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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: 18 May 2009
As I said yesterday, Jim had a two part question. In the second part he asked: '€œWhen you begin the backswing is there some weight going into the inner portion of the right leg and do you,... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 16 May 2009
Jim wrote that he had a '€œtendency to come over the top or spin out with the left hip entering the impact zone.'€ I wanted to share my answer to him with everyone, because my suggestions... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 15 May 2009
Yesterday I wrote about concentrating on and really paying attention to the Technical Excellence of your setup and swing motion. The PPGS number one principle, '€œThe setup determines the... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 14 May 2009
“TE” and The Surge Clone I can'€™t tell you how many times during a golf lesson, where I am doing my written evaluation, I have been told something like, '€œI wish you could be with me all... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 12 May 2009
Too much of a good thing. I think one of the most fascinating things that is happening since we started our site, is the number of golf professionals who have responded with comments. I... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 12 May 2009
Palms Perpendicular Release I'€™ve got a lesson with long time (10+years) student whom I respectfully call '€œDoc.'€ He is a dentist. Doc is a real committed golfer who practices regularly... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 11 May 2009
Light is Right! I was having my first lesson with ST and it ended up being somewhat monumental. The 2-hour first lesson includes a real good video analysis of his swing and mine, which I... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 10 May 2009
PPGS '€“ the perfect three point landing. Geoff, who just turned 60 and is a 7 handicap, only plays 10 to 20 games a year due to back, shoulder and hip replacement issues, started using the... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 10 May 2009
Good Book'€¦about Golf and Life. I am going to make like Oprah for today'€™s article and recommend a book for good casual reading about golf. This book includes some golf instruction, and a... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 9 May 2009
The Knees Have It! JoAnn came up with a fantastic question and I felt everyone should see my response. JoAnn is learning the PPGS and came up with the observation: '€œMen have incredible... Read More