Angled hinge action is arguably the simplest of the hinge actions to perform. Whereas the vertical and horizontal versions require a “dual action” to keep the clubshaft on plane, angled hinge action does not. Here the hinge is orientated on your left shoulder at an angle between vertical and horizontal.

Horizontal hinge action keeps your flat left wrist on a horizontal plane, vertical hinge action keeps the flat left wrist on a vertical plane and angled hinge action keeps the flat left wrist perpendicular to the inclined plane you’re swinging the club on.(1) Put simply, the clubface will remain square to the circular path the clubhead takes. Because the clubface remains square to this inclined plane, it will be both closing and laying back, relative to the target line.

Angled hinge action is interesting because its properties change when you swing different clubs or even the same club on different planes. If you compare a driver to a lob wedge for example, you would naturally swing the driver on a “flatter” plane compared to the wedge, simply because the driver’s shaft is longer and you’re forced to stand further from the ball.(2)

Remembering the flat left wrist, and so the clubface, are always square to the swing plane, the swing plane’s “steepness”(3) has an effect on how much the clubface is closing and laying back. If your swing plane’s angle is 45˚ then the clubshaft would be on a plane that’s exactly between the horizontal plane (clubface closing only) and the vertical plane (laying back only). This means the clubface would, in equal measure, close and lay back. If the clubshaft is swung on a plane closer to the horizontal plane, the clubface would close more than it would lay back. Vice versa if the clubshaft is swung on a plane closer to the vertical plane, the clubface would lay back more than it would close.(4)