Inside Takeaway Golf Fix

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The cause of many common swing faults for amateurs actually lies in their first move... the inside takeaway of the golf club. From this position, it's then very difficult to get solid and consistent contact on the golf ball at impact.

In this video and article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Andrew Jones talks us through three brilliant tips to remedy that inside takeaway and get your swing back on track...

Drill 1 – Brush the ball

Let's kick off with a nice easy one. This couldn't be simpler to set-up, as all you need is a couple of golf balls. Place one ball around six inches behind the one you intend to hit. When you start the backswing, gently brush the second ball out of the way and continue to complete your full swing.

When players take the club away on the inside, they tend to create a quite sharp and snappy movement which disrupts the sequencing of the swing. This drill is great for helping you take the club back on a more neutral path, and will improve the rhythm and tempo in your swing. As a result, you will notice a better downswing sequence and increased accuracy.

Drill 2 – Tee peg in the glove

For the next drill, fasten a tee peg into your glove so it points to the target at address. From here, if you take the club back on the inside you'll notice how the tee points towards the sky and there will also likely be some separation between the arms and body.

Instead, you want the tee to be pointing towards the ball in the takeaway. Deliberately rehearse this move at the practice range, until it starts to become more natural, and you'll notice a big improvement in the plane of your swing.

Drill 3 – Alignment sticks

The final drill is a great way to use alignment sticks if you have them. If not, a driver will do just fine. Grip your driver about halfway down the shaft and take your normal golf stance, with the handle touching your left hip (right for left-handers). If you have a tendency to whip it away on the inside, you'll quickly notice that you lose connection between body and club.

You want to maintain that connection in the takeaway and in order to do that, everything should move in one piece. So, using your core and bigger muscles that you have developed by doing the 10 best golf exercises, work on keeping the handle of the club pressed against your body. The great thing about this is that it also encourages a better rhythm to the swing and it can be done at home.

What problems are caused by an inside takeaway?

Every golf swing is different, and it's worth mentioning that lots of good golfers have a tendency to whip the club away on the inside. That doesn't mean you should get into this habit, however, as these golfers are generally the exception, not the rule. An inside takeaway creates a flat backswing, which means your only option is to produce an over the top motion, and most likely a slice.

If you struggle with an inside takeaway, any one of these simple drills could be the secret to unlocking your scoring potential. Give them all a go and help set your swing on a much better and more consistent path.