In this episode of Ask Malaska Golf, Malaska Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald from Chicago responds to a question from Manish Patel about how the lead hip and hands work together in the M-System.

Billy explains that the key is understanding how these two elements blend during impact. As the club moves through the ball, the lead leg must push the lead hip back and up. This movement is not a twist, but a push driven by ground force. The pressure through the foot, leg, knee, and thigh moves the hip in a straight-line action, helping offset the outward force of the club.

He emphasizes timing. If the hip moves too early, the club gets stuck behind the body. If the hip doesn’t move, the club can over-rotate and flip through impact. The swing works best when the lead hip push and the hand motion occur in harmony.

Billy recommends starting with a simplified drill: left foot down, right toe lightly grounded. With one arm, feel the lead leg push back as the club moves through the ball. This helps train how the arm moves freely in the shoulder socket. Many golfers struggle because tension restricts that freedom when both hands are on the club.

Once the feel is established with one arm, add both hands and both feet. As the club moves through impact, the lead leg pushes the hip back, offsetting the club’s force and creating space for the arms to swing naturally.
When the hip push and hand action blend together, the timing of the swing improves and impact becomes more stable.

“As the club runs through the ball, the lead leg pushes the hip back — that’s what blends the timing.”
— Billy Fitzgerald

What You’ll Learn in This Video:
• How the lead leg drives hip movement through impact
• Why hip action is a push, not a twist
• How ground force offsets the club’s outward momentum
• A simple drill to train hip and hand timing
• Why blending motion improves swing consistency