A great golf swing starts long before impact. In fact, your takeaway — the first move you make in your swing — sets the foundation for everything that follows. Nail this initial motion, and you’re more likely to keep the club on plane, maintain a stable clubface and rotate your body in the correct sequence, which later translates to power and speed.
Christine Wang, currently fifth on the Epson Tour in Greens in Regulation percentage, knows this better than most. In a recent conversation about her iron play, Wang credited much of her success on approach shots to the time she’s spent perfecting her takeaway.
Wang explained that, early on, she had a tendency to hinge too quickly during her takeaway. This caused her swing to flatten and move off plane, making it difficult to maintain proper tempo, sequencing and get her clubface square at impact.
“It’s just so much harder to time your face to square when you are not starting off straight [on plane] already,” she said.
To correct this mistake and get her swing back on plane, Wang turned to a simple but highly effective drill that helped her fine-tune this crucial part of her swing.
Two-ball takeaway drill
You’ve probably seen the two-ball takeaway drill that Wang relies on to keep her swing on track. It’s simple and only requires a club and two golf balls:
Step 1: Create a “gate.” Place one ball in your normal hitting position and the second a few inches behind it, leaving enough space for your club to move freely between them.
Step 2: Swing. Take your normal stance and setup, then slowly take the club back — halfway or even to the top of your backswing. Your clubhead should push the second ball along the path of your swing.
This gives immediate feedback on your takeaway. If the ball rolls straight back — or along a slight arc — you’re on the correct path.
“It’s probably not going to go straight back, because your body is moving on an arc,” Wang says, “but as straight as it can.”
If the second ball rolls too far inside (toward your body), it usually means you’re hinging too early or taking the club too far inside. If it barely moves, your takeaway may be too far outside (away from your body).
As you practice, you should start to notice your takeaway improving. One key thing to remember: it’s really just about the first two feet behind the second ball. There’s no need to accelerate through the ball or push it far away from your body — focus on the path, not the distance.
Wang says this drill remains a staple in her practice sessions to this day. While she might not use it as often as she once did, she says it’s a great tool whenever her swing feels off.
Beyond helping identify problems in the takeaway, the drill also builds confidence and reassures you that your swing is on the right path before you even make contact with the ball.
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