The most common setup mistake I see

It’s Thursday (whoops, Friday) and you’ve got this coming,

Fix Your Takeaway, Fix Your Swing: Why Arm Structure Matters 🏌️‍♂️

If you’re constantly trying to fix your downswing but still struggling with consistency, it’s time to look earlier in your motion.

The truth is, most swing issues start way before transition. And one of the biggest culprits? A poor takeaway with an open club face and collapsed trail arm.

Let’s break down how to spot it—and fix it—starting with your trail arm position at P2 (hip high).

👉 Watch now

🔍 The Root of the Problem: Inside Takeaway + Open Club Face

Many players come to me saying:

But in most of these cases, the real problem isn’t in the downswing—it’s in the first few inches of the takeaway.

Players who take the club too far inside early often:

• Open the club face

• Break down their trail arm (usually the right arm for righties)

• Get the elbow trapped behind them

That creates a domino effect that’s hard to recover from. And it makes shallowing almost impossible without chunking it.

 🧠 Key Checkpoint: Trail Arm on Top at Hip High

Here’s the fix.

Get to your hip-high position (P2) and check this:

➡️ Is your trail arm on top of your lead arm?

If yes—great. That’s width. That’s structure.

If no—and your trail elbow is already behind you—you’re in trouble.

From face-on, this position helps you:

• Maintain spacing between the hands and trail leg

• Stay wide, not narrow

• Keep the club more on plane

Think of it this way:

• Right arm on top = good structure + square face

• Right arm tucked behind = narrow swing + steep transition

📐 From Structure to Power: Visual Check & Feel Drill

To train this, I often use a simple visual cue:

• Film yourself or check in a mirror from down the line

• At P2, make sure the right arm is slightly higher than the left

• That will help keep the club head out in front, and the face square

You’ll feel more connected and powerful.

Bonus: If you’ve ever heard “maintain your width” and had no idea what it meant… this is it. This is what real width looks like.

🚫 Avoid the Common Trap: Don’t Skip the Takeaway

Too many golfers skip the details from setup to P2, and then wonder why they’re stuck over-the-top or constantly missing right.

If you struggle with:

• Directional misses (pulls, blocks, slices)

• Poor contact (thin or fat shots)

• Inconsistent ball flight

…start with your trail arm and takeaway. Master that, and the rest of the swing gets way easier.

Got questions? Want me to review your swing? Drop a comment or send me a message.

Let’s keep building better swings—one checkpoint at a time.

Thanks for reading and watching!

—Ryan

🎥 Watch the full video here

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