One of the most overlooked parts of the golf swing is where the entire motion begins.
Most amateur golfers work tirelessly on the perfect downswing. Typically, they spend hours training their body to stop coming over the top to prevent the big slice, but all of that is futile unless you put yourself in the correct position at the top of the swing.
Working on your takeaway will make every other part of your swing easier. Once you can consistently position your club at the apex, bringing it down will become second nature, allowing for a more consistent rhythm.
And who better to teach you how to do that than Tiger Woods’ former coach, Butch Harmon? He’s coached the likes of Woods and Phil Mickelson in their primes, and he’s got loads of priceless golf tips for amateur golfers to learn from.
Butch Harmon taught amateurs how to perfect the takeaway in their golf swing
No one is better at putting complex swing thoughts into simple terms than Harmon, and he has some brilliant advice for taking the club away.
He explained: “A good takeaway is a takeaway that starts everything together. Club head moves followed by hands and arms, left shoulder. You don’t want to start the handle first. You don’t want to start the shoulders first. You want everything to move together.
How long should an 18 hole round of golf take?
“You’ve got your waggle, you’re ready to go. A lot of people like to think of this triangle formed by your left arm, your right arm, and your shoulders, and you move that triangle together. It’s a very good way to check your back swing to make sure you’re in a proper position.”
Keeping all parts of the body connected and bringing the club back in one motion is the key to a consistent takeaway. It’s a simple thing to do that can do wonders for your game!
Dustin Johnson says he works on the takeaway more than anything in his swing
It’s not just Harmon preaching the importance of the takeaway. Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson said he works on that part of his swing more than anything else.
Speaking to Golf Digest, he explained: “What I work on most in my game is my takeaway, whether it’s with a wedge or with a driver. You know, a bad takeaway is, I get real armsy, I go up and out, outside, get real lifty right off the get-go. A good takeaway is low, and down the line.”
That was during a wedge lesson, and it was the very first thing he mentioned, which stresses the importance of this part of the swing.
So if it’s important enough for Johnson to work on relentlessly, take Harmon’s advice on board!
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