Full swing takeaway....

[bigvivec]

I've been taking lessons and was wondering your opinion of hand action in the takeaway...


When making a full swing takeaway, do you teach that the hands should actively be doing anything? What part of the body should power the takeaway? Is it a push with the left shoulder, a pull with the right hand, both hands working together and starting first allowing the body to follow? If you would be so kind, could you outline the procedure you teach for takeaway, which parts should start before which parts, what the associated feels are and what the body down to the footwork should be doing in the process?


It's a big one...thanks again for your time...
BV

 

[amollerud]

Another great question. To get the arms, hands and club head in the best positions during the takeaway I teach the 1 piece or core takeaway. Meaning I want you taking the club back with the big muscles trying to keep the arms staight as you move the club back.

The best way that I have to give you that feeling is...Place an impact bag (if you don't have 1 a shoe box with something in it for weight or a piece of 2x4) about 3 inches behind your club head at address. Now as you take the club back I want you to push the bag straight back until you loose contact with it. This should feel like you are pushing it away with the back and shoulders. I hope this helps and let me know if there is more that I can do to help.

 

[bigvivec]

Alright…I’m standing here in my living room with an 8 iron trying what you said…I like the feel…I like it a lot…have no idea how the ball is going to respond but it feels really good and connected…a smidge easier on timing and the initial routing and rhythm, the swing seems a little more in control than with my usual swing…going to the course in the morning and will see how it plays out…

Just for the record, the pro that I’m working with has me taking the club back with the middle two fingers of the right hand…hands first and then the body follows…this was a different feel than what I used to do, and it’s been working out pretty good but I felt like a little something was missing; it seemed like on some swings that I’d route the club differently and I have doubts about depending on the hands to lead the takeaway especially later in the round when I’m not as fresh; smaller muscles being less stable and all that…it just feels a little loose in the wrong places; I like that looseness though transition though, just on some swings I get off track before getting to the top so this might address that…the new swing that I’m working on with the pro is playing out well, my GIR % is better than I had been doing prior to starting in with the new swing with my pro… but honestly, I feel like the swing is close but missing something and I’m just not knocking the ball like I think I ought to from the positions I was in…so the question is nit-picky in that I’m playing near the best golf of my life but I know that it could be better if that makes sense…

This takeaway is a subtle difference and I’m going to try a blend of the two techniques with emphasis on the one piece flowing into the hands…it’s only the living room but it seems to be a touch more stable which is what I was looking for and hopefully will hold up deeper into the round…I’ll post again with the results though it will take a little time to incorporate I imagine…thanks again for the help!

 

[amollerud]

That sounds like a great plan to me. Keep me in the loop and let me know how things are going for you.