Here are three things you likely didn’t know about the takeaway, but if you work on these, they can make a massive difference to your golf game and actually get you to hit it a lot better. Let’s dive into these game-changing insights!
Get Moving Early
Most golfers don’t realize that the pressure from your feet in the golf swing happens incredibly early. When you set up, your pressure starts centered, moves to your trail leg in the backswing, and then shifts to your lead leg as you swing through. The key takeaway here is that the maximum pressure on your trail leg occurs very early.
By the time you reach this position in your swing, you should have already shifted most of the pressure to your trail leg. Any delay means you’re playing catch-up, which often leads to drifting or moving your head off the ball.
Here’s a drill to help with this: Start without a ball. Take your normal setup, move your trail leg closer to your lead leg, and set the club about 60 degrees in front. As you step into your normal address position, focus on stamping down with your right foot, moving your whole body, not just your foot. This movement should feel like you’re engaging your body early, getting the pressures moving sooner.
Club Face Control
Another misunderstood aspect is the club face angle in the takeaway. Many golfers obsess over whether the club face is vertical, toed down, or at a 45-degree angle. The truth? It doesn’t matter as much as you think.
When your body rotates, the club face naturally aligns with your body angle. However, as your arms start to fold during the backswing, the club face angle changes. If you fold your arms slightly sooner, the club face may appear more toed up, but this doesn’t mean it’s open or rolled inside.
Instead of getting stuck on exact angles, aim for a club face that matches your body angle, vertical, or somewhere in between. This understanding can ease the stress over club face positions.
Speed Up Your Takeaway
Finally, your takeaway doesn’t need to be smooth and slow. In fact, focusing too much on a low, slow, smooth takeaway can lead to issues. It often results in a lack of pressure movement and energy creation, giving a false sense of control.
Look at top players, especially with drivers. There’s often aggression in the first movement away, with noticeable bend in the driver shaft due to the force. Take someone like Rory McIlroy; his aggressive move away is all about shifting pressure effectively.
If your style is fast and aggressive, embrace it. It helps start from the ground up, infuses energy early, and aids in sequencing and timing. Forget the old drill of rolling a ball slowly behind the one you’re hitting. Instead, focus on infusing energy into your swing.
Let’s transform your golf game by embracing these takeaway moves. Remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s about understanding and applying these insights to see real improvements on the course.
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