When most golf professionals and amateurs alike talk about “the fundamentals” of the golf swing, they are often talking about the address position before they start the golf swing. These fundamentals generally include characteristics such as grip, posture, ball position and alignment among other things. In my opinion however, I always feel that the first movement away from the ball should also be included in these so called fundamentals. When we look at a lot of the more modern players in the game they will almost always make a very simple and efficient move away from the golf ball, and as a result this will set up the rest of the golf swing, get this wrong however and it can be very easy for something to go wrong as a result.
What is the first Move?
The First move I refer to is more commonly known as the takeaway, or to be more specific the movement of the club up to hip height. If we look at the Images or Rory below you will see what I would think of as one of the best first moves in golf. As Rory moves the club away from the ball you will see he keeps the club nicely in front of his body and just above his original shaft plane. One of the most common mistakes most amateurs make at this point is having the club too far under the plane line at the beginning of the swing, or as most would understand to be too far “behind them”.
As we look at Rory from a face on point of view we can see the amazing width he creates with his arms as the club moves away from the golf ball. This is definitely something most amateurs can learn from. By keeping the triangle that his arms make at the address position intact, Rory can take the club away using his shoulders, and maintain an exceptionally wide arc throughout the swing which will help him consistently transfer his energy through the ball. One of the most common faults we see here with amateur golfers tends to be the right arm folding to early, and rolling the club face open. This can cause huge inconsistencies in both strike and direction.
3 keys to a better first move
- Maintain the triangle – keep the arms wide and allow your shoulders to move the club away from the golf ball
- Allow the hands to hinge freely – The grip pressure should be relatively light to allow the club to hinge upwards
- Keep the club up front – Aim for the club head to pass through the original position of the hands. This will prevent the club getting under the plane and too far behind you.
