Proper takeaway crucial to solid, powerful shots

A golf swing is not all about creating power to your maximum. Golf is a target game. Still, a huge tee shot will give you a distinct advantage.

When you want maximum distance off the tee, you are apt to address the ball with faulty thoughts. Don't whisper to yourself, "The harder I smash the ball, the longer shot I will enjoy!" That will invite only disaster. If you crush your ball, you will snatch your club back, yanking it down. You will struggle with wild, wayward shots.

The secret to way long, straight shots is taking your club correctly away from the ball. Getting your takeaway right, you'll swing your club on the proper path and plane. Getting it wrong, you'll swing your club back in a mess. Bungling your backswing leaves you susceptible to diverse poor shots including nasty slices.

To swing your club back on the proper plane, you need to stay relaxed. To this end, you need to get rid of the tension in your hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders. To relax your arms and hands, you need to purge your mind of any impulse to pulverize your ball. Tension prevents you from making a rhythmic, fluid swing.

Also, to prevent tension from creeping in, you need to keep moving before you start your swing. You can gently shift your weight back and forth, or waggle your club. Once you carry out your last weight shift or waggle, start your swing without hesitation. This will clear your mind, keeping tension at bay. Eventually, you will take your club away from the ball smoothly at a leisurely pace.

Poor posture and alignment bring about tension, preventing you from taking your club back correctly.

Avoid a faulty C-shaped spine at address. With this poor address posture, you cannot get your club working on the proper path, let alone make a powerful swing. Stick your backside out at address to straighten your back. This helps you make a good turn and keep your club working on the proper plane.

Sticking your rear end out properly, you will feel pressure on your waist. You need to create tight tension in the small of your back. Granted, you need to feel the same tight pressure as you complete your backswing. That ensures you preserve your address posture, promoting solid, powerful contact.

Also, align your shoulders and hips square to the target line to swing your club back on the proper path. Your club works along your shoulder line. Leaving your shoulders open, you will swing your club outside the target line. With your shoulders closed, you will take your club back way inside the target line.

Undoubtedly, you need to swing your club in a circle to hit your ball far and straight. Still, you need to swing your driver back straight along your shoulder line for the first 18 inches or so.

For a proper takeaway, you need the correct tee height. The right tee height helps you take your club back right to step up your shot quality. Teeing up your ball too low, you will hit your ball with a glancing blow like chopping down a tree. Swinging your driver like cutting down a tree with an axe, you will incur diverse poor shots including nasty slices.

To avoid this fault, you need to avoid picking up your clubhead during the takeaway. To do this, you need to make sure the middle of your ball is above the top of your driver. That will help you keep your club low to the ground as you take your club away from your ball.

Swinging your club back low, you will have more chances to hit your ball correctly from low to high. Creating the right upward angle of attack, you will put less backspin, enjoying a perfect, long ball-flight.

Also, to keep your driver low during the takeaway, you need to set your right shoulder lower than your left shoulder. This also allows you to swing your club back a touch inside the target line. However, setting your right shoulder too high will force you to lift your club, swinging it back outside the target line.

Similarly, place 60 to 70 percent of your weight on your right foot or behind the ball. This helps you create a wide swing arc. Unquestionably, you need to shift your weight more to your right side to carry out a smooth takeaway.

Don't place too much weight on your left side with the ball back in your stance toward your right foot. This pushes you to lift your club abruptly during the takeaway, causing a steep angle of attack.

For an upward blow, picture a head-cover sitting about 18 inches in front of your ball on your intended target line. Your goal is missing the head-cover on your through-swing. If you mistakenly hit the ball downward with a steep angle of attack, you'll hit the head-cover. To avoid hitting the head-cover, you need to swing your driver from "low to high" through the ball. This will ensure you take your club back properly and attack your ball correctly from inside the target line.