” sole. Most lob wedges have a slightly wider sole which will help the lob wedge slide across the ground and get more weight on the ball to help get the ball up fast. The bounce should be at least 10* and it must have a C type grind on the sole which will keep the leading edge of the club down when pitching from tight lies.
It is recommending to have steel shafts in your wedges (sand and lob and sometimes Attack and Gap). Reason – you want the added weight in the clubs. These clubs are the shortest clubs in the bag (besides putter) and are often hit with 1/2 shots, out of rough, out of sand, etc. etc… The added weight is a big advantage when hitting the clubs in these situations. Makes it easier to hit out of rough, sand, etc. Don’t have to swing so hard, club head will get through grass, sand much easier with added weight. Graphite is a great material to protect the body when the club is being swung fast and allows you to hit the club further. No needed with the wedges – wedges are “control” type clubs – the added weight in steel is STRONGLY recommended in the wedges.

Last – let’s talk about spin. We all want to create spin on our wedges. Without spin, it is very difficult to get the ball close to the hole. Most won’t be able to create spin to stop the ball completely, but everyone can and should create spin to slow the ball down which helps get it close to the hole.

The primary variables of spin are angle of attack/speed, club type, and ball type. The more speed, the more spin you can create. The softer (or more layers) the golf ball, the more spin you will create. Finally, the softer the metal of the club, the more spin you will/can create.

Another important variable and the one of improved grooves on the wedges. The most updated and improved grooves in wedges are in the new Callaway Opus Wedge. The New Opus SP Wedges feature: Spin Gen Face Technology which provides spin and control in your wedges by combining 3 key elements on the face; an all-new tighter pitch which puts more grooves on the face, offset groove-in-groove for spin when opening the face, and a new aggressive face blast providing spin and bite on partial shots. These three elements work in conjunction to provide a crisp, tour level spin.

To make a “long story short” it is recommending everyone carry wedges that give them their best advantage in their scoring part of the game.

The recommended wedges are those that are a “forged” (soft metal) type, steel shafted, with the best / most updated grooves (maximum spin grooves).

If you have any additional questions about the wedges, groove rules, etc… please don’t hesitate to give us a call or email anytime.

If you would like to order new/additional wedges give us a call. All wedges need to be custom built to the golfer’s specifications – absolutely critical to have a proper fit.

To see more about the recommended wedges: CLICK HERE

Remember – Always Practice with a Purpose.

Also, Remember – A little improvement every time you practice adds up to a lot of improvement over time.

Small Adjustments

July 19, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By: Paul Monahan, Graves Golf Mental Game Coach

Sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it.

I had a chance to spend a couple great days at the Graves Golf Academy HQ in in Edmond, OK recently. It was a great visit…full of great interactions, creative ideas, stepping outside of my comfort zone, learning from the great team at GGA, and there was even time for a little golf with Tim.

Based on feedback and interest from the GGA community, we are planning some very exciting playing schools next year focused on helping our students to tune-up their on-course mental game. ( I am looking forward to sharing the dates for those very special schools with you in the coming weeks.)

And yes, my visit with the Graves Team was inspirational. But something happened at the very end of my trip that made my trip even more so…and I just had to share it:

I ended my second day with Tim, Todd, Chandler, Shannon, Blade…et al, and headed to the airport late in the afternoon. Because I had stayed as long as I possibly could at Rose Creek Golf Club, I had barely enough time to make my flight.

The first order of business was to drop my rental car off at the Will Rogers World Airport and hop onto the shuttle that would deliver me to the main terminal.

As I approached the shuttle bus a guy greeted me cheerfully and offered to put my golf clubs onto the bus. I noticed his name tag…so I said: “Thanks Marty.” And he said…with a big smile and lots of great energy: “Thanks for calling me Marty.”

Marty was the shuttle bus driver. When all the passengers had boarded the bus, Marty took his seat behind the wheel and we headed to the airport. Then he picked up the microphone and began making what sounded like a pretty-routine courtesy announcement.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Marty and I will be taking you on the four-minute ride over to the main terminal here at Will Rogers World Airport. I hope that you enjoyed your stay in the Oklahoma City area.”

I was only sort-of listening. But, then it got interesting…

“And if I may, I would like you to consider this…”

Uh-oh, I thought. Where is this guy going with this…?

“In a few minutes, you will be on an airplane headed to your destination. As the pilot points the plane down the runway and throttles-up the engines, he will make lots of very small adjustments to the engine, wings and other control surfaces so that you will soon be soaring high in the sky.”

Small adjustments in your game can make you soar.

And then he went on…

“I invite you to consider that life is like that as well. If you commit to making small adjustments every day in your own life, you too can set yourself up to soar. To achieve all you want to. To be who you want to be. And to create the life you want.”

Woah. I thought to myself: who is this guy!!??

He was articulate, polite, happy, and positive. His message was simple, thoughtful, and expertly-delivered. And he inspired me to pause and think. (Not who I expected to be driving that shuttle bus!)

It struck me that much of what I talk about with my performance clients can be thought of in exactly the same way he had described.

Small adjustments made often over time leads to profound changes. (Or as Marty would say…allows you to SOAR)

It’s the same message you have heard from Todd, Tim and others when it comes to skill development in the Single Plane Swing arena: Start slow. Feel position one. Then Feel position two. Learn what proper rotation onto your trail leg feels like. Ask for feedback on ONE thing. Then another. …etc.

Small adjustments made often over time leads to profound changes.

And it’s the same message that I offer with respect to building a more productive mental game. Learn to be a little more aware of your thoughts today. Then a little more aware tomorrow. Learn the language of Performance Energy. Then learn how to see how Performance Energy shows up for you on the course. Notice how it impacts your ability to hit the shots you desire…or how it prevents you from playing your best. …etc.

Small adjustments made often over time lead to profound changes.

We all get impatient sometimes…and it’s easy to fall into the trap of needing BIG change NOW.

But that’s not always possible. (Or advisable)

Part of Marty’s message is to say this: take the pressure off of yourself to FIX this week what you want to – in your swing mechanics OR your mental game skills – and just get on a path to mastery.

Commit to making small changes over a long period of time. And TRUST that you will create the change you are interested in. That’s how you improve your swing mechanics. And that’s how you raise your consciousness and performance energy (read mental game!) on the course.

So the next time you happen to be at the Oklahoma City Airport rental car facility, be sure to look for Marty driving your shuttle bus…and LISTEN carefully to his advice!

Have a great week!

-Paul

PS…What do you want to create in your life and your golf game? And what small adjustments are you willing to commit to making today, this week, this month?

Paul Monahan, PCC is a Peak-Performance coach, member of the International Coach Federation and a certified COR.E Performance Dynamics (TM) Specialist, and a member of the Graves Golf Academy staff, specializing in the mental game. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Paula and is the proud dad to three young men.

The 4 Cs of a Great Short Game

July 19, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By: Tim Graves, PGA

During all short game schools we discuss many principles and philosophies of the short game, such as the 4 Cs of the short game.

Wanted to remind everyone about my 4 Cs of a GREAT Short Game. These are/will be covered “in depth” during our short game school and covered in all different areas (putting, chipping, pitching, bunker, specialty shots… especially those specialty short game shots).

In our schools, camps, and clinics (and pretty much anytime you’re around me), you will continually hear how important the short game is for scoring. In this article, I’m going to compare the long game vs. short game then give you my 4 Cs that you must follow to have a great short game.

First, you must be convinced that the short game is the most important part of scoring. Here are a couple facts about the short game.

Fact: The difference between a 30 handicap golfer and a scratch golfer (0 handicaps) is associated with 7 to 10 shots in the long game (shots over 50 yards) and 20 to 23 shots in the short game (shots under 50 yards). Meaning, if you are a 30 handicap golfer and only work on your long game you will only improve 7 to 10 shots toward scratch golf. The best you will ever reach is a 20 handicap. The difference between a 15 handicap golfer and the scratch golfer is associated with 3 to 5 shots in the long game, and 10 to 12 shots in the short game. In other words, if you are a 15 handicap golfer wanting to reach scratch, if you only work on the long game, you will basically never improve beyond a 10 handicap.

Fact: No professional (or scratch golfer) has an advantage in their short game over yours. In other words, the short game is not associated with strength, working out or athletic ability. It is a part of the game that is associated with practicing the correct fundamentals and putting those fundamentals into play at the right time. Ever notice how many young players (talking about 10, 11, 12-year-old juniors) have a great short game. In fact, many compare to the professional’s short games. Don’t you wonder how someone who is 75 pounds soaking wet can compete with the best players in the world? This shows it is not strength, but rather what matters are things like finesse and feel. This is what I call the 4 Cs to the short game: Creativity, Confidence, Commitment, and Critique.

4 Cs

CREATIVITY: The first thing you must do when confronted with a short game shot (pitch, chip, etc.) is to create the shot. Part of the teaching we give our students during their short game instruction is to pick a shot around the green and ask the group to name 5 different ways to play the shot. Most of the time the group is able to name 2 or 3, but almost never 5. An example would be a shot that is 20 to 25 yards off the green with minimal rough between the ball and the hole.

You could:

Pitch the shot to the hole,
Chip the shot into the fringe around the green and roll to the hole,
Putt through the entire rough and fringe,
Hit a flop shot all the way to the hole, or
Hit a 3 wood chip that will have moreover spin and roll to the hole???

The point here is you need to be creative over the shot. I like to call it the “artistic” part of the game.

A good rule of thumb: “Putt when you can, Chip when you can’t putt, Pitch when you have too…” (Aka – the “PCP Rule” – refer to past articles on the PCP Rule). Yes, this is a very basic “rule”, but a good one to fall back on.

COMMITMENT: Once you have created the shot, you must commit to the shot that is the lowest risk for error FOR YOU. If you have a good pitch shot and feel it is the most likely to get the ball close to the hole with the least room for error, hit the pitch shot. Many will feel the chip from the fringe or even the putt will be their lowest risk shot. DON’T think you have to hit a shot in a particular manner because the pros on TV hit it that way, but rather execute the shot YOU feel you can hit with the most confidence.

CONFIDENCE: So now that you have created and committed to the shot, you must play the shot with confidence. This means that if you have chosen to chip the shot, tell yourself you will chip it close, pick your spot you want to hit, use good fundamentals, and with 100% confidence, hit the shot. If you don’t feel confident over the shot, BACK OFF and commit to something different or swing a couple practice swings/chips until you have gained the confidence back. The last of the 4 Cs are:

CRITIQUE: You must critique your short game shots after you have executed them. This is not to say, “I can’t hit a particular shot”, but rather “I had 4 chip and run shots today and only hit 1 good. Therefore, I need to put more practice in the chip and run shot”. Look back at each shot and determine if you need more practice in that area. Here’s a question you can ask yourself and see how well you currently critique your short game: How many of you practice chipping short of the green (maybe into the fringe) and then roll the ball onto the green close to the hole or how many of you when practicing putting, putt balls from off the green (from the fringe or low rough) to the green? I believe that these are the shots that, after you critique your short game, will probably be the shots that need the most practice.

Finally, I believe that EVERYONE can have a GREAT short game. In fact, everyone can have a short game that is as good or better than any professional. But, to get this GREAT short game, you must first learn the proper fundamentals and practice these fundamentals. Then you can use the 4 Cs – Creativity, Commitment, and Confidence and then Critique to bring that short game to the course.

Good Luck and Remember – ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE!

Playfullness

June 14, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By Paul Monahan, Graves Golf Mental Game Coach

The reflection below is Chapter 2 from my book: The Most Important Game: Play Better. Struggle Less. Enjoy More.

I thought I’d spiral back to it now as more and more golfers – especially in the more northern climates – begin to step back into regular practice and play.

I love this chapter for a couple reasons. First, it is a simple story reminding us to reconnect with the joy and playfulness we brought to our experiences when we were kids. Second, two terrific characters are involved. Tom Lagos was a fellow Ohioan who attended many GGA schools over the years and was a joy to golf with. Sadly, he passed away a year or so after this article was published. Gary Gustafson—another perennial GGA 5-Day school guy—has a great attitude and an incredible work ethic.

Playfulness

Recently, I heard a celebrity speaking about golfing with his buddies. He mentioned one person in his circle of golf friends whom he particularly admired because of the playfulness the person brought to the course.

The celebrity said his buddies wished they could be more playful, especially on the golf course. He said that the guy he admired almost always played well, seemingly without a lot of effort.

Playfulness is one of those things that eludes most adults.

If you think about it, it’s not anyone’s fault; it’s a product of the society and culture in which we grew up, which rewards serious, adult-like, responsible behavior.

But studies show that the more we can tap into our childlike playfulness, the better we perform—particularly when it comes to skills-based, physical endeavors.

Last spring, Tim Graves invited me to teach at a 5-Day Build Your Game Alumni Camp in Orlando. If you ever get a chance to visit a 5-day camp, do it. The camps offer a fantastic experience. Teaching at one of the camps allowed me to teach performance mindset concepts to the attendees and work on my Single Plane Swing.

Among the many fantastic learning dynamics Todd and Tim create in the 5-day camps are live scenarios designed to replicate competitive situations and related pressure we may encounter in our weekly games at home.

One of the scenarios is a bracketed putting contest called “21” that lasts from Wednesday to Friday. The winner earns lots of cool swag and bragging rights for a whole year.

I played in the contest that week, facing the eventual winner in the semi-final round, the virtual putting buzzsaw, Gary Gustafson.

After an incredible hour-long quarterfinal match against Tom Lagos, an excellent competitor, Gary crushed me, 25–2 in about fifteen minutes!

After our match, I asked him about the secret to such a fantastic performance. Gary shared that, while watching the game between Tom and me, he noticed a five-year-old boy putting on the other end of the practice green. The boy was with his mom, goofing around on the putting green. We had seen him, too. He was a pretty cute kid and a tremendous little putter!

Gary noticed two things about the boy’s putting. First, he was putting remarkably well for his age, and second, he was putting rather quickly.

Gary equated the boy’s speed with playfulness. In other words, the boy didn’t overthink each putt. Gary noticed the boy’s joy and ease each time he stepped up to the ball, took a look at the hole, and pulled the trigger.

So, Gary approached his upcoming match in a spirit of playfulness akin to the little boy’s. He stepped into his putts carefully and deliberately, trusted his line, and pulled the trigger, resisting the urge to overthink the setup.

Man, did his strategy work. His putting was amazing!

Throughout our (very short) match, Gary made a bunch of long putts and plenty of shorter ones. When he wasn’t making putts, he came super close, so he picked up points. His strategy was impressive. I had a pretty good seat for that show.

I think Gary’s approach is a good lesson for all of us, regardless of the level of competition or the situation. The strategy is good whether playing golf, in critical leadership moments or negotiating a sale.

We nearly always perform better when we trust our ability to do the thing and step into it without much overthinking. Todd Graves calls it “playing empty.”

While multiple dynamics determine success in a skills-based performance such as golf, a spirit of fun and playfulness goes a long way to enhance one’s performance.

So, try this the next round you play or the next time you practice. Be intentional about not overthinking. Adopt a playful mindset and step into your shots.

Play the game. Have fun. Don’t overthink it.

There’s a reason we call it playing golf, right?

Paul Monahan, an author, speaker and Peak-Performance coach. He recently published: The Most Important Game. Play Better. Struggle Less. Enjoy More … a collection of essays designed to inspire fresh thinking and more fun playing the game you love. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Paula and is the proud dad to three young men.

Take Off Your Watch – Tips for Improving

June 14, 2026 by Tim Graves PGA

By Tim Graves, PGA

Wanted to go over a few suggestions to help you practice more efficiently and effectively.

(Excerpts taken from the Talent Code by Dan Coyle)

Take Off Your Watch

Practice (Deep Practice) should not be measured in minutes or hours, but in the number of high-quality repetitions you make.

Instead of counting minutes or hours, count the number of “perfect” repetitions you make (drills you perform).

Example – instead of planning on hitting golf balls for an hours, plan on making 25 quality swing with each club.

Ignore the clock and get to your sweet spot zone, even if it’s only for a few minutes, and measure your progress by what counts – number of times doing drill correct or number of correct repetitions.

2. Break Every Move (Golf Swing) Down Into Chunks

Every skill/habit is built out of smaller pieces – what scientists call chunks.

Chunks are to skill what letters of the alphabet are to language. Individually, don’t mean much, put together forms sentences, paragraphs, etc…

To begin “chunking”, first engrave the blueprint of the skill on your mind – then ask yourself:

1. What is the smallest single element of this skill I can master/or in the golf swing, what is the most important element I need to learn.

– The Grip

2. Practice one chunk by itself until you’ve mastered it, then connect more chunks, one by one. Second “chunk” of the golf swing –

– The Set Up

3. No matter what skill you set out to learn, the pattern is always the same. See the whole thing. Break it down to its simplest elements. Put it back together, repeat.

Next chunks:

– The Backswing

– Top of swing/Transition

– The Downswing

– Leverage

– Impact

– Release

Work on each “chunk” individually – one at a time. Working to master/perfect before going on or working on another. This will save you a lot of time and frustration in the “long run” …

Remember as stated many times – learning the golf swing/making changes is NOT a sprint, but rather a marathon. And if treated that way, your changes/new habits you create, will be there for the “long run”.

Watch upcoming newsletters for additional practice tips for improvement.

Questions or comments please email Tim at timg@gravesgolf.com

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