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The majority of top level players have a nice, wide, smooth takeaway and especially those who hit the ball furthest.

Commentators on the PGA Tour often talk about Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods fantastic width during the back swing and the huge arc they are able to create from it. A wide takeaway helps increase the arc during the swing therefore creating more club head speed and more power.

This wider arc of the back swing creates more tension in the coiled up body for a faster, more explosive down swing and impact zone.

This width isnt just a movement created during the back swing, it is a movement maintained from a good set up position, and the takeaway is the easy bit! A strong posture complying of a straight back, bend from the hips, and minimal knee flex will have a big bearing on the initial movement away from the ball. The shoulders should be parallel to the target with a straight but not tensed left arm and the right arm a little more relaxed with some flex. A strong posture and good arm position is the making of a wide takeaway.

To implement this wide takeaway, the triangle that has now been creating between the shoulders and hands needs to be maintained whilst the shoulders rotate around the spine angle until the butt of the golf club is pointing at the target half way during the back swing.

The left arm should still be straight with the right arm a little more flexed.

The left arm staying straight is a key reference point for the takeaway and the back swing, as the club is now as far from the body as possible and travelling further to reach the ball and therefore is hitting it with maximum velocity. Try this out at the driving range. The key is not to be too stiff during the takeaway but use it as a powerful movement and not a forced or over relaxed one.

The stretching of both arms during the takeaway will cause many problems with the length of back swing. Although both arms being straight will take the club wider, the length of the swing will be hindered due to the stiffness of the rotation.

A wide takeaway is very easy to get wrong as some players can stiffen up and force the movement rather than setting up a good address position and using that to create the turn. Make sure the movement is relaxed but at the same time remains powerful.

Any lateral movement that is caused from a wide takeaway needs to be stopped as soon as possible. This movement will not generate more speed or power but will potentially create off centre hits and less distance. The takeaway movement needs to be a rotation with no lateral movement.