In order to hit the ball straight in golf, you'll want your clubface to meet the ball coming directly from behind it, using a straight swing path. Starting your swing with an incorrect takeaway can misalign your body and create the inside-out and outside-in swings that produce slices and hooks, respectively.
Step 1
Stand in the correct position in relation to your ball. If you stand too close, you will crowd the ball, then stand straight up during your swing and create an outside-in swing that produces a slice. Standing too far from the ball will force you to take your club back using too much arm, creating an inside-out swing that produces a hook.
Step 2
Begin your takeaway moving your club head backward, by breaking your wrists left to right. This will help you release tension in your forearms and, Jerome Andrews instructs for "Golf Digest" magazine, eliminates a tendency to tilt forward and misalign your body.
Step 3
Begin moving your body by turning your shoulders backward. Your shoulders should push your arms backward — your arms should not pull your shoulders. As you turn your shoulders back, simultaneously drive your forward leg downward with a knee bend to help open your hips backward.
Step 4
Reach your comfortable range of motion on the backswing, coiling your upper body until you arms naturally begin to separate from your body, continuing back and slightly away from your body. Your arms should separate midway through your shoulder turn, and should not pull your body around. Continue to rotate your torso backward after your arms have completely straightened. Under-rotating is a key mistake many golfers make on the backswing, according to Mitchell Spearman, one of "Golf" magazine's top 100-rated teachers.
Step 5
Bend your elbows slightly upward as you finish your takeaway, raising your forearms upward, your hands above your shoulders, and your club above your head.
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