What is a one-piece takeaway in golf?

published 30 November 20

What is a one-piece takeaway in golf? Paul Foston answers this important question and provides tips and advice to help you set your swing on a much better path

What is a one-piece takeaway in golf?

The takeaway is a vitally important move in the golf swing. Get it right and you will set the club working on the right path. Get it wrong and you will need to make compensations later in your swing to hit good shots. This of course, will make you less consistent. The good news is the takeaway in the golf swing is something we can all get right with a little practice. But what is a one-piece takeaway in golf?

A one-piece takeaway refers to the triangle between the clubhead and your shoulders. Until your wrists hinge to set the angle in the backswing (creating important power), you should try to keep this triangle in one piece.

If you snatch the club away on the inside, for instance, with an overactive wrist action, that triangle will be lost and you'll need an inside takeaway golf fix to resolve the problem. If you are working on your takeaway, the image of this triangle is very useful as the takeaway and swing path are linked. Keep it intact for as long as you can, until your wrists hinge to set the angle in the backswing. This will ensure that during the early stages, your swing is right on plane and ready to find better 'natural' positions throughout.

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A great drill is to place the butt of the club in your belly button and grip half way down the shaft. Replicate your normal takeaway and if you are doing it correctly the butt of the club will stay in contact with your belly button throughout. If it pops out of position your wrist hinge will be too active, too early and you'll need to work on creating a more passive takeaway. This simple tip will help you with one of the most important moves in the golf swing, setting the right path at the right tempo for much more consistent golf shots.

What is a one-piece takeaway in golf? Checklist

Keep the triangle between your shoulders and clubface in tact as you take the club back
Keep the tempo smooth as you take the club back

Neil Tappin

In his current role, Neil is responsible for testing drivers and golf balls. Having been a part of the Golf Monthly team for over 15 years and playing off a handicap of 3, he has the experience to compare performance between models, brands and generations. For 2022 he thinks the main trend in drivers is: "In a word, consistency. Whilst all the brands are talking about ball speed (and the new drivers are certainly long), my biggest finding has been how much more consistent the ball flights are. Mishits don't seem to be causing the same level of drop-off or increase in the spin numbers. This means that more shots seem to be flying the way you want them to!" As far as golf balls are concerned the biggest development is in the, "three piece, non-Tour, urethane-covered section. For regular golfers, these models offer superb performance at both ends of the bag without denting your wallet quite as much as the premium Tour-played options."

Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he is now the brand's Digital Editor and covers everything from Tour player interviews to gear reviews. In his time at Golf Monthly, he has covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.

Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSi2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons (4-9): Mizuno JPX 919 Forged Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 46˚, 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X