[Daryl]

It's no wonder many TGMers think the hands are moving downward at impact what with all the emphasis on DOWN DOWN DOWN - all the way to China! But the hand path bottoms out well before impact with the club head still lagging behind

You've got the club head correct - REALLY.

However, no "capisce" on the hands. Go to pg 193, fig 10-19-A and look at the hand path for Hitting and Drive Loading - it's curving upward. It's the same for Swinging and any loading or release type. If the hands are moving downward at impact, the club head will have beaten the hands to the ball from the line of sight perspective, and you will have complete lag loss and compression-less impact.

You're trying to not understand. I don't know why unless you have a chip on your shoulder? TGM'ers are nice people.

I Said:

The Hands will reach their Closest point to the ground when they're below the Left Shoulder (related to the Ground) but Geometrically its Located when the Right Arm is Fully Straight (Full Extension). So, the Hands Travel Down-Plane until Full Extension regardless of their distance from the Ground. The Hands travel Down-Plane while the Right Elbow is Straightening and Up-Plane while the Left Arm is Folding. Don't confuse "Down-Plane" with the Ground you're standing on, that's "Golf Channel" stuff and stuff you find in golf books for public consumption and by Golf instructors trying to make a living (not all). The Clubhead, Ball and Hands don't know about the Ground and they don't care. They are ruled by Orbit and Low-Point.

Maybe you don't understand the difference between traveling "Down plane" and traveling "Toward the Ground". It will help you understand if you stop thinking that moving toward the ground is "Down plane" and moving away from the ground is "Up Plane".

3-F-7-E ..... The correct concept of an “On Plane” procedure is driving the Club – not “a little downward and a little outward” – but “Down Plane”. Down Plane to full extension per 2-C-0 and 2-L#2. Also study 2-F, 2-N and 2-P.

I'll try to help:

The Clubhead travels an Orbit and at some point on the Orbit the Leading Edge of the Clubface is Square to the Target Line, the Shaft at its correct Lie Angle and within a Plane perpendicular to the Target Line. This is called Low-Point Geometry and it is an Alignment, and not a specific Location until you designate one.

Imagine the Circle (Orbit) on a Horizontal Plane (see illustration below). Imagine Swinging on a Horizontal Plane and you strike the ball when the Clubshaft is at Right Angles to the Target Line. The Clubhead keeps traveling Down Plane. When does Down Plane stop and Up Plane begin?

Traveling Forward is Down Plane. "Capisce"

2-C-0 LINEAR FORCE ... Your main lines of defense are the Flat Left Wrist, Hinge Action and a Three Dimensional Downstroke – that is DOWNward (Attack Angle) AND OUTward (Plane Angle) AND FORward (Approach Angle) per 2-C-1#2A/B. Study 2-H, 2-N and 7-3.