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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: 1 April 2011
Comments: 51
Today was the last day of our first 3-day golf school down here in Orlando. We'll start with a new bunch of golfers tomorrow, but I wanted to review how the first group has done. We really wanted... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 31 March 2011
It was wet and chilly in Orlando, but we were still able to get things done. I was able to assess all of the students thanks to a covered area that allowed them to hit balls. All the students had... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 30 March 2011
Comments: 98
This week, I'm coming to you from Orlando, Florida. My team and I are conducting a Swing Surgeon golf school at Orange County National Golf Club. This is a really great group of guys, and each... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 29 March 2011
Comments: 124
Along the way, there have been several questions on the blog wondering why all the professionals on the Tour, except DJ, use a rotational swing and go to parallel or more at the top of the backswing... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 28 March 2011
Comments: 156
Well, DJ did a darn good job Sunday, tying for 12th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this past weekend. He took some time Saturday to sit down with me to give us a thoughtful review of his game and... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 27 March 2011
Comments: 230
In the blog discussion about power and distance we heard some really good ideas. Gary added another perspective that I think is an excellent observation. It has to do with your senses. We'€™ve... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 26 March 2011
Yesterday, DJ and I sat down after his 1-under second round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The leaders were at 8-under when DJ finished his round, which is very much in striking... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 25 March 2011
Comments: 138
I've really been stressing the importance of alignment lately, and for good reason. Remember, 90 to 95% of all swing problems arise from your alignment. Harold has been a student of mine for over... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 24 March 2011
Got a question from the blog asking if it'€™s a good idea to have a shorter club to practice with inside, where space is limited. My answer: Yes! I use a shorter club on the Back Porch because you... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 23 March 2011
Comments: 163
DJ is down in Orlando this week at Bay Hill and took some time to give us an update yesterday. He'€™s digging deep to find his game and when I talked to him he was confident he was close. It'€™s... Read More