Manage Account

Manage Subscription

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

How students can interpret - and mis-interpret - the "Malaska Move."

MALASKA MOVE DISCUSSION

HITTING FAT APPROACHES

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

IMPACT DRILL WITH A DRIVER

PRESSURE AND THE TIME BETWEEN SHOTS

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska-certified coach, addresses a question from Malaska Golf Member about the "left-right-left" movement in the golf swing—starting with pressure on the left side, shifting to the right, and then back to the left. This movement is a technique for generating momentum, and Billy notes it’s a question he receives often.Billy explains that this movement helps restore a sense of athleticism in the swing. In many sports, shifting weight to the opposite side before moving adds power by creating something to push off from. This left-right-left sequence not only enhances athleticism but also improves timing and rhythm while preventing a static start.One of the most common challenges he hears from golfers is difficulty initiating the swing. Billy explains that the left-right-left motion helps start the swing by signaling to the body that it’s time to go. He suggests that it’s a great addition to any pre-shot routine, helping break up the feeling of stiffness.To illustrate the concept, Billy references Vijay Singh, a golfer known for his smooth rhythm. Singh’s technique included a slight knee kick that would initiate a leftward shift, then back to the right, and finally left again in the swing—a consistent and powerful rhythm, regardless of the club he was using.Billy demonstrates his own routine with a balance board to practice shifting weight. He encourages students to place initial pressure on the left, then move right and return left in the swing. He notes that this slight movement brings rhythm to the swing, allowing him to initiate it smoothly, stay athletic, and easily pull the trigger at impact.

POWER UP WITH LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT

Controlling is the face is one of the most important parts of the game. Learn what causes the face to open.

ALEX GAUGERT

You improve as long as you work on your swing, so practice. Anywhere you can.

BILLY FITZGERALD

Counterbalancing helps reduce the natural movement in the clubhead that inevitably happens while swinging golf clubs. This movement can't be stopped but can be controlled with counterbalancing. You can do this when getting fitted for your putter. 

A club fitter will have you try a putter, and then they can add different weighted sticks inside the top of the club shaft. The purpose is to find an ideal putter weight for you and counterbalance that weight with the weighted sticks in the shaft. 

With the right counterbalance, you will find that your speed control gets significantly better. Counterbalancing offers more stability. The more weight you have in the top of your shaft, the more it will bring you to the center balance of the club. This changes the feel of the club. The extra weight offers more control over the clubs. 

It also allows the momentum of the clubhead to do different things a lot easier. There are, in fact, many players that counterbalance all of their clubs. Jack Nicklaus used lead tape to wrap on the inside of the shaft. Adding more weight to the top of the shaft allows you to pivot the club better when you swing the club. This counterbalance makes that easier to do. 

Mike suggests that the value of counterbalancing comes down to how it feels. It can create a sensation that makes you hit the ball better. Many players counterbalance their putters; some also do their irons and drivers. Mike puts lead tape on the end of his drivers but not on his irons. 

COUNTERBALANCING YOUR CLUBS

The LPGA players are amazing athletes. Practice using the skills they use to improve your game.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE LPGA PLAYERS

Make sure that when you practice that the first thing you do is set up your practice station. You can be as detailed with this as you want. But make sure you have a stick on the ground or a reference for set up and target line. Then add more control tools. Make sure you take control of what you have control of. Your set up aim grip and ball position. If those are consistent you have a good chance of building a repeatable swing.

HOW TO PRACTICE - CHALLENGE

The movements in baseball are very similar to those in golf. Learn how to apply your knowledge of throwing to your golf swing.

LEARNING TRANSITION THROUGH BASEBALL

Maintaining balance is key to controlling the golf swing.

CHIPPING FITNESS

SEE THE SHOT

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

DON'T GET MAD, GET QUIET

As a first goal, focus on hitting the ball out.

DOWNHILL GREENSIDE BUNKER

Performance Combines to put your skills to the test.

MLM: PERFORMANCE COMBINES

There are two types of swings in golf. The first swing requires timing the club through impact. The second swing is more reliable.  Use your instinct to decide what to use.

THE TWO TYPES OF SWINGS

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

Get the Tension Out of Your Swing is this week’s Mulligan Monday.

Hold your golf club like a baseball bat and set it on your shoulder. Turn your shoulders back, start your legs forward, swing the club, and let your arms go.

Start moving with your body and feel the club whip with your arms. Your hands and wrists are relaxed, and the club unhinges and rehinges by itself.

When you hold the club this way, it’s easy to feel that motion. Try to copy that in your swing.

GET THE TENSION OUT OF YOUR SWING

The left arm rotates from the shoulder, not from the forearm.

LEFT ARM ROTATION

Mike uses exercise bands to do reverse chest openers.

He places the bands behind his back. Depending on your strength, you can use one or two bands.

First, Mike stretches the band; then lets it pull his arms back, feeling the stretch. Then he bends from his waist and turns his arms back and forth. When the band pulls the arms back, it contracts your scapula. Also, when you turn, you can feel your scapula load on your left and right sides as you rotate your arms.

This is an excellent exercise.

REVERSE CHEST OPENERS

Directing momentum of the club correctly.

DIRECTING THE MOMENTUM OF THE CLUB

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

FLEXIBILITY

RAPSODO PARTNER VIDEO

Step 1: Create Width. Step 2: Push away - transfering force away from the direction of the swing - not up. Step 3: Re-hinge the club; this requires relaxation, which increases speed.

ADDING DISTANCE REVIEW

Posture and balance are important in all motions. In putting you take your set up by. First take your grip get your trail arm in line with the shaft. Then weight is in the center of your feet. Your toes are quiet. Then push your hips back and place the putter on the ground. The putter shaft is aiming just above your belly button or to the middle of your back.

POSTURE

This week's Mulligan Monday is about maintaining tempo with your clubs.

Mike talks about making swings at different lengths with the same tempo. His tempo is one-two. It doesn't matter if Mike is making a short or longer swing; the tempo is still the same. This applies to any club in your bag, including the driver.

The tempo stays the same; however, the swing gets longer, so the club goes faster.

Practice maintaining or finding a tempo and be consistent with all your clubs.

MAINTAINING TEMPO

How the clubface directs the ball with the leading edge.

CONTROL THE LEADING EDGE

When it comes to playing this game well you have to develop face control. Your hands control the face and the face controls the ball. Every day you should set up a series of balls. Put a club face in your hands and feel how your hands control the angle of the face. Then take your grip and hit hooks, Fades, Low shots and high shots. All with the same grip and set up. Do it in slow motion. Then gradually build speed. Do not try to do this at high speeds. That is not the drill. Get control first speed second. 

FACE CONTROL DRILL

The M-System Bunkers series is all about throwing sand. The concept is hitting and throwing sand. You are not trying to hit the ball.

Next, Mike explains the idea that the ball goes where the sand goes. The clubface works with the sand differently. Where the clubface is aimed isn’t where the ball will go.

Mike covers hand action, which is more of a level swing than an up-down action because you are trying to hit down and throw the sand.

Lastly, Mike talks about setup and how you need to be stable and control your swing circle. Distance, control of swing, uneven lies, how you set up, and how to use the club are other topics Mike covers in The M-System Bunker Series.

BUNKERS

Golf is a game of emotion and adjustment. You have to be able to read yourself in order to adapt to the game.

READING YOURSELF

Your left thumb can create a lot of tension in your wrist, arm, and shoulder.

Mike explains how the left thumb has caused many problems in golf. He emphasizes the use of the left thumb is more for support. If you use your thumb to push down on the handle, it can cause tension.

In baseball, your thumb isn't extended in the grip. The same is for tennis. The thumb isn't on the back of the racket. Because Mike came from a baseball background, he used that same grip when he began playing golf.

When you take your thumb off and make a swing, your arms are relaxed, and it is easy to rehinge the club on the follow-through. As you put your thumb on the shaft, make sure there is no pressure. Don't push down on the shaft with your thumb; this creates tension. On the backswing, your thumb acts as a stabilizer to the shaft. When you swing down to impact, your thumb is loose, and on the follow-through, your thumb stops the club from collapsing at the end.

Mike suggests getting your thumb off your grip. Make practice swings to feel how loose your hands, wrists, and shoulders should be. If your thumb comes into play and pushes on the shaft, it will lock your elbow, wrist, and shoulder, making it hard for your hands to work on the follow-through.

Again, swing without your thumb on the shaft and switch back to using it without the tension.

PROBLEMS THE LEFT THUMB CREATES

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

As an instructor, you want to know what you are teaching works. Make opposite side swings to challenge the complexity of what you're offering students. It'll also help keep your body balanced.

OPPOSITE SIDE SWINGS FOR INSTRUCTORS

Knowing what club and swing you will need will put you in a good place. Practice reading the lie.

READING THE LIE

Sammy Slice helps us with our Quick Fix Friday.

If you are making a fairway shot and you want to hit the ball farther and not slice, then work with your clubface and grip.

First, close your clubface, and second, strengthen your left hand. Once you do that, the ball will go straight and not slice.

Make sure you aim more to the right, but your old swing path will bring you back onto the alignment stick, and the ball goes right up to the green.

Make this quick fix, and you will play better.

SAMMY SLICE DON’T SLICE ON THE FAIRWAYS

Most lies in bunkers are uneven or 'tilted.'

BUNKERS AND UNEVEN LIES

Start reading the green from the fairway.

100 YARDS OUT

Harry Hooker works on chipping for this Mulligan Monday.

Harry sets up a target line. Typically his swing goes out to the right, so Harry needs to figure out how to swing around to the left.

At first, you might hit it to the left because the club goes left.

The solution is to open the clubface, and the ball should go straight when the club goes left.

HARRY HOOKER CHIPPING OPEN THE CLUBFACE

Tossing the club in either hand keeps your wrists relaxed. The trick is to maintain this in the swing.

CLUB TOSS 101

You set up to the ball just outside the first ball. As you make your back swing you step your trail foot back. Then you step your lead foot back then hit the ball. You keep repeating this for as many balls as you have lined up. This is important because your instinct needs to be to move away from the ball. This is one of the best drills to teach you that offsetting force. 

WALK AWAY DRILL

MERRIL HOGE

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

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

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

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

HITTING THE MASSIVE LOB

What happens to the driver after impact? If you intend on increasing speed, your arms will allow the club to re-hinge. If you prevent this, you increase tension, which slows down your swing.

RE-HINGE

The secret to chipping is actually your putting stroke.

CHIPPING

If you watch a hammer thrower. Or if you create the action with a basket and some balls. As the hammer and or weight swings around you. You are constantly offsetting the motion of the basket with an opposite force. This is what accelerates the basket and or maintains the circle and the balance. If you move into the force created by the basket you are immediately off balance. Plus the basket slows down. Tension then tries to make compensations to regain control. The same skills or tasks in throwing the hammer are what happens in a golf swing. I have never had someone swing a weight around them and move into or the same direction the weight moves. It is not instinct. So try this simple motion and feel how your body moves where is force going in your feet. Then duplicate it in a swing.

HAMMER THROW

Line of compression is the feeling your right hand has on the back of the shaft at the impact position.

LINE OF COMPRESSION

When it comes to combining motions there is an order in which it needs to be done. First, is set up and balance. Then, the main task is impact. Learn what that is. Then, gradually develop your swing based on the task of impact. Start with small swings and gradually build the motion until you are to full swing.