The golf swing is a chain reaction of movements, the success of which is determined by the golf grip, aim, and posture of the golfer in the address position.
From the right starting position, it is relatively easy to make a one-piece takeaway that will allow the club to naturally swing onto the most efficient swing plane.
Get the grip and stance wrong, and a one-piece takeaway is almost impossible.
If a golfer struggles with their game and wants to improve, it’s time to check the basic fundamentals of golf technique – the grip and stance.
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How the Grips Affect a One Piece Takeaway
The way a golfer grips the golf club affects the position of the arms in the stance. Too weak or turned under with the left hand, and the position of the left arm will be wrong.
Conversely, if the golfer shows too many knuckles with the left hand, a grip that is too strong, the left arm will be screwed around too much to allow a smooth sweep back from the ball.
To promote a smooth one-piece takeaway, it is essential for a golfer to grip the club so the arms hang naturally from the shoulders in a relaxed fashion with equal tension.
To find out if a golfer’s grip is adversely affecting their chance of swinging away from the ball correctly, they should stand to an imaginary ball with an imaginary club and let their arms hang down from their shoulders in a relaxed fashion.
Monitor the feel of the arms in this position, and then, when holding a real club, try to keep the tension exactly the same.
How the Golf Takeaway Dictates Swing Plane
From the correct stance, it is natural for a person to swing the club back in a one-piece takeaway.
However, from the wrong position, the first movement will be on the wrong swing path. A weak or strong grip will mean the hands are in control, and from the first moment of the backswing, they will be trying to compensate for their fault.
Most golfers who grip the club too weak will over rotate the club away from the ball, leading to a swing plane that is too flat. Many golfers who grip the club too strongly will swing onto a plane that is too steep.
- To check if the swing plane is correct the shaft of the club halfway back should be pointing roughly at the ball.
- The further away from the ball, the shaft is pointing the more adjustments will have to be made on the downswing.
- With great timing, this can be carried out with success, but the more in the plane the club is halfway back, the simpler the swing becomes.
Have a Lesson to Check your Grip and Stance
It will be clear to most professionals if the stance of a golfer is efficient enough to allow a good takeaway. Have a lesson and ask to have the grip and stance checked.
Many pros would like to concentrate on these simple aspects but make lessons more complicated than they should give more apparent value for money.
If a golfer can reassure the pro that they are quite happy to concentrate on perfecting the grip and stance, the golfer will reap the rewards far quicker than working on more complicated aspects like downswing transition or pronating through the ball.
The grip and stance might be boring to work but perfect the fundamentals, and a golfer will shortly be able to swing the club onto the most efficient swing plane for longer straighter shots.
