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Mike talks about a new way to swing that he's seen in videos and discusses the idea of arms out in front of you.

Mike says it is universally understood that when you take the club away, the clubhead is in front of your hands, not behind. Most teachers in the industry are on board with this idea.

When you get to the transition point (the top of the swing), that is where there are some differing views. There is an idea out there about how the club works, and there are many ways to describe it: hub path, clubhead path, and center mass. A lot of physics is mentioned relative to forces.

One comment mentioned is that when players' arms come down from the top of the swing, they run their arms into their bodies. They explain this as getting stuck. Their solution when you change directions on the downswing is to put your arms out in front of you by dropping the club behind you. When this happens, you pull the handle down, allowing your arms to swing. Mike agrees that in this swing concept, you want room for your arms to swing; however, he wants to talk about how the body works first.

When Mike sets up, swings back, and goes down, his arms are in front of him. Mike can shallow the club and his arms in the downswing without getting stuck. His hips aren't in the way. Mike doesn't understand why people are getting stuck.

Mike explains that if your right hip is working correctly, the club will be in front of you sooner, in a better swing arc, with less manipulation and less force without the twisting from your body. Mike demonstrates what he is talking about when his hip works. He swings back, his hip moves back up to the transition point, and Mike shows you there is plenty of room for his arms to swing into the ball. Mike can shallow his arms, make a big loop and not get stuck.

Throughout his career, Jack Nicklaus talked about his swing and that his goal was to get his right hip far out of the way to get his arms back down to the ball. Tiger Woods talked about basically the same thing. Tiger wanted his right hip socket as deep as he could possibly get it, and when he came down, he wanted his left hip to do the same thing. This created a massive amount of space, offsetting the momentum of the club. Jack talked about releasing the club from the top. He was trying to get his club in the correct arc so he could push back away from it.

Mike uses the ROTEXMotion Floor Models to demonstrate how old guys like Sam Snead and Ben Hogan moved. They used to do the "sit down" position. When you swing to the top and push your hip back, it looks like you are sitting down. Mike shows you there is still plenty of room for your arms to swing down after you twist your feet.

Mike doesn't disagree that you need room for your arms to swing. But to achieve this by throwing your arms out in front of you with the club dropping back, pulling the handle, and twisting to get the club out to the ball is complicated.

Mike summarizes that working on this is about getting your right hip out of the way. The club is in front of you, and you shallow the club down, leaving plenty of room for your arms and the club to go up and come down. You don't have to swing and deal with multiple loops and forces to get the club to the ball. It's about ease of motion and consistency.

Mike says there are multiple ways to do it, and you can try that swing concept; however, he believes this is a better approach.

ARMS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU

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

When You swing a golf club the instinct is for your hands to move at the ball from the top. But they do not. Your picture and the reality is that your hands have to swing inside the ball for the club head to move to the ball correctly. So when you start your downswing picture your hands looking like they are going to miss the ball about 10 inches inside the ball. Remember the club head is not on the same arch as your arms. It is a bigger circle. 

HANDS DO NOT SWING AT THE BALL

Sammy Slice tends to slice the ball 40 yards. This Quick Fix Friday is to fix this.

There are two ways to do that.

First, set the clubface more closed because when Sammy swings his driver, the clubface is open.

The other solution is to change your grip. Turn your left hand clockwise and turn your right hand counterclockwise.

Practice this grip on the range and decide what nuances you need to make so that the ball goes straight.

Take this new “Fix” and go out and play.

SAMMY SLICE HOW TO HIT THE DRIVER STRAIGHT

When it comes to pitching, your right forearm is very important. Learn how to keep it in line with the shaft.

PITCHING

Mike tries to break 40 from the worst positions off the tee

IFYP: MENTAL GAME

Jack Jr and Mike discuss what Nicklaus meant by "release."

NICKLAUS AND RELEASE

The correct club setup is vital in pitching. The length of your swing and the speed at the bottom of it control your distance. Figuring out the best combination will improve your pitch shots.

DISTANCE & FACE CONTROL

Getting a feel for how your body works when you swing is very important. Learn how your body pushes away from the club and how this benifits your swing.

PUSHING AWAY FROM THE CLUB

Focusing either on your right scapula or belt buckle to turn through the ball.

THE RIGHT SCAPULA AND/OR YOUR BELT BUCKLE

Every golf experience is a life experience.

GOLF, LIFE, AND ECLIPSES

Rolling the ball down the line sounds stupid, but it's critical. Here's how to be a precise putter.

ROLL THE BALL

Pressure can cause you to make mistakes in your game. Learn how to adjust and correct your errors.

THE PRESSURE OF TOURNAMENT PLAY

The swing is a channeling of ground forces being moved through your body.  It may sound counterintuitive, but the ground is not a bad place to start.

START YOUR SWING WITH YOUR FEET

Sitting on a chair and making swings is a great way to feel how yur arms work together.

WORK YOUR ARMS TOGETHER

The walk through drill can be very helpful in staying balanced and maintaining consistancy.

THE WALK-THROUGH DRILL

You can practice anywhere as long as you have some room. Learn how to use obstacles in your yard to improve your swing.

USING OBSTACLES IN YOUR YARD

Performing the pulley drill creates the same force applied in your left and right foot in a golf swing.

IMPORTANCE OF THE PULLEY DRILL

LAUNCH ANGLE - 7 IRON

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska Certified Coach, is helping Mike this week. A Malaska Golf Member has a question about distance. Although he hits the ball straighter, he still isn’t getting the distance he wants.
The member lists several ways he is trying to gain speed. First, Billy cautions the member because the golf swing is one fluid motion. Although it is a fluid motion, you do hit some positions.

Another point Billy makes is that working on one thing at a time is essential. If you have too many different things going on in your head, it makes it challenging to maneuver smoothly through the swing. Your swing is a free-flowing motion. Billy advises you to work on one concept at a time before moving on to the next.

Billy talks about the different circles that help you gain more speed. First is the swing circle the club is working on, or the outer circle. Second is the circle the body works on, which is the inner circle. The object is for those circles to match up.

Typically, for the average player, there becomes a point where they can only have so much speed with their hands, wrists, and arms. Tension comes into play when you try to gain more speed and become tighter. This is not a good thing. 

Ensure your outer circle and your hands and levers are working correctly. Feel how the club is swinging. Once you do this, it is time to match up both circles. Actual speed starts when they both work off each other.

Billy demonstrates how this happens. As the club comes down in the backswing, the left leg pushes the left hip out of the way as you accelerate through the ball. With your hands working correctly, it’s ensuring the two circles work together in the swing. This will help you accelerate the golf club.

Billy reminds the member not to have too many different ideas going on in his mind, as that will create tension.

Work with the outer and inner circles to push away and accelerate the club.

GAINING DISTANCE

Mike discusses the importance of pitching in your game. The goal of M-SYSTEM Pitching is to simplify difficult concepts and help you master pitching from setup to follow through.

PITCHING OVERVIEW

CHIPPING IS "OFF GREEN PUTTING"

Your body is what generates speed when you swing. Practice getting comfortable with the forces around you.

YOUR BODY AND YOUR SWING

Mike Malaska works with Frank Cox on his golf swing. Frank has a unique swing when it comes to hitting the driver. He does not have a problem hitting the ball a long way, and he tends to fade with a giant pull.

Frank has a weak grip, and the clubface is open at impact. He also twists his body and turns hard on his swing. He finds himself having to twist his hands at impact to catch up.

Mike works with Frank on having a stronger grip, shutting the clubface on the takeaway, and pushing his left leg back, which gets his left hip out of the way. This allows Frank to accelerate his swing at impact and on the follow-through.

With less effort and more control, Frank can hit the ball as far, if not farther, and straighter with more consistency.

FRANK COX

The average person doesn't have the instinct to return to basics. Nobody goes through this process except for professionals.

UNDERSTANDING THE SWING WITH GIULIA SERGAS - 201811

Kory uses the bag stand drill to work on his driver. He focuses on not sliding his legs and knees forward and getting his hips out of the way at impact.

BAG STAND DRILL DRIVER

Brian Gott talks about putting path on Day 3. Set up four tees slightly wider than your putter head, both behind and in front, so that you can move the putter between them. Start working on the path with one hand pushing the ball through, then proceed with two hands. As you practice this, you can move the tees closer and tighter to the heel and toe of the putter head. After you get comfortable with this, add the ball and work on hitting it through the path. 

It is imperative to get the clubface square. Using a line on the ball helps you get a square clubface and ensures the ball rolls end over end towards the hole. This exercise aims to get the clubface square and run the ball down the intended path into the hole. 

DAY 3 PATH

It's important to make sure the club is more in your fingers. Rest the club on your shoulder and concentrate on feeling this in your fingers before you swing.

MORE IN YOUR FINGERS

This Quick Fix Friday follows Harry Hooker fighting his big sweeping hook with his driver.

Harry will take both hands and rotate, moving them to the left. This grip is stronger.

Harry sets up to the ball with his new grip and drives straight down the middle of the fairway.

Harry’s fix to his big snap hooks is to adjust his grip.

HARRY HOOKER DRIVER MOVE YOUR GRIP

This is such a good golf course, and I want to make sure you can see some of it. They've just top-dressed the greens, which is what they have to do here in Utah during the summer. So there's a little bit of sand on top of them, which makes them look a little white. It's a maintenance procedure.Unfortunately, we couldn't get the greens to look perfect, but I can tell you that even with the sand, these greens putt great. Walking on this course, the property, the shots, the visual concepts—there’s a lot of golf here. I love trees, I love holes where the angles and trees and all that stuff come into play.Even though I live in Arizona, which is desert golf and doesn’t have the same dynamics with big trees, it’s a different type of golf. But I want you to see how beautiful this course is. And if you’re ever here and know someone who’s a member, you’ve got to come and play it. It’s one of the best golf courses in Utah, for sure.Now, relative to the last day, this is the 18th green here. The members don’t play it this way, though. This is part of the front nine, and they finish on a par three as their 18th hole. But for us, this was the 18th hole in the final round. The pin was right here. It's a huge green, with the pin placement at the back. I hit my best tee shot of the week—a nice high draw—and ended up right here, with about 82 yards to the front edge of the green and around 100 yards to the flag. They’ve thinned out a lot of trees since I was last here, which is interesting.This hole is tough for driving because the trees hang over the tee, which is set up for a cut. But I was drawing the ball consistently. So the question was, do I hit driver? My caddie, who was excellent and helped me a lot, said, "Mike, you haven’t hit a driver offline all day. Let’s just get on the right side of the tee or way over on the left and go right over the top edge of the trees." So I hit it perfect—the best drive I hit all week. I had a two-shot lead coming into this hole, so I knew that if I just hit the fairway, I wouldn't make worse than bogey.But the pin was clear in the back, which I think is the hardest pin placement on the green. If you miss the fairway to the right or hit it left into the trees, getting the ball back there is almost impossible. This club doesn’t really have a full driving range. You can see they’ve put the tees way up, and they can hit up to those flags, which are only about 150 yards away.When we played the Utah Open, the practice tees were set much farther back, near the cart path, so you could hit up to a 200-yard shot. But even then, we just used it to warm up. In fact, every day, the first full driver swing I made was off the first tee. I’d hit a couple of drivers on the range, but they wouldn’t go past the tees. I was making big swings, just trying to hit it solid and get a feel for the swing.It’s interesting practicing like this, where you can’t hit the ball far and are just focusing on hitting it solid and controlling its flight. That’s actually better than standing there and rifling your driver, which is what most people do. So, even though this is a restricted area, it actually sets you up for a better warm-up.Again, we're up here on the range. They’ve got maybe a 120-yard shot, and I suppose you could hit into the rough and get it up to 180 or 190 yards. Back in the day, this tee was cut all the way back to the cart path, so it was probably another 50 yards longer. But you couldn't just stand here and rifle drivers out. They wouldn’t let you. In fact, a lot of times, they wouldn’t even let you hit drivers. During the Open, they let us, but you were only supposed to hit it to the trees over here, which from the back tee was only like 200 yards.For me, I didn’t know what I was doing; I just made long, smooth swings, hit the ball solid, and got a feel for how it was curving. I’ve never been in a rush to hit it far. The biggest problem I see, which I instinctively avoided, is swinging too hard and hitting the ball randomly. When I was a kid, we practiced with a shag bag, and we had to pick up the balls after hitting them. So, I was always concerned with where the ball went, rather than how far.I’m confident that’s one reason I got so good so quickly—I never swung so hard that I’d lose control of the ball. I didn’t want to lose a golf ball.So anyway, this is the practice area. It’s pretty much the same as it was back then, maybe 40 yards shorter. It’s just a place to warm up.For the members, they play this as their 10th tee, but for the tournament, they wanted to finish on 18, so they used this spot. There was a lot more room for the galleries here than at the par three, which is where the members usually finish.The first day—or the fourth day—when I came up here, it was just a gorgeous hole. It drops down, comes up one level, then another, and finally up to the top. For me, at the time, every ball I hit had a slight draw. That's another reason this course is so great: about 75 percent of the holes set up perfectly for a draw. I just set up on the left side of the tee, aimed at the left edge of the right-hand trees, and swung. It was so comfortable, and I felt so good.The two best tee shots I hit during the final round were on the first hole and the 18th. I hit them all well, but these two stood out. The adrenaline, the atmosphere—it all played a part. This tee shot on the first hole was crucial because when I hit it compared to the other two guys I was playing with, I was way past them. I ended up making birdie on the first hole, which increased my lead and made me feel like, "Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go."

VISUALIZING THE COURSE

LESSONS FROM FIRST YEAR ON TOUR

In the third video of the Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska works with Jimmy Pearcy to tackle the fundamental concept of generating speed in the golf swing. Building on the themes of relaxation and natural motion explored in previous sessions, this lesson focuses on how Jimmy can unlock effortless power by leveraging his hands and arms while reducing tension in his swing.Mike begins the session by introducing a drill designed to give Jimmy an immediate understanding of how speed is created. He instructs Jimmy to adopt a baseball grip and place the club on his shoulder. The objective is simple: snap the clubhead through the swing using his hands and arms, letting it release naturally. Jimmy quickly grasps the feel of this motion, noticing how speed can be generated with minimal effort.To bring the drill closer to a golf setup, Mike has Jimmy bend slightly and perform the same snapping motion at ground level. This adjustment highlights the importance of maintaining a fluid wrist action and a relaxed grip, both of which allow the clubhead to accelerate through impact. Jimmy’s initial attempts demonstrate significant improvement, and he begins to experience what Mike describes as an “aha” moment.Mike pauses the session to provide visual feedback, comparing Jimmy’s swing positions with ideal examples. He points out that while Jimmy is close to achieving the correct wrist hinge on his backswing, his follow-through is lacking the necessary release. By the time his right arm reaches parallel to the ground on the follow-through, the clubhead should be fully released and pointing upward, a position that Jimmy has yet to achieve. Using side-by-side comparisons, Mike illustrates the stark difference between Jimmy’s current swing and a more efficient, speed-generating motion.The lesson continues with Jimmy practicing the drill, first with the baseball grip and then transitioning to a traditional golf grip and stance. Mike emphasizes that the goal is not to perfect ball striking but to internalize the feeling of a proper release. He reassures Jimmy that even if the ball doesn’t fly perfectly, the primary focus is on understanding how to generate speed by snapping the clubhead through impact.As Jimmy progresses, Mike explains that tension in the swing is the primary obstacle to speed. He draws a parallel to serving in tennis, where holding the racket too tightly reduces the ability to create power. Similarly, in golf, gripping the club too hard or over-controlling the motion inhibits the natural acceleration of the clubhead. By staying relaxed and letting the hands and arms work freely, Jimmy discovers how much easier it is to generate speed without forcing the swing.To reinforce the lesson, Mike challenges Jimmy to reflect on the difference between the tension-free motion of the drill and the tighter, more controlled feel of his regular golf swing. Mike stresses that speed comes from allowing the natural mechanics of the swing to take over, rather than trying to control every element of the motion. He encourages Jimmy to incorporate this drill into his practice routine, noting that even short sessions focusing on the snap and release can lead to significant improvements in both speed and consistency.By the end of the session, Jimmy has a newfound understanding of how to create speed in his swing. He learns that power isn’t about swinging harder or using more force, but rather about sequencing and allowing the club to release naturally. With Mike’s guidance, Jimmy experiences the difference a relaxed, efficient motion can make, setting him on a path to greater confidence and effectiveness on the course.This lesson marks a pivotal step in Jimmy’s progression as a golfer, providing him with practical tools and insights to achieve faster, more powerful swings while maintaining control and consistency.

CREATING SPEED-JIMMY PEARCY

Mike and Joe discuss the joints and functional movements. Mike learned functional movement patterns while working with Pete Egoscue.

Mike takes issue with the golf industry using Tour Players as a model of how-to-play golf as Mike states they are dysfunctional athletes, to begin with. They have been playing golf since they were kids and have developed body movement patterns far superior to the average person. Trying to superimpose the abilities and body movement patterns of a Tour Player to an average golfer is almost impossible.

Most Tour Players have multiple trainers helping them become more functional. Mike also observed that when he worked with Pete Egoscue at their summer camps, many pro athletes were not as good as they thought after being physically assessed. They looked good but were also dysfunctional, and they only exacerbated the problem with their workouts.

Mike tends to look at different forces in the body and where they are going. Is that part of the body designed to take the amount of force and pressure? Overworking that area in the gym to compensate isn’t always the answer. The key is building a solid foundation; you are only as strong as your weakest link.

Joe concludes that there are six basic movement changes throughout the body, and we should work on every one of them, from the hands and core to the feet. When we do this, we will create more mobility and stability, which is the base of what Joe likes to see when working with athletes.

BODY MOVEMENT PATTERNS

A look at the common flaws and fixes concerning the full swing and sequence. Flaws include over the top, tension, and incorrect body rotation.

SWING AND SEQUENCE

MAKING A SWING

Controlling distance is a very important part of your game. Practice making shiots at different distances.

DISTANCE CONTROL

FOCUS ON MOTION

The right hand squares to incoming force. In the golf swing, it squares to the incoming force of the ground. Here is what your right hand fingers should do to let the face square at impact.

RIGHT HAND PART I

Renowned 2024 Golf Digest Legend of Golf Instruction Mike Malaska has crafted the M-System Lite, which stems from the world’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’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-SWING PROCESS SERIES

Understanding grip so it squares the face for you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRIP

Mike starts with the importance of grip, how the hands move, and making sure the wrists are the strongest at impact.

GRIP YOU HOLD THE CLUB IN YOUR FINGERS

In fourth lesson, Mike Malaska works with Ashley Huizing to refine her grip and introduce critical swing adjustments, focusing on proper club placement and mechanics to improve control and accuracy.Mike begins by explaining an essential "anatomy lesson" for grip mechanics. Everything on the fingers' side of the hand is where the club should reside, particularly resting in key joints near the base of the fingers and palm. The grip should never cause wear on the upper part of the glove, as this indicates improper placement. Instead, the club should be held more in the fingers, allowing the hands to hang naturally and align with the joints.Mike demonstrates how the back of the club fits snugly in these joints, emphasizing that a proper left-hand grip feels strong but is essential for consistent ball striking. He explains how the right hand complements this grip by positioning the joints securely on the back of the club. The right palm should face the target or apply force directly through the shaft without twisting, enabling precise acceleration of the club.Ashley practices hitting small pitch shots with this adjusted grip. Mike encourages her to focus on the left hip pushing back during the swing, allowing a natural rotation and smooth follow-through. By maintaining this proper grip and hip motion, Ashley achieves a more controlled and efficient swing.To address common swing faults, Mike introduces a training stick to visualize and correct the club's path. The stick helps Ashley understand how to direct the club's momentum and avoid getting stuck in an overly inside path. Mike explains that directing the club's momentum out in front, rather than behind, is crucial for syncing the club with body rotation.Mike elaborates on the concept of "release," challenging the misconception that it involves unhinging the wrists. Instead, he demonstrates how release involves moving the club's momentum forward, matching the body's rotation to achieve consistency and power. He references Jack Nicklaus's approach, emphasizing that release is about keeping the club in front of the chest and turning through impact, not letting it lag behind.Ashley practices these adjustments, working on directing the handle of the club and maintaining proper momentum. Through repetition and exaggeration drills, she begins to feel how the club naturally aligns with her body, reducing the need for compensatory movements.The session concludes with Ashley applying these concepts to live shots. Mike highlights that the refined grip, proper release, and synced body mechanics create a swing with less twist and more consistency. He underscores those traditional methods, such as over-rotating the forearms or holding angles, are unnecessarily complex and rarely effective at a high level.With these refinements, Ashley’s swing shows noticeable improvement, building a foundation for better control, power, and accuracy.

PERFECT YOUR GRIP AND PATH

It is crucial to get the tension out of your arms. This Malaska Golf Mulligan Monday focuses on this. 

Set up a target line and place the ball on the tee, so you know the path where your arms should be swinging. Push up to the left to start swinging your arms, and then push back to the right. Your arms swing back and forth and up, almost like a figure eight, with your body and arms accelerating and making bigger swings. Address the ball, and let your arms and hands drop. 

Work on this exercise as it will help create a free flow of your arms without tension in your shoulders.

TENSION AND CONTROL OF ARM SWING

Distance can be controlled by the length of the swing or pace at the bottom.

CONTROLLING DISTANCE

Meet Matt Baker, PGA Professional and newest Malaska Golf Certified Coach. Matt is based in the United Kingdom.

Matt has been a golf professional for over 25 years, working his way up from Assistant Pro to Head Pro, and now teaches full-time.

Matt started playing at age 14 and immediately fell in love with the game and how the swing worked. Golf became his passion. Matt was intrigued with the motions of the game, putting the swing together, and helping other golfers, which led him to coach.

Matt, who was looking to improve his game, came across Mike Malaska on YouTube, he loved what he saw, and the videos improved his game immensely. Not only did he improve, but Matt gained a better understanding of the game because it was simple and made sense. The key takeaway was that Mike Malaska’s instruction and coaching just made sense to Matt!

Matt has applied this knowledge to his game and especially to his students. Matt has seen great success from them as they start to play better golf and understand the game.

Matt also loves the sport connect and how other sports relate to golf, making the game more understandable. His goal is not to teach you something you don’t understand but to teach something you already possess and can do.

Matt is excited to be a Malaska Golf Certified Coach and help others play better golf. The M-System is Matt’s favorite, and he does it every day.

MALASKA CERTIFIED: MATT BAKER

Mike introduces the importance of finding and keeping a light grip pressure.

INTRODUCTION TO LIGHT GRIP PRESSURE

Mike has received the highest honor of PGA National Teacher of The Year in 2011. He wrote, “I Feel Your Pain” in 2013 and is proud to announce the new release of this 2nd book entitled, “The Invisible Swing” in 2019. Mike produced his own DVD, You Are Your Own Swing, featuring 2 ½ hours of both golf and fitness instruction in 2004. In 2010 he was selected for PGA Southwest Section Teacher of The Year and went on to be named The National PGA Teacher of the Year In 2011. In 2017 Mike was honored to receive once again, the PGA Southwest Section Teacher of The Year Award for a second time.

Since 2000, Mike has ranked among Golf Digest’s America’s Top 50 Greatest Teachers, and currently listed in the top 20 in the nation. Mike has also been selected as Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America every year from 1995 to 2017. Since 2012 when the Golf Range Association of America started its list of award winners, Mike has been one of the top 50 on that list for his contribution to growing the game of golf. This award called Growth of The Game Teachers in America is yet another of his accomplishments. In 2017 he was voted the Top Teacher in Arizona by Arizona Foothills Magazine.

A graduate of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, Mike was a college All American in 1974. He was then inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in February 1999 and into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 2015. In September 2013 Mike was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for his service to the University and his community. Mike is currently the Director of Instruction for the Nicklaus Academies Worldwide, Superstition Mountain Country Club, and a member of the National Advisory Board for TaylorMade Golf since 2002. He has been a summertime guest instructor for the prestigious Maroon Creek Golf Club in Aspen, Colorado in 2017 and 2018. As Director of Instruction for the Jack Nicklaus Golf Centers in Japan from 1992 to 1995, Mike was featured in Golf Digest Japan and was nominated for Japan’s Teacher of the Year in 1993. Then in 1996, he received Teacher of the Year for the Utah PGA Section.

As the continuing Director of Instruction for Nicklaus Academies Worldwide, Mike instructs the teachers at each of the centers around the globe. He continues to be a guest lecturer at countless corporate functions, PGA Section Seminars, PGA National Coaching and Teaching Summits, and as a guest speaker for the World Golf Fitness Summit in 2012. He has appeared numerous times on The Golf Channel as a guest instructor.

MIKE MALASKA

A Malaska Golf Member had a prior question about the yips. Mike Malaska had advised him to put a dot on the clubface and the ball.The object is to connect both dots on the swing. Doing this drill will help you bottom out correctly, so the yips—or, as Mike calls them, the ‘saviors’—go away. This way, you don’t have to do something to fix your club hitting the ground.The member asks, “Do you see the same dot on the back of the ball when you do a full swing?” Mike is very aware of where the center of the clubface is on the arc of the swing. When he makes a backswing, he doesn’t stare at the back of the ball but in the general direction.Mike sees the club flash through there when the ball disappears. He is so focused on what impact feels like and what happens past the ball to get it to do what it’s supposed to.Next time you practice, make short shorts and see if you can see the club flash through the ball.Most people can’t do this, as halfway on the downswing, they turn their heads to see where they want the ball to go.Mike poses the question, “What’s your target? It’s the ball!”In baseball and tennis, you watch the ball right to the bat or racket, respectively. The same is true with ping-pong; you should watch the clubface right to the golf ball.However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you are focused on the ball. There are players who focus on a dot on the back of the ball, a dot on the front of the ball, the top of the ball, or even out in front of the ball.There are all kinds of eye tricks to ensure that you are coming into the ball correctly. Your eye gives your brain a picture, and then your body reacts to that picture. If you don’t have a picture, then there are no instants or neurological systems to react to.You don’t keep your head still, and you don’t focus on a spot, but you definitely see the club flash through there. If you do, you will notice your ball-striking skills improve.

WATCH THE CLUB FLASH AT IMPACT

Using alignment sticks on the range is a great way to simulate hitting around trees.

LEARNING HOW TO CURVE BALLS AROUND TREES

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know what you look for when swinging the golf club.

Mike has set up alignment sticks on the floor. This is something he got from watching Ben Doyle on the Golf Machine. He had a mat placed on the floor with lines on it.

This is great to give you visuals of the swing path of the ball. Mike is working with four alignment sticks.

First, he has an orange stick he uses for the target line. He places a yellow stick at a 40-degree angle off the target line. It is also aimed straight at the ball. Another yellow stick, about 6 inches in front of the ball, is angled off the target line stick. The last orange stick aimed at the ball is slightly more than 40 degrees. This helps you visually understand the golf swing while standing over the ball.

Mike sets up behind the ball. His left foot touches the second orange stick, which helps with impact. The target line will guide Mike on his backswing. The setup of all the alignment sticks will provide a path throughout the swing.

To get a view from Mike’s perspective, he uses the Malaska Golf Cam to help illustrate the swing path.

When Mike swings back, his arm is parallel to the orange target line stick. When Mike swings to the top and changes direction, his arm is now parallel to the yellow alignment stick. His arm follows that stick until it hits the ball, and the club shaft at impact lines up with the second orange stick. 

Once Mike hits the ball at impact, his arm is back to following the target line. When his arm moves up to shoulder height, it is now parallel to the other yellow stick.

Mike goes through the motion of the golf swing where the sticks line up and come into play.