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Brian Gott, a Malaska Certified Coach, is tackling the Ask Mikes this week. A Malaska Golf Member has a question about how you affect trajectory based on the right hand coming through at impact. The member wants to know if he will hit the ground fat and thin.Brian says the most important thing when you take practice swings is to look where the club bottoms out. This helps you determine ball position and the low point of the swing. Once you have done that, you can work on trajectories.Make sure to keep your right shoulder level. Don’t let the shoulder dip down, especially if trying to hit the ball low. This will tend to ground the club out behind the ball. Now that Brain has figured out the low point of his swing, he can make normal trajectory shots.Brian hits a low and a high shot with just one hand, ensuring the shoulders are level. Then he moves to holding the club with two hands.If you want to hit a really low shot, move the ball back in your stance and ensure your knuckles are behind the ball. It will come out lower and release.Play around with different trajectories, but make sure your right shoulder doesn’t dip down.

TRAJECTORY AT IMPACT

Consistent beginnings lead to consistent play.

PRACTICE SERIES

The easiest way to see break to by rolling a ball.

ROLLING A BALL

For this Quick Fix Friday, Mike pulls out his driver and starts practicing on the range.

Mike sets up three tees, and the key is to make easy swings and hit the ball solid. Mike hits the first ball in the center of the face, online, with a slight curve. 

Mike hits the next shot, adds a little draw, and follows with the third shot hitting a fade.

With all three hits, you can feel what the club is doing with face control even though you aren't making a full swing. 

This drill will help you with your full swing, especially since you aren't adding acceleration. Mike starts with the driver, puts it away, and works on his other clubs before returning to the driver.

START WITH YOUR DRIVER EASY SWINGS

Learning to play golf is about how to accommodate uneven lies. There are more uneven lies on a golf course than flat lies. Even fairways that look relatively flat have slopes, and the more you make little adjustments to compensate, the better you will become.

There are two essential things to understand when it comes to uneven lies. First, you must ensure that your body is perpendicular to the ground as if you were hitting off a flat lie. If you are on a downhill lie, your body should tilt forward. 

Most people on a downhill lie tend to lean back when they try to hit the ball. Your club will bottom out early when you try to make your swing. Make sure you are getting your shoulders even relative to the ground. Mike also drops his right foot back because your knee tends to be more up on a downhill lie and in the way of your swing. The more severe the downhill lie, the more your foot goes back.

Second, once you accommodate the lie with your body and stance, make a practice swing to see where your club bottoms out. You will find that the club will bottom out slightly in front of the ball. You will have to adjust your position in your stance so the club will bottom out and hit the ball.

When it comes to playing golf, it’s about adjusting; in this instance, it’s about making those adjustments to the lie and not your swing. A downhill lie will take loft off the face; an uphill lie adds loft; below your feet doesn’t do much, and above the feet, your shot goes to the left.

Remember, on a downhill lie, get your shoulders level with the ground, drop your right foot back and see where your club bottoms out. Set up and go from there.

MASTERING UNEVEN LIES

Before you add speed, you must have control. Get a feel for your full swing with pitching.

PITCHING TO GET A FEEL

Golf is primarily a mental game. If your mind doesn't understand the task at hand, the body won't do what you want it to do.

MENTAL SIDE WITH GIULIA SERGAS - 201811

If your hands and arms are too tight, do the opposite and hinge your wrists quickly. By exaggerating and finding the middle ground, you will improve your swing.

EXAGGERATION DRILL

When it comes to grip there are many ways to put your hands on the club. The way that is most taught is what is called a neutral palms apposing grip. That is a way to play but it takes a lot of compensations to make it work. Your lead hand should go on the club the way your arm hangs in front of you. That is how your joints line up. Your trial hand is a thrower and or a pusher. It should be on the club in a manner that pushes the shaft through the ball without having to twist. The club is also for a full swing the club is primarily in the fingers of both hands more than the palms.

NEUTRAL GRIP

Lead your game from the front, instead of trying to catch up from behind.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR GAME

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I’m a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based here in the UK. This question comes from Derek Neve (apologies if I’ve mispronounced your name). It’s great to hear from you, Derek, as you’ve been a long-time member of the site, and Mike wanted to personally thank you for your continued membership.We know you took a break to try different things, but you’ve come back and realized how great the system is, so Mike wanted to welcome you back.You mentioned how much you're enjoying the M2 system, and that one drill has really helped you: the hinge drill. This is a fantastic drill because it helps you understand the correct wrist motion and the relationship between the shaft, the club, and your hands. It’s a fundamental drill that we encourage many golfers to practice because it benefits the overall swing.The drill is simple. Take hold of the club and stand at address. From this position, you hinge your wrists upwards. When you do this, it sets your wrists at the right angle. A lot of players may notice a slight angle in the shaft as well—this is normal, given how you hold the club and how your wrists function. Some golfers try to keep it straight, but you should just allow it to hinge naturally.Once the wrists are hinged and the shaft is parallel to the ground, all you need to focus on is completing the swing arc around your body. From there, you can hit the ball. Practicing this drill repeatedly will set you into a nice backswing position and help with your overall swing momentum.This is an excellent all-around drill. I still practice it regularly, and I highly recommend others incorporate it into their routines. It's beneficial for setting up the swing and directing momentum.Thank you for sharing your experience, Derek. I hope you continue to enjoy the M2 system, and I encourage you to check out M3 as well. It’s another great addition to your game.Thanks again for your question, Derek, and I hope to catch up with you all soon.

BETTER GOLF WITH THE HINGE DRILL

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about grip and your left thumb. Mike says from his experience, your left thumb can be the biggest killer regarding tension.

Mike explains that when you hold a baseball bat, like tennis, your thumb is not on the bat. This makes it easy to load and release the bat. There is no tension in your wrists.

When you hold a golf club, the thumb is slightly on the side of the shaft, so it is a support mechanism when you get to the top of your swing. Also, in the downswing, your thumb prevents the club from swinging all over the place. When the club gets outside your hands on the downswing, your thumb is now along for the ride.

It is important to note that your thumb does not push down into the club. On the follow-through, the club rehinges, and your thumb stabilizes the club again.

Mike, say that some players would really benefit from taking their thumb off the golf club like you would on a baseball bat. Swing with this grip and feel how loose your left wrist feels. Now put your left thumb back on the club and feel that same swing as you did when you had the thumb off.

Again, don't push with the thumb. Many players that Mike teaches grip the club too tightly. Often Mike will take their right hand off the club to look at their left hand. He notices that he can't move their left thumb, and it's almost like they have a "death grip" between their left finger and their left thumb.

When Mike grips the club, there is no tension in his left thumb, and he is not pushing the thumb into the club. It is just sitting there acting as a stabilizer. Many players hit the ball fat because they use their thumbs and push the club down.

THUMBS AWAY

Mastering how to use the club, hand action, setup, and controlling distance plays a critical role in developing your full swing.

PITCHING REVIEW

This Malaska Golf Member wants to know what you do on the backswing after hinging your wrists.

Mike Malaska says you must be careful to avoid getting too segmented in your swing; instead, think of it as a blend of motions.

Swing the club slightly forward, then start the club back and toss the momentum backward. When you hinge your wrists on the backswing, your left arm is parallel to the ground, your shoulders are 90 degrees, and force is in your right leg. Once you reach this point, your arms go up and down.

It’s not just about shoulder turn, although some players feel that. Mike feels a more up-and-down motion after the wrists hinge. This up-and-down action also helps load the ground, and Mike goes on the downswing.

When do all these motions all sync out? There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to do it. Mike’s wisdom is that if you add tension to the equation, then don’t do it.

Start with the club out in front, then push back and let the club swing and hit the ball. The reality of the swing is that your shoulders, arms, and body are moving at different speeds. Nothing is traveling at the same rate, but there is a blend of those circles. A combination of those different swing arcs makes up the swing.

Mike talks about how players feel connected and together. What does that mean? Mike describes this as a feeling, and you must be careful with what you do with it.

In summary, the swing isn’t tight and too position orientated. Just toss the club back and let the arc of the different circles work together in your swing.


BLENDING ARM SWING, WRIST HINGE AND BODY TURN

A chip shot uses the same body mechanics as your wedges, only this time, we've added acceleration.  

ADD PUSHAWAY TO YOUR CHIPPING SHOTS

Hi, I'm Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska-certified coach based in Chicago. Chris Downer asks about using a metronome to build rhythm and wonders about the correct beat—whether it's 70, 80, or another tempo. Chris, that’s a great question, because when it comes to rhythm, one thing I notice across the board is how varied it is among the people who come to me for lessons and those I see practicing on the range every day.Typically, the tempo gets faster as the club length increases, with the driver often being the quickest and rhythm sometimes almost nonexistent with the putter. That’s one area where tour players excel—they have consistent rhythm throughout their game. Even if their swing is a bit off, good rhythm can help save their shots. When we lose rhythm, our timing gets thrown off, and the swing can feel different each time.In terms of using a metronome, I recommend starting with the putter. I always emphasize rhythm in putting lessons, as it greatly impacts speed control. I use a simple pattern: “take back, impact, take back, impact.” The exact tempo doesn’t have to match mine—it will vary based on your personality, lifestyle, and natural pace. Some people are naturally slower, others faster, and it’s about finding what feels right for you.To illustrate, if I use my natural rhythm with my putter, I might go “take back, impact” at a comfortable pace. If I try it too quickly or too slowly, it feels off. Finding the right rhythm and sticking with it is crucial. Once you identify your rhythm, you can use a metronome to match the beats, but since rhythm is so personal, assigning a specific number might not be accurate for everyone.Whether I’m using a putter, an eight iron, or a driver, my rhythm remains the same— “take back, impact.” The rhythm doesn’t change, whether it’s for a two-foot putt or a driver. Once you find your rhythm, make it part of your pre-shot routine and use it every time. The best players have the most consistent routines and rhythm, suited to their own feel and personality.In summary, find a rhythm that works for you and keep it consistent throughout your game. This will give you stability and confidence, regardless of which club you’re using.

CONSISTENT RHYTHM ACROSS CLUBS

Set a chair up just behind you. The seat of the chair should almost touch your glute muscle. The lower part of your butt cheek. Then as you swing back make your trail hip touch the chair. As you change directions sit down into the chair. Then hit the ball. After you hit the ball then stand up into your finish. This is a bit of an exaggeration but once you start to fell this loading of the ground it will dramatically change your swing potential.

HOW THE BODY WORKS - CHALLENGE

INTRO TO PITCHING

If you want to make swing changes in the quickest manner. Then the key is to exaggerate the opposite of what you do then work your swing back towards your normal. You will then be able to identify the swing you want and how it feels. For instance if you slice the ball. Then work on making the ball hook a lot. Then just do less and less until you find the curve you want. Do not be afraid to exaggerate. First at slow speeds. Then add speed later.

PRACTICE EXAGGERATION

Your angle of approach will determine whether you are hitting with the leading edge or making solid contact with the center of the club. A towel can be a great teaching tool for you to direct your pivot into the ball.

DEVELOPING ANGLE OF APPROACH

This is an important idea that plays heavily into Mike's philosophy as an instructor and coach.  Hear how accountability has a role in teaching.