Golf Tips from Laura Davies: Slow Takeaway and Tempo
Renaud Poupard, from coursdegolf.net, interviews Dame Laura Davies—who has 77 individual victories—on the Quinta do Lago course. She offers two simple tips: choose a club with enough loft and start your backswing slowly, then demonstrates her pre-shot routine: five balls, five different trajectories with a 6-iron.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
First tip from Laura Davies For fans: Bring enough clubs. Players tend to remember their best 7-iron—the one that went 160 yards—even though most of their shots don’t go that far. With one or two extra clubs, even a slightly off-target shot will still land on the green. Second tip, the cornerstone of his entire career: a slow and smooth takeaway, from the 60-degree wedge to the driver. Starting the swing too quickly—often with the hands—causes you to lose your rhythm and forces you to make a corrective adjustment on the downswing, which the amateur lacks the coordination to do. You don’t hit the ball farther by starting the swing too quickly: the club has to stop at the top anyway.
She then demonstrates her pre-shot routine at the driving range, using a 6-iron: a straight shot, a fade, a draw, a high shot, and a low shot. For a fade, take a slightly open stance, keep the ball in the same position, and let the club follow the line of your feet; for a draw, keep your feet closed and start the swing from the inside. A high ball is achieved by moving the ball forward; a low ball is achieved by moving it back with a short finish. The rhythm remains the same: only the stance changes. She concludes with some practice tips: Practicing When You're Playing Poorly, don't change anything when you're playing well, and keep a slow start even under the pressure of the first tee.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- At the driving range, note the average distance for each club—not your best shot.
- On the course, take one or two extra clubs when you're unsure.
- With every swing, just focus on a slow start—almost in slow motion.
- With an 6-iron, hit a straight shot using your normal ball position.
- Open your stance slightly and let the club follow the line of your feet for a fade; close it for a draw.
- Move the ball forward for a high trajectory; move it back and shorten the finish for a low shot.
- Repeat the series of five shots until the adjustments feel natural.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Choose your club based on your best shot and play it safe.
- Starting the backswing too quickly in the hope of gaining distance.
- Start the swing with your hands.
- Practice finding the perfect swing and a consistent ball flight at the driving range.
- Arriving at the first tee after getting out of the car, without having hit any balls.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Series of five shots with a 6-iron: straight, fade, draw, high, low
- Swing with a deliberately slow start
- Breakdown of Average Distances by Club
- Iron shots with one or two extra clubs
Your Questions
What does Laura Davies consider to be the number one mistake?
Starting the backswing too quickly. A quick start of the backswing disrupts your rhythm and forces you to make corrections on the downswing. His entire career is built on a slow, fluid takeaway.
Why take more clubs?
Because amateurs tend to remember their best shot. Laura Davies estimates that only one shot out of thirty goes perfectly; with one or two extra clubs, the others still make it onto the green.
How does Laura Davies hit a fade or a draw?
She only changes her stance: slightly open for a fade, closed for a draw, and the club follows the line of her feet. The swing start remains slow and fluid.
Does she think you have to practice a lot?
She practices when she's playing poorly. When everything is going well, she avoids hitting the ball too hard so she doesn't develop a small flaw without realizing it.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Laura Davies). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.