Club drags on ground during Takeaway

[mchichioco]

Hey everyone, When I was at the mats yesterday I noticed that especially on my driver the first piece of my takeaway the club kind of drags on the mat. Is this necessarily a bad thing?

[saevel25]

Depends if it negatively effects your swing in anyway. I am sure some people take the club back lower and wider, while others have the clubhead ascend earlier in the backswing. Basically, if it is putting you out of position in the backswing, then yes it could be a problem.

[Pretzel]

I had that a while ago and it really bugged me, so I started to just hover my driver before I would swing. I just set it down where I wanted it, then slowly lifted until it was off the ground a small bit before swinging. I don't really do it with irons and wedges, but it helped me with the driver.

Not really a problem necessarily, just a quirk about your swing that you can change or leave be depending on if it affects you.

[chip n run]

Howdy - one thought I have is you might be letting your left shoulder dip down on backsing.  I like to think of turning in a barrel-I can't sway-or-dip anything.   Bring the left shoulder to touch your chin on backswing might also help.

[Ernest Jones]

Howdy - one thought I have is you might be letting your left shoulder dip down on backsing.  I like to think of turning in a barrel-I can't sway-or-dip anything.   Bring the left shoulder to touch your chin on backswing might also help.

But how do I get my left shoulder under my chin if I don't let it go down?

[chip n run]

Ernest - Gosh, I've never really had to think about my left shoulder.  When I turn around level using my barrel image, and get my weight to the inside of my right foot, my left shoulder touches my chin  -  right where I want it to be.

[mvmac]

Hey everyone,

When I was at the mats yesterday I noticed that especially on my driver the first piece of my takeaway the club kind of drags on the mat. Is this necessarily a bad thing?

As a general rule I don't think it's a good thing for the club to be "dragging" on the backswing because it might be due to a shoulder turn that is too level.  This would cause the head translate too far to the right on the backswing.

Just depends on how far back it was dragging and could also just be the matts. If the turf is more "fluffy" you're going to brushing the matt more.

Anyway check out this video, will help you understand how to keep the head steady on the backswing.

Howdy - one thought I have is you might be letting your left shoulder dip down on backsing.  I like to think of turning in a barrel-I can't sway-or-dip anything.   Bring the left shoulder to touch your chin on backswing might also help.

Left shoulder going down or left side bend or right side stretch contributes to the gradual "upward" movement of the hands/club.  Right elbow folding also provides "ascent".

[mchichioco]

I don't think it is caused by my head going right. I just had a lesson the other day and the only problem with my head was that it was moving up bit that wasn't caused by the club dragging. But I have a question, do you all think about picking the club up on the takeaway

[mvmac]

I don't think it is caused by my head going right. I just had a lesson the other day and the only problem with my head was that it was moving up bit that wasn't caused by the club dragging.

But I have a question, do you all think about picking the club up on the takeaway

It depends.  Like I said, what gets the club "up" is the side bending and the right elbow folding.  Some players might roll the forearms too much on the takeaway, getting the club too low and in, and might need to feel more "Ryan Moore" or "Rickie Fowler", meaning hinging the wrists up sooner.  This might be what you're doing, without seeing your swing I can't say for sure.

There isn't any "one" backswing feel, it depends on what your issues are.  Someone that has a flat shoulder turn is going to have a much different backswing feel than a golfer who's head goes down and forward.

[c peterich]

[VIDEO] http://youtu.be/FfMMGi4TVYg [/VIDEO] Good stuff

[mchichioco]

Thank you everyone for the help, I'll try to ask my coach next week and see what he says