To execute a proper backswing, it is imperative that all the moving parts of the golfer’s upper body – the hands, arms, and shoulders – are in sync with each other, closely followed by the rotation of the hips.
This is often referred to as “One Piece Takeaway”.
But most amateur golfers start their backswing out of sync, in a kind of “follow the leader” sequence.
Many begin their conclusion by immediately pulling the golf club back with their hands alone, then the rest of the upper body lags behind, usually resulting in a poor shoulder turn and a lack of accumulated power in their golf swing. . The hands and arms stray far from the desired swing plane and are so far behind their bodies, waiting for the shoulders and hips to catch up, that all sorts of bad results follow. The most common is that the body seems to collapse a bit (knees bend, head moves), after being laterally moved away from the golf ball, as the head of the club has to take a tortuous route, throwing towards outside and away from the body.
Here’s a good tip and exercise to practice that can give you the “feel” of starting the backswing in a “One Piece” to go: (Note: this is for the first 18 inches or so, before the wrists begin to be released). With a medium iron, return to your normal stance and place both hands on the club in a shortened, “stagnant” position, approximately mid-shaft. Place the rear end of the club firmly against the sternum of your chest, the tip of the club head pointing skyward and directly in front of you, hands and shoulders in unison. It is a blocked feeling that you will experience if done correctly. Your hands, arms, and shoulders form a triangle that you simply want to hold for the first part of your backswing.
If the hands try to take control too soon, the butt of the club will move considerably away from the sternum.
Once you are sure you have ingrained this “One Piece” feeling, grip the club with your usual grip and lower the golf club to the normal steering position. The butt of the club will now be facing the belt buckle area. Practice starting your backswing by concentrating on keeping the tip of the golf club pointed at the belt buckle for the first 18 inches or so of takeout. Any manipulation of the hand will be noticed immediately, as the butt end will move noticeably to your left (for the right-hander). The more you practice this important exercise, the more natural it will become and the more beneficial it will be in helping your ball hit.