Chapter 2: The Core of This Swing Theory - "Perspective Theory"

1. A Brief Explanation of "Perspective Theory"

It is often said that Ben Hogan had a secret when it came to his swing.
He was known for being able to hit the most precise shots in golf history, over and over again, with almost no mistakes.
The "secret" refers to the key he must have discovered that made such accuracy possible.

The secret of my theory is what I call "Perspective Theory."
"Perspective" refers to the technique used in drawing to create a sense of depth, known as perspective drawing.
Having attended a design school and worked on drawing as part of my daily life, this concept is familiar to me, though it may not be a common term for most people. Another way to describe it is "linear perspective."

To put it simply, the idea is based on the principle that objects of the same size appear smaller when they are farther away and larger when they are closer.

For example, imagine two parallel lines. If these lines extend infinitely into the distance, their width will shrink infinitely until they converge into a single "point." When you extend lines outward from this point, they will all be parallel to the original two lines.

This kind of point (P) is used as a reference in drawing buildings and other objects through a technique called one-point perspective (see Figure 1).

Figure 1

Lines drawn from point (P) in Figure 1 are considered to be parallel.
The definition of parallel lines is that they maintain the same distance and never intersect.
However, in perspective drawing, these lines appear to converge as they approach point P (called the vanishing point).

2. An Example of "Perspective Theory" (Face Angle)

So, how does this perspective drawing method (or "Perspective Theory") relate to the golf swing? Let me explain with a simple example: the orientation of the clubface at address.

Typically, the clubface at address is square to the target line (perpendicular to the target direction), as shown by the blue line in Figure 2-B.
However, according to "Perspective Theory," the face is slightly open, as shown by the red line in Figure 2-A.

To avoid misunderstanding, "open" does not mean that it will visibly look open to others. To onlookers, it will still appear square.