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: 30 August 2011
Today's tip is based on some observations made by CharlieY, a frequent visitor to this site. In a comment he posted on the blog, Charlie wrote "I saw/heard something new to me at 1:53 on today's... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 29 August 2011
Last month, I did a daily tip titled The Proper Amount of Turn. As is often the case, this topic ignited a vigorous conversation on the blog that provided the entire Surge Nation, including me, with... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 28 August 2011
Today's tip was inspired by a comment from RogerfromKY during a discussion about my belief that "Good wrist action is no wrist action". Here's part of what he wrote: "All this wrist cock stuff I do... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 27 August 2011
Comments: 6
Over the last few months, I've noticed a small, but consistent, thread of comments from people who seem to be struggling with the concept of the Surge Swing as they transition from a rotational... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 26 August 2011
I was watching the Golf Channel during the PGA Championship a couple of weeks ago and something one of the commentators said really struck me. This former PGA Tour pro was discussing Jason Dufner's... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 25 August 2011
My chiropractor has been a student of mine for a long time; he's an excellent golfer and his handicap ranges between 1 and 3. And even though we are about the same height, he can usually smoke me... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 24 August 2011
A few days ago, I posted a tip titled "Good Wrist Action vs. Bad Wrist Action" that generated a lot of good comments back and forth among fellow Surgites. However, some students were still trying to... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 23 August 2011
I recently received a comment from Gary R., a 71 year old Surge Swinger, about his recent struggles with his new driver. He couldn't seem to stop slicing the ball every time he teed it up. Then he... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 21 August 2011
Today's tip is an answer to a question from Ray McLeod who played baseball for 17 years and finds that he still rotates his arms during a golf swing like he does when he swings a bat. He asks, "... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 20 August 2011
Comments: 5
We received a really good comment and question from a subscriber named Simply Golf the other day, the answer to which should help a number of you get a clear picture of what is considered proper... Read More