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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: 15 August 2009
I was speaking to Ken at PPGS.com Customer Service and he asked me to comment on a question a customer called in to ask. Since he changed from a rotational swing to the PPGS limited turn... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 14 August 2009
The PGA Championship began yesterday at Hazeltine C.C. in Chaska Minnesota, playing to a length of 7,685 yards. This makes this PGA Championship a historic event in that the PGA TOUR pros... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 13 August 2009
I decided to write about Ernie Els today because I have something really good to say and compliment him and because it is relevant to the PPGS that I teach. The trigger for writing this was... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 12 August 2009
A number of years ago Tim came in to see me about four times a year for 2 full days of lessons on the tee and playing on the course. In all my years of teaching, Tim is probably the most... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 11 August 2009
I had a call from an Instructor wanting to get certified as a PPGS instructor. But even before he got into asking about certification, he asked if he could ask me a question first. He asked... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 10 August 2009
Playing out of a fairway bunker is a very scary and thus difficult shot for most amateurs. I have even had PGA Tour players and mini tour pros run into trouble playing this shot. Problems... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 9 August 2009
Comments: 12
Is your putting stance putting stress on your back and causing you back pain? Jim wrote to say he's been practicing putting for hours and when he's done, his back is killing him. So I told him... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 8 August 2009
Thank You. I have been lobbying D.J. for 2 or 3 years now to shorten his driver from the 45 inches he has been using to 44 inches, which he played in college. D.J. is 6 feet 3 inches tall and 45... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 7 August 2009
Here's a great and often asked question I wanted to share with you. And, like Marcus, I have great respect for Dave Pelz too. Surge, I know that you respect Dave Pelz. However, he teaches... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 6 August 2009
We ran this article several months ago. Based on the thousands of comments we're receiving, it bears repeating (with a little editing). Allow me to preach a little. One of the BIG comments I... Read More