Also Known As: “Inside takeaway”.
This swing thought has you focusing on bringing the clubhead back and towards you during the takeaway so that when the shaft is parallel to the ground, the butt end of the grip is pointing to the right of the target. This is in contrast to seeing the butt end point straight at the target or to the left of it.
What it promotes
Bringing the club close to you in a marked fashion – in contrast to away – during the takeaway promotes an inside-out swing path.
Provided you proceed with hitting the ball while moving the clubhead away from the target line, you will be cutting across the ball from left to right, which will make the ball spin counter-clockwise. That spin direction will result in the ball moving from right to left, typical of a draw or a hook, depending on how your stance and clubface are positioned.
What it tries to cure
Incorporating this swing tip into your game can be beneficial if you are struggling with shots that either slice or fade to the right. Indeed, those are associated with outside-in swing paths.
While doing this will not result in straight shots right away, it may allow you to find the middle ground between the two and work on getting there incrementally.
Why it works
Ball flight rules have shown that the swing path has a direct relationship with the way a ball spins laterally.
In this case and akin to two sets of gears interacting, a clubhead travelling towards the ball on an in-to-out swing path will transfer force onto the ball and produce a counter-clockwise rotation as it flies into the air. This will ultimately result in a ball moving from right to left.
More on: Gear effect and how it impacts the ball flight
When is it most useful?
Taking the club back inside is useful when trying to shape golf shots. This can happen whenever trying to get around an obstacle or a hazard, or whenever coping with strong lateral wind.
Otherwise, a golfer struggling with slices and fades may find it useful to bring the club in the opposite fashion in order to try to find the middle ground between the two, and ultimately for a straight shot.
