| Most golf books tell you most important move in a | | | | You've made your waggle and your forward press, |
| golf swing is the first move down from the top. But | | | | so now can you swing the club back? Go ahead, but |
| if the swing gets off to a bad start, even a flawless | | | | there's more to be aware of. You're moving the club |
| move from the top won't be of any help. | | | | away from the ball. Do you push the club back with |
| You're standing over the ball ready to start your | | | | your left hand or pull it back with your right hand? |
| swing, and what's the first thing you should do? Hold | | | | I had a friend who would say, when he saw |
| on a second. Let's back up a bit. There's one thing | | | | someone trying to do something in a way that just |
| you should do before you even get to that point, | | | | wasn't going to work, "Just goes to show you. You |
| and that is the waggle. | | | | can't push a rope!" No, you can't push a rope. You |
| The waggle is a movement that defines the particular | | | | have to pull it to make it go anywhere. Which is |
| swing you are about to make. It sets the tone for | | | | easier, towing a trailer or putting the car in reverse |
| the swing by rehearsing the path and manner in | | | | and pushing it? |
| which you make the first move back. | | | | These examples might make you think that pulling |
| Ben Hogan thought the waggle was so important | | | | the club away with the right hand is the way to go, |
| that he devoted four pages to it in his classic book, | | | | but it's not. You need to lead (not push) the club |
| Five Lessons. The points he emphasized were that | | | | away with not only your left hand, but your entire |
| the waggle is made with the hands and wrists only, | | | | left side. (Lefties, this means lead the club away with |
| not the arms, and that the waggle should not be | | | | your right side.) |
| grooved. That is, one size does not fit all. The waggle | | | | Taking the club away with the right hand takes the |
| you make before a drive will be different from the | | | | swing out of the confines of your stance, both |
| one before a pitch to the green from 110 yards. | | | | mentally and physically. Taking the club back with the |
| After you've made your waggle, settled the club | | | | left side keeps your mind and your swing focused on |
| behind the ball, and are ready to take the club away, | | | | the ball. Try it and you'll see what I mean. |
| let's add something else. Making such a large | | | | The final piece of the takeaway is the direction you |
| movement as a golf swing from a dead stop is hard | | | | move the club. Find somewhere in your house where |
| to do smoothly. It is easier if there is a rhythmic | | | | you can take a stance with the clubhead against a |
| entry into it--the forward press. | | | | baseboard with room to swing away a few feet. |
| You can lean your hands and arms, or even your | | | | Now start to swing. You should scrape the |
| whole left side, an inch or so toward the target, you | | | | baseboard for a few inches before the arc of your |
| can turn your head a bit to the right, you can tip | | | | swing moves the clubhead away from contact with |
| your right knee a bit toward the target. These are | | | | it. Your club is moving back in the right direction. |
| just examples of rhythmic movements. | | | | If you don't hear any scraping, you're taking the club |
| The swing back is now a rhythmic response to the | | | | back too far inside. That could lead to pushes and |
| forward press. | | | | hooks. If you jam the club against the baseboard, |
| Here's what I mean. Wouldn't it be nice if you could | | | | you're taking the club back outside the ideal line. Hello, |
| get your swing going by making a half swing toward | | | | slice! |
| the target, followed by a full swing to the top, then | | | | For anything to have a good finish, it has to have a |
| a full swing down through the ball? Try it without a | | | | good start. Attending to these four features of your |
| ball. Doesn't that feel light and powerful? We can't do | | | | takeaway will give you a good start. |
| that half swing when we play golf, but we can | | | | I know. I said three tips and I gave you four. But I |
| create rhythm with a forward press. | | | | liked the faux alliteration in the title. |