The first part of the backswing is a challenge for lots of recreational golfers to get right. If you get the first part right, you can create a big difference to improve the ball strike. In this article, I will tell you two simple drills to improve the quality of your takeaway and avoid manipulating your spines, legs, and rest of the body too much.

The Problem

Some of the most notable errors in the first part of the takeaway are that the hands move quickly around the body. It simply causes a lack of sequencing and makes it difficult to get the club back to the ball proficiently.

Sometimes, the hands tend to lift, and the clubhead rolls, making it challenging to correctly get back to the ball in the latter part of the swing. 

Drill 1

Keep the hands relatively in front of the chest in the first part of the takeaway; it will make a massive difference to improve the swing.

The following two drills for two different scenarios can fix the problems.

Players who roll in the club too far on the inside. 

1. Place an alignment stick inside your left armpit (for right-handers) that should protrude out more than your arm’s length.

2.  With the help of your right hand, place the front part of the alignment stick on the front side of the grip in a way it should apply pressure against the grip.

3. The stick will apply pressure and ensure a stable club movement as you go ahead with the backswing. 

Drill 2 

Players who pull the arms around the body and separate the elbows too much lose the grip. And on the way through, the elbows get separated too much, leading to a chicken wing shot.

1.  Place a small bucket between your biceps and chest. 

2.  Squeeze the bucket without letting it fall off and maintain the long arm structure at setup.

3.  Practice the backswing in the same position.

Note: The bucket will fall during the backswing only if you move the arm straight off the back.  

Summary

Place an alignment stick under the left armpit and make sure the part of the stick protruding out in front of your body should apply pressure against the grip throughout the swing. Secondly, take a small bucket and place it between your biceps and the chest; squeeze the bucket to avoid letting it fall off as you proceed with the backswing.

Watch the full video here: