This week’s TeeTime Golf Pass Tip of the Week, brought to you by QuickFixGolf.com, is all about setting up your swing for success—starting with those first crucial inches.
When it comes to a great golf swing, what you do at the start of your backswing can make or break your shot. Most golfers don’t realize how important it is to start the club in the right direction—and without that, the rest of the swing becomes a series of unnecessary corrections.
Why Your Takeaway Matters
The backswing is about positioning—not power. The goal is to place the club in a spot that makes your downswing smooth and efficient. If you get this wrong early, your body will try to compensate later in the swing, and that’s when inconsistency and mis-hits creep in.
Introducing the Anchor Drill
To get your takeaway back on track, Darren deMaille recommends the Anchor Drill. Here’s how it works:
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Grab your driver and grip it halfway down the shaft
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Anchor the handle lightly into your belly button
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Rotate your body without lifting your arms—just turn
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Then, add the second piece: let your arms lift and hinge naturally
That simple combination—turn, lift, and hinge—sets the club in the perfect position to launch a confident, clean downswing.
Why This Drill Works
By anchoring the club and isolating your movement, the Anchor Drill forces you to feel the correct sequencing of your body and arms. It trains muscle memory and eliminates the tendency to snatch the club back with just your hands.
Put It Into Practice
Mastering this move will help you build a more reliable swing and improve your ball-striking consistency. As Darren says: “If you can put the club in the right spot going back, the rest of the swing gets easy.”
