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(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

(How L to L Generates Effortless Power) Now that you&rsquo;ve learned to generate speed using the lever system in a seated or limited-motion drill, it&rsquo;s time to stand up and put it all together. In Day 15, Mike Malaska introduces L to L Plus&mdash;a full-body version of the lever motion that incorporates posture, pivot, and the natural flow of your hips and shoulders. You&rsquo;re no longer just creating speed with your hands and wrists. Now you&rsquo;re using your entire body in balance to create effortless power. Mike walks you through how to combine arm-driven speed with correct rotation around your spine. He explains how your joints&mdash;hips, shoulders, wrists&mdash;must all work in harmony, staying within a controlled &ldquo;box&rdquo; around your posture. By keeping your trail foot slightly dropped back, you give yourself the room to feel the proper motion and let the momentum of the club create hinge, unhinge, and rehinge naturally. You&rsquo;ll also discover how the arms lead the body&mdash;not the other way around. The result? A powerful, repeatable swing motion used by elite players in golf, baseball, tennis, and more.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn in Day 15: &bull; How to stand up and add body rotation to the lever system &bull; Why your hips and shoulders should turn inside a &ldquo;box&rdquo; around your spine &bull; How to let your wrists hinge and rehinge naturally using momentum &bull; Why your arms should lead the body&mdash;and not be pulled by the shoulders &bull; How this motion builds from the seated drill into your full swing
Key Takeaway: Add your body to the lever system. L to L Plus teaches you how to rotate with balance and let your swing unfold naturally. When arms lead and body follows, speed and control work together&mdash;and your full swing becomes athletic and repeatable.

Day 15-L To L Full Swing in Motion

Your body is a very important part of your golf swing. You must understand the basic task that it is trying to accomplish. Once you know what the task is and you have drills to feel how it works, it is not that hard to allow your body to do what it is designed to do. You are making perfect body motions for your swing multiple times per day, and you are not even thinking about them.

M3-How the Body Works

The latest additions to the Ask Malaska Golf Collection.

Ask Malaska Golf-What's New

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

A Malaska Golf Member has an observation about the downswing. He notices that when you change directions, the handle comes down before you twist.Mike Malaska says that this is ideal. One of the worst things you can do is immediately twist your body before the club starts down as you start down on your swing. People struggle with this in the golf swing.A great drill to learn how to feel the arms drop is to set up to the ball with your right foot back, let your arms drop, and run the club into the ball. Your shoulders need to be relaxed in order to do this.When it comes to your full swing, Mike demonstrates the reason the arms drop. Mike starts his back swing; his shoulders are turned, his wrists are hinged, and his club goes up. When he starts to change direction, Mike’s pelvis starts to move a little laterally, and when this happens, his spine angle tilts. When this happens, the shoulders tilt, and your arms will drop. It is what your lower body is doing that makes your arms drop.Again, you want your arms to drop. Many Tour Players move the club handle away and down, and then everything twists into the ball together. One of the worst things you can do is have your body outrun the club. You want your body and clubface to stay together.

How and Why Your Arms Drop

This conversation with Eric Cogorno about hip movement in the full swing is one of the most important concepts I think every golfer must understand. The idea of turning vs. rotating is key to building a solid foundation for your swing. 

FULL SWING HIP MOVEMENT WITH ERIC COGORNO

This Ask Mike comes from Sean G, and it's a really important topic because your eyes can play tricks on you. Plus, many people don&rsquo;t fully understand what they&rsquo;re trying to do with the club. Sean&rsquo;s question is about hitting on a mat: he&rsquo;s using a dot on the back of the ball and a dot on the clubface. When he sets up and tries to align the dot on the clubface with the dot on the ball, it looks like he has way too much forward shaft lean.
Brian, why don&rsquo;t you explain what&rsquo;s really happening and why it looks that way?
When you set the club on the ground and try to match the dot on the clubface to the dot on the back of the ball, it can seem like you need a ton of forward shaft lean. What people often don&rsquo;t understand is the concept of the low point. Most think the low point is behind the ball, but that&rsquo;s not the case. If the low point were behind the ball, you&rsquo;d need extreme shaft lean to get the dots to align.
In reality, the low point is slightly in front of the ball. From the side view, you can see that the club needs to strike the ball first, then hit the turf. If the low point is correct, the club will naturally make proper contact with the grooves and provide the right amount of shaft lean.
Many players think they need excessive shaft lean to align the dots, which leads to chunked shots or hitting the ball fat. Instead, focus on having just enough shaft lean so the dots align as the club naturally descends through the ball. This will give you much better impact.
People often struggle with visual concepts. When they try to align the dots, they set the club on the ground and tilt the shaft forward, forcing the dot on the clubface to touch the dot on the ball. What they don&rsquo;t realize is that the club is still descending slightly as it contacts the ball. The club doesn&rsquo;t reach its lowest point until after it passes the ball.
Most people aren&rsquo;t used to seeing forward shaft lean, so when they position the club correctly, it looks like their hands are way ahead of the ball&mdash;almost over their left foot. But in reality, it&rsquo;s not that extreme. You need to trust what feels visually incorrect.
Where the club bottoms out influences how much shaft lean you need. If your low point is behind or level with the ball, you&rsquo;ll need more shaft-lean to align the dots. However, at impact, the club isn&rsquo;t in the same position as it was at address&mdash;it&rsquo;s still descending slightly and hitting just in front of the ball. That&rsquo;s something to keep in mind when practicing.
Here&rsquo;s a quick tip for practice: use foot powder spray. While the dot on the clubface is helpful, foot powder will show you exactly where the ball impacts the clubface. Spray it on the clubface, take a swing, and look for the mark. If the ball mark surrounds the dot, you&rsquo;ve done it right.
But remember, you don&rsquo;t need to force your hands down or manipulate the clubface at impact. Good ball-strikers let the club do the work. That&rsquo;s why on well-used clubs, you&rsquo;ll see a worn spot the size of a fingernail in the center of the face, even on irons. Good players consistently hit that same spot, whether it&rsquo;s a two-iron or a sand wedge.
Amateurs often don&rsquo;t practice hitting the ball solidly&mdash;they just make swings. Hitting the center of the clubface consistently is how you get more distance and control. That&rsquo;s an important takeaway.
Solid contact is key. If you focus on finding the center of the face and letting the club do the work, you&rsquo;ll improve your ball-striking and your distance. Thanks for the tip!

Dot On The Clubface And Ball

Malaska Certified Coach Brian Gott from The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden, Colorado answers a question from Parker Shellmeyer about where the hands should move during shallowing in the downswing.
Brian explains that shallowing isn&rsquo;t about dropping the club behind you or forcing the hands out toward the ball. Instead, it&rsquo;s about learning how to let the hands work down and in while the momentum of the clubhead moves out. This motion allows the shaft to shallow naturally as the body transitions back into the lead side.
He emphasizes that this is an exaggerated feeling drill, not a literal move that happens at full speed. As the player transitions, the lower body shifts into the lead side, creating a natural side bend that helps the arms drop into position. The key is to feel the hands move closer to the chest while maintaining spacing &mdash; not pulling them tight into the body.
To train the sequence, Brian recommends rehearsing the motion slowly: shift pressure into the lead side, let the arms fall, and feel the hands move down and in as the clubhead shallows. Once that rhythm is built at slower speeds, it naturally repeats in the full swing without conscious effort.
In this lesson you will learn: &bull; Why shallowing is a result of motion, not a forced position. &bull; How the hands move down and in as the clubhead moves out. &bull; Why shifting into the lead side creates natural side bend and space. &bull; How to avoid pulling the hands toward the ball or body. &bull; Why slow-speed rehearsals develop natural timing and sequence.
He leaves golfers with a key reminder: &ldquo;Feel the hands work down and in &mdash; the club will shallow naturally as you shift into your lead side.&rdquo; &mdash; Brian Gott, Malaska Certified Coach This Makes Sense. Own Your Swing.

Shallow The Club Naturally

Matt Baker, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A Malaska Golf member who has a strong grip is struggling with what happens with the left wrist post-impact. He also wants a little more clarification on this.

The member says that with a weaker grip, he can get the feel and visualization. Matt says you do the same thing whether you have a weak or neutral, strong grip.

The first thing you must remember is that with a strong grip, you will be more stable with the clubface, and the club will be more stable through impact.

Matt demonstrates the hand action and says that the hands go into extension, and the wrist bends back on itself through impact. Matt illustrates his left arm rotating after he has hit the ball; his left arm folds, and the left wrist goes through extension. Matt says that when he does this, his left palm is facing the target on the follow-through. This facilitates the throwing action through the shot.

This is as easy as it should be! Matt uses a frisbee to illustrate this when he is teaching. Matt picks up a frisbee and shows the hand action of the left wrist. You wouldn’t want to roll your wrist in this throwing motion. The frisbee would flop to the ground.

Throwing a frisbee is the same feeling you want when you swing a club past impact. This is the same throwing motion of the hands and left wrist.

Matt summarizes this as he swings through and hits the shot, palm facing down; as his left arm folds up and rotates, his left wrist bends back on itself into extension.

Left Wrist Through Impact

Mike Malaska talks about the change of direction in a golf swing. He believes there is no "top of the swing," just a start and a finish. 

There is a point and time in the backswing at the club transition point where inertia takes over, and you start on the downswing. This should be one fluid motion, so think of the "top of the swing" as "the club transition point."

If you change directions correctly, that's what drops your arms and gets the club coming down perfectly into the ball. You will come over the top if you change directions incorrectly or too late.

A great way to practice change of direction is to use an Eye Coach tennis machine, where you can practice your forehand with a tennis racket. As Mike swings and hits the ball, the racket goes back, and he moves forward.

That same timing and motion are identical to a golf swing. As Mike swings the golf club back, he steps forward. This change of direction is a continuous athletic motion. It is not wrong to practice the transition point, but when your mind thinks to swing to the top and start down, you won't be able to get to your left side soon enough.

This same concept applies to multiple sports, such as baseball, hockey, soccer, and golf.

USING A TENNIS SWING MACHINE TO PRACTICE TRANSITION

A Malaska Golf Member makes some brilliant observations about the golf swing. The member notices that the arc of the backswing is different from that of the downswing. When you start on the downswing, the club comes down on a steeper arc than the backswing.

The member wants to know if it is correct that your hands move away on a wider arc when you start down. He also wants to know if the reason you feel you are wider coming down and your downswing arc is steeper than your backswing is because of the change of direction.

Mike agrees with both of these assessments. Mike says you must be careful with how these things fit together. Mike has made a lifetime of observations and practicing the swing to figure this out.

Again, the backswing arc is different from the downswing arc. The downswing arc is steeper, but not because you aren’t pulling your hands in. It is the change of direction that causes this to happen.

Good players feel like their hands are moving away from them and that their right arm is constantly straightening from the elbow, not the wrists.

Mike concludes that if you understand this concept, you are well on the way to understanding the golf swing.

THE SWING ARCS ARE DIFFERENT

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

(The Key to Power, Timing, and a Repeatable Release) In Day 16, Mike Malaska reveals one of the most important connections in the golf swing&mdash;how your lead hip socket and the clubhead must move together in harmony. This relationship determines whether your swing has effortless power or if it breaks down under pressure. It&rsquo;s not about &ldquo;turning your hips.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s about displacing your joints correctly to create a chain reaction from the ground up. Mike breaks it down through slow-motion drills and short swings, showing how pushing your lead hip socket backcreates space for the trail hip to move forward, which activates your torso, shoulders, arms, and ultimately the club. If the hip doesn&rsquo;t move back&mdash;or moves incorrectly&mdash;you&rsquo;ll block your arms or flip the club, leading to inconsistency and loss of speed. Whether you&rsquo;re swinging a wedge or a driver, this concept is universal: power doesn&rsquo;t come from brute force&mdash;it comes from sequence. This lesson helps you feel and train that sequence.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn in Day 16: &bull; How your lead hip socket creates room for a clean, powerful release &bull; Why &ldquo;joint displacement&rdquo; is more effective than simply &ldquo;turning the hips&rdquo; &bull; How to sync the motion of your body with the clubhead through impact &bull; What goes wrong when the hips outrun&mdash;or block&mdash;the arms &bull; Why this connection improves consistency across all clubs, from wedges to driver
Key Takeaway: The club and your lead hip socket must move in sync. When your body creates space by pushing the hip socket back, your arms and club can move freely and accelerate through the ball. Without that connection, your swing stalls. Build this movement into your practice until it becomes automatic.

Day 16-Connect Your Body to the Club

In the fourth video of John Lang’s player lesson series with Mike Malaska, the focus is on refining the swing path by using drills that teach proper clubhead positioning and body alignment. Through hands-on adjustments and visual aids, this lesson highlights the importance of pushing the handle down during the takeaway to position the clubhead correctly and improve overall swing mechanics.The session begins with two critical drills designed to correct John’s swing path. The first drill emphasizes choking down on the club slightly to maintain control. Mike explains how pushing the handle of the club downward during the takeaway causes the clubhead to rise into the correct position. This motion prevents the flat backswing that has been affecting John’s consistency. Using a ball as a visual guide, John is instructed to take the clubhead over the ball on the backswing and swing down inside it on the downswing. This drill reinforces the concept of creating a proper swing arc.Mike observes John’s posture and notes the need for further adjustments. He points out that John’s hips must push back more to create the necessary spine angle, allowing the shoulders to rotate correctly. A key takeaway is the use of visual feedback tools like shadows, mirrors, or windows to practice and evaluate posture and movement. Mike demonstrates how observing these reflections can help golfers ensure they are maintaining proper alignment and body angles during the swing.To reinforce the changes, Mike uses side-by-side video comparisons of John’s swing from earlier in the lesson and after the adjustments. The improvements in posture, clubhead positioning, and shoulder rotation are evident. Mike highlights the critical difference between the two swings, showing how the new technique sets John up for more consistent and powerful ball striking. He also explains how focusing on the task of pushing the handle down naturally adjusts the shoulders and body to accommodate the desired clubhead movement, eliminating the need to overthink shoulder rotation.The lesson concludes with John practicing the drills while incorporating the adjustments. Mike emphasizes the importance of training the hands and club to work together since they are ultimately what control the ball. By focusing on the handle and clubhead, John can develop a more repeatable and efficient swing.This lesson provides John with practical tools and concepts, such as using visual feedback and task-based training, to continue refining his swing path and overall mechanics. The improvements in posture and clubhead positioning lay the groundwork for consistent and controlled ball striking moving forward.

Fix Your Swing Arc

Jack Nicklaus shares Augusta insights to help you play smarter and finish stronger.

Golf Talk-Masters Secrets With Jack Nicklaus

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

Figuring out which of your index fingers is your best directional control finger is critical in determining your grip on the putter. Once you determine which finger it is then it needs to be in play correctly. This along with a putter grip that gives you the best sense of where the putter face is. Those two things makes the putting stroke much easier to duplicate under pressure.

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL

(How to Keep Improving After the Program Ends) You&rsquo;ve completed all 21 days&mdash;now comes the most important part: staying on track and continuing to improve. In this final video, Mike Malaska reveals exactly what to do next. Success in golf doesn&rsquo;t come from endless tips or chasing new techniques&mdash;it comes from following a process. This program gave you that structure. Now, Mike encourages you to turn the 21-day sequence into your long-term training system. Each practice session should begin with short game fundamentals, build into motion and face control, and finish with speed and full swings. You don&rsquo;t need to do it all every day&mdash;but you do need to repeat the sequence consistently. This is the same process Mike uses personally and with his students&mdash;from beginners to tour players. Mike also shares a powerful story from his time in Japan, where he taught a group of students over 11 weeks using just seven core drills. Every week, they chose the one drill that challenged them most&mdash;and focused on it until they mastered it. The result? They made faster, more lasting progress than any other class. That&rsquo;s the real secret to continued improvement: find your weakest link and train it until it becomes your strength. This closing lesson ties directly into the M-System philosophy: Master, Maximize, Maintain. You&rsquo;ve now built the foundation. Keep refining it, and your game will keep evolving.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About What Comes Next: &bull; How to build a practice routine using the 21-day structure &bull; Why the most difficult drill should become your weekly focus &bull; How Mike practices every day&mdash;starting with short shots, then working up &bull; Why consistency in your routine beats random tips or YouTube swings &bull; How to use the drills as a testing system for long-term mastery
Key Takeaway: You don&rsquo;t need more swing tips&mdash;you need a repeatable process. Pick the hardest drill and master it. Then repeat. Stay inside the system, and your game will keep getting better. This isn&rsquo;t the end of your journey. It&rsquo;s the start of mastering your swing for life.

What's Next

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

M-System Max

M-System Lite M3: How the body works. This video focuses on this, especially the pelvis, which is an integral part of your golf swing.Mike is holding a cardboard cutout of a pelvis to illustrate how the hip sockets work. A black circle in the center (the center of your pelvis) and two others on either side represent the hip sockets.Understanding how the hip sockets move is critical to understanding how the rest of your body works. The pelvis is the stability and base for the upper body, and your lower body tells the pelvis what to do. Once you understand how the hips and pelvis work, the drills in M3 will make a lot of sense. Mike explains that, at this point, you already have most of the golf swing established.The M-System M3 goes in-depth about the pelvis and includes drills and exercises. This is important because people don’t use the pelvis correctly.Mike takes the cutout representation of the pelvis and places it on the ground behind a golf ball. Mike explains how the pelvis moves and works in relation to setting up to the ball. He notes that the goal is for the center of your pelvis not to move closer to the ball. You want to be farther away from the ball when you hit it.Most people get into trouble when they try not to sway; they kick their knee and stabilize their right hip, but their hip socket doesn’t move.Your pelvis moves closer to the ball on the backswing. Then, you try to push off your right foot again, and your body gets closer to the ball.Mike explains that the Tour Player’s left hip socket moves slightly laterally while the right hip socket moves back. They don’t move their hips much at all. In fact, their hips work away from the ball when they swing, accelerating the club out to the ball. It is important to feel how the hips work this way instead of moving closer to the ball.Next, Mike has a drill to demonstrate how this force feels and how you do that with a golf club. This is a great drill to feel how this force moves and how you offset forces with your golf swing. Mike has a couple of exercise bands with handles on one end. Javier stands on the cord ends while Mike holds onto the handles. The exercise bands are crisscrossed. This exercise is like the cable cross at the gym.Mike demonstrates how pulling the handles back and forth mimics the golf swing and how the pelvis, hips, and feet work. Note the pulling action, which moves your body away from the ball. The force pulling at Mike is the same force a golf club does.Next, Mike takes his driver out to replicate the same motion and hit the ball. Now, you are starting to feel how you are moving force in your feet. Your feet are an important aspect of your swing, and you should focus on that. The feet will tell your pelvis and body what to do.

M-System Lite M3-How The Body Works

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about Jack Nicklaus's practice of putting the ball in the same position with every club.With a sand wedge, Jack would position the ball off his left heel. The handle of the wedge was right on his left thigh, where his left hand would be and where Jack would always set up.Moving to a 7-iron, Mike’s right foot drops back. It looks like the ball is further forward, but the hands and handle are in the same position off the left thigh.Now, to the driver, It’s the same as the 7-iron, only the right foot is farther back. The hands and handle still come off the left thigh.All Jack does is keep dropping the foot farther and farther back, but the hands and handle are in the same position, regardless of a wedge, 7-iron, or a driver. Jack is very consistent in the way he sets his club up relative to his body.He also has a leg action that allows it to work on all his clubs. Now, some players do that by having everything up off their left heel. Others move as the club gets shorter and goes farther back in their swing. You must find what's best for you and then be consistent with it.

Jack Nicklaus and Ball Position

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

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 is a combination of short game tasks and skills. They are used and extended into full swing. Which is nothing more than more body motion and more arm swing with more speed. It is easy to learn if it is done in a skill development process rather than a by chance or random process it is something that most anyone can get fairly good at. It is not this mystical magical thing that you never get good at. And if you do it will for sure leave you. That is because you do not know the process to develop and maintain what is called a golf swing.

Skill Pathways-Full Swing

Tip the club out in order to get the momentum of the club working for you. If you are late, you will have to force the club to catch up. This is avoidable by tipping the club through shoulder rotation.

Tipping the Club

The drill library is a collection of several drills to help your game. To begin, familiarize yourself with what is in there. Depending on what you are working on, guide yourself to drills that will help with your game. These drills all relate to some part of the M-System. If you have a problem with a particular part of the M-System, you can find additional drills in the drill library. These will help you navigate your game through that system. Just have fun. Try the drills. There is not a drill in the drill library that will hurt you. Suppose you find a drill that is hard to do. Work on it. It will make you a better player.

Drill Center

A Malaska Golf Member recently had an aha moment when he started to feel how the handle of the club comes down and moves the club out in front of him. He wasn’t dragging the handle.Mike says he knows some people teach this concept, and in fact, Mike did it for a big part of his career. The problem with this is that if the inside circle, your body gets way ahead of the clubhead, you will have a hard time catching the face up.Jake Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and others felt that starting the club released the club from the top. As the club started away, it worked back out in front of you instead of getting underneath. This got you ‘stuck.’Again, once you change directions and get the club out in front of you, the handle comes down, and the clubhead works out. This allows you to get to impact. You should feel like your chest and club are going through the swing together, as opposed to getting your hand way out ahead of you.Mike demonstrates the swing, and he iterates that the club and your chest go through the ball at the same time.Now, if you look at it on video, it doesn’t look that way, as the club is moving much faster. This is what it feels like to Mike, and it keeps the club in sync. You don't have to catch the club up or twist the face to get the ball to go straight.

Transition of the Club

(Let Gravity, Momentum, and Force Drop the Club Into the Ball) If you want to hit solid shots without forcing the club down, you need to rethink your swing plane. In Day 19, Mike Malaska challenges one of golf&rsquo;s most misleading instructions: &ldquo;hit down on the ball.&rdquo; Instead, you&rsquo;ll learn that it&rsquo;s momentum, gravity, and centripetal force&mdash;not effort&mdash;that deliver the club to the ball. When your wrists are relaxed and your swing motion is fluid, the club drops into perfect contact without you having to force it. Mike introduces the idea of swinging on an &ldquo;elevated plane,&rdquo; where the feel is that your club moves level to the ground&mdash;but because of the forces in play, it naturally descends into the ball. This lesson ties back to your L-to-L training and teaches you how to blend smooth shoulder rotation with wrist freedom for effortless impact. You&rsquo;ll also see how tour players use this elevated motion to stay loose, athletic, and consistent.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Swinging on an Elevated Plane: &bull; Why &ldquo;hitting down&rdquo; is a harmful swing thought &bull; How relaxed wrists allow the club to drop into the ball naturally &bull; Why the swing should feel level, not steep&mdash;especially with irons &bull; How L-to-L motion and shoulder rotation work together to maintain flow &bull; The difference between position-based thinking and feel-based motion This drill is perfect for creating a free, connected swing. Forget tension. Forget holding angles. Once you understand how elevated motion creates compression, you&rsquo;ll start striking the ball with less effort&mdash;and more confidence.
Key Takeaway: Don&rsquo;t force the club down. Let it fall. When your wrists are relaxed and your swing flows on an elevated plane, momentum does the work&mdash;and solid contact becomes automatic.

Day 19-Swing on an Elevated Plane

Maximize Your Training With Elite

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

Mike analyzes Josh’s swing and discusses grip, posture, alignment, dynamic swing plane, and clubface.

BREAKING DOWN THE SWING

When you set up to the ball what your eyes see as the start line is way off. You need to set sticks up so you have a target line and a stick about 6 to 10 feet in front of your target line stick. Directly on the target line. So when you set up to the ball. You then actually see the correct start line to make the ball go at the flag or destination. Being able to understand this picture is a big part of trusting the correct path into the ball. With out the sticks you would never really trust the correct start line. This is a big reason players aim right and come over the top to hit the ball.

TARGET LINE & PARALLAX

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about a video that Ashley Malaska Moss did on the L to L Drill.Mike Malaska explains that many of the drills are slight exaggerations. When you do the L to L, you move from the ‘L’ on the backswing to ‘L’ on the follow-through and hold that position. However, if your body stops, the momentum of the club swinging through will cause the club to turn or flip over.Mike demonstrates from straight-on, where you can see the rotation in his arms. This is what they were asking about.When Mike does the L to L, he doesn’t swing hard and holds the ‘L’ on both sides. That way, his arms are stopping, and he is able to do the drill.If he goes to full speed while doing the L to L, then some rotation in the arms will happen. The momentum of the club will take over as it swings through on the follow-through.Again, drills are exaggerations. Mike actually likes to see people do the L to L drill while loosely holding the club in their fingers. Mike explains that this is so that you can feel the momentum and weight of the club, making your wrists hinge, unhinge, and rehinge. This is better than trying to hold the club too tight and start hanging on the club with your shoulders. Drills like the ‘Look Cool’ drill help you create the momentum of the club.Start holding the club loosely, then add a little structure and tension until you find the correct pressure when doing the L to L. That’s how you build it.Remember, the L to L is a slight exaggeration. Some things wouldn’t happen in full swing. Mike also notes that because your body stops, your wrists will rehinge earlier than they would in full swing.The L to L is there for a reason and is a slight exaggeration, but if you master it, it will pay big dividends.

L to L is an Exaggeration

The pivot or rotation of the body has to be in sync with the club motion. The key with pitching is as the club moves through impact your lead leg pushes your lead hip socket farther away from the ball than it was at address. Also your trail shoulder moves level not down through impact. Timing these three motions. The swinging of the club. The movement of the lead hip and how the trail shoulder works. All in harmony is one of the main tasks in all swings.

PIVOT

An all-around athlete and true competitor from the time she could walk, Ashley dreamed of a career in sports. It all started with a passion in soccer and softball, but she later grew to love the game of golf. Her understanding of other athletic movements helped her easily transition to golf when she picked up the game at the age of 16. Ashley went on to play for the University of Arizona, winning the Pac-10 championship as a team in 2010. Later transferring to Brigham Young University, she finished her last year of school and graduated with a degree in Business Marketing.

Along with playing professionally, she is an LPGA Class A and Malaska Golf Lead Instructor at Superstition Mountain Country Club in Gold Canyon, Arizona. She is also the founder and CEO of Born2Golf, a program that helps students figure out the role that golf will play in their lives. She is a part of the prestigious list of “Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America” for 2019-2020. Other certifications include: U.S. Kids Certified Instructor, Positive Coaching Alliance Member, and Liaison between the LPGA and Arizona Women’s Golf Association.

Ashley’s philosophy of teaching follows in her father’s footsteps. She believes passion in golf starts with a reason to love the game that has given her so much. As an instructor, Ashley uncomplicates and simplifies the game as much as possible — making movement patterns more athletic and less confusing for all levels of players. She believes the best players develop their own game, instead of trying to mold them into a tour-player model.

MALASKA CERTIFIED: ASHLEY MALASKA MOSS

&ldquo;Golf&rsquo;s Biggest Secret is the Swing You Cannot See&rdquo; Unleash the M.A.G.I.C. in your golf swing. I talk a lot about the natural forces at play in your swing &ndash; Momentum, Acceleration, Gravity, Inertia, and Centripetal Force. These natural factors make the golf swing work. Even though you cannot see them. You can feel them. You can develop them and learn to control them to get greater distance and consistency without putting more stress on your body. Golf is a human development game &ndash; one of the best ones out there. Let&rsquo;s get started and see what it can bring out in you. Add 15-Years to Your Game!

Invisible Swing

The body plays an important role in evrey sport. The golf swing utilizes your body when it works correctly.

Lower Body

Mike Malaska continues his lesson with Billy Fitzgerald after working on his lower body and getting the club in the proper arc. 

Billy makes a couple of shots, and Mike notices there is still a little pull. Billy is still dealing with his right hip moving upward. Mike wants Billy’s hips and shoulders to stay fairly parallel. When the hips come up, and the shoulders go down, the back has a lot of tension.

Mike tells Billy he must get his right hip back and out of the way, his right shoulder to move back, and his shoulders to turn steeper. This adjustment will help get the club in a better position. 

When changing directions, you must keep your leg from moving outward. The leg should rotate, and the foot should roll in as the knee moves inward. 

Mike wants Billy’s right leg to push his hip out of the way and his shoulder to go down. As Billy swings, his right heel comes off the ground as he comes down. Billy takes another shot, and his left knee goes back and inward. His left foot moves to the inside which lets his knee move inward. His right hip needs to go back and up, which gets his right shoulder farther back and up, enabling the scapula to retract, which puts the club in a better position.

BILLY FITZGERALD - WORKING WITH THE HIPS

Set up a number of sticks. One is on your target line. The others are spaced apart to create gates to hit the ball between. As you practice make the same backswing but then change the path of your arms on the down swing to make the ball go through the intended gate. Start by making swings that start the ball way to the right. If you are a right handed player. Then gradually change the gate to make the swing path be less from the inside. This is teaching you path control with your arms. 

PATH DRILL GATES

Certified Coaches

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.

Matt Baker 

Making "out to under" swing change with wrist hinge drill.

THE WRIST HINGE DRILL

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know about The Loop Drill and its purpose.

When you watch Tour Players on their backswing, by the time the club gets waist high and parallel to the ground, the clubhead is even with or to the golf ball side of their hands. No one has the club pointed back behind their body. The club must come up over the top on the downswing if you do this. Some players like Craig Stadler and Sam Snead swung their club like that; however, they were able to get the clubhead back on track on the downswing.

As the clubhead goes back, the club is constantly moving away from the ball. Their shoulders and hips are back when they change directions, and the club starts to shallow or loop on the downswing. This allows them to come in at the right angle of approach to the ball. The clubhead is completing more of a circle than their arms. The clubhead is making a good-sized loop.

Mike demonstrates this loop with a wedge, a fairway wood, and a driver. If you get the loop action going, your club automatically shallows the club.

LOOP DRILL SHALLOWING THE CLUB

Ball Position is a vital part of The M-System series. Mike Malaska walks us through how using different clubs, from your driver to your wedges, affects ball position in your setup. Mike builds a practice station for you to follow to help with ball placement and how you line up your body to the ball. Mike&rsquo;s approach from 120 yards out is consistent with hitting from his left side. As Mike gets into fairway woods, rescue clubs, and his driver, the approach and ball position are more forward, and both legs come into play. The golf swing is a circle, and the ball position and angle of attack change with the club.

Ball Position

The M-System Coaching Series by Mike Malaska provides a structured and progressive approach to mastering the golf swing. Spanning five series, M1 through M5, the program emphasizes foundational principles, body mechanics, and effective practice techniques to help golfers of all skill levels achieve consistency, power, and enjoyment in their game.
M1 introduces the fundamentals of the golf swing, focusing on concepts such as the line of compression, grip, and body mechanics. Through drills and techniques, players develop consistency in setup, short-game skills, and full-swing mechanics. By incorporating elements like trajectory control and athletic patterns from other sports, M1 establishes a strong foundation for swing development.
M2 builds on this foundation by teaching golfers to master the lever system, refine their grip, and develop face control. Central to the series is the interplay of hands, wrists, and arms, which drives both distance and accuracy. Using natural athletic instincts, players learn to create fluid and powerful swings while minimizing strain.
M3 shifts focus to body mechanics, teaching players how to harness the body&rsquo;s power while maintaining safety and efficiency. With an emphasis on offsetting forces and proper alignment of the pelvis, hips, and shoulders, golfers learn to engage ground forces and reduce injury risk. Functional movement patterns and exaggerated drills like the chair drill highlight the importance of integrating the body and club.
M4 emphasizes blending the body&rsquo;s movement with the lever system to create a cohesive and repeatable swing. Key concepts such as change of direction, ground forces, and offsetting forces are explored in depth. Golfers refine their ball position, alignment, and posture, ensuring static and dynamic consistency for long-term improvement.

M-System Coaching 

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

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

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

Learning how to blend the body and the arm and club motions. You start with posture and set up. You then go to impact. Once you identify impact you hit small shots from your impact position. You then make small swings where you feel how forces move in your feet and how pushing away from the force of the club accelerates the club and straightens your arms on the follow through. You also feel how force is moving in your feet. Then to put it into a continuous motion you copy the sports motions. How you hit a tennis forehand. Hit or throw a baseball. The sequencing of motions are the same in all those sports.

COMBINING SKILLS - REVIEW

Hi, I'm Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska-certified golf coach from Chicago. Jimmy Thorne writes in with a question about arm drop in the golf swing. To clarify, yes, your arms do drop, but they do so as a reaction to your change in direction. I often see people trying to focus on dropping their arms or pulling them down intentionally.If I reach the top or transition point of my swing and simply try to pull my arms down, my right side, or trail side, is likely to follow, causing me to come over the top almost every time. This often results in pulled shots. From down the line, you can see that when I get to the top and just pull down, my entire right side follows. So, your arms naturally drop as a response to the change in direction, not from consciously pulling them down.When I swing back and my hip socket clears out of the way, as soon as I finish turning and change direction, I plant my foot in the ground. This action tilts my shoulders, which allows my arms to drop naturally. So yes, your arms do drop, but how do we work on achieving this?I have a board here to demonstrate. If I allow my arms to drop as I move left to right, as soon as my right foot plants on the ground, I turn out of the way and shift left again. My arms drop naturally with this movement. This step is part of the transition point in the swing. There’s a small amount of lateral motion—just enough to plant my foot without sliding, which stops the momentum, lets my arms drop, and allows me to turn through the shot.To practice, I suggest starting without a club, making swings to feel this rhythm. You can even hold the club out in front of you for some balance and rhythm as you swing back and allow the arms to drop. Think of it as “left-right,” with a little step that causes the arms to drop from the change in direction.So, yes, your arms do drop, but it’s the change in direction that makes them drop. That’s why you need to stay soft in the shoulder sockets so that when your foot hits the ground, your arms drop naturally, the club stays in front of you, and you can then turn through the ball.

Stop Forcing Arm Drop

Knowing how the handle and bounce works are the first things to gain familiarity with for hitting these lob shots. Here's how you practice that.

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS FOR HITTING LOB SHOTS

Your hands are your swing. If you use them in a certain manner. It becomes significantly easier to control the ball. Your lead hand basically hinges and unhinges. Your trail hand flexes and extends. There is very little fact rotation relative to your swing arch. Also if your lead hand is in this hinge position it is very strong. IT is how the lead wrist is designed to hit an object with the most force and the least chance for injury. Your trail hand flexing and extending is how you throw a ball, Shoot a basketball, or throw a bowling ball.

WRIST HINGE

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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s favorite, and he does it every day.

Malaska Certified-Matt Baker

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A member has a question about how the hips move and how they time up with the club.

First, your hips move because of what your feet and legs do on the ground. When you swing back, your right hip moves back because your right foot, knee, and thigh push back. You are not twisting your hip back. As you push off the ground, that movement pushes your right hip back up and out of the way.

On the downswing, the same thing happens to your left leg. The left leg pushes the left hip back and out of the way. Your hips are moving, but you aren’t setting up to the ball and twisting your hips back and then forward. Doing this moves you off the ground. You want to stay on the ground.

It also helps you move your center away from the ball, giving you room for your arms to swing back and on the follow-through. This is how your hips work, and this is because of your feet and how they work into the ground. It is a reaction.

When you talk about speed, it’s all about lining the clubface up and timing it as you push off the ground. As you do this, your right hip pushes back, creating speed as you come through the ball.

Again, your feet are what moves your hips, and the timing of the club and how your feet push off the ground is what accelerates the clubface through the golf ball.

How the Hips Move

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

Grip is the first and possibly the most important skill or task. How your hands are on the club determine what you are going to have to do to square the face. Your lead hand goes on how you're arm hangs. This is so when the momentum of the club pulls on your arm the grip squares the face. This is also a strong hit position for that lead arm. Your trail arm goes on with your palm as a mirror image of the face. This arm is to push the shaft and accelerate the club head not twist the face. If your grip is correct then squaring the face becomes much easier.

LEVER SYSTEM GRIP

Core Content

Master Bunker Play by Practicing with a 7-Iron (or Even a 3-Iron!) In this bonus lesson, Mike Malaska shares a breakthrough drill he discovered while watching Seve Ballesteros hit high, soft bunker shots with a 3-iron. Inspired, Mike trained himself to hit bunker shots using long irons like a 7-iron&mdash;and the results transformed his short game. Why train with a 7-iron or 5-iron from the sand? Because it forces you to learn how to manipulate loft, use bounce, and trust the club to pass your hands. If you can create height and softness with a long iron, using a sand wedge becomes automatic. Mike demonstrates how to open the face, adjust hand position, and use bounce properly&mdash;even when the club wasn&rsquo;t built for it. Practicing this way sharpens your skill, increases feel, and makes your standard wedge shots feel easy by comparison. Key Takeaway: Practicing bunker shots with a 7-iron teaches you to control loft and bounce. If you can hit it high and soft with a long iron, your sand wedge shots will become automatic&mdash;and your confidence will soar.

Bonus Video 3-Bunker Challenge Drill

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

In this eight-part on-course Player Lesson, Mike Malaska joins Jeff Coburn and Jeff Krull for a real-world learning experience. The range is closed, so there&rsquo;s no warm-up and no time to fix anything&mdash;just golf the way it&rsquo;s actually played.
 Mike begins by showing how to prepare the body in minutes, then guides both players through every stage of the round: putting, chipping, driving, fairway shots, approach play, and finishing on the green.
 Throughout the series, Mike reveals a simple truth: great golf isn&rsquo;t about changing your swing; it&rsquo;s about learning your swing. Each shot follows the same process used by tour players: Program &rarr; Execute &rarr; Evaluate &rarr; Fix or Reinforce.From center-face contact to tempo, distance control, and shot awareness, the lesson shows how small adjustments lead to consistent play.
 By the end, both Jeffs understand that the real key to scoring is mindset. Golf is a learning process, and when you treat every shot as feedback, improvement becomes automatic.

Jeff Coburn and Jeff Krull Player Lesson

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.

Malaska Certified-Mike Malaska

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald is subbing in to answer “Ask Mike’s” from Beverley County Club in Chicago. A member has made a comment about, ‘it’s not flipping.’Billy said he is absolutely right. What the member is talking about is how the golf club works back and forth in the swing.The clubhead has both the farthest and longest to travel, so it will have the most amount of speed. The grip end doesn’t have nearly as far to travel and if it goes the same speed as the clubhead we wouldn’t have any clubhead speed.We are talking about these levers, where the grip end acts as a pivot point for the clubface. Mike Malaska refers to this as the snap of a towel.Billy demonstrates his hand, simulating snapping a towel. When you change directions, the opposite end of the towel you are holding accelerates. This is the same thing that happens in the golf swing.Billy demonstrates in slow motion how this works. As the clubface goes up the plane line, the grip end slows down to accommodate the face going up. The clubface matches your spine angle, which is going to be square to the target. At no point is the clubface flipping or twisting throughout the swing.Again, as you swing back, the clubface goes up the plane line, and the grip end slows down so the club can pivot. As you change directions at the top, the clubface is still square. Again, the grip end slows down, which makes the face speed up in the ball. On the follow-through, the clubface accelerates. For some, it may feel that the grip end is slowing down. It certainly isn’t going as fast as the face of the club.Some people who are notorious for pulling the handle and turning on their shoulders never feel the acceleration of the clubface and how that relates to the grip. Billy says he understands when people say it feels like a flip, but a flip is when the clubface turns over. The face rotation is minimal and stays square to the arc, and now Billy is providing the snap effect of the towel feeling in the swing. The grip provides the pivot point, and the club accelerates.Billy makes practice swings so you can see the clubface accelerate through the golf ball. The grip slows down, and it hinges as you swing back. Billy shows you where you feel the ‘snap of the towel effect' and feel the clubface take off; the grip slows down and then rehinges on the follow-through.It feels like a flip, and for some people, this is a good thing because they are feeling their hands more and the acceleration of the face, and they just don’t realize it yet. If you spend some time with this, you will see the golf ball travel straighter and farther than you ever thought.

Don't Flip the Club

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

Pitching

The lever system is essential for generating speed, consistency, and ease in the golf swing. This system relies on relaxed wrists, proper grip, and synchronized body movements to maximize efficiency and power. Mike Malaska introduces drills like the "club toss" to help players achieve the correct grip and looseness, enabling the club to move effortlessly.
Key to this technique is the ability to maintain independence between the arms and the shoulders. This separation allows golfers to accelerate their arms freely, creating speed without unnecessary effort. Practicing this independence, combined with a relaxed grip and proper lever mechanics, enhances swing fluidity and consistency.
By focusing on the lever system, golfers unlock one of the major components of swing speed and control. The drills and techniques in this lesson guide players in developing efficient, powerful swings with less effort, resulting in better distance, accuracy, and overall performance.

M2 Coaching Series-The Lever System

To learn how to change directions you first have to understand that there is no top in a swing. It is a constant motion. So as your arms start back your body starts moving forward. The same as throwing a baseball, Or hitting a baseball, and or hitting a tennis ball. The sequences are all the same. 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION DRILL

How to find a light grip pressure using a pre-shot routine on the course.

ON THE COURSE

In this six-part Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska works with Jimmy Pearcy to transform his golf game by focusing on core fundamentals and personalized instruction. Starting with an exploration of Jimmy&rsquo;s &ldquo;golf DNA,&rdquo; Mike identifies how Jimmy&rsquo;s athletic background and natural movement patterns shape his swing. By tailoring the lessons to Jimmy&rsquo;s strengths, Mike provides a foundation for improvement that is both effective and sustainable.
The series begins with grip fundamentals, as Mike emphasizes the critical role of a proper grip in supporting every aspect of the swing. By positioning his hands correctly and reducing tension, Jimmy learns how to maintain control of the clubface and create consistency in his shots. This foundational step sets the stage for unlocking greater speed and power.
In subsequent lessons, Mike introduces Jimmy to the concept of speed generation. Using drills that highlight the importance of relaxation and leveraging the natural hinge and release of the wrists, Jimmy discovers how to create effortless power. Mike reinforces that tension-free motion, combined with proper sequencing, is the key to maximizing clubhead speed with minimal effort.
The series progresses to the concept of leverage, where Jimmy learns to let the club&rsquo;s weight and momentum dictate the swing. Through exercises that focus on feeling the club&rsquo;s natural movement, Jimmy develops a deeper understanding of how to generate power without relying on force. This approach not only improves his swing but also enhances his confidence in controlling the club.
In the final two lessons, Mike focuses on advanced concepts of shot shaping and control. Jimmy practices manipulating the clubface to produce hooks, fades, and straight shots, gaining the ability to navigate different course conditions and play with more versatility. By mastering the relationship between his hands and the clubface, Jimmy unlocks a new level of creativity and precision in his game.
Throughout the series, Mike&rsquo;s personalized coaching helps Jimmy develop a relaxed, efficient swing that capitalizes on his natural strengths. By addressing fundamental issues and progressively building new skills, Jimmy gains the tools and confidence to approach the game with a deeper understanding. This series marks a significant transformation in Jimmy&rsquo;s golf journey, equipping him with a more powerful, controlled, and versatile game.

Jimmy Pearcy-Player Lesson

Malaska Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald from The Beverly Country Club in Chicago answers a question from Brandon Pitman about the Left Foot, Right Foot Back Drill &mdash; a setup and motion pattern that helps golfers feel more compression and solid impact by favoring the lead leg.
Brandon found success keeping most of his weight on the lead (left) leg throughout the swing and wanted to know if that could cause issues down the road or lead to an overly &ldquo;stack and tilt&rdquo; style motion. Billy explains that the concept has real merit &mdash; particularly for short irons and wedge play &mdash; because staying on the lead side promotes a downward strike and proper hip action through the ball.
However, he cautions that this technique can limit speed and depth of rotation with longer clubs. To generate more clubhead speed and shallow the swing with mid- to long-irons, golfers need to incorporate dynamic pressure shifts: moving left &rarr; right &rarr; left through the swing. This movement pattern allows the hips to push back, the shoulders to tilt correctly, and the body to create speed through natural sequencing.
Billy recommends practicing left-right-left swings to feel the rhythm of shifting pressure without forcing weight transfer. With short clubs, you&rsquo;ll stay more on the lead side. With longer clubs, you&rsquo;ll feel a slight trail-side load before returning left through impact &mdash; keeping the motion powerful, athletic, and repeatable.
In this lesson you will learn: &bull; Why staying on your lead leg improves compression and short-iron contact. &bull; How the left-right-left rhythm generates speed and natural momentum. &bull; Why too much lead-side bias limits rotation with longer clubs. &bull; How pressure shifts, not weight shifts, create effortless power. &bull; Why using your lead leg to push away from the club shallows the swing.
He leaves golfers with a key reminder: &ldquo;Lead-side pressure is great for short clubs &mdash; just remember left, right, left for power and balance.&rdquo; &mdash; Malaska Certified Coach This Makes Sense. Own Your Swing.

Left Foot Right Foot Back Drill

Putting is the basis for the entire swing. Having an understanding and being able to attain the skills necessary to hit a putt with consistency, efficiency and also being able to duplicate it under pressure. This is the basis for the full swing. Many things that go on in an efficient putting stroke also happen in a driver swing.

Putting

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

HITTING

(Train Your Vision to Shape the Ball) If you struggle with swinging over the top or can&rsquo;t consistently shape your shots, Day 12 will change how you think about path control. According to Mike Malaska, the path your arms swing on is directly influenced by your eye line. Most golfers try to fix their swing path with mechanics, but the real key may be where you&rsquo;re looking during the swing. In this lesson, Mike shows you how your eyes create the picture your body reacts to. Using the brim of a flattened hat, he teaches you how to become aware of your eye line in motion&mdash;and how even small changes in visual direction can cause your arms to swing left, right, or straight. You&rsquo;ll experiment with swinging on different paths just by adjusting where your eyes focus during transition. You&rsquo;ll also work on hitting shots that start right, straight, and left&mdash;all with soft swings&mdash;so you can learn what path control feels like. This is a game-changing drill that gives you the freedom to swing on any path by training your visionfirst. What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Swing Path and Eye Line: &bull; Why your eyes&mdash;not your arms&mdash;determine your swing path &bull; How to use the brim of a hat to become aware of your eye line &bull; How to shift your eyes to swing from the inside like a tour player &bull; Why path drills don&rsquo;t work if your visual perception is off &bull; How to practice ball flights: inside-out, straight, and over the top This is a lesson you can practice at home or at the range. Mike did this drill for hours growing up&mdash;just swinging with his eyes trained correctly. Once your eyes learn to set the path, your arms will follow naturally, and you&rsquo;ll finally feel in control of your ball flight. Key Takeaway: Your arms swing where your eyes look. Control your vision, and you&rsquo;ll control your path.

Day 12-Control Swing Path With Your Eyes

The first step Mike will help Javier with is getting him to stand the club more up on the backswing and the follow-through.

Mike shows Javier a drill to practice. To begin, bring the club straight up and lever it in front of you. Next, take the club from this position and stand the club up right up over your hands, and start your downswing into the ball.

Mike points out that Javier’s grip and posture are great, but Javier has a flawed concept of how the club goes around him. Mike then gets Javier to set up to the ball and walks him through the Levering Drill. Which is to lever the club, stand the club up and then swing down to hit the ball.

The point of this drill is for Javier to feel the handle of the golf club move down, and the club move up. Javier tends to swing flatter on the backswing.

Javier makes several practice swings levering the club to understand the concept. At first, Javier cheats the drill and falls back into his habit of swinging on a flatter plane and not getting the club to stand up. Then Javier gets more confident and executes the drill with precision.

Mike then replays Javier’s swing on the video swing analysis. Mike shows him an example of a PGA Tour Player and another swing to illustrate the difference in swings. Mike tells Javier to live with this drill because Javier needs to get the correct momentum of the circle or arc of his swing. Currently, that circle is so far out he is constantly fighting himself.

Javier continues to perform the drill successfully, and Mike tells Javier that this drill also works well with the driver.
This drill is a big change for Javier’s swing and puts him on the right course.

LEVERING THE CLUB

You use your trail arm. Set up with the ball off your back foot. You swing your arm but your shoulder stays fairly stationary. You are learning to swing your arm independent of your shoulder moving. This is an important skill for speed. You catch the ball on the face and let your arm swing through impact. Your trail arm lines up with the shaft just like in putting and chipping. For this skill there is almost no pivot of the lower body.

PITCHING WITH ONE ARM

M-System Elite

Maintain the swing arc by constantly pushing away from the momentum.

CONSTANTLY PUSH AWAY

The M4 Coaching Series by Mike Malaska focuses on understanding the impact position and the role of ground force through the feet. This segment highlights the importance of identifying the correct impact position, not as a static target but as a feel that guides the swing. Mike emphasizes that impact awareness reshapes how golfers perceive their body's movement during the swing, leading to greater consistency and efficiency.
A key takeaway is correcting common mistakes at impact, such as rotating hips and shoulders level or misaligning the club&rsquo;s shaft relative to the body. Proper impact requires dynamic hip and shoulder tilts and an understanding of how the feet press into the ground. Drills are introduced to help golfers feel the force in their feet, focusing on pushing through the left foot and rolling the right foot inward, which naturally guides the knees and hips.
By training impact through hands and feet, golfers can develop a deeper sense of control and connection to their swing. This approach leverages the natural sensitivity of hands and feet, making it easier to feel and replicate correct movements. Practicing slowly and building speed progressively allows golfers to integrate these lessons for a powerful and efficient swing.

M4 Coaching Series-Impact And Force In Your Feet

Distance control is one of the most overlooked but most important skills in golf. You can read the green perfectly, line up the putt exactly right, and still miss if your speed is off. That&rsquo;s why Day 2 of this series is focused on helping you control distance by improving face control and center contact. Most golfers think they need a different stroke for every length of putt, but the real solution begins with delivering the putter square, striking the center of the face, and developing feel over time. In this lesson, Mike Malaska shows how to train speed and accuracy using drills that provide instant feedback. He starts with a simple face control drill using a box. A straight roll means your face was square. A twist to the left or right means the face was closed or open. Then, he teaches a progressive distance ladder drill to develop touch across short, medium, and longer putts. You will also learn how to apply this on uphill, downhill, or flat surfaces, so your stroke adapts to real-world conditions. Mike also reminds you that each day in this program is not a tip&mdash;it is a training session. Don&rsquo;t just roll a few balls and move on. Spend time. Build the skill. This is how real player&rsquo;s practice.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Distance Control in Putting: How face angle affects roll, even on short putts Why center-face contact is essential for speed control How to use a box or board to check face alignment How to build feel with the distance ladder drill Why practicing on different slopes helps you adapt under pressure
This session is about feel, precision, and building habits that last. Once you control the face and find center contact, speed control becomes repeatable.
Key Takeaway: Speed control is the foundation of great putting. Face control and center contact give you that speed. Practice with feedback and commit to the work.

Day 2-Control Distance in Putting

Set the ball down with the line pointing up. Then the goal is to hit the ball in the center of the face with the path correct so the line rolls perfectly. If the line wobbles then either the path of the face are off. To control distance you need to be able to roll the ball. If it is off learn to roll the line first. Trail arm is a big part of the stroke us it first.

ROLL THE LINE

Take a driver. Tee up a ball then sit down in a chair to hit the ball from. Sitting in the chair you need to relax your shoulder sockets so your arm can swing independent of your shoulders moving. This is an important part of the swing for not only speed but consistency. You also need to let the momentum of the lever your wrists on both sides of the swing. 

CHAIR DRILL

Ashley talks about the three planes of movement and the importance of functional health in your golf game.

Ashley Huizing

The Director of Distance series is a comprehensive 11-part masterclass designed specifically for experienced golfers who want to add serious yardage to their drives. Presented by World Long Drive Champion Justin James and Golf Digest Top Instructor Mike Malaska, this exclusive series blends long drive mechanics, proven swing fundamentals, and the structured learning progression of the M-System. Together, Justin and Mike provide a powerful system that helps you harness your body&rsquo;s full athletic potential to generate more speed, power, and consistency.
 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.
 Justin contributes expert-level insights into strength training, force production, neurological priming, and ground mechanics&mdash;all vital components of optimizing driver distance. He shares the same training concepts he uses in long drive competition and when coaching elite athletes. Mike Malaska anchors the system with world-class instruction that&rsquo;s grounded in human movement and athletic patterning. He connects modern speed mechanics with foundational M-System movements, helping you master the golf swing from the inside out.
 Each video includes detailed breakdowns, specific swing drills, warm-up routines, key terminology (like attack angle, club path, and face angle), and mental cues that you can apply immediately. The series covers key topics like driver setup, golf grip for speed, swing sequencing, neurological activation, launch angle, and impact consistency. More than just a how-to, Director of Distance is a roadmap for developing repeatable, controlled power that holds up under pressure.
 Whether you're a competitive golfer looking for a scoring edge or a seasoned recreational player chasing 20&ndash;30 more yards off the tee, this golf training series provides a clear, actionable path. With detailed technical instruction, real-time demonstrations, and professional guidance, Director of Distance empowers you to train smarter, swing faster, and hit it farther&mdash;without compromising accuracy or risking injury.

How to Max out Your Driver

Instinctively if you take the club in your lead hand to hit something you will put the club more in the fingers. Your hand will be in what is called a strong position. When you chip the ball with just that hand you will not want to rotate the face. Your wrist just hinges back and forth as your arm swings. Also if you put the club in your trail hand. To hit something or to chip a ball. Once you have the club in your fingers. You will just flex and extend your wrist. You will not twist your hands. It does not make sense. You then just put both hands on the club in those positions and start the swing. Here is where my instinct was correct. I only wish I would have stayed there.

Grip Instinct

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

Learning how to control trajectory with one arm is a basic skill. As you pitch balls with just your trail arm. The relationship of your knuckles to your wrist is what changes the loft or angel of the face. The father your knuckles are behind or to the right in a right handed player the lower the ball goes. But with no twisting in the wrists the ball goes straight. This control transitions into all clubs and all shots.

Pitching Trajectory

How your body moves is an important part of the swing. It is also a big speed and control producer (if it works correctly). However, if it is trained incorrectly it can make it almost impossible to reach your speed and control potential. It can also potentially create patterns that can lead to injury.

Ask Malaska Golf-Body Motion

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

Throw the Sand, Don&rsquo;t Hit the Ball (Learn the Simple, Repeatable Way to Get Out Every Time) Bunker shots don&rsquo;t have to be scary. In this bonus lesson, Mike Malaska simplifies the entire concept: you&rsquo;re not hitting the ball&mdash;you&rsquo;re throwing the sand. Everything you&rsquo;ve learned over the past 21 days&mdash;body motion, arm structure, face control&mdash;still applies here. But instead of striking the ball directly, you use the sand to lift it out. By learning to stay on your lead side, swing through the sand, and direct it toward your target, you gain immediate control over a shot that frustrates most golfers. The best part? The feel and technique you develop here translate directly from your full swing foundation. Mike breaks down the setup, motion, and mindset required to become consistent in the bunker. You&rsquo;ll learn that where the clubface points doesn&rsquo;t matter nearly as much as where you throw the sand. This tip alone will change how you approach every greenside bunker. Plus, Mike demonstrates how staying on your left side and trusting your motion will keep you from falling back or digging too deep.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Bunker Play: Why bunker shots are all about throwing sand, not hitting the ball How to set up on your left side and stay there throughout the swing Why your target is the sand&mdash;not the ball How face setup and swing direction control your sand (and ball) trajectory How to train consistently with simple visual cues like a line in the sand
Key Takeaway: Stand on your left side, hit behind the ball, and throw the sand toward your target. If you can move the sand where you want it to go, the ball will follow&mdash;every time.

Bonus Video 1-Bunker Play

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

With chipping, we begin to apply the concept of line-of-compression. It is about developing the impact between the club and the ball. You are not only learning the feel of impact, but how the club interacts with the ball. Chipping is about trajectory control. Chipping is the first step in creating a bigger arc and learning how to control the bottom of your swing. Maintaining this control is critical in the full swing. In addition to controlling the swing arc and impact, there is a face control component. Combining all of those components together allow us to start developing distance control (not only total distance but also carry distance).

Chipping

Dropping your right foot back gets your right hip out of the way and makes it easier to hit balls on the range and the course.

STAGGERED STANCE PROGRESSION

&nbsp;(Let the Club Do the Work) If you want consistent speed and solid contact, you have to learn how to use momentum. In Day 18, Mike Malaska explains how to let the weight of the club do the work&mdash;hinging, unhinging, and rehinging the wrists naturally through the swing. Too many golfers try to force motion or "release" manually, which destroys timing and consistency. Instead, this lesson teaches you to feel and direct the club&rsquo;s energy with smooth, controlled motion. Using drills like swinging the club handle-first, you&rsquo;ll learn how to sense the natural momentum of the shaft and head. Mike relates this concept to Iron Byron&mdash;the robotic arm that proves momentum alone can create perfect release and ball striking. When your grip is correct and your motion allows momentum to build and unload, you&rsquo;ll strike the ball cleanly with effortless speed. This is one of the most powerful lessons in the series, showing you how to maximize your swing without muscle&mdash;by trusting momentum.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Momentum: Why forcing the release ruins your swing&mdash;and how to stop doing it How to train your awareness using the handle-first drill What the Iron Byron machine teaches us about swing physics How a correct grip and swing path allow momentum to hinge and unhinge naturally Why this is the secret to consistent distance and face control
Key Takeaway: If you want to strike the ball with speed and control, let momentum do the work. Trust the natural motion of the club, and your wrists will release at the right time&mdash;without trying.

Day 18-Unlock Power With Momentum

Every day when you go to the range you should have a stretching routine that you do before you hit balls. You should already be loose before you start hitting balls. You should be ready to make a full swing on the first ball. Have some stretch cords in your bag. Get the blood flowing. Then do some bending and rotation exercises. Do not use hitting balls as your loosing up program. That will make it very difficult for your swing to feel the same or close to the same every day.

HOW TO PRACTICE - FITNESS

Take an alignment stick place it on the club shaft so it extends longer than the grip end. Then set up to the ball with the stick touching your lead side. Make your backswing. Once you reach the the end of your backswing. Now make the shaft pivot behind and touch your trail side. This will work the club out into the correct arch to run into the ball. This is a feeling that offsets the change of direction and gets the club in the correct arch. Rather than dragging the handle forward and having to catch the club up. 

ASHLEY - DIRECTING THE MOMENTUM OF THE CLUB

Golfers everywhere chase the same things: solid contact, effortless power, and consistent results. But for most players, those goals stay just out of reach&mdash;because they&rsquo;ve never been taught the one move that ties it all together. That move is called the line of compression. It&rsquo;s not a trendy tip or swing theory&mdash;it&rsquo;s the core motion that creates real ball-striking consistency. It&rsquo;s what allows the club to strike the ball solidly, compress it against the ground, and send it on a true, penetrating flight. The best players in the world have it. Most amateurs don&rsquo;t. In fact, many golfers practice for years without ever learning how to create it. In this opening lesson of the 21-day series, Mike Malaska breaks it down. He shows you how to feel it by aligning your right arm with the shaft and using simple training tools like a putting track or a tee gate. Your goal is to roll the line on the golf ball smoothly while striking the center of the clubface without clipping the toe or heel. This daily calibration drill ensures that every shot you hit is built from the same solid foundation.
What You'll Learn About Compression in the Golf Swing: How to create the line of compression with a connected, powerful motion Why solid contact starts with center-face strikes How to roll the ball cleanly with no wobble How this motion applies to every shot&mdash;from putts to sand shots
Train the Feel If you&rsquo;re struggling to connect the motion, grab a tennis racket or a baseball bat and swing it. These larger tools exaggerate the feel of compression and make it easier to sense how your hands, arms, and body should work together.