Daily Video Blog

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: 10 December 2009
Winter is quickly plowing down on us as colder temperatures, morning frost on the car and snow are positive reminders that for many of us golfers, the playing season is over. The big question... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 9 December 2009
I can'€™t tell you how many lessons or golf schools I have given where a students have injuries on their hands that need the help and protection of adhesive bandages, better known as Band-... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 8 December 2009
One of my long time students, Dan, my life insurance agent, called to discuss my policy with me. He started by discussing the previous day'€™s PPGS daily article about as we get older we... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 7 December 2009
One piece takeaway or two, asks Phil. His bigger question is how can he make a smooth backswing when he has to change direction in mid-stream in the back swing after lifting the club into... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 6 December 2009
There is an old saying that there are two things we can'€™t avoid in life: death and taxes. I'€™m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we have to add another to the list. For golfers,... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 5 December 2009
Brad, in his question below, asks what bounce is on his wedges. Let'€™s see if we can shed some light and help Brad and all of us on the importance of Bounce. Brad Kile says: I have a... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 4 December 2009
Comments: 5
I read some of the blogs after the 12/3 article on helping avoid or cure elbow pain. A few blogs mentioned using arms band wraps below the elbow. I can'€™t believe I forgot that, as I... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 3 December 2009
Comments: 1
December started off with a bang with Dr. Armstrong'€™s answer to Bruce Jones question about should he put off back surgery since using the PPGS swing his pain was diminishing. There were... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 2 December 2009
I was giving a playing lesson several days ago. My student, JM, revived an old question: should he tee it up on a par three. He'd seen a few Tour pros in the fall season NOT tee it up. And JM... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 1 December 2009
Comments: 1
Bruce has a problem. It's his back. Here's what he wrote. Surge, Help please! I am feeling very nervous. I love to play golf. I'€™m about a 15 handicap and play about once a week, I am... Read More