One-Piece Takeaway in Golf: Why It Matters and How to Train It (Drills Included)

If your swing feels inconsistent, the issue often shows up long before impact. In many cases, it starts within the first foot of the swing.

The takeaway is where golfers unknowingly create problems rolling the club inside, hinging the wrists too early, or letting the hands take over.

A one-piece takeaway simplifies this phase by keeping the club, arms, and body moving together, which makes the rest of the swing easier to repeat.

This guide explains what a one-piece takeaway is, why it works, how to do it correctly, and which drills, including HackMotion drills, make it easier to train.

One-Piece Takeaway in Golf (Key Takeaways)

• A one-piece takeaway moves the club, arms, and torso together from address to first parallel.
• The goal is connection and sequencing, not stiffness.
• Early wrist control matters no early hinge or excessive roll.
• Most takeaway problems happen because the hands get involved too soon.
• HackMotion helps confirm what your wrists are doing early in the swing, where most golfers struggle.

What is a One-Piece Takeaway?

A one-piece takeaway refers to the movement from address (P1) to the point where the shaft is parallel to the ground (P2).

During this phase:

• The chest, shoulders, arms, and club move together.
• The arms stay lightly connected to the torso.
• The clubhead stays in front of the body.

At a good P2 checkpoint:

• The hands have moved slightly inward (not straight back).
• The shaft, hands, and clubhead line up down the line.
• The clubface points slightly down, not straight up.

Why the One-Piece Takeaway Works

A clean takeaway creates order early in the swing. When the club stays in front of the body, and the wrists remain stable, the backswing naturally stays organized.

The one-piece takeaway is not going to make your swing perfect, but it will help make the rest of the swing fall into place a little easier.

From a HackMotion perspective, this is important because:

• Early wrist extension or forearm roll immediately changes the clubface.
• Once the clubface is compromised at P2, the rest of the swing becomes reactive.

A proper one-piece takeaway:

• Reduces the need for mid-swing fixes.
• Improves clubface control without manipulation.
• Leads to a more repeatable downswing.

How to Do a One-Piece Takeaway (Step by Step)

Now that we’ve established the one-piece takeaway as being the better method, let’s dive into a bit of the step-by-step on how to get this done.

Step 1: Start From Your Stock Setup

Use your normal stance, posture, and grip. Don’t make setup changes to force the takeaway.

Step 2: Initiate with the Chest

The takeaway should start with the shoulders and torso turning, not the hands pulling the club away. It should feel like the club moves because the body turns.

If the club starts moving independently, you’ve likely initiated with the hands and wrists and not the chest.

Step 3: Keep the Arms Lightly Connected

The arms should stay gently connected to the torso. They aren’t pinned tightly, and they aren’t lifting away.

Step 4: Control the Wrists Early

From address to P2:

• Avoid early wrist hinge.
• Avoid rolling the forearms.
• A flat or slightly flexed lead wrist is fine.

This is where HackMotion is useful, because it shows whether the wrists are staying stable or reacting too early.

Step 5: Check the P2 Position

When the shaft is parallel to the ground:

• Hands slightly inside the target line.
• Shaft and hands aligned.
• Clubface slightly down.

Common One-Piece Takeaway Mistakes (Simple Fixes)

In the process of taking a perfect one-piece takeaway, some golfers take the club inside too early or hinge their wrists more than they should. Wearing the HackMotion while you practice can alert you to some of these mistakes.

Here are some common one-piece takeaway mistakes to keep an eye out for.

Mistake	What You’ll Notice	Simple Fix
Club rolls too far inside	Clubhead disappears behind you early	Feel the clubhead stay in front of your hands
Wrists hinge too early	Club goes straight up right away	Keep wrists quiet until shaft is parallel
Hands take over	Club gets pulled away from the body	Start the swing with chest rotation
Too stiff or tight	Club gets flat and stuck	Stay connected without squeezing

What a One-Piece Takeaway Should Feel Like

Most golfers are surprised by how uneventful it feels when they get it right. There’s no sense of forcing the club into position or actively setting anything early.

Common feel cues golfers report:

• The club moves away smoothly, not quickly: There’s no snatch or sudden effort at the start.
• The arms stay with the body: It feels like everything starts together instead of the hands going first.
• The wrists feel quiet early: You don’t feel a hinge or roll right away almost like the wrists are just coming along for the ride.
• The club stays in front of you: Nothing feels lost behind your body or lifted straight up.

If the takeaway feels rushed, hand-driven, or tense, it usually means the hands or wrists are taking over too soon.

Drills to Train a Better Takeaway

The takeaway is best trained slowly and with the proper checkpoints and feedback in place.

The goal isn’t to add swing thoughts; it’s to help you create a trigger that starts the swing in the same effective way every time.

The drills below make it easier to:

• Stay connected without tension.
• Control the clubface early.
• Eliminate rolling, lifting, or hinging too soon.

Towel Drill (Connection Focus)

Place a rolled towel under both arms and make slow takeaway reps.

• Keeps the arms connected to the torso.
• Immediate feedback if the arms lift.
• Can be extended to the top of the swing.

• Video Timestamp: 3:18

This drill is especially helpful for golfers who lose power or slice due to early disconnection.

Some golfers prefer to do this drill with something like the Tour Striker Smart Ball, but it works just as well with a towel once you get the hang of it. The towel forces you to stay connected.

HackMotion Stable Wrist Takeaway Drill

The Stable Wrist Takeaway drill will help you correct wrist behavior from address to first parallel.

This drill is located in the HackMotion app, so you can get feedback in real time about your movement.

HackMotion Inside Takeaway Drill

One of the most common mistakes associated with a one piece takeaway is taking the club too far inside. You can fix a takeaway that gets too far inside early by using this HackMotion Inside Takeaway drill.

The difficult thing about an inside takeaway is that it can happen quickly, and it’s hard to recover from. Try this drill to get the club moving back on plane.

Final Thoughts

A consistent golf swing starts with a consistent takeaway. A one-piece takeaway keeps the clubface under control, reduces early mistakes, and simplifies everything that follows.

Focus on slow reps, clear checkpoints, and feedback you can trust. Using HackMotion allows you to see exactly what your wrists are doing in the takeaway, which is often the missing link for golfers trying to build a more repeatable swing. If you can get more confident in the way you start the club moving back, the rest of the game gets easier.