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Is Your Takeaway Ruining Your Swing Before It Starts?
Is Your Takeaway Ruining Your Swing Before It Starts?
Authored by: Brady
Posted on: 5 May 2026

You've probably been told your whole golfing life that you need to keep moving before you swing. Waggle, forward press, rock the knee — whatever it takes, just don't stand still. Surge heard that too. He just never agreed with it.

His thing was this: if you're pressing forward to start a swing that needs to go backward, how do you make that feel exactly the same every time? With every club, every lie, every round? After a while, you start to realize — you can't. That little forward move changes just enough, just often enough, to mess with your timing without you ever knowing why.

What Surge taught instead was to come to a full stop before starting the swing. Feet planted, waggle done, one last look at the target — then still. From there, a simple three-count: squeeze the grip equal in both hands, press the knees out slightly, and go. The toe of the club moves first, the arms follow, and the club finds its way back up the plane. Nothing fancy, just quiet and controlled... Read More

Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 17 April 2012
Comments: 30
DJ recently took some time out of his schedule and conducted a clinic with the participants of our Swing Surgeon Spring Tournament at Old South Golf Links in Bluffton, SC. He answered all sorts of... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 16 April 2012
Comments: 43
Most golf instruction today teaches a big turn, which calls for the front knee to collapse in. But with a limited turn, vertical swing, there is no need for the front leg to move more than a few... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 13 April 2012
Comments: 103
Today I'd like to give you all an update on what I've been working on with my swing. Because I conduct golf schools and private lessons on a regular basis, it's important for me to always be on top... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 12 April 2012
Comments: 18
Sometimes people are struck with injuries that inhibit them to play golf or even practice. These unfortunate injuries could stem from any number of reasons, none of which are from swinging the golf... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 11 April 2012
Comments: 115
If you're having some problems understanding the bump than today's daily is for you. The bump is critical because it's what pulls your arms down into position to make solid impact on the ball. This... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 10 April 2012
Comments: 17
After Doc Griffin's series on the importance of club fitting, we had a discussion about peoples' expectations after getting fitted for the proper clubs. Many people might have the misconception that... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 9 April 2012
Comments: 40
If Bubba Watson proved anything this weekend at The Masters, it's that you have to be able to judge your distance on a hole that's uphill or downhill. Figuring out just how much yardage to add or... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 7 April 2012
Comments: 30
When I first started studying the physics and physiology of the golf swing, my mentor Dr. Ned Armstrong told me that the body alerts you with stress and strain as a prelude to pain. A question was... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 6 April 2012
Comments: 43
Henri sent in a question after he heard a famous golfer discussing some common mistakes that amateurs make in their golf swings. He wondered if it related to vertical swingers as well. "Johnny Miller... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 5 April 2012
Comments: 23
Many kids in school are on spring break at this time of year. Some go on vacation with their families while others use the extra time to work on becoming better athletes in their respective sports.... Read More