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On Day 5, the final day, Brian Gott puts everything together with all the skills you have learned. Make sure you have mastered setup, tempo, path, and putting speed. Brian emphasizes that you should practice what really matters to become a better putter and not randomly throw three balls on the green and hit the balls towards the hole. 

To mimic real-life putting scenarios, he sets up a practice session with multiple balls around the green at different lengths, from 4 feet to 6 feet. Putt each ball individually like it matters or has a consequence. Once you have completed this drill, move the balls farther out. Doing this will make you a better putter. Make sure that you practice what counts so that you can have putting consistency and do better on the golf course.

Day 5 How it all Works

The connected swing is a feeling not a fact.

IS THE SWING CONNECTED

Start with your golf swing if you want to shape up your game. The L to L drill is a great exercise to get your swing going.

First, drop your right foot back and swing at the ball, creating an “L” with your arms and club on your backswing and a reverse “L” on the follow-through.

Most people struggle with this because their body wants to go when they start, and they can’t get back when they swing.

This drill gets the lever system working and stops the chest from pulling the club through the ball.

Again, practice swinging L to L. You should be able to do this drill smoothly. You need to be able to master this because it helps you develop the skills required for a big full swing.

This is a great drill to start shaping up your game. Practice this drill before you go out to play.

SHAPE UP YOUR GAME

WADE MILEY

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based in the UK. Today's question comes from Gonzi Trevino, who wants to know about the right wrist&mdash;specifically, what it should be doing through impact. He&rsquo;s unsure whether the wrist should be in extension or flexion as it approaches impact.
Ideally, you want both the right wrist and the right arm to maintain a slight bend at impact. This is about preserving stored energy because, as the clubhead moves through the swing, momentum causes it to straighten just after impact. You don&rsquo;t want that to happen too early.
In my experience, issues with early release often stem from trying to steer the club into the ball or from too much tension in the hands, arms, and shoulders. When tension builds, it prevents the natural momentum of the club from doing the work. If you let the swing flow freely, your arms will release at the right time, maintaining that stored energy through impact and into the follow-through.
A great drill to practice is the impact drill, where you rehearse the proper position. For example, as you set up in the impact position, push your left hip back, and you&rsquo;ll notice your hands naturally move forward. You&rsquo;ll feel a slight bend in your right wrist and a bit of bowing in your right arm as it lines up behind the shaft. If you look at this position from down the line, you&rsquo;ll see the right wrist and arm in a slightly bent and supportive position. This drill helps you rehearse and internalize where the body and club should be at impact.
Another key is managing tension. Trust your hands, arms, and body to work together, allowing momentum to guide the club through the swing. Inertia naturally creates lag as the club comes down into the ball, while momentum takes over through impact. While the wrists do release, this release should occur at the right time, not prematurely. Proper sequencing means you don&rsquo;t need to consciously think about releasing; it will happen naturally if you allow momentum to flow.
To work on this, keep your arms loose and relaxed. A helpful exercise is to practice swinging your arms back and forth without a club, following the motion of your shoulders. This builds a sense of fluidity. When using the club, feel its weight as it lags slightly behind, then naturally catches up and passes through the ball as you push away through impact.
Remember, trying to hold or control the wrists too much adds tension, which disrupts the swing. Instead, allow for a slight angle in the wrist at impact, which will release once momentum carries through. Practice the impact drill, putting yourself into the correct position repeatedly. From there, chip a few balls to get a feel for the position, then transition into full swings. This will help you find the proper impact position, leading to crisp, center-face contact and that satisfying compression of the ball.
By focusing on relaxation and proper sequencing, you&rsquo;ll hit cleaner, more powerful shots. Let the swing flow and trust the process!

Right Wrist For Solid Shots

It is important to play a round before the tournament. This will give you a sense of what your weak spots are so you know what to focus on practicing. Honesty is key.

Preparing for a Tournament

How the position of the ball affects spin.

BACKSPIN AND BALL POSITION

A waggle is not a random jumble of movements. A waggle consists of elements that you are actively bringing into your swing. If it is random, it's not helping.

NOT A RANDOM WAGGLE

In the third video of John Lang’s player lesson series with Mike Malaska, the focus shifts to refining John’s grip, posture, and swing path to create a more efficient and repeatable motion. This lesson highlights the importance of maintaining a proper spine angle, using a correct grip, and ensuring the shoulders rotate on the proper plane for consistent ball striking. Through posture drills and adjustments, John begins to improve his setup and swing mechanics, laying the foundation for better control and consistency.The lesson begins with an evaluation of John’s swing path. Previously, excessive hand rotation at impact was causing inconsistent ball flights and too much spin, particularly with the driver. Mike emphasizes the role of the grip in stabilizing the clubface and starts by addressing John’s hand placement. The club is adjusted to sit more in the fingers rather than the palms, with attention given to the right hand's role in pulling the palm down onto the left thumb. This creates a critical pressure point for better wrist hinge and control during the swing. Mike humorously suggests that players need a “shock device” to avoid letting the grip cap touch their hands, underscoring the importance of this adjustment.Posture becomes the next area of focus. Mike explains that John’s stance is too upright, with insufficient hip bend, causing the shoulders to rotate flat instead of on-plane. To correct this, Mike demonstrates how pushing the hips back creates the necessary spine angle and allows the arms to swing upward rather than around the body. He compares this movement to the bowing posture common in Japanese culture, where the hips naturally push back for balance. Mike instructs John to start upright, set his grip, and then push his hips back until the club reaches the ground without excessive knee bending or back rounding.Drills are introduced to help reinforce these adjustments. One drill focuses on pushing the handle of the club downward during the takeaway, which naturally raises the clubhead and keeps the swing on plane. Another drill uses a ball on the ground as a visual cue, training John to swing the clubhead over the ball on the backswing and return inside it on the downswing. These drills provide immediate feedback, helping John internalize the proper movements and build muscle memory.As John practices, Mike emphasizes that the correct posture and grip are non-negotiable elements of a good swing. He points out that starting from an improper setup leads to compensations, such as sliding hips or flat shoulder rotation, which disrupt the swing plane. By starting from a proper setup, John can achieve a dynamic and effective swing.The session concludes with John hitting several shots while applying the new adjustments. His improved posture and grip result in more consistent and controlled swings. Mike encourages John to continue practicing these changes, emphasizing the importance of repetition and deliberate effort in building a reliable and efficient swing.Through a combination of clear explanations, practical drills, and immediate feedback, this lesson equips John with the tools to improve his swing mechanics and develop a more confident and consistent game.

Better Posture, Better Swing

Mike Malaska discusses head motion with a Malaska Golf member. Sometimes it can be helpful to have someone hold your head still or use a stick to keep it stable. But you need to be careful as you can hurt your neck.

Most often, your head reacts to what your hips and legs are doing. When Mike watches someone whose head is moving incorrectly, it is usually because their lower body isn’t doing what it should. Mike wants you to feel how your head reacts to what your lower body is doing. Be careful about just focusing on your head.

If you fix what your lower body is doing, your head does what it should.

CORRECTING HEAD MOTION

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

Momentum

What clubs do you start to learn to chip and pitch with to control trajectory.

TRAJECTORY: CHIPPING AND PITCHING

At first choke down on the club so some of the grip end of the club is above your hands. Then on the back swing make the grip end of the club point away from you and towards the ground. Then come back to impact the club shaft is pointing at your body. Then go to just above waist high on the follow through. The grip end of the club is again pointing away from you. This gets the extension you want and develops the lever system. 

HANDLE AWAY

The lever system starts with the proper grip that allows the joints of the wrists to work correctly for the most speed and control. Then it becomes how well can you control the face. Once you have those two it becomes where does most of your speed come from. How do you get your arms into the correct arch to create an angle of attack that maximizes your potential. What are the main drills and or skills necessary to become proficient at these basic skills or tasks.

THE LEVER SYSTEM - OVERVIEW

Exercises such as the golfer's grip help strengthen your fingers, loosening your wrists and forearms.

PITCHING FITNESS

In the second part of this Player Lesson, Mike Malaska and Certified Coach Julie Yang continue working with a lacrosse athlete to build on the foundations established in Part 1. The first session highlighted how lacrosse passing mechanics&mdash;hand placement, leverage, and spatial awareness&mdash;translate directly into golf&rsquo;s fundamentals.
This follow-up lesson shifts the focus to the long clubs, where inconsistency and slicing are most common. Mike shows how the push&ndash;pull motion of a lacrosse pass mirrors the lever system in golf: the bottom hand acts as the stabilizer while the top hand drives, creating natural speed. By recognizing this parallel, the athlete begins to see how he can use familiar movements to simplify the golf swing.
A major theme of the session is learning to trust momentum rather than forcing the swing. Just as a lacrosse player relies on the natural flow of the stick for accuracy, a golfer must let the club&rsquo;s weight and momentum guide the motion. Forcing mechanics only adds tension and inconsistency. With the right grip, proper face awareness, and a reliance on momentum, consistency begins to emerge even with the longer clubs.
This lesson reinforces the Sports Connect philosophy of Malaska Golf: athletes from any sport already have the movements they need. The key is recognizing them, connecting them to golf, and allowing those instincts to create a swing that is powerful, consistent, and repeatable.
 Key Takeaways Grip Adjustments: Proper grip in the fingers&mdash;not the palm&mdash;creates control and reduces slicing. Lever System Connection: The push&ndash;pull motion in lacrosse translates directly to the golf swing. Momentum Over Force: Consistency comes from letting the club swing naturally, not from forcing mechanics. Face Awareness: Lacrosse-trained spatial awareness makes it easier to control the clubface. Sports Connect Philosophy: Building on existing athletic patterns simplifies learning and speeds improvement.

Fix Your Slice With Lacrosse

The pullback drill is another unconventional drill that Joe Nichols shared with Mike.  By pulling back, it puts force into the left leg as a stabilizer, which accelerates the clubhead.  These are very good things in a golf swing.

DEEPER LOOK INTO PULL BACK

Mike Malaska talks fitness with Dr. Joe LaCaze, Owner and Managing Partner of Rotex Motion. Joe, a former Navy Seal and avid golfer who has worked with elite athletes over the last 26 years, is an expert in the motion fitness arena. His company sells products that will help you with flexibility and better movement patterns.

Golf Talk- Joe LaCaze

In the bunker there is no ball club contact. So the ball goes where the sand goes not where the club face is aimed. Setting the face in different positions accommodates different lies.

BALL GOES WHERE THE SAND GOES

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

Malaska Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald from The Beverly Country Club in Chicago answers a question from Ben Carroll about where the V&rsquo;s in the grip should point and how they influence clubface control.
Billy explains that both hands serve different purposes in the golf swing &mdash; and the direction of the V&rsquo;s reflects those roles. For a right-handed golfer, the lead-hand V (left hand) should point toward the right shoulder, while the trail-hand V (right hand) points more toward the chest.
The lead hand acts as the chopper, folding and hinging through the swing. The trail hand, positioned closer to the clubface, acts as the controller, matching what the face is doing through impact. When both V&rsquo;s are positioned correctly, the hands can work together &mdash; the lead guiding motion, the trail guiding face control &mdash; creating a natural and balanced release.
In this lesson you will learn: &bull; Where to align the V&rsquo;s in both the lead and trail hands. &bull; Why each hand has a different role in controlling the clubface. &bull; How the lead hand &ldquo;chops&rdquo; and folds naturally through impact. &bull; Why the trail hand mirrors the face and maintains direction. &bull; How balanced hand positions promote control and consistency.
He leaves golfers with a simple reminder: &ldquo;Your lead-hand V points to your shoulder, your trail-hand V to your chest &mdash; each has a job.&rdquo; &mdash; Malaska Certified Coach This Makes Sense. Own Your Swing.

Where The V's Should Point

The trail arm works the same in most all shots. It lines up with the shaft of the club you are hitting at impact. Start with your putter. Set up with just your trail arm. Your wrist is parallel to the club face. Then hit puts just using your trail arm. Your forearm should line up with the shaft. It pushes the shaft through the ball. The key is that your forearm does not twist. You can then do the same thing with your lead arm. The task is to make a stroke where the arm does not rotate. Then put both hands on the putter and hit some putts. This is the same relationship of your trail arm with even your driver.

IMPACT DRILL - PUTTING

In the golf swing you are not moving weight you are transferring force. If you try to shift weight you will tend to sway. So it is not a weight shift. It is a force transfer. On my backswing I move force into the trail heel. Then as I change directions force goes into my lead foot. Towards the ball off the foot. As I swing through the ball my force in my lead foot goes to the lead heel. You play the game more from your heels than you do your toes.

Shift Your Weight

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

INTRODUCTION TO LIGHT GRIP PRESSURE

WELLS ADAMS

Rarther than trying to balance on your heel after impact, practice letting your body move the way it is supposed to.

BUILDING YOUR SWING

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A Malaska Golf Member has a question about how to determine grip pressure. The member says he is somewhere between extremely light and losing control of the golf club to extremely tight, where his arms and shoulder sockets tighten up.

Billy says this is a great question, especially since many people think they have the right pressure when, in fact, they don't. Billy notes that there is a point where you can actually hold the club too soft.

Grip pressure is important as it allows you to have control of the clubface. This is a constant feeling, and it never changes throughout the swing.

Billy suggests the first thing you do is grab and hold the clubhead with your hand. Feel the weight of the clubhead. Understand how that feels, even though you hold the club by the grip.

If you hold the grip of the club too tight, you won't feel the weight of the clubhead. If you hold the club too light, there will be a lot of play in the club. You won't feel the weight of the club either. 
The key is to feel the weight of the clubhead and secure it in your hands. Make sure there is no play in the grip.

One thing you can do is hold the club out in front of you and make big circles. This is a great drill to feel the weight of the clubhead without any play in your hands or your grip.

Billy recounts a story that Mike told him about Jack Nicklaus and that he controlled the grip pressure in his forearms. Jack was secure in his hands, but his forearms were soft.

You need to be soft enough in your wrists, arms, and club so that the weight of the club can hinge and unhinge your wrists, your elbows can fold, and your shoulders can turn. Billy notes that the member's grip pressure is probably more secure than his wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

To summarize, you want to feel the weight of the golf club. Even though you grip the handle, you still want to be able to feel the weight at the other end of the club. You want to be soft enough that the grip pressure is constant throughout the golf swing.

The Right Grip Pressure

Elite Content

The basic first stretch to evaluate your flexibility and body alignment.

Flexibility 

Seeing lines when you putt is very important. Learn how to set up lines so that you can improve your putting stroke.

PUTTING WITH THE SMARTLINE

The process of learning is to get the ball in the hole.

Toski-Best in the World

M-System Max

The lead arm has to do its job for the trailing arm to work correctly for chipping, pitching, and your full swing.

LEAD ARM CHIPPING PITCHING AND FULL SWING 

There is a line that separates practice and preparation from actually competing.  Here are the two sides of the line.

THE LINE YOU CROSS

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

ASHLEY - 3 STEPS TO BETTER ARM SWING

What works - and what doesn't - with the plumb-bob.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE 'PLUMB-BOB'

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

PULLEY SYSTEM - BACKSWING - PART 2

Most lies in bunkers are uneven or 'tilted.'

BUNKERS AND UNEVEN LIES

In this episode of Ask Malaska Golf, Certified Coach Matt Baker from Manchester Golf Club in England responds to a question from Russ John about a subtle but important part of the swing: What should your toes be doing? Should they stay completely quiet, or do they have a role?
 Matt explains that during the setup and backswing, your toes and feet should generally stay quiet and grounded. Too much movement or toe-grabbing often signals poor posture or instability.
 When your setup is correct, your balance should be centered, no excessive pressure on the toes or heels. But during transition and impact, things shift. As your body begins to move away from the club and into your lead side, your left toes may momentarily activate as force transfers forward. Shortly after, that pressure moves back into the left heel, and the lower body begins driving rotation. This isn&rsquo;t dancing, it&rsquo;s a natural reaction to movement and momentum.
 Matt emphasizes that toe movement should be minimal and momentary. Excessive motion often means you&rsquo;re losing posture or compensating. Quiet feet and toes, supported by proper posture and body sequencing, lead to a more balanced, powerful swing
What You&rsquo;ll Learn in This Video: &bull; Why quiet toes indicate good posture and swing balance &bull; When toe activity is natural in the transition &bull; How poor posture causes excessive foot motion &bull; Why the cleats and heels play a bigger role than the toes
&ldquo;Most of the time, you want quiet toes. If they&rsquo;re grabbing or dancing, your posture&rsquo;s likely off.&rdquo; &ndash; Matt Baker

Quiet Feet Sold Strikes

In this first video of the Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska works with Jimmy Pearcy to uncover the unique elements of his "golf DNA" and build upon them to improve his game. Jimmy, a 24-handicap golfer, is eager to find more consistency in his swing, stay in play off the tee, and reduce his reliance on scrambling. His ultimate goal is to lower his handicap and enjoy a more reliable golf game.The lesson begins with Jimmy sharing his background and objectives, explaining that he struggles with striking the ball consistently and often finds himself out of position on the course. Mike, ever focused on personalized coaching, takes the time to understand Jimmy not only as a golfer but as a learner and a person. Through their conversation, Mike learns that Jimmy is analytical and thrives on structure, preferring to follow clear, step-by-step instructions when learning new skills. This insight shapes how Mike approaches the lesson, ensuring that he delivers information in a way that resonates with Jimmy.Jimmy also shares his professional journey, transitioning from a career in education to consulting in technology sales for school districts. His ability to bridge the gap between administrators and technical staff reflects his knack for understanding and communicating complex ideas—a trait that influences how he learns and processes golf instruction. Mike uses this as a foundation to explain how learning styles vary and why it’s essential to present information in a way that aligns with a person’s natural tendencies.To gain a better understanding of Jimmy’s physical movements and natural athleticism, Mike engages him in a series of simple yet revealing exercises. Using a baseball bat, Mike has Jimmy simulate swings and practice tapping a tree to observe his range of motion and body coordination. He also asks Jimmy to throw golf balls into the fairway, further analyzing how his body moves during these actions. Through these exercises, Mike identifies that Jimmy’s hips, shoulders, and arms tend to move together in unison, with minimal separation. This finding highlights the influence of Jimmy’s athletic background, which includes over a decade of playing travel softball after college.During the session, Jimmy mentions a torn labrum in his hip and ongoing tightness, which affects his range of motion. Mike reassures him that these physical traits are not a limitation but rather factors that must be considered when refining his golf swing. He critiques the common industry approach of forcing all players into a standard model, emphasizing instead the importance of tailoring instruction to fit each golfer’s unique biomechanics and natural tendencies.Mike introduces the concept of "golf DNA" to explain how each player’s natural movement patterns, athletic history, and physical traits form the foundation of their ideal golf swing. For Jimmy, his softball background and instinctive coordination provide a strong starting point. Rather than attempting to overhaul these patterns, Mike’s goal is to build upon them, adapting techniques that feel natural and effective for Jimmy.Throughout the lesson, Mike’s coaching philosophy becomes evident. He focuses on leveraging the strengths and abilities Jimmy already possesses, rather than attempting to mold him into an arbitrary ideal. By aligning the swing with Jimmy’s natural motions and respecting his physical limitations, Mike ensures that the changes are both practical and sustainable.This initial session provides Jimmy with valuable insights into his game and his learning process. He gains a deeper appreciation for how his unique "golf DNA" influences his swing and begins to understand how to work with, rather than against, his natural tendencies. With Mike’s guidance, Jimmy is set on a path to achieving greater consistency and lowering his handicap by playing to his strengths.

Understanding Your Golf DNA

(Build Shot-Shaping Awareness Through Feel) Now that you&rsquo;ve trained swing path and face control separately, Day 13 brings it all together. In this lesson, Mike Malaska shows you how to combine face orientation and path direction to shape shots intentionally&mdash;left, right, high, low, or straight. This is where control and creativity begin. You&rsquo;ll start by revisiting your daily warm-up routine: putting stroke, chipping, pitching, building your practice station, and training your hands one at a time. Mike explains why this daily rinse-and-repeat process builds lasting skill&mdash;and why you should work on the things you&rsquo;re worst at, not just what comes easily. Then comes the fun part. You&rsquo;ll start hitting controlled shots with different combinations: inside path with open face (fade), over-the-top with closed face (hook), and the ideal draw&mdash;slightly inside with a square-to-closing face. The goal is not to hit perfect shots, but to learn how different face/path matchups affect ball flight. The more you exaggerate the curves, the more you&rsquo;ll feel the cause-and-effect of your swing. You&rsquo;ll also revisit eye line control, using your hat brim to guide your arms. If your eyes are aimed right, your arms will swing from the inside. If they&rsquo;re aimed left, you&rsquo;ll swing over the top. Most golfers never train this&mdash;but tour players master it. What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Path + Face Control: &bull; How to intentionally curve the ball by blending path and face orientation &bull; Why your eyes determine arm path&mdash;and how to use eye line to shape shots &bull; How to exaggerate ball curves to better understand what creates them &bull; Why mastering crooked shots is the key to hitting it straight under pressure &bull; How to train slowly and deliberately with tee drills to build awareness Don&rsquo;t skip this step. Learning to shape the ball with intent gives you control over your game. This is the day when your swing starts becoming a tool&mdash;not just a motion. Key Takeaway: You can&rsquo;t find straight until you understand crooked. Mastering both path and face control builds real command over your ball flight.

Day 13-Blend Path and Face Control

So what does the body really do in the swing. How do you incorporate it. What are its basic tasks that synchronize the swing. And finally how do you practice how it moves. Once you understand its roll it becomes much easier to maximize its use in your game. Instead of well intended having it just get in your way and create a lot of compensations.

HOW THE BODY WORKS - OVERVIEW

Joe Nichols viewed the shoulders as a pulley system when it came towards the beginning of the backswing.  He ingeniously linked the hips, the hands, and the clubhead lever system so that it was impossible to get the clubhead behind you.  This is part 1 of Joe's backswing.

PULLEY SYSTEM - BACKSWING - PART 1

Most people don't know what the change of directions feels like. Practice other sports to get a better feel.

CHANGE OF DIRECTIONS

Join Malaska Certified Golf Instructor and Club Fitter Brian Gott as he walks you through all the clubs in your bag, the benefits, challenges, advantages, and diversity you may face when selecting your next set of clubs.

In The Bag With Brian Gott

The golf swing is a natural motion if you understand how your body works. Here are a couple of ways you can train proper body motion in your golf swing.

UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR BODY MOVES

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

Loading into the right heel and learning how your right leg works makes it easy to use your hands and arms correctly in the golf swing.

SPRING TRAINING FOOT ACTION

Now that you know how to make solid contact with the ball, have a synchronized pivot and effective angle of approach, let's look at how you can bring these skills together.

CREATING A NATURAL PITCH SHOT

Ben Hogan knew the power of insecurity. How is golf enjoyable when there is so much nervousness and fear? You enjoy the fear when you have learned to turn that into greater performance.

ENJOY THE FEAR

Getting the right nutrients and getting your body working correctly is very important. Practice getting your blood flowing.

PREPARING YOUR BODY FOR A TOURNAMENT

The club length doesn't matter much if you are a shorter player. Many shorter tour players used standard-sized clubs. However, your swing arc will be on a slightly different swing plane and less vertical than a taller player.

With all the varying heights of players, their golf clubs typically only go from one-half to one inch under or one to two inches over standard-sized clubs.

The key when you hold the club is not to hold the club at the end of the handle. Holding the club at the end of the handle tends to move around and tear your glove. 

Your little finger should be about an inch from the end of the club; the cap shouldn't be touching your hand. You will find that you have much more control of the club. It is like having a counterbalance weight on the end of the club.

If you choke down on the club, you won't lose too much distance in your shots, but you will have more control of the club.

HOW TO PUT THE CLUB IN YOUR HANDS

In this Malaska Golf Player Lesson, Mike Malaska teaches Kenneth Garcia how to train one of the most important skills in ball striking: controlling the angle of approach.
Mike begins by explaining a simple practice drill that uses a tee as a reference point for where the ball would be. By placing a tee in the ground and making practice swings where the club brushes the ground slightly in front of that tee, golfers can train the swing arc to move forward through impact.
The goal of the drill is to create awareness of where the club bottoms out in the swing. If the club strikes the ground behind the reference point, the swing arc is bottoming out too early. When the club brushes the ground in front of the tee, the golfer is creating the correct angle of approach for solid ball striking.
Mike explains that great players constantly monitor this during practice swings. Every time they set the club on the ground and make a rehearsal swing, they observe where the club contacts the turf. This gives immediate feedback about whether the swing arc is moving correctly through the ball.
Many amateur golfers unknowingly make practice swings where the club hits the ground well behind the ball position. When they step into the shot, their body instinctively tries to fix the mistake at the last moment, often leading to flinching, poor contact, or inconsistent strikes.
Instead, Mike teaches golfers to rehearse the correct motion first. If the practice swing bottoms out behind the ball, the player should adjust and repeat the swing until the club brushes the ground in front of the reference point.
Once the angle of approach is correct, golfers can then begin refining the other two skills of impact: clubface control and swing path.
Through this simple awareness drill, Kenneth quickly learns how controlling the swing arc improves contact and creates more reliable ball striking. The lesson reinforces a core principle of the M-System: great impact comes from understanding how the club moves through the bottom of the swing arc.
Key Takeaways &bull; Tee Reference Drill: A tee helps train where the swing should bottom out. &bull; Monitor Practice Swings: Great players watch where the club contacts the ground. &bull; Forward Swing Arc: Solid shots occur when the club brushes the ground in front of the ball. &bull; Fix the Motion First: If the club bottoms out behind the ball, rehearse the swing again. &bull; Build Impact Skills: Once angle of approach is correct, refine face and path control.

Kenneth Garcia-Angle of Approach

This method used to be the standard in the industry. To time the clubface to maximize rotation through the ball requires immense coordination. Here's how to pull it off.

EXAMINING GRIP TO TURN THE CLUBFACE OVER

Mike Malaska works with John Lang on his golf swing. He starts with his experience and how he made the sports connection between golf and other sports he has played.

From a baseball, tennis, and basketball background, this was the first sport Mike played where the ball wasn’t moving but was stationary on a tee. Mike made a lot of connections with other sports that made it easier for him to play golf.

The first connection is that you do not hit the ball with your club shaft; you hit it with the clubface. Your hands are essential to understanding the clubface. It would help if you thought about the club shaft as an extension of your arm.

When Mike started playing golf after baseball, he likened the clubface of a golf club to that of a baseball bat. When he set up to the ball and opened the clubface slightly, the ball would go to right field. With a slightly closed clubface, the ball would go to left field, and of course, if Mike hit it straight, it would go to center field.

The baseball analogy made sense to Mike, and most people who start to play golf try to hit the ball with the shaft and not the clubface. Mike even used a 10-finger baseball grip when he first started playing golf, and he looked at the clubface as a baseball bat.

Mike tells John that he is going to get his hands on the club correctly and get them to connect to the clubface. 

THE CLUBFACE IS YOUR BASEBALL BAT

Your swing arc should be smooth and continuous.  At no point should you interrupt the momentum in order to re-route.  Momentum helps your body work more efficiently.

DIRECTING MOMENTUM IN YOUR BACKSWING

Malaska Certified Coach Matt Baker from The Manchester Golf Club in England responds to a comment from Dog Leg Doc, who shared how the L-to-L drill helped him increase driver speed from 82 mph to 102 mph &mdash; with less effort.
Matt explains why this makes perfect sense. The goal in golf is not body speed &mdash; it&rsquo;s clubhead speed. Distance comes from how the hands, arms, and wrists release the club, not from forcing the body to move faster. When the handle slows down and the clubhead releases past it, the levers work efficiently to generate maximum speed with minimal effort.
Drawing on Mike Malaska&rsquo;s lesson with Hall of Famer Bob Toski, Matt demonstrates how true speed comes from the pivoting and throwing of the club, not from muscling the body. The L-to-L drill trains that release &mdash; creating an L shape in the backswing and again in the follow-through &mdash; teaching timing, leverage, and flow.
He shares three practice drills to help build effortless speed: the L-to-L drill, the handle-away drill (to train proper lever extension), and hitting balls from your knees (to remove body interference and isolate the arm-wrist release). The result is greater distance with less tension and a more efficient swing.
In this lesson you will learn: &bull; Why clubhead speed comes from leverage, not body motion. &bull; How the L-to-L drill builds timing and efficient release. &bull; Why 80% of distance comes from hands, arms, and wrists. &bull; How to train speed through handle-away and kneeling drills. &bull; Why efficiency of motion beats raw force for power.
He leaves golfers with a simple reminder: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s called clubhead speed for a reason &mdash; swing the club faster, not your body.&rdquo; &mdash; Matt Baker, Malaska Certified Coach This Makes Sense. Own Your Swing.

L to L For Clubhead Speed

If your grip is wrong, your swing will always be limited&mdash;no matter how much you practice. That&rsquo;s why Day 4 of this series is dedicated to one thing: understanding and mastering the three essential golf grips. Mike Malaska explains how each grip serves a different purpose depending on the shot you&rsquo;re hitting, and how your hands need to adjust between putting, pitching, and full swing. You will learn why the putting grip sits deep in the palms to reduce motion, why the pitching grip allows for precise control of your wrist angles, and why the full swing grip belongs in your fingers to allow proper wrist hinge and maximum speed. Mike breaks down each one, shows how to find the correct position for your hands and fingers, and explains how grip influences wrist action, clubface control, and power. This lesson is not about theory. It is about feel. You will learn how to spot the differences between the three grips and train the sensitivity needed to switch between them confidently. Mike also shares a powerful reminder&mdash;even tour players like Scottie Scheffler check their grip daily to maintain consistency.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About the Three Grips: How putting, pitching, and full swing grips differ in hand position and purpose Why the full swing grip belongs in your fingers for leverage and speed Why putting and pitching grips sit higher in the palm for stability and control How your grip directly affects your wrist function and angle of approach Why daily grip work is essential&mdash;even if you think your grip is fine
Mike emphasizes that the grip is not something you check once and forget. It is something you build feel for and revisit constantly. A small change in your thumb or hand placement can have a big effect on your contact, trajectory, and distance. This is not just a setup detail&mdash;it is a swing fundamental.
Key Takeaway: Your grip controls your swing. Train all three&mdash;putting, pitching, and full swing&mdash;and know why each one matters. The way your hands connect to the club determines what your body can do with it.

Day 4-The Three Grips in Golf

ACTION OF THE LEFT LEG AND LEFT KNEE

Now that we have looked at the shoulder rise in putting, see how that fits back to the full swing.

SEEING THE COMMON FEATURES IN ALL OF YOUR SWINGS

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

MY FAVORITE LESSON

"The most powerful wind instrument is the human voice." Hear a lifelong player share his experience of how golf has influenced his business.

THE BUSINESS SIDE OF GOLF

Mike continues to work with Danie on fairway bunker play. If you are worried about the lip, taking a club one or two higher allows you to have a buffer zone and take the lip out of play.

FAIRWAY BUNKERS TAKING THE LIP OUT OF PLAY

Ball flight starts with face control&mdash;and this month, Mike Malaska shows you how to master it. In July&rsquo;s Focus of the Month, you&rsquo;ll learn how to control the clubface through impact to shape shots, manage trajectory, and improve consistency. Across three detailed videos, Mike walks you through the instincts, drills, and training habits that build true face awareness &ndash; one of the most overlooked but essential skills in golf. In the first video, Face Control: Why It Matters, Mike explains how the best players at every level &ndash; tour pros to elite amateurs &ndash; win with face control. You&rsquo;ll learn how the face relates to your grip, wrist angles, and swing path. Using real-sport examples from baseball, tennis, and skiing, Mike draws clear parallels that help you understand how to manage the clubface like a true athlete &ndash; not a robot. This lesson sets the foundation for gaining feel, understanding loft, and using the face to make the ball curve on command. The second video, Control the Curve, gets hands-on with how to hit draws, fades, high shots, and low shots on purpose. Mike takes you through one of his most effective student drills: setting up with the intent to curve the ball. Whether you want to hook it around a tree or hold off a fade into the wind, this drill forces your body to react to your intention &ndash; and teaches you how to instinctively adjust loft, angle, and release. You&rsquo;ll learn to &ldquo;own&rdquo; your shots by consciously controlling spin and flight. The final video, Clubface Awareness, shows you how to feel the face throughout the swing and train it in your warmups. Mike introduces visual and tactile techniques like marking your clubface or rehearsing impact positions slowly. These methods sharpen your feedback loop and help you recognize when the clubface is open, closed, or square &ndash; without second guessing. It&rsquo;s one of the simplest ways to sharpen your short game and iron play. This month&rsquo;s series drives home one essential idea: if you can control the face, you can control the ball. Instead of guessing where your shot will go, you&rsquo;ll develop the skills to shape it on purpose&mdash;with confidence and clarity.

Focus of the Month (July, 25)

When it comes to getting a wedge fitted, the bounce is a very important factor. Learn how different bounces change your swing.

HOW BOUNCE AFFECTS YOUR WEDGE

Your brain is a computer and your swing is a program.  By making a small adjustment,  you force your brain to do this...

REWIRE YOUR BRAIN TO BYPASS THE YIPS

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