A great golf swing starts long before impact. In fact, your takeaway – the first step you make in your swing – sets the foundation for everything that follows. By capturing this initial motion, you are more likely to keep the club on plan, maintain a stable clubface, and rotate your body in the correct sequence, which later translates into power and speed.
Christine Wang, currently fifth on the Epson Tour in Greens in Regulation percentage, knows this better than most. In a recent conversation about her iron game, Wang attributed much of her success on approach shots to the time she spent perfecting her takeaway.
Wang explained that at first she had a tendency to pivot too quickly during takeout. This caused her swing to flatten and move off-plane, making it difficult to maintain the proper tempo and sequence and square her clubface at impact.
‘It’s so much harder to line up your face if you don’t start straight [on plane] already,” she said.
To correct this mistake and get her swing back on plan, Wang turned to a simple but extremely effective drill that helped her refine this crucial part of her swing.
Takeaway exercise with two balls
You’ve probably seen the two-ball takeaway drill that Wang relies on to keep her swing on track. It’s simple and only requires a club and two golf balls:
Step 1: Create a ‘port’. Place one ball in your normal hitting position and the second a few inches behind it, leaving enough room for your club to move freely between them.
Step 2: Swing. Assume your normal stance and alignment and bring the club back slowly – halfway through or even to the top of your backswing. Your club head should push the second ball along the path of your swing.
This gives you immediate feedback on your takeaway meal. If the ball rolls straight back – or in a slight arc – you’re on the right track.
“It’s probably not going straight back, because your body is moving in an arc,” says Wang, “but as straight as possible.”
If the second ball rolls too far in (toward your body), it usually means you’re hinging too early or bringing the club in too far. If it barely moves, your takeaway may be too far out (away from your body).
As you practice, you should notice your takeaways improve. One important thing to remember: it’s actually the first two feet behind the second ball. There’s no need to accelerate through the ball or push it far from your body – focus on the path, not the distance.
Wang says that this exercise remains an important part of her practice sessions to this day. While she may not use it as often as she used to, she says it’s a great tool when her swing doesn’t feel right.
The drill not only helps identify takeaway problems, but also builds confidence and ensures your swing is on track before you even make contact with the ball.
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