Sep 11
5
Golf Swing Faults: My Takeway is Too Fast
This is the second in a series of post discussing my golf swing faults. Today I will discuss the first flaw on that list. Remember they are in no particular order since sometimes one swing flaw may be more prevalent than the others and then the next round it may be a different swing fault that I struggle with. It rare that I don’t have some sort of flaw in my swing.
The key to having a good round then is to recognize as early as possible which swing fault is troubling you that day and taking the proper steps to correct it. Every round is a process of understanding and reacting to the information gathered from the feel of impact, the divot and the ball flight.
Today’s flaw is takeaway speed or more broadly; swing tempo. I have a tendency to move the club away from the ball too rapidly. When I do that it ruins my golf swing tempo.
A proper takeaway is low and slow. You’ve probably heard that before. In my own experience it has always proven true. So many other issues are created by this hurried tempo throughout the rest of the backswing and downswing that it is nearly impossible to return the club to the back of the ball properly.
The list of potential swing errors that can and often do develop as a result of a fast takeaway are:
- The club comes off plane
- Grip pressure becomes too tight
- Lose balance when you reach the top of the backswing
- Too quick from the top
- Swing sequence becomes out of sync
- Deceleration at impact
Is that a mouthful or what? It is true that the earlier in the swing a flaw occurs the more that goes wrong during the rest of the swing. The only swing faults that happen earlier than the takeway would be those that happen in the set up.
As I bring the club back too quickly I tend to hinge the wrist too early and the weight of the clubhead moves the club off plane when the wrist reach their maximum hinge point. When I feel the loss of clubhead control I then grip the club more tightly in an attempt to maintain control.
When the backswing reaches the top the excessive speed of the shoulders and the club pull me off balance backwards. My brain (yes I actually have one) senses this falling backwards and automatically moves my center of gravity to compensate. This necessary but unplanned movement changes the swing plane again. Maybe it returns to the proper plane but most likely it will not.
Now that I’ve reached the top in a rush it is only natural for me to hurry the downswing too. Even though the move at the top takes a second or so I often rush it before the club has time to set properly at the top. Pulling down from the top too quickly prevents me from creating the proper lag on the down swing, time my weight transfer correctly and make the proper move through the ball at impact. In general all of the sequential movements of the downswing get out of sync.
There is an important point to remember that I haven’t touched on yet. A golf swing is most often either becoming faster or slower. Ideally the golf swing should continue building speed throughout the backswing and downswing. When the takeaway is rushed, like I tend to do, it makes it near impossible for me to continue accelerating from that point on to the finish.
Therefore the tendency is to slow down near impact to keep the hands and arms in sync with the turn of the body and the weight shift. Deceleration at impact is the result.
If all that could go wrong on one of these rapid takeaway swings I produce one of the ugliest swings a duffer could ever wish witness. The ball could literally go anywhere from a high, weak fade from a too steep swing plane combined with an open clubface to a dead pull hook.
I don’t know of a golfer on earth that can play with a swing like that. I am grateful that I have learned enough about my swing to avoid this common swing fault most of the time.
How do I keep myself from getting in a hurry at the start?
I consciously think “low and slow” during the set up. I make it my primary swing thought until I have overcome the urge to rush things for that round. Simple enough. Hope it works for you too.
My swing has been really good lately when I keep this one issue under control. If necessary exaggerate the slow takeaway and aim to accelerate smoothly into the back of the ball.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised too when you see the difference it makes in your swing.
This video by Paul Wilson will give you some great tips on swing tempo.
