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Access the Malaska Golf app for M-System golf instruction, training videos, drills, member content, and coaching resources designed to help golfers simplify their swing and play with more confidence

Malaska Golf App | M-System Golf Instruction & Training

Get in a set up position holding on to bands or a pulley system. The goal is to pull the pulleys or bands and create more space with your hips. On the backswing side you push away from the pulley. Your force goes into he heel of your trail foot and on the inside. Then you go back to set up or impact then around on the follow through side. Always pushing away from the force on the bands or the cables. This is how you offset the inward force that the club puts on your when you swing. 

PULLEY DRILL

Nibley Park Golf Course is the first course I ever played golf on. Learn how it shaped me into the player I am today.

STARTING ON NIBLEY PARK GOLF COURSE

INTRO TO FULL SWING

Stop struggling with hitting the ball on the hosel and making pitch-out shots.

What causes you to hit the ball into the hosel? When you set up to the ball, your hands and arms move farther away from you, or your body moves closer, which runs the hosel into the ball.

Swinging too much from the inside can also cause you to hit the ball into the hosel because your hands and arms are moving away from you.

What’s the fix? First, set up to the ball, look at where your hands are, and make a swing. On the swing, make sure your left hip pushes out of the way as you come into the ball. Your hands must feel like they come closer to you and go around to the left. If your hands return to the same spot or inside that and go left, you won’t hit the ball into the hosel. It’s actually impossible.

The key is to make sure you move away from the ball. As you run the club into the ball at impact, that is the apex of the arc, and the club moves around to the left.

STOP HITTING THE BALL ON THE HOSEL

Hi, I’m Mike Malaska, and I’m here with Billy Fitzgerald and Brian Gott to talk about some Ask Mike's questions. We have an incredible team of instructors who work with us—Julie Yang, Pepe Cortez, Matt Baker, Doug Roberts, and others. They’ve all been through the M-System and truly understand what these Ask Mike's are about.I personally review most of the questions, and you can trust our team to provide accurate answers. This isn’t complicated. Over time, we’ve noticed that questions tend to become consistent people are often dealing with the same challenges. Whether it’s me or one of our instructors answering, you’re always going to get the right guidance.The Ask Mike's section is also a great place for you to voice your questions. It helps us as teachers because it shows us what people might be missing in their lessons. Interestingly, I’ve found that many people don’t ask their questions during lessons. Instead, they’ll email later and say, “I wanted to ask you this.” My response? “Why didn’t you ask me during the lesson?” Probably because they know I would’ve made them do it!Anyway, Ask Mike's is an excellent feature of the site. Our instructors are just as good as I am at addressing your concerns. So, send in your questions—you’ll be well taken care of. Now, let’s dive into today’s question.Hi, I’m Brian Gott, a Malaska Golf Certified Coach, and I’m here to answer a question for Ask Mike's. This one comes from Tom Thornalley, and it’s something we hear all the time—at least once per lesson!Tom asks about the impact drill and whether it’s valuable to use with the driver.Tom, let me share what Mike always says when we hear this question: “Should I do this with the driver?” His response is, “Only if you want to hit it well.”The impact drill is vital because it helps you feel what it’s like to be in the proper impact position. To practice this, start by getting into the impact position. Remember, it’s not about getting the hands forward—it’s about moving the hips out of the way, something we emphasize a lot in the M-System.Here’s how to practice: Get into the impact position, stay there, and make a small swing. By starting from impact, you’re already in the correct spot.Repeat this drill—impact, impact, and then a little swing. As you work on it, you’ll develop a feel for the correct impact position, and your overall swing will improve significantly. Keep practicing, and remember, the impact drill works with every club—including the driver.

Impact Drill With A Driver

If you are having trouble getting your hips out of the way and swinging over the top, this drill will help. Practice using different clubs.

RIGHT FOOT BACK DRILL

Most all sports crossover. Your body is a pattern machine. It does not know if you are playing golf or tennis or baseball. It is just duplicating or learning patterns. Once you learn a pattern it is transferable to other sports. So any sport that you play has application to golf. And if you play golf it has applications and direct crossovers to other sports. So rather than learn something new why not use what you already know. Most of the motions you make in a swing you already know how to do them. You are doing them every day just moving around and being involved in the universe.

Sports Connect

Golf should be easy. It should be fun. That&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;ve put together this&nbsp;21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing&nbsp;program &ndash;to help you finally&nbsp;own your own swing.&nbsp;For just $21, you&rsquo;ll follow the same world-class swing process I teach my students, step-by-step, one day at a time. What do you have to lose&hellip; except your slice?&nbsp;This program will help you&nbsp;Master&nbsp;the fundamentals,&nbsp;Maximize&nbsp;your potential, and&nbsp;Maintain&nbsp;your edge &ndash;the same 3 M&rsquo;s I use with every player I coach.

21 Days to YOUR Best Golf Swing [Purchase]

M-System Max

Joe Nichols is someone you may not have heard about, but is someone you should know.  His knowledge for improving your game is unparalleled and has influenced Mike's teaching and understanding of the golf swing.  Find out more in this video.

INTRODUCTION TO JOE NICHOLS

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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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.
&ldquo;As the club runs through the ball, the lead leg pushes the hip back &mdash; that&rsquo;s what blends the timing.&rdquo; &mdash; Billy Fitzgerald
What You&rsquo;ll Learn in This Video: &bull; How the lead leg drives hip movement through impact &bull; Why hip action is a push, not a twist &bull; How ground force offsets the club&rsquo;s outward momentum &bull; A simple drill to train hip and hand timing &bull; Why blending motion improves swing consistency

Lead Hip Action Explained

Nowadays, speed is the biggest goal with new players. Learn how the game has changed over the years.

THE GAME HAS CHANGED

The latest additions to the Ask Malaska Golf Collection.

Ask Malaska Golf-What's New

THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN WOMENS GOLF

(Build a Better Swing from the Ground Up with Mike Malaska&rsquo;s Proven Process) What if you could rebuild your entire golf swing in just three weeks&mdash;step by step, with a system that actually works? 21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing isn&rsquo;t just a lesson plan&mdash;it&rsquo;s a structured transformation. Led by Hall of Fame coach Mike Malaska, this series guides you through the exact process he&rsquo;s used to help thousands of players break bad habits, simplify their motion, and gain total control of their swing. Each day introduces one key concept or drill that builds on the last, so you're never overwhelmed&mdash;and never left guessing. You&rsquo;ll train your hands, feet, body, and mind to work together as one. This is how the swing becomes repeatable, powerful, and built to last. Each day targets a key component of the swing: from grip, face control, and balance&hellip; to footwork, momentum, and impact. You&rsquo;ll learn how the body and club work together, how to generate effortless speed, and how to train smarter&mdash;not harder. Whether you&rsquo;re a weekend golfer or a serious player, this series will reshape your game from the ground up.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn Over 21 Days: Why your grip is your swing&mdash;and how to fix it How to feel and control the clubface without guessing How to train with L-to-L motion for speed and consistency Why your feet and lower body control swing path and power The truth about impact&mdash;and how to make it automatic How to stop early extension and maintain posture naturally How to separate Practice from Play for real improvement And how to build a long-term process to Master, Maximize, and Maintain your swing
Key Takeaway: Real improvement doesn&rsquo;t come from isolated tips. It comes from following a proven process that simplifies your swing and builds your instincts over time. 21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing is that process. Train one day at a time, and you&rsquo;ll never go back to guessing on the course again.

21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing

Practice using a tennis racket or a baseball bat to feel the up to under of the backswing. This motion is the same as the golf swing.

FEELING THE UP TO UNDER

Putting is the difference between winning and losing. Here's what you need to win.

Advancing in Putting

Focus on force ending up in your left heel even to the point that it pulls your toes off the ground.

FORCE IN YOUR LEFT HEEL

Meet Justin James, 2017 World Long Drive Champion, and learn how this training series will help you build more speed and distance in a way that&rsquo;s both effective and sustainable. Mike and Justin explain that dramatic distance gains are possible&mdash;not through brute force, but by understanding your movement patterns, training the body correctly, and mastering fundamentals. This episode sets the tone for the series, outlining the physical and instructional philosophy behind every upcoming lesson. You&rsquo;ll hear how Justin transitioned from baseball to long drive success, why athletic development is the foundation of speed, and how Mike&rsquo;s M-System ties it all together. The discussion highlights how elite-level power is not reserved for tour pros. Instead, with a smart training progression, everyday golfers can unlock more speed and distance. By the end of this episode, you&rsquo;ll understand that explosive distance comes from mastering efficient motion&mdash;not from chasing speed too early. The training path laid out here is a roadmap for improving swing mechanics, increasing power output, and gaining long-term results by layering correct movements and building from the ground up.

How to Max out Your Driver-Introduction

The driver and putter are the two most important clubs in the bag. With the driver, it is essential to hit the ball a decent distance and control where it goes off the tee. It is crucial to get started the right way. You can't play the game if you can't hit your driver well. It won't put you in a position to chip or putt the ball because you are out of play all the time. Learning to hit the driver well is paramount to playing the game. Hitting a driver well is the most enjoyable part; everyone likes to see how far the ball goes. The problem is that what people perceive will make the ball go farther and what makes the driver move fast is incorrect. What people attempt to do with tension and effort to make the club move faster actually slows the club down. When you put everything together, you can have fun with how the driver works, how those forces work, hitting the ball farther, and controlling the golf ball. When you go through The M-System Driver series, you will learn different parts of what you are trying to do to get the right feel of swinging the driver. If you get out of sequence and one part doesn't work, and you try to make the ball go far or create more speed, then you are creating speed the wrong way. This is harder to control the clubface and to be able to have fun. Getting off the tee successfully and getting the ball in play can make the driver the most important club in the bag.

Driver

Learning how to create arm speed and find the tension you need is the topic of this Quick Fix Friday.

Begin by dropping your arms in front of you, then move your body and swing your arms. Concentrate on swinging your arms left-right-left, and then swing your arms through.

Again, start just swinging your arms and then practice the left-right-left action.

That same sensation is what you want to feel in your golf swing. Remember, no tension; it’s just a swing.

ACCELERATING YOUR ARMS

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the Malaska Move.Mike says the funny thing is that he had nothing to do with it. It was a move that Joe Nichols taught Mike, and several other coaches talked about it.Mike shows the Malaska Move, where you start down on your swing, and the club works back out in front of you rather than going out in front of your body.The Member’s question is if he does the Malaska Move, will it make his hands tip over the top and go over in the follow-through? Mike explains that won’t necessarily happen. When the club is on the downswing, when you change directions, the handle comes down, and the club will go out.The momentum of the club will be in the right arc as you turn into the ball. You don’t have to catch it up.A lot of the twisting of the clubface happens because the club is too back and out. Mike demonstrates this. You have to either twist your body hard or catch the club up with your hands.If you do the Malaska Move, where the arms and handle come down, with the club going out, you can just turn on the ball, and the clubface will run into the ball. There is no twisting of your forearms because the momentum of the club is out in front of you, and everything stays together as you hit the ball.It is all about directing momentum. It feels one way. It does something different.

The Malaska Move

Choking down on your grip almost to the end creates a counterbalance, making it easier to control the club. This will help you hit the ball farther.

CHOKE DOWN ON THE GRIP

How is tee time in under 24-hours? Use this tip to quickly prepare for that match with your friends.

Quick Fix Fridays

This workbook is designed to help you get more out of the 7 Days for MORE Driver Distance program by turning each lesson into a focused practice plan.
Inside, you&rsquo;ll find guided notes, key concepts, and daily practice prompts that help you apply the Malaska Golf M-System&trade; to create more speed, better movement, and longer drives without simply swinging harder. Use it alongside the video lessons to track what you&rsquo;re working on, reinforce the main ideas, and build a clearer path toward more distance off the tee.

7 Days for MORE Driver Distance - Workbook

Playing mad doesn't mean you'll play well.

DON'T GET MAD, GET QUIET

The Lever System is one of the most important fundamentals in golf. After grip, Mike believes it has the greatest impact on your ability to square the clubface, control ball flight, and generate effortless distance. In this two-part Focus of the Month, you&rsquo;ll learn how to train the natural hinge and unhinge of the wrists with the Look Cool Drill, then isolate each hand using the Impact Bag &amp; Racket drill. Together, these lessons show you how to let momentum and physics do the work &mdash; creating a swing that&rsquo;s both powerful and consistent.
Key Takeaways:
The Lever System is the foundation of distance, control, and consistency.
The Look Cool Drill builds awareness of natural wrist hinge and release.
The Impact Bag &amp; Racket drill trains each hand&rsquo;s role, then blends them together.

Focus Of The Month (September, 25)

As you engage the hands and utilize the shoulder action, the knees do something specific.  Here is what they do and, more importantly, what they don't do.  You  can even see this mirrored in Jack's lower body.

PULLEY SYSTEM - BACKSWING - PART 2

Joe would connect you to your body's natural movement. This is critical because golf is not a game of positions; it is an art. Anytime you disconnect with yourself, you disconnect from your potential.

UNLOCKING YOUR DNA OF MOVEMENT

PRESSURE AND THE TIME BETWEEN SHOTS

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based here in the UK. This is a great question from Mike Witkowski, asking: When should you hinge the wrist? Is it at the start of the swing or at the top of the swing?That's a really good question because, as with many things in golf, there are so many different variations on this, especially if you watch tournament players.Our recommendation is to start hinging the wrist as soon as possible—almost immediately. The way I like to feel it is by imagining that I'm pushing the handle down while pulling the clubhead up. This really helps get the club swinging on the correct path.And that's the key feeling—you definitely don't want to hinge only at the top. You don’t want that sudden "snap" motion. Some coaches teach that, but in my experience, it can cause a rebound effect, and I don’t like that. I’ve tried it, and it didn’t work well for me. So, setting the wrists early is crucial.The feeling you want is that, as you take the club back, the handle is being pushed down and the clubhead is going up. Ideally, the full wrist set might happen around the halfway point of your backswing, then you complete the swing and follow through.So, the key takeaway is to hinge the wrists as soon as you can. Focus on the feeling of "handle down, clubhead up." Say it to yourself: "handle down, clubhead up"—and swing through. It will help you complete the swing consistently every time.It’s a gradual motion as you're swinging back—gradually pushing the handle down and lifting the clubhead up. It’s not a snap motion, but a smooth, continuous movement.I hope this helps answer your question, and good luck with it!

When To Hinge The Wrists

This Mulligan Monday, Mike discusses developing putting tempo on the green.

Golf swings are all about finding a tempo and Tour Players are masters at maintaining tempo under pressure. Tempo is the pace at which the swing works, and rhythm is the sequence. Timing is what holds it together. The key is finding the tempo and maintaining it. If the tempo changes, the sequence changes, and then the timing changes.

Mike is developing tempo on the putting green by making swings. He counts out 1 and 2 and then putts the ball. Whether Mike is putting a two-foot putt, a twenty-footer, a fifty-footer, a chip shot, or even a drive, the tempo remains the same. The only difference is that the club is swinging in a larger arc.

PUTTING DEVELOPING TEMPO

The M-System is a 5-tier instructional plan designed to simplify the game and build your skills for every type of swing. It doesn&rsquo;t matter if you&rsquo;re just starting out or if you have been playing for years at a high level. We&rsquo;ll go step-by-step through every aspect of the sport from basic setup to advanced theory and swing drills. Each video explores a new aspect of the game to give you a greater understanding of what&rsquo;s happening when your club hits the ball. Every level increases its focus as you increase your ability. I promise you, golf is not overly difficult. You just have to unlock the game that works best for you. And this is exactly what The M-System is designed to do.

M-System

Dropping your right foot back at setup helps get your right hip out of the way. Don't be afraid to play from here.

RIGHT HIP OUT OF THE WAY

Mike looks at how to hit a massive lob for this Quick Fix Friday. He takes his lob wedge and explains that it’s all about the grip in your left hand. There are two things you need to do.

First, take your thumb and little finger off, then put your right hand on and swing like a baseball bat. Mike demonstrates a baseball swing with his wedge.

Mike sets up with these two adjustments, thumb and finger off the club. This helps the club pass his hands when he swings.

Mike swings, the club passes his hands, and the bounce works with a massive high lob shot onto the green.

HITTING THE MASSIVE LOB

Renowned 2024 Golf Digest Legend of Golf Instruction Mike Malaska has crafted the M-System Lite, which stems from the world&rsquo;s premier golf swing process, the M-System.
Mike has distilled the M-System's main concepts into 5 concise, impactful, game-changing videos designed to simplify and improve your game quickly.
Mike understands that many people may not have the time or commitment to invest in or commit to a lengthy training program like the full M-System, and the M-System Lite is the answer.
With just 5 videos, you&rsquo;ll witness remarkable improvements in your swing and see your score drop dramatically on the course.
The M-System Lite starts with an overall introduction video from Mike. Then, videos on M1: Line of Compression, M2: The Lever System, M3: How the Body Works, M4: Combining Skills, and M5: Practice. This all aligns with the original M-System M1-M5, and these are the most important concepts to understand from the M-System.
The M-System Lite is a fast track to a better golf swing, and mastering these 5 videos will undoubtedly pay off in lower scores and increased confidence.
Once you have mastered the M-System Lite, you can continue your golfing journey and augment it with the full M-System.

M-System Lite

This Quick Fix Friday is to help determine how wide your stance should be when you set up to the ball.

We all have DNA for balance, and if you notice how you walk during the day, just stop and turn. That is how wide your stance should be. Mike has a broader gait, so his stance is wider.

Players with broad stances have wider setups and vice versa. Find what stance fits you and what fits your gait pattern.

Use that on almost all your shots because that’s where you will be the most comfortable relative to balance.

HOW WIDE IS YOUR STANCE

(Train Your Feet to Move Like an Athlete) Most golfers have been told to keep their feet quiet&mdash;but that advice might be holding you back. In almost every other sport, motion starts with the feet. You step to throw a baseball. You step to swing a tennis racket. You shift and plant your feet when hitting a hockey puck or serving in volleyball. Why should golf be any different? In Day 17, Mike Malaska explains how the golf swing is a full-body athletic movement that starts from the ground up&mdash;and shows you why restricting your lower body causes compensations, early extension, and a breakdown in your sequence. By reintroducing natural, instinctive footwork into your swing, you&rsquo;ll unlock power, rhythm, and consistency like never before. You&rsquo;ll learn drills that simulate athletic motion, including the Step-Step-Hit sequence and the Sit-Down Drill using a chair. These drills help you feel how to properly shift your weight and use your lower body without early extension or collapsing into the ball. By stepping back and sitting down, your hips stay in posture, your hands have room to swing, and you build the instinct to move like an athlete&mdash;not a robot. Whether you&rsquo;re throwing a ball or hitting a drive, your feet are your foundation. This day is about reconnecting with how the body is meant to move.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Foot Action: Why most golfers get &ldquo;top-heavy&rdquo; trying to keep their feet quiet How stepping drills train your body to move away from the ball at impact Why early extension is often caused by the trail hip moving toward the ball How to create a &ldquo;sit-down&rdquo; feeling to keep posture and stay in balance Two powerful drills: the Step-Step-Hit and the Chair Sit-Down
Key Takeaway: Train your feet to move. Stepping, sitting, and pushing away from the ball creates real athletic motion. The ground pushes back when you swing&mdash;and your feet must react. This is how you reclaim speed, stability, and confidence in every shot.

Day 17-Foot Action

Foot action cannot be overstated.  This is where your power comes from.  The more you can sequence this out in your swing, the more consistent and balanced you will be.

REVIEW

Mike sits down with MLB Hitting Coach Craig Wallenbrock to discuss the similarities between the golf swing and the baseball swing.

Baseball and Golf Connect

This drill helps with getting rid of tension. Creating a proper arm swing. First you stand on just your lead foot. You drop your trail foot back and just use your toe for balance. You should be able to swing and not fall off balance. Your arms have to move much more than your body. Then change and use your trail foot only. Then put both feet together and do the same thing. This promotes a free arm swing necessary for especally distance. 

ASHLEY - 3 STEPS TO BETTER ARM SWING

Joe Nichols is someone you may not have heard about, but is someone you should know. His knowledge for improving your game is unparalleled and has influenced Mike's teaching and understanding of the golf swing. Find out more in this video.

Joe Nichols-201801

First take a ball. Get set up and just turn and throw a ball into the ball that is on the tee. You should also just like throwing step with your lead foot. Then once you have a feel for how the transition works. Your lower body starts going forward as soon as your arm starts going back. Set up to the ball with a club. Now all you are doing is throwing the club head into the ball on the ground. So as you start back step forward and throw or direct the momentum of the club head at the ball. 

ASHLEY - THROW THE BALL DRILL

(The Only Position That Truly Matters) After nearly three weeks of building a better swing&mdash;refining your grip, face control, path, footwork, and momentum&mdash;it all comes down to this: impact. This is the one moment in the golf swing that actually affects the ball, and yet it&rsquo;s the one most golfers never train directly. In Day 20, Mike Malaska explains why impact is the great equalizer. You can have a great backswing, a textbook follow-through&mdash;but if your body, arms, and club aren&rsquo;t working together at impact, the result will always be inconsistent. This lesson teaches you how to feel and rehearse proper impact, how to stop &ldquo;posing&rdquo; in positions, and how to build your entire swing motion around this single, powerful checkpoint. Mike walks you through the key movement patterns that define solid contact. You&rsquo;ll learn how your left hip pushes back, your right arm drops under, your left shoulder moves up, and your weight shifts into your lead heel. Most golfers get this completely wrong&mdash;swaying toward the ball or pulling the club over the top. But when you get this right, you won&rsquo;t need to force anything. You&rsquo;ll simply move through the ball the way every elite player does: efficiently, instinctively, and on plane.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Impact Position: &bull; What a proper impact position looks and feels like &bull; Why most players fake impact by sliding hips and rolling shoulders &bull; How to position your hips, shoulders, and arms for a tour-level strike &bull; Two-step drill progression to ingrain impact feel and motion &bull; Why impact ties together every skill you&rsquo;ve learned so far This is the checkpoint that defines your swing. Once you can rehearse, feel, and move through impact, every rep becomes more productive&mdash;and every shot more consistent.
Key Takeaway: Impact is the only position that matters. Everything in your swing builds toward it. Once you can find it, feel it, and move through it&mdash;your entire game changes.

Day 20-Impact

Welcome to Malaska Golf Elite&mdash;and congratulations! You&rsquo;ve just made an incredible investment in your game&mdash;one that&rsquo;s going to pay off in a big way.
What sets the Elite level apart is your access to the M Coaching Series. Why is that such a game-changer?
I took the M-System&mdash;which is already a powerful tool&mdash;and expanded it to show you how to coach someone through itor how to coach yourself through it. Instead of simply saying &ldquo;Here&rsquo;s the skill we&rsquo;re working on,&rdquo; I walk you through the why, how, and where it fits in the full swing. This added depth and detail make the M Coaching Series a truly next-level experience.
You&rsquo;ll not only improve your own game, but if you help others, you&rsquo;ll start to see how everything connects. Teaching deepens your own learning&mdash;and I&rsquo;ve experienced that firsthand. Every time I teach the M-System, my swing gets better. Contrary to what some instructors say, teaching has made me a better player, not worse.
The better you understand how the swing works and why each piece matters, the more the confusion disappears. Everything becomes simpler and clearer.
Director of Distance &ndash; Featuring Justin James. Everyone wants to hit the ball farther. So we went straight to the best: Justin James, World Long Drive Champion.
I&rsquo;ve known his dad, Jerry James, since the 1980s&mdash;we played in tournaments and clinics together, and he could launch the ball. When Justin struggled with injuries, Jerry sent him to me. We tapped into his baseball background and helped him rediscover natural movement patterns. With just a few grip and hand action changes, Justin gained speed with less effort&mdash;and avoided further injury.
Now, he&rsquo;s a part of our team&mdash;and teaches you how to create speed. His swing aligns perfectly with the M-System, adding a few of his own speed-building tweaks along the way. Even the best are using the M-System framework.
21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing
This program gives you 21 guided practice sessions to actively work through the M-System.
Each day, you focus on a segment. But the secret? You don&rsquo;t forget previous days&mdash;you build on them. Day 2 includes Day 1, Day 3 includes Days 1 and 2, and so on. This compound approach mirrors how tour players practice. Eventually, pros can run through all 21 segments in 10&ndash;20 minutes. I can do it in 6 or 7. It becomes a daily routine that reminds your body what your swing is about, keeping you consistent and clear.
Just like any successful job has a checklist, your swing needs one too. That&rsquo;s what the M-System is.
Inside Jack Nicklaus&rsquo;s MindJack Nicklaus graciously allowed Phil Blackmar and me to interview him in his home. I&rsquo;ve known Jack for over 40 years&mdash;played against him, partnered with him, and even worked with him on physical fitness. Our team helped him avoid back surgery, and he&rsquo;s still doing the exercises we gave him in the 1980s.
This interview isn&rsquo;t about his swing. It&rsquo;s about how Jack became Jack&mdash;how he thinks, how he made adjustments, and how he learned. We asked the right questions, and from years of conversations, I&rsquo;ve pieced together how one of the greatest players in history developed his game&mdash;and how you can apply the same principles.
Meet Your Elite-Level Coaches Every Malaska Golf coach involved with Swing Check is a high-level player&mdash;college, mini-tour, or professional competitor. They know what it&rsquo;s like to play for a score, not just teach theory. Swing Checks are available to Elite Members as an add-on product based on instructor availability.
I&rsquo;ve known them all for years. Each of them understands the M-System&mdash;because at some point, I helped them with their own games. They&rsquo;ve lived it, and now they teach it. I&rsquo;d trust any one of them with my own swing. That says everything.
Now, Here&rsquo;s What Matters Most You now have access to more information and tools than most golfers ever will&mdash;but what really matters is this: What are you getting out of it? Are you hitting roadblocks? Are you seeing breakthroughs?
We want to hear from you&mdash;so we can share your success and help you through challenges. Sometimes a roadblock is just a matter of the explanation not clicking. When you tell us, we can fix that&mdash;for you and for others.
Your feedback makes you a key part of your own improvement. That&rsquo;s a big deal&mdash;and we&rsquo;re honored to be part of your journey.

Welcome To Malaska Golf- Elite

The importance of grip vs. squaring the face.

DISCUSSION ON GRIP

IMPROVE EVERY DAY Whether you&rsquo;re a Tour Pro or a weekend player, there&rsquo;s always room for improvement. The more you understand about the forces at work in the golf swing, the better you&rsquo;ll be able to control the club face and strike the ball. When I&rsquo;m on the range or on the course as a coach, I do my best to explain these natural forces in a way that reveals the &ldquo;a-ha moment&rdquo; for players. It doesn&rsquo;t matter what your handicap is, seeing how other golfers are applying their understanding to improve will ultimately help you fine tune your swing as well. I&rsquo;m also going to share firsthand experiences at some of the world&rsquo;s finest courses, so you&rsquo;ll know what to expect when you visit and play. This is what the Player Lessons section is all about.

Player Lessons

This week's Mulligan Monday is all about working on your setup.

Using three alignment sticks, form a "T" shape with the sticks. Place a tee on a ball where the sticks intersect. 

First, place your right foot into the lower right quadrant. 

Second, set your grip and address the ball. 

Third, drop your left foot in the lower left quadrant. 

Four, drop you're your right foot back. Make your backswing from there.

This setup practice routine is like a dance step: one, two, three, four, and swing the club.

Tour Players have a similar routine.

A DANCE STEP CALLED SETUP

The lever system is the source of one of the biggest if not the most important speed producers in the swing. It is also the source of most of the control of the ball. Because your hands are your only contact with the club. So how your hands are placed on the club and how they work determines your ability to reach your potential. Not only with speed but with control.

Lever System

This Mulligan Monday can be done on the range or at home. Begin by putting your weight on your left foot and then put your right hand in front of you.

Then take your right arm back and make swings. As you swing down into the ball, your left leg must push the left hip out of the way.

Pushing your left hip back moves your right hip and your shoulders forward, which brings your arm forward.

The key is to feel that overall motion of swinging back with your arm and swinging back to impact. It is important to move your left hip out of the way.

Program this sequence into every swing you make.

RIGHT ARM LEFT HIP ACTION

A deep dive into Pitching with Mike Malaska and the M-SYSTEM

Pitching

Marking the center of your clubface with a dot helps you connect with the back of the ball.

IMPACT

The most important swing you&rsquo;ll ever make might not involve a golf ball. In Day 8, Mike Malaska introduces a foundational drill using a baseball bat and a tree&mdash;or even just a stick and a tire. Why? Because the basic motion of hittingis something your body already understands. As a child, you learned to throw, catch, and hit. Golf becomes easier when you reconnect with that athletic instinct. Mike shows how this baseball-to-golf drill teaches you to flatten the lead wrist, push with the trail hand, and sequence your motion without overthinking. By practicing this swing into a solid object&mdash;like a tire&mdash;you develop natural speed, rhythm, and body rotation. You also learn how to strike through the ball without flipping, twisting, or steering. This is more than a drill. It&rsquo;s the athletic blueprint behind every great swing. You can practice it anywhere, and it builds automatic feel for how your body should move to generate real power.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Swing Pattern Training: &bull; How the baseball swing pattern mirrors a powerful golf swing &bull; Why your trail hand must push and your lead wrist must flatten &bull; How to feel proper sequencing and release without hitting balls &bull; Why this drill eliminates the need for conscious face control &bull; How to use a bat, stick, or molded grip to groove motion at home This is a motion your body already knows. You&rsquo;re not inventing something new&mdash;you&rsquo;re remembering something natural. Mike recommends doing this drill weekly, even daily, to reinforce your swing pattern and develop feel that carries onto the course.
Key Takeaway: Athletes don&rsquo;t think positions. They feel motion. Reconnect with the baseball-to-golf swing pattern to build real speed, natural release, and consistent contact&mdash;without relying on timing.

Day 8-How to Swing Like an Athlete

This video explores one of the most overlooked aspects of swing speed and athletic performance&mdash;neurological activation. Justin James walks through a targeted pre-swing warmup routine that stimulates your nervous system, primes your muscles, and prepares your body to move explosively. Using resistance bands and heavy loop cords, Justin demonstrates a series of dynamic drills that turn on the correct motor neurons and increase joint mobility.
 You&rsquo;ll see how a few high-tension reps can fire up your central nervous system far more effectively than dozens of light low-resistance movements. These warm-up exercises target the thoracic spine, hip rotation, oblique engagement, and shoulder mobility&mdash;all key components for producing force and rotating efficiently in the golf swing. Mike Malaska explains how these movements reinforce correct biomechanics and mirror the body&rsquo;s natural athletic patterns.
 You&rsquo;ll learn:
Why most warmups fail to prepare your body for high-speed golf swings The value of high-tension, low rep priming before a round or range session How to stimulate proper joint sequencing using elastic resistance Why neurological readiness matters more than muscle stretching before swinging
 This video is essential for anyone who struggles to &ldquo;feel athletic&rdquo; during the first few holes&mdash;or anyone looking to reduce injury risk while increasing performance. These drills are fast, portable, and incredibly effective for getting your brain and body in sync before speed training or competition. The series reinforces the principle that a powerful swing doesn&rsquo;t start with your arms or even your legs&mdash;it starts with a properly lit-up neurological system.

Lighting up Your Neurological System

To loosen your hands and wrists, twirl or swing the club. This movement will help reduce tension.

LOOSENING UP YOUR WRISTS

This series goes far beyond simply "swinging harder." Instead, it takes a methodical, athletic approach rooted in biomechanics, sequencing, and real-world experience. You&rsquo;ll learn the Five Gears of Speed&mdash;a progressive framework that starts with basic hand control and gradually builds to explosive full-body movement and maximum speed generation. With each step, you&rsquo;ll learn to layer new swing elements while maintaining control and efficiency.

7 Days for MORE Driver Distance PRODUCT

Certified Coaches

Is your left arm tension free as it hinges? Try this pattern to find out.

THE LEFT ARM

First put a dot on the club face on the forth grove from the bottom and in the center of the face. Now set up to the ball holding the club in just your trail hand. Place the dot on the face on the back of the ball. Now roll the ball towards the target. The ball should not slide off the face. This helps you feel impact and how you catch the ball on the face. Then do the same with your lead arm. Then put it together and do the drill with both hands. Great for feeling impact and how to compress the ball. 

ROLL THE BALL ON THE FACE - WEDGE

Joe discusses a general overview of fitness that is suitable for most. He says people should first get an assessment. Joe also talks about how the golf industry has done a fantastic job measuring what happens outside the body. But he believes, based on his experience, they could have done a better job with how the body moves, how the body is constructed, and the most efficient ways to move around the hips and the shoulders.

Joe's advice is to understand the balance of how your body moves, which leads back to basic posture. Joe notices that in most workout programs, people work on muscles that are already strong, tight, and dominating. These are sometimes called "mirror muscles," and we neglect the muscles we can't see.

Every joint in your body has six movements. Good posture is injury reduction, a better brake system, golf sequence, blood flow, and nutrition to our body's tissues.

Mike surmises that the best golf-specific training program wouldn't necessarily be golf-specific but function-specific. Joe agrees but adds that you must begin with a balanced body. If the body works as it is supposed to, it will do anything you want.

Mike talks about the imbalance of muscles for many people and how that pulls them out of position. They may get stronger in the short term, but in the long run, they may be more dysfunctional.

Joe says it is difficult to learn when people are locked in that position, and learning a new skill is almost impossible. The key is to get them in a new position for better learning.

JOE-LACAZE: OVERVIEW OF FITNESS

Joe described the transition of the lower body as "Hitting against a firm left side." What did he mean by this and how can you incorporate this into your swing?"

HITTING AGAINST A FIRM LEFT SIDE

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about having a strong grip. The member feels that her left wrist cups even more on the backswing.Mike notes that most people hold the club in the palm of their hand, which is one of the biggest mistakes in golf. This type of grip doesn’t allow the wrist to hinge correctly.Mike suggests that you must practice the first move on the takeaway. You feel like you are pushing the handle down, and your right hand faces the ground behind you. If your right wrist rotates, then your left wrist cups. You can feel this move in either your left wrist or your right.Most people can feel their right hand hinge back. It is the same as when you hit a forehand shot in tennis. The racket works back. You don’t spin the racket over.Mike demonstrates the swing with a stronger grip. Your palms are facing down on the backswing; you swing to the top and then down and hit the ball. This makes it easier to catch the clubface up and is really stable at the top instead of being flippy and all over the place

Don't Twist Your Right Hand

To get great results on the golf course, focus on impact and follow-through, not your backswing.

IMPACT AND FOLLOW-THROUGH

Understanding how to make a center face hit can be difficult. Learn how to use knowledge you already have.

Feeling Center Faced Hits

Your hands control the club face. Practice so you can feel how your hands work.

Hand-Eye Coordination

There are two reasons people come over the top. Regardless of which one affects you, we want the momentum of the clubhead moving towards the ball.

Momentum

Mike Malaska introduces the M-System Lite, a fast-track to the M-System swing process. The M-System contains many videos and information.The purpose of the M-System Lite is to cull down the most important concepts from M1 through M5.Mike says you will improve considerably if you get the M-System Lite down.The Full M-System will help you reinforce with different drills, concepts, and tasks, making it easier.The M-System Lite is a quick version of what you need in your game.If you master the M-System Lite, you should look at the M-System and brush up on all its other aspects.

M-System Lite-Introduction

Mike Malaska introduces the M-System Lite M2: The Lever System.The Lever System is the most important part of M2 and the M-System. This is where you generate distance and speed from your irons and clubs.Mike demonstrates what the Lever System looks like, swinging an iron loosely, horizontally in front of him, from side to side. He looks very flippy with his hands as he swings the iron back and forth. However, this is how the Tour Players swing. Most amateurs tend to drag their hands throughout the swing.&nbsp;Mike explains that people don’t let the momentum of the club go and let the lever system work. This is how you create speed.Mike now drops the club down to the ground, applies the same motion/swing of the lever system, and hits a ball. Mike hits the ball 110 yards with little effort using the lever system.Even though the practice swings look flippy, they take on a different look once you add your body into the equation. The swing looks more fluid. Mike feels like he is doing the same thing. One of the biggest things he has learned in 60 years is what you feel like you are doing and what you see are very different.Mike now shows us a drill that puts the Lever System together, which is the L to L.First, make sure your grip is on correctly. As Mike demonstrates, the grip goes primarily in your fingers. People say it’s a strong grip, but really, it’s how your arm straightens and all your joints line up. Your right palm goes right on the back of your left thumb. Your right hand faces the target because it moves like a throwing or pushing action. Your left hand acts more like a chopping action.Once you get your hands on it, the lever can work correctly. Mike swings the club back and creates an ‘L’ with his arms and club on the backswing, then swings through to create the same ‘L’ on the follow-through. This is the L to L. Mike demonstrates the L to L, and you can see how the swing mirrors itself.It is important to be able to do this drill and let the momentum of the club rehinge your wrists. This should be an easy drill, but most people struggle because they tighten up and let their shoulders pull.This drill is monumental relative to distance, consistency, and the ability to relax and gain a lot of distance and speed.

M-System Lite M2-The Lever System

The lever system is one of, if not the biggest speed producer in the golf swing. If you do not have a solid understanding of the main components: Grip, Face control, Lever System, Arm Path and Club Head Path, you will fight the swing forever. These are simple but most of the time they are over looked. This could be the main reason you are struggling with the game. It really is simple if done in the correct sequence of learning.

M2-The Lever System

This is M1. The M-SYSTEM is a complete training system for your whole game. Start with M1. Learn the fundamentals, advance through M5. Then start learning about individual skills specific to Driving, Bunkers, Short Game, Putting, Chipping and Irons. Welcome to Malaska Golf.

M1-Swing Concepts

Start with small swings maybe using just your trail arm. As you swing the club into the ball the lead hip socket should move farther away from the ball or the target line. That is done with the lead leg pushing it away not just straightening. Learning to sync out these two motions. The club through the ball and the hip moving away happens in all shots. Start slow then add speed and both hands. The same timing for the short shots is what happens with the big clubs. 

Lead Hip Action

Mike Malaska and colleague Chris Lebiedz discuss trends in the PGA and LPGA teaching industry.

ASPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY

This challenge focuses on balance and teaches you to swing on your lead foot and use your trail foot for balance without falling. It will not only help you with pitching but also in bunker play.

PITCHING CHALLENGE

The fringes are notoriously difficult at Augusta.  Let's take a look at why you might see players use a rescue or a putter to get onto the green.

GETTING OUT OF THE FRINGE AT AUGUSTA

WHAT IS A SWING

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about feeling relative to where his hands are pointed. This is a really good question, as Mike always says, ‘Your hands control the golf swing.’ If you can control what your hands do, then there is a good chance the clubface will work.Now, if you aren’t connected to what your hands are doing or your grip, you are trying to do everything with your hips. Your hips don’t control the face.The Member’s comment is that as he is working on grip, line of compression, and impact, he feels like his left palm at impact is facing down and more into him, as opposed to facing out and up.Mike talks about what hurt him in golf. He had had his grip changed, and as he came into the ball, he had to bow his wrists.Mike got pretty good at this until he broke his wrist and tore a tendon. This was Mike compromising that joint.Now, instead of facing down, Mike’s palm is facing toward his leg. Mike said that what the member is feeling with his palm is a really good thing.If your grip is correct, it is a chopping action with your left hand and wrist. Your palm will be facing in if you do it this way. As you swing through, your arms straighten, and the release action is up. You don’t twist or rotate the club as you swing through. There is a big difference.If you use the grip Mike talks about, your joints line up, you hit the ball, and your hands work. It’s a good feeling to have your palm facing down and toward you, then toward the sky.

Hands Control the Golf Swing

Most golfers struggle with chipping because they try to help the ball into the air. They flip their wrists, lean back, or slow down through impact. But that is not how good players&rsquo; chip. As Mike Malaska explains, the ball gets in the air because of the loft on the club, not because you try to lift it. And the motion you need is one you already have. It is your putting stroke. Day 3 is about applying the same movement you have been working on&mdash;center contact, face control, and body connection&mdash;to your chip shots. The difference comes in your setup. By placing the ball slightly back in your stance and shifting pressure toward your lead side, you create a downward angle that helps you catch the ball first and brush the turf after. Mike shows you how to keep everything else the same. The hands, the right arm on the shaft, the motion&mdash;none of that changes. This is chipping built from your putting foundation. In this lesson, you will learn how to train proper contact with the dot drill and how to get immediate feedback using a sand-line drill. These simple tools show you exactly where your club is landing and help you feel the difference between a solid chip and a mis-hit.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Chipping: How to use your putting motion for clean chip shots Why ball position and setup create launch&mdash;not wrist action How to use a dot on the face and the ball to train center contact Why you should hit the ball first and brush the ground second How a sand-line drill gives instant feedback on strike quality
Mike emphasizes that this is where you begin building your full swing. The mechanics remain the same. The setup changes. You are not inventing a new motion&mdash;you are adapting what you already know and learning how to control the bottom of the arc.
Key Takeaway: Chipping is putting with a lofted club and a new setup. The ball gets in the air because of the face. Catch it first, then brush the ground. Keep the motion simple and trust what you have trained.

Day 3-Off Green Putting

Now that you know the most important patterns to the L to L, here's how to turn that into a full swing.

THE FULL SWING

Professionals use less energy with better results.  In this episode, we  talk with Martial Artist Scott about the benefits of body control, awareness of energy, and force transfer for better self expression.

BODY CONTROL

The hand action and the lever system with a baseball swing are the same as the golf club in a golf swing.

HITTING

This series of videos documents a player lesson between retired MLB pitcher Garrett Richards and golf instructor Mike Malaska. The overarching theme is the connection between the mechanics of pitching in baseball and the golf swing. Mike Malaska, drawing from his own experience as a former baseball player, emphasizes the similarities between the two sports and aims to leverage Garrett's existing hand-eye coordination from baseball to improve his golf game.
In the first video, Mike introduces Garrett and highlights the similarities in movement patterns between baseball and golf swings. He assesses Garrett's swing, identifies areas for improvement, and discusses how Garrett's experience as a professional athlete can be harnessed to enhance his golf performance.
The subsequent videos delve deeper into specific aspects of the golf swing, starting with grip alignment and how it relates to baseball and golf swings. Mike emphasizes the importance of correct grip alignment and demonstrates how Garrett's natural instincts from baseball can be utilized to improve his golf grip.
As the lessons progress, Mike focuses on eliminating unnecessary wrist rotation and guiding Garrett to develop a more efficient swing motion reminiscent of a baseball swing. He emphasizes the role of hand and finger pressure in controlling the clubface and demonstrates how Garrett can manipulate the clubface to achieve different shot shapes.
Throughout the series, Mike provides analogies and exercises that relate golf swing mechanics to baseball pitching, making the concepts more relatable and easier for Garrett to understand and implement. By the end of the series, Garrett shows significant improvement in his swing mechanics and shot control, demonstrating how the principles of pitching and golf are interconnected.
There is a natural sports connection between baseball and golf.

Garrett Richards Ex MLB Pitcher

(Why You Must Decide Before You Swing) To play your best golf, you need to know your intention before you hit your first shot: Are you practicing&mdash;or are you playing? In this final bonus lesson, Mike Malaska shares one of the most overlooked keys to success on the course: separating training mode from scoring mode. If you step onto the range&mdash;or the tee box&mdash;without clarity, you&rsquo;ll sabotage your performance. When you practice, your focus is on reps and training the swing (like L-to-L or wrist rehinge drills), not the score. You&rsquo;re working on the swing, not the shot. But when you play, your focus must shift to feel and performance&mdash;working with your tendencies, not fixing your swing mid-round. Trying to &ldquo;fix&rdquo; your motion on the course leads to tension, poor contact, and mental confusion. It&rsquo;s a losing strategy. Mike emphasizes that your warm-up should reflect your goal. If you're practicing, dive into your drills. If you're playing, keep it light, reinforce what&rsquo;s natural, and trust your tendencies. This mental discipline ties directly back to the M-System&rsquo;s structure and prepares you to make real, lasting progress&mdash;on the range and on the course.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Practice vs. Play: &bull; Why you must choose between training or scoring&mdash;never both &bull; How to warm up differently depending on your goal &bull; Why your tendencies matter more during play than swing &ldquo;fixes&rdquo; &bull; How to train a skill (like L-to-L) without worrying about score &bull; How this lesson connects directly to the full M-System process
Key Takeaway: Before every round, make a decision: Are you training your swing, or are you playing your game? You can&rsquo;t do both. Practicing is about process. Playing is about performance. If you separate the two, you&rsquo;ll make faster progress&mdash;and shoot lower scores.

Practice vs Play

Jim Flick Invitational Part 3 -- The Hands Square The Face

THE HANDS SQUARE THE FACE

A Malaska Golf Member has a great question about "feel and real."

Mike talks about his mentor Joe Nichols who taught him how to compress the golf ball and gain speed instead of dragging the handle out in front.

The original question is about when you make practice swings and the club circles around your hands. Does this concept depart from what Joe taught? Mike says no.

Joe wanted you to tip the club out because he wanted your hips to stay back as you brought the handle down. When you swing at full speed, the club will land in a perfect position for you to hit the ball.

If you don't tip the club out on the downswing, the club's momentum will drop the club and then push your hands away from you. You'll have to twist your hands to get the clubface square with the ball. This means everything is late.

The key is to keep the club from getting too far behind you. That is why "tipping the club out" gets you in the perfect position to hit the ball.

The club is still circling your hands when you are "tipping the club out”, it's the same thing. It is a feeling of a change of direction and not a reality.

TIPPING THE CLUB

Hands In, ClubvHead out - or compensations are require

HANDS DON'T SWING AT THE BALL

Here we are with Ask Mike. I'm joined by Brian Gott and Billy Fitzgerald. Today's question comes from John Geraldo, who wants to know: Billy, when does a chip become a pitch?
That's an interesting concept for most people, and I think a lot of golfers have different ideas about it. I believe we're mostly on the same page, though. So, Billy, why don't you help him understand? When does a chip become a pitch?
First, let&rsquo;s define what a chip is and how it feels. Putting and chipping are almost identical, with a slight difference in ball position and the way we approach the ball.
For a chip shot, I use my putting grip. The ball is positioned slightly farther back in my stance, and I lean forward to ensure I catch the ball on the downward part of the strike. I can only make a certain length of swing with this setup before it starts to feel uncomfortable.
For me, that limit is about hip-high to hip-high. Any longer than that, and I feel like I have to involve my body more, which becomes uncomfortable. That&rsquo;s when it transitions into a pitch for me.
With a pitch shot, I need to generate more speed in the club, so I change my grip. I move from my putting grip to a pitching grip, which is closer to my full-swing grip but still slightly in the palm. This grip change allows my hands to work more, and it enables my body to pivot naturally, giving me the speed I need.
Let&rsquo;s go through both techniques:
For the chip shot, the ball is back in my stance. I lean forward slightly and make a putting motion. For the pitch shot, if I need to go a bit farther, I change my grip to a pitching grip. This allows for a little wrist hinge and some body motion, which adds speed to the club.
The difference between a chip and a pitch varies for each golfer. It comes down to when the chip motion feels uncomfortable or insufficient for the required shot. That&rsquo;s when you need to add speed by adjusting your grip and motion.
So, to sum it up, when you feel a chip is no longer sufficient for the shot, change your grip, add some speed, and transition into a pitch. That should help clarify the difference and improve your short game.

Chip vs. Pitch Key Differences

Preparing for a tournament is very important. Practice finding your tempo.

Pre-Tournament Routine

There are such things as slices and hooks in baseball. A lot of it deal with the path of your arms.

Hitting With Coach Nate Reyes

PBA Champion Josh Blanchard demonstrates how body alignment can make your bowling and golf swings easy and consistent.

PBA Bowling Pro Josh Blanchard

Dr. Debbie Crews talks about stepping outside of the box in order for you to play your optimum game.

A CONVENTIONAL SWING MAY NOT BE YOUR BEST SWING

For Step 3 of Billy Fitzgerald’s player lesson, Mike Malaska talks about how you drop your foot back as you swing on the downswing. Your foot turns in, and your right knee stays behind your left knee. Mike explains to Billy how he should feel his femur rotate down and in and that his foot is rotating.

Mike talks about his baseball experience as a kid and how coaches teach you to rotate your right foot out in the baseball swing. This was referred to as “swish the bug.” Baseball players don’t do this much anymore. Mike applied that foot action when he came to golf, and Mike never struggled with his hips going out and his right leg moving up and out. If your right leg goes up and out, it will be limited to what you can do on your swing.

Billy makes some swings focusing on rotating his right foot back and in, and his right knee stays behind his left knee.

Billy comments that he feels his hip socket go back and stays there as his leg and foot are working. Mike says that the femur rotates in his hip socket, and it rotates because of what his foot is doing. His foot is twisting in the ground and not just pushing.

Baseball players talk about a second spike in their right foot, how they turn that spike down and twist it into the ground. This prevents their right hip from moving out.

Billy makes some swings so that Mike can analyze them. Billy is on the right track. Mike reiterates that Billy has a great impact position, and now he has mastered the right foot back and making it rotate into the ground.

BILLY FITZGERALD - FEEL HOW YOUR FOOT ROTATES

It is critical in putting that you see line correctly. Not everyone sees line from the same eye position. To find your eye position first. Set the line of the ball. Then put your eyes in a position that the line looks correct. Then set the putter in. Last set your body up to fit the putter then roll the line.

EYE POSITION OVER THE BALL

Dan Quayle has been around golf for his whole life. Learn how Dan has kept up with golf his whole life.

DAN QUAYLE'S LIFE AROUND GOLF

IN THE CLUBHOUSE WITH FRIENDS, PLAYERS AND LEGENDS Sometimes the best part of the game is talking about the game. Find out what&rsquo;s really going on inside players&rsquo; heads. Hear the stories that become legends firsthand. Get a better understanding of the mental side of the game, the highs and lows. Explore what players and instructors think about how the game is taught, practiced and played. This is how I end every day at the course. Now, it&rsquo;s here for you to enjoy as well. These are the clubhouse conversations that keep the game going long after the sun has set and the clubs have been put away.

Golf Talk

ENJOY THE GAME MORE Golf is not a complicated sport when you really think about it. Mike, or one of our certified instructors will answer your question with the M-Sytem learning process at the core to every response. It&rsquo;s been played the same way for hundreds of years. Our goal is to give you a better understanding of why things happen the way they do. So, ask us anything. If one of our videos raises a question, post your question in the comments section beneath it. Every week or so we will be exploring the most common questions, and we post our video responses right here for everyone in the Malaska Golf community to see.

Ask Malaska Golf

How to bridge the gap between practice and play

THE GAP BETWEEN PRACTICE AND PLAY

Having an understanding of how the face works relative to your swing arch and your target line is critical. You must have the correct task in your mind. “Your eyes perceive, your brain receives your body reacts”. So the picture is very important. Once you understand the picture it becomes much easier to create the motion.