SG MASTER COLLIN MORIKAWA

With approach shots raining down on the pin at will at Royal St George’s, it’s not surprising to learn the Open champion has gained a scarcely credible 1.5 shots per round and six shots a tournament on his competitors through his approach play. This puts him right at the top of SG: Approach the Green, a half shot ahead of his nearest rival, Paul Casey. Naturally his impact and ballstriking get a lot of the credit, but what really impresses me about his technique is a glorious, deliberate takeaway move that sets the whole thing up. It’s a move anyone can learn from.

Plane and path set-up accuracy

With accuracy paramount, path and plane are essential to great iron play. A good first move away sets this up, while a poor one can take your swing in a direction it can never recover from. For too many club golfers, this is the unfortunate reality.

Only connected

An online first move means an optimal blend of arms and body moving the club away, and this is where Collin excels. Whether it’s a wedge or this fairway wood, he makes the same, steady move away from the ball. The whole thing looks so connected and synchronised.

Three great signs

This image captures Collin with the clubshaft around horizontal – a really useful checkpoint in the swing. The three key things to note are ...

His hands remain in front of a rotating chest.

The shaft is close to parallel to his target line (in fact it’s very slightly left, indicating Collin is playing his preferred fade shot). The clubface is close to his spine angle.

Hone Collin’s skills Set path and plane with the ‘Hang-10’ drill

Here is an easy way to feel that arms/body connection right from the first move away. It’s a drill you can do at home, at the range or even as part of your pre-shot preparation.

1 Address: set the body/ arms connection

Take your regular golf stance and posture, but without a club. Make the ‘Hang 10’ sign with your trail hand – cocking the thumb and little finger into a right angle. Place the thumb against your ribcage, the little finger against the inside of your lead-arm elbow.

2 Takeaway: hold the angle

With your arms so positioned, make a takeaway move. Swing back until your lead arm is near-enough horizontal. As you make this move, place your attention on your trail hand and that right-angled relationship between your chest and arm. Keep it intact throughout this first move.

3 Try it with the club

Repeat the ‘Hang 10’ takeaway drill until you start to get the feeling of how it helps sync and connect the body and lead arm. Then pick up a mid-to-short iron and look to repeat the feeling on your first move away. Swing back till the clubshaft is parallel and make two key checks...

The shaft is at or close to parallel with your target line.

The leading edge of the clubface mirrors your spine angle.