[EdZ]

The first step to understanding hinge action is to get the general 'picture' of what it is, then you can relate that to the body/arms/hands.

For starters - horizontal hinge

Go get a basketball/beach ball.

Put it in front of an open door, and then open/close the door to see how the door is 'open' as it contacts the ball, and 'square' (as it leaves). In this example, when the door is closed = separation.

In a golf motion, the door would keep moving through (if you have a door that does this, all the better)


That is the basic of a horizontal hinge.

The hard part for most people is relating that to the body, because we are talking about 'horizontal' to the ground, but are on the angled plane.

Hold your arm straight out at shoulder high and imagine it is the 'door'. That is basically the same as the door on this horizontal plane.

Notice, your left wrist STAYED VERTICAL TO THE GROUND

That is the key to understanding horizontal hinge on the inclined plane of a golf swing.

the hinge of the door is vertical to the ground, but your left wrist is swinging on an inclined plane, so to make it STAY vertical to the ground on the inclined plane, it must turn, and roll - again - relative to the ground the left wrist is still always vertical. the hinge is in the left shoulder

An angled hinge is perhaps easier to visualize, simply keeping the left wrist vertical to the inclined plane (image a roof). For that, there is no feel of turn or roll.

A vertical hinge - imagine a dog door - the hinge is in the left shoulder, so the left wrist must be manipulated to stay in that position back and through.