The Plane! The Plane!

Story By The Maltese Cat

Polo, as in other sports in which you hit a ball, requires you to hit upon a geometric plane. If you already play golf or tennis, you have experienced this phenomenon. It may also be hampering your polo swing.

In tennis, the path of your racquet follows a plane that is more horizontal than in golf or polo. In golf, the path of your swing will be heading downward as you reach down to the ground for the ball.
In´polo, the path of your swing should be pretty much 90° vertical. In actuality, it will not be precisely vertical. Notice the angle created by the mallethead to the cane and you will see that this is not 90°. You should, however, think of hitting on as vertical a plane as you can. The more you reach out for a shot, the less effective the shot will be.
If you are having problems with your shots, it would be good to think of hitting on a vertical plane. As Tatoo reminded us each week on Fantasy Island, your hitting will improve if you remember, “The Plane! The Plane!”

Another way to improve your hitting and stop yourself from trying too hard is the following: When you want to hit for distance, DON’T.
Don’t try for DISTANCE. Instead, just concentrate on the ball and hitting the ball properly. Don’t look up to see where the ball is supposed to go. Keep focused on the ball. This will keep your head and your torso down longer on the ball. You will be surprised how much better you will hit. And when you hit better, you will hit farther.