Starting your backswing...

Clonewars222, my Golftec teacher has been working with me on this aspect of my game for a little while now. You don't take your club straight back.

Here's what I focus on when swinging back.

1) Rotate back with your shoulders only. No arms or early wrist cock.
2) Keep your lower torso quiet.
3) keep your spine tilt angle.
4) Don't actively lift up with your arms or straighten out the body.
5) The 1st visual checkpoint is when your club is parallel with the ground. At this time, the club should also be pointing straight back, parallel with the target line. The hands should be about 6 inches separated from the back knee and if you dropped the club straight down to the ground, its grip end would land on your back foot's pinky toe.
6) While maintaining spine tilit, keep rotating your shoulders back until visual check point 2.
7) At this point, your left arm should be level with the ground, your hands should be directly in front of and extended from your chest. From a face on view, the club shaft should look vertical. From the down the line view, the shaft will look layed off towards the back. This angle varies depending on the club's length. The image attached shows Tiger's position at check point 2.
8) From here, don't force the shoulders up any more, but simply allow them to glide up a little further from their momentum. As they slow and stop, the arms will fold back and cock the wrist back, while positioning the club shaft close to parallel with the target line. Remember, everything from check point 2 is a passive glide type movement with no added muscle effort.
9) When you're all the way back with the shoulder turn (85-90°), you should find your shoulders directly over your right foot. It's very important to make sure that your back hip did not shift back laterally at all. Allow the shoulders to pull the hips around 35-45°, but again, no lateral sway motion in the back swing.