Great discussion! And very timely for me....

I didn't realize I was already registered here - I went to register with a new name and found my email was already registered.

The name I was going to pick was "FinallyOnPlane"

Because I finally am - after 30 years of only thinking I was.

And to me - that's the bottom line with this whole weight shift thing and how to start the downswing. If you are not on plane going back and at the top (referring to mainly a one-plane swing here) you won't be able to just fire your shoulders and arms back to the ball and expect good results.

I used to think I was on plane - and I would get caught up in the lower-body weight shift (legs and hips) in an effort to generate power. Sometimes this worked - mostly it didn't. I'm now convinced that it only worked because I was feeling the right timing that day - but to think you can mimick that timing day in and day out is fooling yourself. Especially if you play 7,000 yard courses from the tips with narrow fairways (as I do).

Now All I focus on is staying on plane to the top in my one-plane swing. My problem was taking it too far inside - my right elbow would get too far away from my body and it would point behind me. Because my hands are good manipulators, my problem wasn't the slice - but the pull-hook. Same swing flaw - different manipulation of the hands through impact.

Now I take it back smoothly and keep my right elbow in closer to my body and make sure it is pointing down at the top (my right palm is pointing more at 45 degrees). This keeps my left wrist flat (which wasn't before due to the back-pointing right elbow.

Once at the top, I now find I don't have to worry about my weight shift at all!! 30 years of playing golf (peaked at a 6-7 handicap) - and I always conscioulsy thought of my weight shift. I still due now at times - but it's out of habit. When I'm on plane going back and at the top I automatically feel a slight 'setting' of the shifted weight back to my left side which allows my hips and lower body to stay more quiet before allowing my right side to fire away.

I'm hitting dead on target - and further than I was. All with less use of my lower body. It's still being used - but it's not thought about.

GoLow is right on here. Just my take