Takeaway question

[golftrainer]

Okay! I've got the "golf bug" which means 100% obsessive compulsive (24/7). I have some lofty goals, and am practicing2 hours a day and playing 2 rounds per week to hit these goals.

I'm a "feel" type student. I want to know what it's supposed to "feel" like. Make sense?

Okay...today I was hitting at the range with short irons. Not going very well, then I started focusing on my right shoulder going back nearly immediately in my takeaway and I started hitting it really well. I have a tendency to slide on both my backswing, and then of course have to slide and time my swing on the downswing.

Does this feeling of the right shoulder going back on the initial takeaway sound right?

I also roll my hands on the takeaway and was in combination of the above, really trying to quiet my hands, and just take them back, without any rolling feeling.

Appreciate any thoughts on this...and thanks as always

Mike

[GregJWillis]

Re: Takeaway question

Shoulders and core mid section all go back together, so you focusing in just the right shoulder is fine, because the other shoulder will have to rotate with it...unless you are doing something unusual to separate the shoulders (doubt it).

Arms rolling back is fine too. They don't want to be the only thing you concentrate on, because it eventually becomes too much and you will go off line quite a but when you get tired. Think of it as a natural combination with the turn back and the leading arm turning together. No one getting too ahead or extra actions.

I would suggest that the 2 hours practice a day is great if you do this with purpose, and not just go out and smash balls. Getting a good routine going before each shot is probably more important to better scoring then perfect mechanics. Practice the pre-shot for each type of shot (Driver, long iron, short irons, wedges, little chips and putting...especially putting). Make sure you spend time on putting drills and on 1 ball practice (going from each hole to hole) as if you were really playing. You will discover the drills allow you to forget about the mechanics and allow you to focus on the line/speed, and the routine will relax you to trust your instincts.

When you play, imagine you are on the range and going through your practice routines. Its easy to get caught up in the moment and dwell on the results, where on the range you don't take every shot to heart too badly...you have to adopt this attitude on the course, and also learn to take your practice more to heart and get more pressure applied to yourself so you can learn to deal with it as you need to on the course.

Take a look here where I go into this a bit more:
http://mysite.verizon.net/gregjwillis/Competition.htm

[golftrainer]

Re: Takeaway question

Thanks Greg!

I actually do take my time on each shot at the range. Didn't used to though.

I'll take a look at your site also.

Mike

[Timothy Slaught]

Re: Takeaway question

Hey Trainer:

Welcome to the "bug" club. Many on this site are afflicted with this rare and usually fatal illness.

Working on the takeaway is a very good idea. If you read some of Greg Willis' other instruction including the, now famous, right hand drill, you will see that there is a a very specific wrist action that can be either cultivated correctly or easily deystroyed at the crucial takeaway move.

Many have a tendency to roll the wrists open during the takeaway when in fact the wrists should be cocking up as the swing starts back. I like the suggestion of using the core and back muscles including the shoulders to start the swing. it makes it difficult to swing back too quickly if you use the large muscles to intitiate the club away from the ball. If you just use your hands and arms, the tendency is to snatch the club away which takes the swing out of synch. There should also be a shifting of weight to the right side (usuming you are a righty) but definitely not a sway. The right knee will prevent the sway or slide if you allow it to remain flexed and hold its' address position as you start back.

When the club is parallel to the ground in the backswing, it should be on plane and basically match a line running through your toe line. If you are swinging inside too much, you will see this because the club shaft would point behind this line. If you are correclty cocking the club up and not open, the clubface will roughly match the angle of your spine, slightly angled toward the ground at the parallel position.

The takeway sets up the chain reaction, good or bad for the rest of the swing. It's important to get it right.

Good luck.
Tim S

[Hobeze]

Re: Takeaway question

Every conventional PGA pro advocates the one piece take away where your hands and arms move in unison away from the body with the wrists naturally hinging to a 90 degree angle half way into the back swing followed by a full shoulder turn to complete the swing.

I was hitting balls on the range yesterday and I found that I generated far better 'ball then turf' contact with my irons if i focused on the sensation of an early wrist cock.

Its interesting because if you compare Tiger Woods / Greg Norman swing compared to David Duval there are obvious differences in the take away. Norman and Woods have a very wide arm with no wrist beak until near the top of the swing. Duval in contrast has an early wrist break which seems to give him a very strong wind up early on in the swing.

I always remember a lesson i got several years ago, the pro said 'when you grip a club there is a natural triangle formed between your arms and the club. He Said grip the club lightly and just focus on swinging the triangle. If your grip pressure is light enough your wrists will cock and uncock naturally through out the swing. I always kept this feeling and it is easy to reproduce.