Starting your golf swing correctly, also known as the takeaway, is one of the most crucial elements for consistent, powerful drives.
Performance Golf’s Eric Cogorno and legendary golf coach Martin Hall break down the simplest and most dependable way to start your driver swing. They highlight the key checkpoints to start the swing with a driver correctly, plus share simple drills that can help you hit straighter, more controlled tee shots.
Why the Start of the Swing Matters
As Martin Hall emphasizes, a poor takeaway makes recovery during the swing extremely difficult—even for the most talented players. While a great start doesn’t guarantee a perfect shot, it dramatically improves your odds. That’s why developing a fundamentally sound and repeatable start is essential for golfers of all skill levels.
Key Concepts for a Proper Takeaway
You can check out our guide on six essential steps to master the takeaway if you need a more in-depth look at the start of the swing before you implement this drill. Now let’s get into Martin Hall’s expert drill on starting the swing with the driver!
1. Lead Elbow Position (Lead Elbow Down)
Martin stresses the importance of keeping the lead elbow (left elbow for right-handed players) down and pointing at the lead hip during the takeaway.
This position supports a square clubface and limits early, excessive rotation that often causes errant shots. Martin refers to the inner elbow as the “blood spot” (the spot you’d receive an IV or blood draw) and recommends keeping it facing up during the takeaway. This helps to limit that undesirable rotation with the lead arm.
2. Lead Arm Connection
A simple drill to keep the lead arm close to the chest involves placing the fingers of your trail hand (right hand for righties) under your lead arm near the armpit, and maintaining pressure between the arm and fingers as you start the swing.
This helps maintain connection and control through the takeaway, controlling your movement. You won’t (and shouldn’t) be able to maintain that pressure throughout the whole swing, but it’s a very important pressure point in the takeaway.
3. Clubface Awareness
These positions and drills naturally keep the clubface pointed toward the ball, so you have less to think about when teeing up. Martin recommends imagining a camera or GoPro on the clubface, and aiming to keep it “looking at the ball” throughout the takeaway.
Another way to give yourself a visual of where the clubface is at all points in the swing, is to attach any kind of stick or tube you can find to the clubface. This could be something as simple as a straw taped to the clubface, but Martin specifically uses a lie tool in the video. This kind of mental image can show you very clearly where your clubface is pointing at any given position. Recording your swing is a great way to note these positions and adjust accordingly.
This mental image promotes better face control and sets you up for a more square impact, and is something that’s always on a pro’s mind when they’re swinging their takeaway.
Simplify the Takeaway, Master the Swing
A correct start to the golf swing builds the foundation for a reliable and repeatable driver shot. When focusing on elbow position, arm connection, and clubface control—you’ll be better equipped to deliver solid, straight drives under pressure.
For those serious about improving, check out the Billion Dollar Tee Shot training program from Martin Hall himself, mentioned in the video, for more in-depth instruction.
Want to hit the fairway more often? Start your swing the right way—every time.
