David Leadbetter’s slow motion drill will fix your takeaway

The takeaway is one of the most important parts of the golf swing, but perhaps one of the most overlooked.

If you don’t get the club started on the right path, then you’re immediately battling to hit a solid shot.

Whatever that takeaway feels like will be different for each player, but this is a great way to embed what you want to feel at the start of your backswing.

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As legendary coach David Leadbetter explains to one of his students, it’s a drill that Tiger Woods used throughout his career.

“This drill is something that Tiger Woods used to work on all the time,” said the man who has coached the likes of Greg Norman and Lydia Ko.

“To think your way through your swing when you’re practicing is not a bad thing, I really want you to understand that. Especially this takeaway move.”

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What Leadbetter is alluding to is the fact that you don’t want to get too technical on the course, but if you’re going through swing changes, doing them slowly while on the range is the best way to ingrain them.

“If you can learn to hit balls at about 50%, you can really learn to feel exactly what’s taking place,” he continues.

“When you’re on the course, the golf swing takes place over just less than a second, so you really can’t think that much.

“This is a great way to get your arms in the right position and synchronise your body to what’s taking place in the swing.

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“As you can see, it’s just a slow-motion version of what you want to do, but it’s a good feeling isn’t it? Tiger used to do this all the time because it’s a great way of actually feeling the swing.”

Remember, the driving range isn’t the place to work on hitting great shots, it’s the place to give yourself the best chance at hitting great shots on the course.

Give the slow-takeaway drill a try the next time you’re at the driving range.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor