Your takeaway sets the stage for your chip or pitch shot. It is initiated by your shoulders, not your hands.
A handsy takeaway may pull you off plane, either too inside or too outside, in relation to your stance and target line.
GOOD TAKEAWAY: Parallel to target line – a takeaway that is parallel to the target line. This position makes it easy to return the club to square through impact, while maintaining the club’s loft.
POOR TAKEAWAY: Too inside the target line – the club is no longer parallel to the target line, it is too inside. This position requires too much work to return the club back to square. It will be a real challenge to control the distance and trajectory of a chip or pitch shot.
Definition of an OPEN STANCE: Body lines {feet, hips, shoulders} are positioned slightly left of a square set up and the target line.
Maintaining a square clubface makes it easy to keep it square through impact for solid, crisp shots around the green.
SQUARE CLUBFACE
The toe of the club is pointing toward the sky. My hands are passive during the takeaway, which keeps the clubface square. With a square face during your takeaway, you’ll have the best chance for a square face at impact for on-target shots!
SHUT CLUBFACE
The toe is pointing well right of the target line. If it comes back shut through impact, your ball will go low and left. Do not manipulate the clubface. It will be VERY difficult to square the face through impact, resulting in directionally challenged shots.
OPEN CLUBFACE
The toe of the club is pointing well left of the target line. If it comes back open through impact, your ball will travel dead right. Do not manipulate the clubface. It will be VERY difficult to square the face through impact, resulting in directionally challenged shots.