The takeaway is the first part of the backswing, from address until the shaft is parallel to the ground. Your chest and shoulders turn the club away while your hands stay fairly passive, so the club, arms and body reach that checkpoint together. GOLFTEC's swing data names shoulder turn at this exact point as the biggest difference between skill levels.
Move as one piece
Start the club back by turning your chest and shoulders, with your hands staying relatively passive. Your elbows keep the same gap they had at address; they shouldn't drift apart.
the turn moving the club, not the hands.
Let your trail shoulder move up and behind you while you keep your address posture. Your head stays at its address height and your upper body doesn't lean toward the target.
turning in place, not dipping or sliding.
Hands in, club out
Keep your hands low and close to you: your trail hand travels back over your trail shoelaces with the palm staying down. Don't push your hands away from your body to get the club behind you.
"hands in, club out."
Get width from your turn and a long lead arm, not by lifting. Keep the lead arm straight, as if reaching out to shake someone's hand.
a long lead arm pulled back by your chest.
When the shaft first reaches parallel to the ground, check three things: the shaft is roughly parallel to your toe line, the toe of the club points about straight up, and the clubhead sits on top of or slightly outside your hands, not behind them. Your trail arm stays above your lead arm. Treat this as a guideline: some good players have the club slightly inside here.
the clubhead out in front of your hands, not behind you.
Let the turn drive it
By shaft parallel, have most of the turn already started. GOLFTEC's data has Tour players at about 60 degrees of shoulder turn and 25-30 degrees of hip turn at this point; amateurs turn their shoulders 10-30 degrees less, and most turn their hips 15 degrees or less. You don't need Tour numbers, but a small turn with the arms swinging past it is the pattern to avoid.
your back starting to face the target early, not late.
If turning feels blocked, turn your trail foot out slightly at address and let your lead knee flex in toward the ball as you turn.
your hips allowed to rotate rather than locked.
Feel it
Quiet hands, a turning chest, and the clubhead staying in front of your hands. If the club whips behind you or your hands push out toward the ball, the hands have taken over. Slow it down, pause at shaft parallel and check the position before you swing on.
Fix-its
- You pull the club too far inside (clubhead behind your hands at shaft parallel) This often leads to rerouting over the top and a weak fade or slice. Point your lead shoulder more down as you start back and let your lead wrist start to hinge a little sooner, then check the clubhead sits slightly outside your hands.
- You push your hands away from your body and roll the club open Keep your hands low and in: trail hand over your trail shoelaces, palm down. Think "hands in, club out."
- Your arms swing but your shoulders barely turn Keep the hands passive and let the trail shoulder move up and behind you. Flare your trail foot slightly if turning feels blocked.
- You lift the club with your arms (no width) Keep the lead arm straight, like reaching for a handshake, so your body has to turn to move the club.
- The clubface is shut at shaft parallel (toe pointing down at the ground) Pause at shaft parallel and check the toe of the club points about straight up before you continue.
Drill
- Stop-and-check: swing back to shaft parallel and pause. Check posture, shaft parallel to your toe line, toe up, and clubhead on top of or slightly outside your hands. Then finish the swing.
- Alignment-stick drill: grip a stick together with the club so it runs up toward you and rests against your lead hip. Swing back; as your wrists hinge the stick should drag down your lead side toward your lead knee. Remove the stick and copy the feel.
- Turn check: flare your trail foot slightly, make slow takeaways with passive hands in front of a mirror or phone, and check your elbows stay together, your head stays at the same height and you don't lean toward the target.
- Down-the-line video: film from behind your hands on the target line and check that your trail hand moves back over your trail shoelaces and your shoulders have turned by the time the shaft is parallel.
Sources
- Australian Golf Digest (Nick Clearwater, GOLFTEC) — The Thing Missing From Your Swing (2020)
- GOLF.com (GOLFTEC) — 2 crushing faults in your backswing (and how to fix them!) (2022)
- GOLF.com (Martin Chuck, GOLF Top 100 Teacher) — Takeaway positions for solid contact (2020)
- GOLF.com (Eric Alpenfels, GOLF Top 100 Teacher) — Do these 3 things for the perfect golf swing takeaway (2018)
- GOLF.com (Brian Mogg) — This cheat code will help you make a perfect takeaway every time (2024)
- GOLF.com (Bryce Cope) — This 'mistake' happens just as swing starts, top teacher says (2024)
Last checked 2026-10-26.