Hi Paul,
Great tip, but raises a question. I try to take a one piece take-a-way but at some point it seems as if my right hand tries to take over and pulls the club more inside and then my swing is lost. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Mike
You have to take it back with your shoulders. The club should be able to get to 1/2 way back with zero arms. Just do it with your putter a few times. If you do a really long putting stoke it will get to halfway back with no arms every time. Then replace the putter with your 7 iron and you should have it. From halfway I want the momentum of the swinging club and loose wrists to get it to the top. If you have to lift it in position I am fine with that until you train yourself to hit the position. Once you get it then you turn the arms off completely and the club will go there on its own.
Paul,
Right on time! I was wrestling with the one verses two piece take away recently. I was able to developed some descent club head speed with the two piece (average low 90’s) but I knew it was not right based on the info you mentioned in your book. I was wondering what I was losing by not doing the one piece and this video explains it all. I will start working on the one piece this week.
Wade, That’s great that I could help. This is tricky. Once I turned the right hand off it all came together and I stopped pulling it to the inside. It is different but a good feeling once you stop using the arms. Just focus on the shoulders and you will be fine.
I don’t know how this got by me but it did. I started working the one piece awhile back and stop doing it for some unknown reason. Maybe the “wrists flick” was faster but then what’s the hurry with the back swing. Just recently using the one piece takeaway has me able to get more of a shoulder turn that is leading to more power. I still have a few things to working in terms of synchronization and timing but I now have something I can focus for a few weeks.
Wade, Exactly, this made all the difference in the world in my swing many years ago. You just get so much more power with this type of takeaway. Stick to it.
OK, I’ve been working on for a bit. The thing I hoping to get back is the slight hesitation I would have before I started the downswing. This would give me a lot lag but maybe I am not sure how to describe it. Maybe this will come in time thru repetitions.
That is it, thank you! The pause or hesitation feels like the club is floating or like zero gravity. It seems like I can hold the hinge longer when I do this but it may be an illlusion.
Hi Paul, nice tip. the problem of the one piece take away for me is that I have the sense of loosing control when I hinge the wrist . Doing that at the beginning helps in the sense of control. I usually do not have problems with distance so Im scared to practice this change. Im asking this because I have followed your advises and have dropped my handicap from 20 to 10, so Im a great believer!
Are there any other disadvantages of the two piece take away, other than the distance?
Jose, people often don’t understand or doubt their takeaway. Then I remind them that they would never use their wrists when putting. They would keep the letter Y perfectly when they putt. If this is the case you already know how to do this. So just take your putter and do some strokes. When you do you will see the letter Y move back perfectly 100% of the time.
Once you get used to this move you take your golf setup and stretch out your arms and continue to do your putting stoke. Once you get used to hit you then replace your putter with a 7 iron.
The disadvantage I have experienced is that you have your arms turned on into the backswing. This means you will be using them to hit the ball if you don’t turn them off down and through impact.
So I would do the putting stroke mentioned above and see if you can get used to it. If not then keep doing the 2 piece takeaway and keep the arms relaxed as you hit the ball. If you are stuck at your current level for a few months then I would think about changing it.
Hi Paul, tremendous series of instruction. I was curious, you have never mentioned this but it appears to me on the takeaway, after the waggle, you “drag” the club away. I have heard other say this and it seems that it would indicate the wrists are loose. Is that the feeling I want?
Patrick, You want your arms turned off. If you then turn your body to make the club move back it would go back low and slow without thinking about it. If you activated the wrists and picked the club up it would go back fast and come off the ground too soon.
To get the takeaway you just do it with your putter first. When putting you would most likely do a perfect one-piece action (most people do). In other words you have a relaxed pressure on the putter and you do not flip your wrists. So this is the action in your takeaway.
So just take your putter and do some strokes. When you do you will see the letter Y move back perfectly 100% of the time.
Once you get used to this move you take your golf setup and stretch out your arms and continue to do your putting stoke. Once you get used to hit you then replace your putter with a 7 iron.
I used to have one-piece take away.
However, I changed it because many professional players have an early cocking. To make an early cocking, I started using my wrist to artificially create cocking.
Isn’t it true that one-piece take-away entails late cocking?
I can see your backswing cocking is kind of late too.
Does the timing of cocking matter at all?
Yes, a one-piece takeaway promotes late hinging of the wrists. Although some pros do set the club early others set it late. It seemed to work for Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
In my opinion the one-piece takeaway promotes a wider arc and it keeps the hands powerless going back so I want you to keep doing it.
The club from setup moves to the halfway back position keeping the same angle in the wrists. From halfway to the top is when the club starts hinging. This should occur due to the momentum of the club swinging back and the looseness of the wrists.
Paul, I like doing the one piece take away. It feels better to me if I set my wrists when I get a little past my right leg (right handed golfer) is that ok??
Just make sure you are not activating your hands and arms. The way you describe it kind of says you are manually hinging them. I do like the fact that you are doing the one-piece takeaway.
I prefer no hands and arms in the backswing other than lifting the club up to set the top of the backswing. This does not occur until the halfway back position. I would try it for a while and see if it helps.
Hi Paul,
I was just wondering if you can just push the club away with the (L) shoulder all the way into the backswing, does this rotate your shoulders correctly? I have been struggling with the takeaway for quite sometime. I have watched your videos over and over again and you have talked about the putting stroke to start the takeaway. Do we actually rotate our shoulders in the putting stroke or simply rock them back and fourth. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Chris Bodden
Yes, you can push the club away with the left shoulder. You just have to make sure your shoulders are on the right angle. If you are too tilted at setup it will not work. Stay tall so you get the coil.
Hi Paul, this is my second time watching the takeaway series of tips after a gap of six months and my how important they are. The one piece take away, width of arc and hinge at top just allow me to whip though beautifully. Another layer of the onion peeled! Thanks!
They are important in reducing flaws in the backswing. You can do it wrong and still play great golf but it is harder. Why manufacture a swing when you don’t have to? Glad you see their importance and will be working on them.
I used the two piece takeaway to get more accuracy and did start hitting about 10 fairways per round with the driver however since going to one piece and the body swing my accuracy has dropped to 3 or 4 fairways per round though i am getting 30 to40 yards more distance, am i doing something wrong here.
Thank you.
Yes, you are probably thinking of your hands and arms. You need to be basing your swing on coiling and uncoiling. So now you have trained the one piece takeaway start forgetting it and focusing back on your body. Also, it is much easier to keep it in the fairway when you are not hitting it that far. The longer you hit it the less room for error you have so of course you would lose consistency. Again, work on the coiling and uncoiling. This is consistent. Also, let the club swing wherever it wants. If you do not disturb the mass (club) it will repeat very consistently.
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27 Responses to “Power: How the Takeaway Affects Power”
September 10, 2012
mikeplummerHi Paul,
Great tip, but raises a question. I try to take a one piece take-a-way but at some point it seems as if my right hand tries to take over and pulls the club more inside and then my swing is lost. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Mike
September 11, 2012
Paul WilsonYou have to take it back with your shoulders. The club should be able to get to 1/2 way back with zero arms. Just do it with your putter a few times. If you do a really long putting stoke it will get to halfway back with no arms every time. Then replace the putter with your 7 iron and you should have it. From halfway I want the momentum of the swinging club and loose wrists to get it to the top. If you have to lift it in position I am fine with that until you train yourself to hit the position. Once you get it then you turn the arms off completely and the club will go there on its own.
September 10, 2012
WadeThamesPaul,
Right on time! I was wrestling with the one verses two piece take away recently. I was able to developed some descent club head speed with the two piece (average low 90’s) but I knew it was not right based on the info you mentioned in your book. I was wondering what I was losing by not doing the one piece and this video explains it all. I will start working on the one piece this week.
Thanks!
September 11, 2012
Paul WilsonWade, That’s great that I could help. This is tricky. Once I turned the right hand off it all came together and I stopped pulling it to the inside. It is different but a good feeling once you stop using the arms. Just focus on the shoulders and you will be fine.
September 12, 2012
WadeThamesI don’t know how this got by me but it did. I started working the one piece awhile back and stop doing it for some unknown reason. Maybe the “wrists flick” was faster but then what’s the hurry with the back swing. Just recently using the one piece takeaway has me able to get more of a shoulder turn that is leading to more power. I still have a few things to working in terms of synchronization and timing but I now have something I can focus for a few weeks.
Thanks again!
September 14, 2012
Paul WilsonWade, Exactly, this made all the difference in the world in my swing many years ago. You just get so much more power with this type of takeaway. Stick to it.
September 17, 2012
WadeThamesOK, I’ve been working on for a bit. The thing I hoping to get back is the slight hesitation I would have before I started the downswing. This would give me a lot lag but maybe I am not sure how to describe it. Maybe this will come in time thru repetitions.
September 18, 2012
Paul WilsonWade,
You could just watch this tip:
Pause At Top: https://ignitiongolf.com/pause-top-backswing
September 18, 2012
WadeThamesThat is it, thank you! The pause or hesitation feels like the club is floating or like zero gravity. It seems like I can hold the hinge longer when I do this but it may be an illlusion.
September 18, 2012
Paul WilsonWade,
This just gives you enough time to change the focus. Keep doing it. I hate when people rush the swing.
September 11, 2012
JoseCarcellerHi Paul, nice tip. the problem of the one piece take away for me is that I have the sense of loosing control when I hinge the wrist . Doing that at the beginning helps in the sense of control. I usually do not have problems with distance so Im scared to practice this change. Im asking this because I have followed your advises and have dropped my handicap from 20 to 10, so Im a great believer!
Are there any other disadvantages of the two piece take away, other than the distance?
September 12, 2012
Paul WilsonJose, people often don’t understand or doubt their takeaway. Then I remind them that they would never use their wrists when putting. They would keep the letter Y perfectly when they putt. If this is the case you already know how to do this. So just take your putter and do some strokes. When you do you will see the letter Y move back perfectly 100% of the time.
Once you get used to this move you take your golf setup and stretch out your arms and continue to do your putting stoke. Once you get used to hit you then replace your putter with a 7 iron.
The disadvantage I have experienced is that you have your arms turned on into the backswing. This means you will be using them to hit the ball if you don’t turn them off down and through impact.
So I would do the putting stroke mentioned above and see if you can get used to it. If not then keep doing the 2 piece takeaway and keep the arms relaxed as you hit the ball. If you are stuck at your current level for a few months then I would think about changing it.
September 12, 2012
PatrickFoxHi Paul, tremendous series of instruction. I was curious, you have never mentioned this but it appears to me on the takeaway, after the waggle, you “drag” the club away. I have heard other say this and it seems that it would indicate the wrists are loose. Is that the feeling I want?
September 12, 2012
Paul WilsonPatrick, You want your arms turned off. If you then turn your body to make the club move back it would go back low and slow without thinking about it. If you activated the wrists and picked the club up it would go back fast and come off the ground too soon.
To get the takeaway you just do it with your putter first. When putting you would most likely do a perfect one-piece action (most people do). In other words you have a relaxed pressure on the putter and you do not flip your wrists. So this is the action in your takeaway.
So just take your putter and do some strokes. When you do you will see the letter Y move back perfectly 100% of the time.
Once you get used to this move you take your golf setup and stretch out your arms and continue to do your putting stoke. Once you get used to hit you then replace your putter with a 7 iron.
Watch:
One Piece Takeaway: https://ignitiongolf.com/master-one-piece-takeaway
December 9, 2012
WooseokChungPaul,
I used to have one-piece take away.
However, I changed it because many professional players have an early cocking. To make an early cocking, I started using my wrist to artificially create cocking.
Isn’t it true that one-piece take-away entails late cocking?
I can see your backswing cocking is kind of late too.
Does the timing of cocking matter at all?
December 9, 2012
Paul WilsonWooseok,
Yes, a one-piece takeaway promotes late hinging of the wrists. Although some pros do set the club early others set it late. It seemed to work for Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
In my opinion the one-piece takeaway promotes a wider arc and it keeps the hands powerless going back so I want you to keep doing it.
The club from setup moves to the halfway back position keeping the same angle in the wrists. From halfway to the top is when the club starts hinging. This should occur due to the momentum of the club swinging back and the looseness of the wrists.
January 9, 2013
LARRYCLARKPaul, I like doing the one piece take away. It feels better to me if I set my wrists when I get a little past my right leg (right handed golfer) is that ok??
January 9, 2013
Paul WilsonLarry,
Just make sure you are not activating your hands and arms. The way you describe it kind of says you are manually hinging them. I do like the fact that you are doing the one-piece takeaway.
January 10, 2013
LARRYCLARKto be honest I am manually hinging. does that change your reply?
January 10, 2013
Paul WilsonLarry,
I prefer no hands and arms in the backswing other than lifting the club up to set the top of the backswing. This does not occur until the halfway back position. I would try it for a while and see if it helps.
January 11, 2013
LARRYCLARKOK, THANKS.
August 6, 2013
chrisboddenHi Paul,
I was just wondering if you can just push the club away with the (L) shoulder all the way into the backswing, does this rotate your shoulders correctly? I have been struggling with the takeaway for quite sometime. I have watched your videos over and over again and you have talked about the putting stroke to start the takeaway. Do we actually rotate our shoulders in the putting stroke or simply rock them back and fourth. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Chris Bodden
August 7, 2013
Paul WilsonChris,
Yes, you can push the club away with the left shoulder. You just have to make sure your shoulders are on the right angle. If you are too tilted at setup it will not work. Stay tall so you get the coil.
Watch:
Sit On The Edge Of A Bar Stool To Set Up: https://ignitiongolf.com/setup-edge-of-bar-stool/
September 13, 2014
TomHi Paul, this is my second time watching the takeaway series of tips after a gap of six months and my how important they are. The one piece take away, width of arc and hinge at top just allow me to whip though beautifully. Another layer of the onion peeled! Thanks!
September 14, 2014
Paul WilsonTom,
They are important in reducing flaws in the backswing. You can do it wrong and still play great golf but it is harder. Why manufacture a swing when you don’t have to? Glad you see their importance and will be working on them.
June 7, 2018
VincentBurnsI used the two piece takeaway to get more accuracy and did start hitting about 10 fairways per round with the driver however since going to one piece and the body swing my accuracy has dropped to 3 or 4 fairways per round though i am getting 30 to40 yards more distance, am i doing something wrong here.
Thank you.
June 7, 2018
Paul WilsonVincent,
Yes, you are probably thinking of your hands and arms. You need to be basing your swing on coiling and uncoiling. So now you have trained the one piece takeaway start forgetting it and focusing back on your body. Also, it is much easier to keep it in the fairway when you are not hitting it that far. The longer you hit it the less room for error you have so of course you would lose consistency. Again, work on the coiling and uncoiling. This is consistent. Also, let the club swing wherever it wants. If you do not disturb the mass (club) it will repeat very consistently.