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Access the Malaska Golf app for M-System golf instruction, training videos, drills, member content, and coaching resources designed to help golfers simplify their swing and play with more confidence

Malaska Golf App | M-System Golf Instruction & Training

(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

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 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

Start with small swings maybe using just your trail arm. As you swing the club into the ball the lead hip socket should move farther away from the ball or the target line. That is done with the lead leg pushing it away not just straightening. Learning to sync out these two motions. The club through the ball and the hip moving away happens in all shots. Start slow then add speed and both hands. The same timing for the short shots is what happens with the big clubs. 

Lead Hip Action

Mike works with Austin Graham on stability of his swing. Austin Graham Played Golf in College at UC Davis. He played in South America and Canada after College and attended PGA Tour Latin America and Canada. He has been to Qualifying Schools around the world and has won multiple times in the U.S. on mini tours. He has plans to play in the PGA Tour Canada in 2022 on his way to The Korn Ferry Tour and then The PGA Tour.

Austin Graham

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

The 21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing Workbook is designed to help you get more out of the 21-day program by turning each lesson into focused practice, reflection, and measurable progress.
Use it alongside the videos to track what you are working on, capture key swing thoughts, identify what you feel versus what is actually happening, and build a repeatable practice routine. Each section gives you space to take notes, record discoveries, and stay accountable as you move through the program.
Whether you are rebuilding your fundamentals, trying to eliminate old habits, or simply looking for a clearer path to improvement, this workbook helps you organize the process and make the most of every training day.
Includes:
<ul data-start="758" data-end="1062">
<li data-section-id="izwv15" data-start="758" data-end="808">Guided note-taking for each day of the program</li>
<li data-section-id="y2yreh" data-start="809" data-end="874">Practice prompts to help connect the lesson to your own swing</li>
<li data-section-id="x0q4bw" data-start="875" data-end="925">Space to track feels, results, and adjustments</li>
<li data-section-id="1ozv1sj" data-start="926" data-end="990">Reflection areas to reinforce progress and build consistency</li>
<li data-section-id="1nho3yb" data-start="991" data-end="1062">A structured companion to help you stay focused through all 21 days</li>
</ul>
Best used with the 21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing video program.

21 Days to YOUR Best Golf Swing - Workbook

Golf should be easy. It should be fun. That&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;ve put together this&nbsp;21 Days to Your Best Golf Swing&nbsp;program &ndash;to help you finally&nbsp;own your own swing.&nbsp;For just $21, you&rsquo;ll follow the same world-class swing process I teach my students, step-by-step, one day at a time. What do you have to lose&hellip; except your slice?&nbsp;This program will help you&nbsp;Master&nbsp;the fundamentals,&nbsp;Maximize&nbsp;your potential, and&nbsp;Maintain&nbsp;your edge &ndash;the same 3 M&rsquo;s I use with every player I coach.

21 Days to YOUR Best Golf Swing [Purchase]

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

Meet Ryan Groves with Bodi Trak and an early Malaska Golf Member.

Ryan Groves

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

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

A Malaska Golf Member is confused about the left, right, left hit relative to his right foot rotating and pushing the spike of his shoes and rotating into the ground.Mike explains how to do the drill correctly. You start by taking a small swing with the club to the left, then swinging back right, and then starting back to the left on the downswing.As you start the downswing left, your right foot is pushing into the right cleat of your shoe and twisting into the ground. When you do this, it helps the right hip stay back. Most people, when they do this drill, push off on their right hip. When your right hip stays back, your femur starts to rotate inward, which turns your right foot in and the cleat into the ground. This happens automatically if your hip works correctly. If, however, your right hip pushes, then you will be in trouble.Again, the sequencing of left, right, left gets your hip to stay back. Your leg starts to rotate and pushes the heel into the ground and then you hit the ball.Mike demonstrates the swing, and you can see the foot rotate in. It is a natural pattern if you do the sequencing correctly. You also want to work on the foot action.Once you feel it, the hip works, so you tie the two together.

Proper Hip and Foot Action

M-System Max

In this episode, Mike Malaska and Justin James bring the Director of Distance series full circle with a complete review of the key lessons that form the foundation of speed, power, and consistency off the tee. They walk through each segment&mdash;from grip fundamentals and swing sequencing to neurological priming and ground force application&mdash;explaining how these concepts work together to build a powerful, repeatable golf swing. Mike emphasizes that real distance gains are only possible when the five gears are mastered in order: starting with hands, then progressing through arms, shoulders, hips, and finally, full-body force production. Skipping steps or rushing to swing faster without mastering the basics leads to poor contact and injury risk.
 Justin underscores the value of launch angle optimization and controlling spin rate through better club path and face control. He explains how many players try to &ldquo;swing harder&rdquo; without first fixing their attack angle, which results in ballooning shots and reduced carry. Instead, Justin encourages players to focus on shaping their swing arc, hitting from the inside, and letting speed emerge from efficient mechanics. Together, Mike and Justin also revisit the warm-up drills, emphasizing the role of mobility, band work, and L-to-L sequencing in activating the body for a high-speed session. They stress that most distance gains don&rsquo;t come from more gym time or expensive gear&mdash;they come from training smarter with better sequencing and feedback.
 The recap concludes with a reminder that Director of Distance is not just about hitting it farther&mdash;it's about developing a swing you can trust under pressure. The system gives you control, feel, and power by layering the movements in a way that makes sense for your body. Whether you're a competitive golfer or a dedicated amateur, this video ties everything together into a blueprint for long-term improvement. With consistent application of these principles and drills, you&rsquo;ll gain more than speed&mdash;you&rsquo;ll own your swing.

How to Max out Your Driver-Review

This Malaska Golf Ask Mike comes from several members, YouTube subscribers, and emails. They all want to know the proper hand action, release, and what your hands should do.

Mike explains that it is simple once you get the grip right. However, many don't move their hands correctly, which distorts the clubface.

Mike takes us through a few steps to give a visual and feel for what your hands must do. Mike uses the Malaska Cam to show what the hand action looks like from his eyes and relative to the target lines on the floor. Viewing from the player's perspective gives you a greater understanding.

Mike talks about how everyone was supposed to have a neutral grip, palms opposing. If you have that grip, there will be a lot of twisting of the hands in the swing. It makes it difficult to be consistent. Mike laments that he played this way most of his professional career and wishes he didn't.

Mike demonstrates how your hands should work. Your left hand is on an angle, and your right is more vertical. Mike shows us the hand action as he moves his arm and hand back. It doesn't twist.

Mike's right hand levers back like an underhand throwing action, while the left hand is like a chopping action. When you put the two hands together and swing your arms, that's your grip. 

It is crucial to understand this concept. When Mike takes his grip and opens his hands, his palms are not opposing.

Mike also demonstrates how swinging with his left hand is like hitting a baseball bat, you lever and hit. Your right hand levers and throws. You put that together, and that is your hand action.

Mike walks us through the Malaska Cam so we can see hand action from his eyes.

HAND ACTION IN THE SWING

Playing from your worst shot will help you get an understanding of what your game is like.

UTILIZING YOUR WORST SHOT

In this second video of the Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska works with Jimmy Pearcy to tackle a key issue hindering his swing: excessive grip tension. Jimmy, eager to improve both power and consistency, discovers how his tight grip is restricting his speed and efficiency, preventing him from reaching his full potential on the course.The session begins with Jimmy warming up by hitting a few shots, allowing Mike to observe his natural swing. Jimmy shares details about his practice setup at home, which includes a mat, a net, and a Flightscope Mevo in his garage. Mike praises this setup, explaining that practicing indoors can be highly effective. Without the distraction of watching ball flight, players can focus solely on improving their swing mechanics and striking the ball solidly. Mike encourages Jimmy to take advantage of his setup, emphasizing that consistent, purposeful practice is more important than frequent visits to the driving range.As Mike studies Jimmy’s swing, he identifies a critical issue: Jimmy is overly reliant on his shoulders, while his wrists and arms contribute very little to the motion. This lack of engagement from the wrists and arms limits Jimmy’s ability to generate speed, forcing him to work harder and achieve less distance. Mike explains that the majority of speed in a golf swing—84%, according to biomechanical research—comes from the lever system in the wrists and arms. By gripping the club too tightly and not allowing this lever system to function, Jimmy is sacrificing a significant amount of potential power.To illustrate the concept, Mike uses an analogy from tennis. He explains how a tennis serve relies on a relaxed grip and the natural snapping motion of the wrist to generate speed. By contrast, a tight grip and stiff motion result in a loss of power. Mike demonstrates the similarities between a tennis serve and a golf swing, highlighting the importance of allowing the club to release naturally through impact.Jimmy begins practicing with a looser grip, following Mike’s guidance to feel the lever system in his wrists and arms. As he does, he immediately notices a difference—his swing feels freer, more fluid, and more powerful. Mike reinforces the idea that relaxation is key to generating speed in any sport, whether it’s hitting a baseball, serving a tennis ball, or swinging a golf club.Mike also emphasizes that the amount of grip pressure required varies depending on the situation. For example, a forehand in tennis may require slightly more tension due to the ball’s momentum, while a serve relies on maximum looseness for speed. In golf, maintaining a light grip during the swing allows the club to move naturally, enabling the player to generate power without overexerting.By the end of the session, Jimmy gains a new understanding of how to loosen his grip and effectively engage his wrists and hands in his swing. He learns that speed and power come from allowing the club to work in harmony with the body, rather than trying to control it through force. With this knowledge, Jimmy is better equipped to improve his swing speed, consistency, and overall performance on the course.This lesson marks an important step in Jimmy’s journey to becoming a more efficient and confident golfer. By addressing the root cause of his tension and introducing practical solutions, Mike sets Jimmy on a path to unlock greater power and control in his game.

Grip Tension Kills Speed

Mike Malaska has put together a fitness program that is easy to maintain and doesn&rsquo;t require going to a gym. He uses exercise bands and stretch cords for most of his workout program. You can also add a jump rope for cardio. Fitness is about being consistent, and this program does not require going to a gym six days a week. Using just the bands and stretch cords are handy and versatile. You can even pop them in your golf bag while traveling. All the exercises Mike has put together will help your golf game. He performs several of them to warm up before a round. Mike has been doing these exercises every day for 35 years. He shows you multiple examples for a complete and total body workout.

Fitness and Health

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

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

In this episode of Ask Malaska Golf, Mike Malaska and Certified Coach Austin Graham from Cleveland, Ohio answer a question from Ralph Biline that may sound simple &ndash; but gets to the heart of a major issue in most golfers&rsquo; swings: Do you actually feel the weight of the clubhead? Mike explains that if you can't feel the clubhead and the arc it&rsquo;s swinging on, you don&rsquo;t know what you&rsquo;re reacting to. And if you can&rsquo;t feel what&rsquo;s hitting the ball &ndash; you&rsquo;ll never swing consistently. Tour pros know exactly where the clubhead is throughout the motion. Most amateurs? They&rsquo;ve never felt it at all. Austin introduces a practical fix from M2 in the M-System: Flip the club upside down and make slow, smooth swings. There&rsquo;s no weight on the end, so it teaches awareness through contrast. Then flip it back, and suddenly the clubhead feels real. You&rsquo;re no longer swinging blindly &ndash; you&rsquo;re feeling the momentum of the head and letting it guide the motion. Mike adds that once golfers tap into this feel, they not only gain better control &ndash; but also more speed with less effort. When the lever system and timing align naturally, distance becomes easier and more repeatable.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn in This Video: &bull; Why feeling the weight and arc of the clubhead is essential to ball control &bull; A simple drill to train clubhead awareness &bull; How the M2 concept helps connect feel with swing motion &bull; Why less tension leads to more speed and better contact
Key Insights Most golfers lose power and consistency because they try to muscle the swing instead of letting it flow. The key to efficient speed and solid contact is to feel the weight of the clubhead &ndash; not just move your body. Simple drills like flipping the club create sensory feedback that helps you internalize natural motion. This approach is at the heart of the M-System &ndash; building motion-based awareness that leads to effortless power and precision. You don't need more force &ndash; you need more feel.
&ldquo;You hit the ball with the clubhead &ndash; so if you can&rsquo;t feel it, you&rsquo;re just hoping it shows up.&rdquo; &ndash; Mike Malaska

Feel The Clubhead Swing

You are not your score. So what are you playing for?

YOU ARE NOT YOUR SCORE

Set up to the ball. Take your back swing. By the time your lead arm gets parallel to the ground you want your club shaft and your lead arm to create a 90 degree angle. Then you swing down hit the ball. Now create a similar angle on the follow through by the time your trail arm is parallel to the ground. Once you can do that, Then you add face control. Make the ball curve to the right, left, and straight.

L TO L WITH FACE CONTROL

Matt Baker, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. Matt answers a question from a veteran who is 
an amputee above the knee. He has an issue with his right leg because it must remain straight. Unfortunately, he is losing distance and contact with strike on the ball. He also feels like he can’t transfer his weight properly.

When Matt practices and plays, he can sometimes practice multiple shots just balancing off one leg. You can pivot around your left leg. You don’t need to rely on your right leg. You can start on your left leg and keep your right leg straight, almost like a post, to help stabilize yourself.

The best thing to work on first is to drop your right foot back while you open your hips, allowing you to get a bigger turn in your backswing. This will help you generate more speed and power.

Second, work on the Lever System, creating an ‘L’ on the backswing, an ‘L’ on the forward swing, and
pivoting around your left leg.

Matt demonstrates the swing and summarizes. Drop the right leg back to open the hip, allowing you to turn more. Hinge the wrist and do the lever system from the M-system.

Balancing off one Leg

"So, this Ask Mike comes to us from Tim Masek. He&rsquo;s asking about how, when he hits his wedges, he tends to hit down on them, which causes him to hit them fat. We&rsquo;re all talking about, you know, feeling like you're swinging level rather than 'hitting down.' First of all, I don&rsquo;t know about you guys, but I hate the concept of 'hitting down.'
I mean, unless something happens where you take a club, hold it, and let it go, gravity is naturally going to take it down. If gravity didn&rsquo;t work that way, then, yeah, you&rsquo;d have to help it go down. But since gravity does its job, the club is already going down&mdash;you just have to aim it. So, it&rsquo;s really more about feeling level than feeling like you&rsquo;re hitting down.
It&rsquo;s about feeling more level and letting the weight of the club work for you. Okay, Bill, why don&rsquo;t you take us through what you would do to help Tim avoid hitting the ball fat?"
Billy Fitzgerlad responds:
"Sure, Tim. What I would say is this: Once I swing the club back and through, the weight of the club is going to naturally bottom out on its own. Now, if you&rsquo;re hitting it fat, there are a couple of things to consider. Either you&rsquo;re helping the club down&mdash;which forces your shoulder down&mdash;and suddenly your low point is below the golf ball. That creates a lot of extra force into the ground instead of the ball.
So, here&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;d suggest: line your shoulder up with the ball, and just allow the weight of the club to go down into the ball without forcing your shoulder downward. All you&rsquo;re doing is letting the club&rsquo;s weight drop naturally so that your bottom-out point is consistent.
To summarize, Tim: Feel the weight of the golf club. Even if you need to waggle it a little to get the feel, make sure you&rsquo;re aware of its weight. Keep some softness in your arms. When you swing, let the weight of the club drop on its own&mdash;don&rsquo;t force it down. As you swing back, let the club&rsquo;s weight naturally go down and do the work for you.
Here&rsquo;s another thing: A lot of players try to 'get under' the ball by tilting their shoulders too much at setup. What Billy mentioned earlier is key&mdash;you want to ensure your shoulders are level, not tilted. Your right arm, if you let it swing freely, will naturally guide the club down to brush the ground.
What I find interesting is this: When I watch players set up correctly and take a swing, their club will brush the ground naturally in the right spot. A good player will notice immediately if their club isn&rsquo;t hitting the ground correctly&mdash;they won&rsquo;t step up to the ball until they fix that. I do the same thing with chipping and pitching. I set up, make a practice swing, and observe where the club brushes the ground. If it&rsquo;s in the wrong spot&mdash;say, behind the ball&mdash;I won&rsquo;t address the ball until I&rsquo;ve adjusted.
Once you get the feel for where the club naturally bottoms out, you can set up, swing, and let the club drop on its natural arc. Like we said earlier, you don&rsquo;t have to help the club go down&mdash;it&rsquo;s going down on its own. The key is to trust the weight of the club and let it do the work for you."

Stop Hitting Fat Wedges

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

Pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis for two or four players. Mike demonstrates the cross-over between Pickleball and Golf as another way to relate sports together.

Pickleball and Golf Connect

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based in the UK. I'm filling in for Mike this week on "Ask Mike" because he's a bit busy.Now, we have a great comment from a gentleman named Michael Brand. Michael mentioned how helpful Mike’s advice was in the video where he talks about taking the left thumb off the handle and holding the club this way.For Michael, this tip helped free up his wrist hinge, which is exactly what we want. It's a drill that most golfers should practice regularly. Why? Because golfers often place their left thumb on the side of the handle, which turns it into a pusher. This can cause the handle to be pushed during the downswing, resulting in a loss of wrist freedom. And that freedom is key to improving your swing.Interestingly, Butch Harmon’s father, Claude Harmon, won the Masters playing without his left thumb on the handle because this freedom helps you release the wrists. This is exactly what we want: free wrists that hinge, unhinge, and rehinge during the forward swing. This creates clubhead speed and better control of the club.After a few swings, once you've developed that sense of freedom in the wrists, you can place your thumb back on the handle. At that point, the thumb serves more as a stabilizer, particularly at the top of the swing, preventing the club from going over your shoulder while still maintaining freedom in the swing.This drill helps with releasing the wrists and using the hands correctly. Practice it as much as you can, and you'll generate better clubhead speed and have the freedom in your hands to release the club properly, leading to better, more relaxed golf.

Left Hand Off The Handle

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know why you don't do an elevated swing before you do the L to L.

Mike explains that Joe Nichols taught him there isn't a down in the golf swing and that your swing should feel level and not down.

As you take the club back, you will lever it, then take it up to the transition point and back down to waist high. Joe Nichols described this as turning the corner. This is where the club is always pointing at you throughout the swing. You will also have the "L" on the follow-through.

Mike demonstrates the swing action. The club stays level as it moves across your body. Mike describes this as a waist-high fastball. Note that the club remains level, and the club is never behind him or past him. The club should always feel like it is in line with you.

Naturally, you don't swing over the top of the ball waist-high, but your hands should feel like they do. Because there is no tension in your wrists, the weight of the club drops down behind the ball. The momentum in the club's weight unhinges down to the ball and rehinges on the follow-through.

The momentum and weight of the club make the club go down, then up. Gravity and momentum will make your shots consistent.

Mike concludes that L to L and swinging level are the same. One holds the weight of the club up, and the other lets the club drop.

ELEVATED PLANE AND L TO L

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

This is M1. The M-SYSTEM is a complete training system for your whole game. Start with M1. Learn the fundamentals, advance through M5. Then start learning about individual skills specific to Driving, Bunkers, Short Game, Putting, Chipping and Irons. Welcome to Malaska Golf.

M1-Swing Concepts

Do sports really connect? Well, your body is a pattern machine. Let's talk about fitness, nutrition, and how it all works together. There are two basic movement patterns: 1. Throw (or Lag in Golf) 2. Hit (Impact) Baseball and Golf Connect Tennis and Golf Connect Basketball and Golf Connect Hockey and Golf Connect Soccer and Golf Connect PickleBall and Golf Connect Bowling and Golf Connect Ping-Pong and Golf Connect Football and Golf Connect Racquetball and Golf Connect SPORTS CONNECT&trade;

Sports Connect Overview

Sammy Slice takes his golf swing to the fairways. This Mulligan Monday, Sammy will work on strengthening his grip and keeping his clubface closed.

Sammy will hit shots until he can make the ball curve to the left. Once Sammy accomplishes that, he will use the same hand action and the same clubface, but the swing path will come more from the inside of the ball.

The ball now starts to the right and curves back to the left.

Sammy Slice Fairways-Curve the Ball Left

Today's Mulligan Monday is all about fixing your backswing. Grab your tennis racket and practice swinging a forehand shot.

As you take the racket back on the backswing, the racket face closes and faces the ground. You complete your swing in a circle as you follow through to hit the tennis ball.

Combine your golf club with the tennis racket and practice making a tennis swing. You will find that it is the same motion and swing.

Use a tennis racket to feel your golf backswing.

USING A TENNIS RACKET TO FIX YOUR BACKSWING

A Malaska Golf Member mentions he is okay, feeling like he is back on the heels of his left foot, his lead foot, as the club goes through the ball.

Mike reassures the member this is correct and what the biomechanics are now preaching in the industry.

You play the game more from your heels than your toes. Mike has talked about this concept in previous videos. Every shot he makes, even pitch shots, his club runs into the ball, and his left leg pushes his left hip back. When this happens, Mike's toes lift slightly off the ground. As the club gets longer and the swing gets bigger, you will find that your toes lift even more.

Initially, when you swing down into the ball, force goes into the ball or the middle of your left foot; then, as you are halfway down on your swing, the force transfers to the heel of your left foot.

Mike demonstrates hitting a small pitch shot, another fuller pitch shot, and then a driver. You can see the left toe lift and force goes into his left heel.

Mike feels this same timing with all his swings. That's the beauty of all the forces around you when you swing. Mike also finds that his driver is the easiest to time the forces affecting the club because it creates the most force on him. It becomes easier to time those forces and make sure the rotation of his body is in sync with his club.

The driver should be the simplest club to time the circular forces. It is the same feeling and timing of the forces regardless of the length of the club. Practice with small shots and build up to your driver.

IMPACT AND FORCE IN YOUR LEFT HEEL

PGA Pro Billy Fitzgerald shares his understanding with Mike. Golf is a game of sharing knowledge. The more we help others with what we know, the more we all benefit.

TEACH THE TEACHER - BILLY FITZGERALD

Mike Malaska discusses where the greens break with beginner golfer Sandy James. He instructs her to aim the putter with the line on the ball where she needs to start. 

She makes a practice stroke to the side of the ball, and Mike tells her how hard she needs to hit the ball. Sandy needs to get the ball in the hole in four shots or less. She continues to aim the line and roll the line. Sandy barely misses the hole on the fourth swing but is improving. This is the point where she can begin to keep score.

ENTRY-LEVEL COACHING PUTTING

Consistent beginnings lead to consistent play.

INTRO LEARNING TO LOVE PRACTICE

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

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

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

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

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

Many sports incorporate the Lever System and the pivoting action of a club, bat, racket, etc. Developing the Lever System begins with pivoting the club back and forth.

Tennis and golf are very similar in that the ball is stationary at impact, and you pivot the club or racket to hit the ball. When you hit a tennis ball, it is at the apex of the toss; therefore, it is considered stationary. The Lever System or pivoting action is critical to creating speed. Your center mass isn’t moving much and is not responsible for speed.

In golf, if you put a club on your shoulders and swing it back and forth, you will feel the Lever System at work. Long Drive Champion, Mike Austin, used to help Mike Malaska with this drill. Start with the club on your right shoulder and begin to throw the club out as you swing; your left arm will straighten as the clubhead straightens. Because your left arm is relaxed, it rotates externally and will fold up as you continue the swing to your left shoulder. This pivoting action is the Lever System, which is how you generate speed. Your arms don’t help the ball and pull through the swing.

It is essential to get the feel of the Lever System and how the club pivots. You will notice how little your body moves. Take this drill and apply it to your golf swing and try to hit a ball. Let your body move with the swing to maximize the Lever System. The biggest thing that Mike Malaska has learned in 50 years is that the golf swing is invisible. What you see isn’t necessarily happening.

The Chair Drill is one of the best drills to learn the Lever System. Set up to a ball while sitting on a bag stand or a chair, and put your right leg back, so your knee is out of the way. Make little swings and hit the ball from the chair.

This drill will help you harness the Lever System. Because you are isolating your body movements, you will be forced to use your arms and pivoting action to hit the ball.

LEVER SYSTEM - PART 2

Play The Game With Nic Singleton

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

Mike introduces Kory to multiple speed producers, such as hands, wrists, arms, and off-setting forces.

SPEED PRODUCERS

Understanding basic swing concepts is the number one key skill in a golf swing. It is universal across all sports. How the trail arm lines up with the club, racket, Bat or stick is the same. The value of this skill is monumental in achieving maximum control and force into the ball. That is what creates your potential ball speed. In golf it starts with the putter but works on chipping pitching and with the driver. It should be the first and most important skill in the golf swing. Most every thing should be built of this task.

SWING CONCEPTS - OVERVIEW

Kory Budinger joins Mike Malaska at Superstition Mountain for a one-on-one lesson.

Kory Budinger

Practice swinging setting the club on your shoulder on the backswing and the other shoulder on the follow-through. Swing without tension.

DRIVER SHOULDER TO SHOULDER

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about grip and whether it is the same when using wedges all the way up to the driver.Mike responds that some of it is and some of it isn’t. When Mike grips the club, he makes sure that it is in his fingers, and when he closes his hands, he has the maximum amount of lever potential. This allows his wrists to hinge the way they are supposed to.Mike says, on all your full shots, yes. However, when Mike takes a wedge out, instead of his club being in his fingers, it’s a little more on a diagonal in his hand.Mike does this because he doesn’t want his wrists to hinge as much. The club is now a lot shallower, and you don’t want a lot of up-and-down in the swing. You want to keep it shallower to control the angle of approach and the flight of the ball.Again, Mike does change his grip, adjusting the position of the club in his hand a little bit to accommodate the up-and-down motion of his wrists.You don’t want to do that with the driver. The driver is in your fingers because when you swing back, you want to be able to lever your wrists and get the maximum amount of speed out of his hands and the lever system.

Different Types of Grip

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

Start with standing upwright with the putter in your trail hand. Your weight should be even in your feet. Your toes quiet. Line your trail forearm up with the putter shaft. It should be pointed just above your belly button. Then push your hips back keeping your toes quiet. Place the putter head behind the ball. Then make a stroke and let your trail forearm push the shaft through the ball. Fell the force into the back of the shaft and into the ball. This should happen in all shots.

Swing Concepts-Putting

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

Mike discusses how during the backswing, you do not want to create tension in your hip socket. You want your trail hip to move away from the target line and for your trail leg to straighten out just a little.

Restrict Your Hips and Coil

Your hands control the clubface. If your hand action is off, your swing will always rely on compensations. Day 5 is where everything begins to come together&mdash;grip, motion, and clubface control. In this lesson, Mike Malaska shows you how your hands should move through the swing so you can flatten the lead wrist, cup the trail wrist, and square the face without twisting. You will learn how the lead hand works like a chop, and the trail hand pushes and releases. Mike explains how the wrists interact at setup, backswing, impact, and finish&mdash;switching roles as the swing transitions. This is not about flipping or scooping. It is about building structure and consistency. You will also learn how to rehearse this movement slowly and deliberately without even hitting a ball.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Hand Action: How the lead and trail hands move throughout the swing Why flattening and cupping matter more than rotation or twist How to feel the hand action at home with slow practice Where the wrists should be at setup, top, impact, and follow-through How this hand sequence squares the face without manipulation
Mike emphasizes that you do not need to hit balls to improve this. In fact, most of this is best practiced at home in slow motion. These small details will become automatic with time. The more you train your hands to work correctly, the less you will rely on timing or compensations in your swing.
Key Takeaway: Great ball striking comes from great hand action. Practice flattening the lead wrist and cupping the trail wrist through the swing. That is what squares the face and unlocks control.

Day 5-Hand Action in the Golf Swing

Welcome to Malaska Golf: Your Journey Starts Here. Across our three welcome videos&mdash;Core, Plus, and Elite&mdash;Mike Malaska introduces you to a complete, step-by-step system designed to transform your golf game from the ground up.
Whether you&rsquo;re just starting with the fundamentals in Core, diving deeper with Plus through Sports Connect and Skill Pathways, or unlocking the full depth of coaching in Elite with tools like Swing Check, the 21-Day Practice Plan, and insights from legends like Jack Nicklaus, this series guides you every step of the way.
You&rsquo;ll learn not just what to work on, but why it matters, how it all fits together, and how to take control of your game for lasting improvement.
Welcome to Malaska Golf&mdash;Maximize, Maintain, Master. Your best golf starts now.

Welcome To All Access

Your golf grip is more than a preference&mdash;it&rsquo;s a performance tool. In this video, Justin shows how his grip transformation unlocked more speed, better control, and helped prevent injury. Mike breaks down the connection between palm orientation, face angle, and joint integrity. When your trail hand and lead hand are positioned correctly, the club becomes an extension of your body, allowing for proper leverage and wrist hinge. This video emphasizes the grip as the launch point of an effective, high-speed swing. Learning to align your grip with the face correctly is the first key to controlling path and creating power. Justin explains the consequences of a grip that's too strong or too much in the palm&mdash;issues that can lead to reduced leverage and even chronic pain. Whether you&rsquo;ve struggled with slicing, clubface control, or simply hitting it flush, this video shows you how a grip change can unlock the rest of your swing. You&rsquo;ll understand why proper grip structure enables athletic efficiency and makes it easier to load and release the club with precision under pressure. When the grip supports natural joint function, the entire swing system becomes more powerful, more repeatable, and more sustainable.

Grip-The Foundation of Force

Fewer than 2 or 3 people I have worked with have had a correct grip. A correct grip is one that fits you and your body. Everything in golf is done with your hands so having a correct grip is critical.

INTRODUCTION TO GRIP

Dr. Debbie Crews talks about stepping outside of the box in order for you to play your optimum game.

Debbie Crews-Take Charge of Your Game

A Malaska Golf Member asks about DGF or Death Grip Syndrome. All this means is that golfers grip the golf club too tightly.

Mike explains that gripping the club too tightly is a misunderstanding of the motion of the club and how it works.

Mike demonstrates the "Look Cool" Drill, swinging the club with one hand. Notice how relaxed his wrists are as the club drops through the swing. They are just reacting to the weight of the club. This is also important to feel how your wrists hinge, unhinge and rehinge.

The next aspect Mike discusses is tension. Once you feel the hinging of the wrists, then your grip needs to be correct. When the lever and weight of the club make your wrists hinge and unhinge, it squares the clubface.

If your grip is wrong, you don't have tension, and you let the weight of the club go, making the face wide open at impact. You will slice the ball. Then you think the way to solve this issue is to catch the face up, and end up getting tighter and tighter because you are anticipating this problem.

Tightness and tension exist when you don't use the club's momentum, your grip is off, and the club doesn't square itself.

DEATH GRIP SYNDROME

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based here in the UK. Today&rsquo;s question comes from Peter Zhu, who commented on a video he watched about hand action. In the video, Peter referred to what he saw as "chopping and slapping."
This action involves the left hand working in a chopping motion, and if your grip is correct, this is the natural movement. The left hand works in this chopping action, while the right hand works in a slapping or throwing motion. Essentially, the left wrist chops, and the right wrist slaps. From down the line, you&rsquo;ll see the left wrist moves in a chopping motion, and the right hand follows in a slapping motion.
This concept, as Peter described, was one of my "aha" moments when learning from Mike. Why? Because this motion reduces excessive clubface rotation. For years, golfers were taught the &ldquo;palms opposing&rdquo; grip, which often caused the hands and forearms to roll excessively. However, in other sports, like baseball or when hitting something like a tree with a stick, the hands naturally move differently. The left-hand chops, and the right-hand slaps.
This natural motion simplifies things significantly. It reduces clubface rotation, making it much easier to control the club through impact. For example, I use a glove with an alignment stick attached to demonstrate this motion. When you perform the correct hand movements, you&rsquo;ll notice very little forearm rotation. In contrast, excessive rolling motions are much harder to time consistently.
Once you learn this chopping and slapping motion, golf becomes far easier. It starts with getting the correct grip, and from there, practicing these hand actions. The left-hand chops, the right-hand slaps, and the result is straighter shots with less effort. You can practice this motion without hitting a ball by simply rehearsing the movements. I often spend time just repeating the chopping motion with my left hand and the slapping motion with my right hand. These simple drills make the feel second nature, and once you&rsquo;ve internalized it, it&rsquo;s hard to forget.
Even small movements&mdash;just practicing the motions&mdash;can make a big difference. Tools like the glove with an alignment stick are helpful for visualizing the motion, but they&rsquo;re not essential. The key is to practice the chopping and slapping action regularly to develop a natural feel for it. With time, your shots will become straighter and more consistent, making your golf game much more enjoyable.
&nbsp;

Chop, Slap, Straight Shots

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

Setting gates down your target line helps you to see line correctly. Once you set the gates properly. Then if when you set up over the ball the gates look wrong. You then correct your eye line until the gates line up. This helps you identify the issues in your stroke. Your stroke might be perfect but you see line incorrectly.

GATE & YOUR ABILITY TO SEE THE LINE

All golf courses are different, as some can be trickier than others. Practice perfecting shots that may get you in trouble during your game.

PLAYING ON DIFFICULT GRASS

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

(Why You Must Decide Before You Swing) To play your best golf, you need to know your intention before you hit your first shot: Are you practicing&mdash;or are you playing? In this final bonus lesson, Mike Malaska shares one of the most overlooked keys to success on the course: separating training mode from scoring mode. If you step onto the range&mdash;or the tee box&mdash;without clarity, you&rsquo;ll sabotage your performance. When you practice, your focus is on reps and training the swing (like L-to-L or wrist rehinge drills), not the score. You&rsquo;re working on the swing, not the shot. But when you play, your focus must shift to feel and performance&mdash;working with your tendencies, not fixing your swing mid-round. Trying to &ldquo;fix&rdquo; your motion on the course leads to tension, poor contact, and mental confusion. It&rsquo;s a losing strategy. Mike emphasizes that your warm-up should reflect your goal. If you're practicing, dive into your drills. If you're playing, keep it light, reinforce what&rsquo;s natural, and trust your tendencies. This mental discipline ties directly back to the M-System&rsquo;s structure and prepares you to make real, lasting progress&mdash;on the range and on the course.
What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Practice vs. Play: &bull; Why you must choose between training or scoring&mdash;never both &bull; How to warm up differently depending on your goal &bull; Why your tendencies matter more during play than swing &ldquo;fixes&rdquo; &bull; How to train a skill (like L-to-L) without worrying about score &bull; How this lesson connects directly to the full M-System process
Key Takeaway: Before every round, make a decision: Are you training your swing, or are you playing your game? You can&rsquo;t do both. Practicing is about process. Playing is about performance. If you separate the two, you&rsquo;ll make faster progress&mdash;and shoot lower scores.

Practice vs Play

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

Understanding how to make a center face hit can be difficult. Learn how to use knowledge you already have.

LEARNING CENTER FACE HITS WITHOUT A CLUB

Understanding how to make a center face hit can be difficult. Learn how to use knowledge you already have.

Feeling Center Faced Hits

Your body learns through patterns. Learn how to start feeling and developing the right movements.

HOW YOUR BODY WORKS

Certified Coaches

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

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based in the UK. This is a great question from Russ John. His question is whether you should hold the angle in the right wrist at impact or throughout the swing.The answer is no, you shouldn’t forcibly hold that angle. Doing so creates tension and can cause you to lose speed and power by dragging the handle through impact. Instead, you want your wrist to hinge and unhinge naturally, with proper timing.At impact, there should still be a slight flex in the right wrist, but after hitting the ball, the momentum of the club will cause the right arm to extend and form a straight line, followed by the wrist hinging up. This slight wrist flex at impact is due to correct use of the club's momentum, and it's all about timing the hinge and unhinge properly.A key tip is to practice the pivot drill, which helps time everything correctly. Some golfers tend to stop their hips, releasing the wrists too early. By tying the swing to proper body movement—pushing the hips back and away from the target—you can create the right release at the right time for a solid, compressed shot.Instead of focusing on holding the angle, work on pushing the left hip back and through. Practice with smaller shots to get the feel, ensuring the wrists hinge, unhinge, and rehinge, along with the proper hip movement. This will help you strike the ball cleanly and generate more distance.

Don't Hold The Angle At Impact

A Malaska Golf member initially struggled with a hook when strengthening his grip. Then when he started to work the clubface more, he started hitting a push fade.

Mike talks about how many golfers have a weak grip or, as the industry calls it, a neutral grip. The problem with this grip is when your left arm on the swing gets pulled, and the clubface opens, you must add a lot of rotation in the arms to compensate. Mike offers his solution.

Mike would like you to have a stronger grip, and you shouldn’t have to rotate your forearms. However, you may end up still doing it and hitting hooks. There don’t have to be a lot of twists, bowing of your left wrists, and turning your arms over. You want to swing, your right arm is a throwing or pushing action, and your left hand is a chopping motion.

As you swing through the ball, use the levers, and release the club. Your hands swing through like a throwing action.

If you have hit hooks before, you tend to overcompensate and chase the ball to the right on your swing. You will be afraid to let the club swing around to the left because you are worried the ball will go there.

It is typical for someone hooking the ball to stop using their hands and hold off on the clubface, which tends to push fade.

The key is to hit the ball as hard as possible and let the club go, release and lever. Make sure you don’t turn the clubface down.

Once you start moving your hands correctly and swinging around to the left, you won’t hit a pull hook because the face isn’t turning down.

HOOK TO A FADE

In this series of lessons, Mike Malaska works with Certified Coach, Billy Fitzgerald to improve key aspects of his swing for better consistency and control. The focus begins with the backswing, where Billy tends to take the club straight back, creating tension in his wrists and arms. Mike emphasizes that by refining the initial movement and reducing this tension, Billy can stay more connected and fluid throughout the swing, which will help him avoid overcompensating with certain muscles.
Mike also highlights the importance of using momentum properly in the swing. He teaches Billy to let the club's momentum naturally guide his arms and hands, leading to a smoother, more controlled motion. This concept is compared to how professionals like Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy use timing and momentum to maintain control during their swings, especially in the first two feet of the takeaway, which Mike explains is a critical part of the swing for setting everything else up correctly.
A significant part of the series focuses on the backswing-to-downswing transition. Mike demonstrates how the handle should move outward in the backswing and come in during the downswing, allowing for a natural opposition that helps create a more fluid swing. Billy is taught to time this transition correctly, which will allow the club to shallow out in the downswing and help maintain consistency.
Mike continues by addressing common issues golfers face, such as the club getting too deep or the arms crossing the line, which leads to erratic shots. He works with Billy to focus on controlling the movement of the clubhead and maintaining proper wrist rotation during the backswing, ensuring the arms and club stay on the right path.
The series emphasizes that small adjustments in mechanics can lead to big improvements in the swing. By refining the initial movements, controlling momentum, and mastering timing, Billy is able to improve the overall fluidity and consistency of his swing, which will help him perform better under pressure.

Billy Fitzgerald-Consistency And Control

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about forward press, where at setup, you push your hips a little open and then swing back.Mike has studied the history of golf, which started in the 1800s, the original teachers and what they did, and numerous videos. Mike was on a quest to find out what happened to his swing after he finished playing professionally.&nbsp;Mike has studied from the beginning what these guys learned and how the swing developed based on equipment and all the different variables.Mike returned to the member's question about forward press. He said about 90% of golfers up until 1982 had a slight forward press. The reason for this is that they wanted to start the swing with some sort of ‘kick start.’Then someone decided you shouldn’t forward press after getting into the setup position. The new thought was to bounce or take a deep breath to start your swing. According to Mike, this was from someone who wasn’t even a golfer.This new setup didn’t even get you into an athletic motion; it just froze you up.Dr. Kwon, a prominent biomechanist, says when you set up to the ball, you should go left to go right to go left. This concept Mike has been preaching for years.&nbsp;Mike demonstrates the motion. Mike uses the analogy of other sports to reinforce this idea. In basketball, if you are guarding someone and they move right, then you have to go left first to go right, and the opposite is true if they go left. This is how sports work.Back to golf, Mike says if you want your backswing to go to the right, you have to go left to go right. Doing this gets the sequence moving and gets you where you aren’t static.What Mike does is he has a little left to right to go left in his swing. When he does this, it times his swing, and he is not starting from a static position.Having a slight kickstart, like Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Bobby Jones, or Ben Hogan, is probably a good thing. Mike thinks it’s crazy that we stopped doing this, and now everyone is putting it into their swings.Mike is a big proponent of this because it triggers the motion athletically.

Trigger Your Backswing

When you get to chipping, you determine where you will be on the green. Practice playing your worst shot.

CHIPPING YOUR WORST SHOT

Setting up obstacles that when you swing you see if you can miss them. This helps train proper tasks and motions. You then as you can make the club or the motion work. Then add speed the obstacles will tell you if you are maintaining the motion you want. Use a less lofted club, like a 7 iron. The reason is you immediately start to see curve on the ball.

PRACTICE STATION OBSTACLE COURSE

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about Joe Nichols and the Corner Drill and wants to know what it means.Joe would say when you set up to the ball and swing the club back, you could draw a line from the bottom of the handle to the outside of your right foot. Mike places a tee in the ground at that point. This is what Joe called a corner. He had another corner, which was on the opposite side of his left foot. Mike places another tee there.What Joe wanted you to do on the backswing was to make sure that the handle was pointing down and in line with the corner of the first tee. You took the club to the top and hit the first tee again on the downswing.This is a great drill because you have to hit the corner twice, and this prevents you from moving up and into the ball. This is a great visual concept.The Member can hit the first corner but has difficulty hitting the second one. Mike explains that this plays right into the M-System. As you swing down, your left leg pushes your left hip out of the way, which allows you to get plenty of space to hit the handle over the second tee.If you slide your body forward or don’t push your hip back, it is hard to get the handle over the tee. It’s about moving away from the ball to create space to hit both corners. Mike demonstrates how to hit both corners. It’s about how your body moves.

Joe Nichols Corner Drill

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

(Train Your Eyes. Lock In Your Setup. Eliminate Guesswork.) If you want to be consistent with your golf swing, you need to be consistent with your setup. Most golfers hit balls without any structure on the ground, which leads to inconsistency in aim, ball position, and feedback. In Day 9, Mike Malaska shows you how to build a simple yet powerful practice station that trains your eyes, reinforces your alignment, and eliminates setup errors before you even swing. It&rsquo;s a habit the best players in the world use&mdash;and it&rsquo;s something you can start using today. You will learn how to set up a 3-stick station that locks in your ball position and target line. Mike explains how this daily routine calibrates your body and trains your eyes to see correctly, helping you overcome visual distortions (like parallax) and improving your ability to start the ball on line. He also explains why this setup works for every club in the bag, from wedges to driver. What You&rsquo;ll Learn About Practice Stations: How to set up three key alignment sticks for target, body, and visual aim Why consistent ball position is critical for consistent contact How to adjust placement for irons vs. driver What parallax is&mdash;and how to train your eyes to see the target correctly How to get instant feedback on setup, alignment, and swing path This station becomes your practice baseline. It ensures every swing is based on the same setup, so you&rsquo;re not introducing variables without realizing it. It also allows your brain and body to trust the process&mdash;especially your eyes, which play a much bigger role in shot direction than most people realize. Key Takeaway: Consistency starts with setup. Build a practice station with alignment sticks every time you train. It will teach your body to aim correctly, train your eyes to trust your target line, and help eliminate errors before the swing even begins.

Day 9-How to Build a Practice Station

Creating an indoor practice hitting area for the off-season.

Indoor Practice

Your practice station is the foundation of your practice. Here, Mike explains to Caroline how to set this up.

Caroline Harding

In this key episode, Justin James introduces a powerful set of golf swing speed drills designed to help players of all levels generate more force using the ground and body. These exercises include the Drop Step Drill, the Rocking Drill, and the Double Step Drill, each designed to train the player&rsquo;s transition, sequencing, and energy transfer. The goal is to develop maximum clubhead speed while maintaining body control and reducing injury risk. Justin explains how using different weighted clubs&mdash;heavier and lighter&mdash;can help the nervous system adapt and optimize fast-twitch muscle recruitment. He recommends a progression that builds up gradually through the reps, emphasizing high intensity and low volume for effective speed training.
 Importantly, Justin breaks down how elite long drivers use footwork to generate speed. These movements reinforce patterns found in other sports like baseball, tennis, and hockey&mdash;where stepping, loading, and pushing off the ground are key to performance. Mike Malaska builds on this idea by showing how moving your feet during warmups and drills makes it easier to swing dynamically. He offers modifications to help players progress from full-motion drills into static-feeling swings without losing the athletic sequencing. The drills also emphasize launch optimization through attack angle and center contact, helping players improve both efficiency and ball speed.
 For golfers serious about hitting longer drives, this is one of the most actionable episodes in the series. You&rsquo;ll walk away with an entire speed routine that includes exercises, tools, training frequency, and volume guidance. The segment also touches on using speed training tools like the Stack System and SuperSpeed Golf and emphasizes nervous system recovery&mdash;a crucial component often overlooked in amateur training programs. Justin and Mike reinforce the point that speed is built over time through intentional, correct movement, and this lesson provides the blueprint to do just that.

Speed Drills

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

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 

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

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Members Only Open Forum-June 16th, 8:30PM EDT

The lever system is one of, if not the biggest speed producer in the golf swing. If you do not have a solid understanding of the main components: Grip, Face control, Lever System, Arm Path and Club Head Path, you will fight the swing forever. These are simple but most of the time they are over looked. This could be the main reason you are struggling with the game. It really is simple if done in the correct sequence of learning.

M2-The Lever System

This series of videos documents a player lesson between retired MLB pitcher Garrett Richards and golf instructor Mike Malaska. The overarching theme is the connection between the mechanics of pitching in baseball and the golf swing. Mike Malaska, drawing from his own experience as a former baseball player, emphasizes the similarities between the two sports and aims to leverage Garrett's existing hand-eye coordination from baseball to improve his golf game.
In the first video, Mike introduces Garrett and highlights the similarities in movement patterns between baseball and golf swings. He assesses Garrett's swing, identifies areas for improvement, and discusses how Garrett's experience as a professional athlete can be harnessed to enhance his golf performance.
The subsequent videos delve deeper into specific aspects of the golf swing, starting with grip alignment and how it relates to baseball and golf swings. Mike emphasizes the importance of correct grip alignment and demonstrates how Garrett's natural instincts from baseball can be utilized to improve his golf grip.
As the lessons progress, Mike focuses on eliminating unnecessary wrist rotation and guiding Garrett to develop a more efficient swing motion reminiscent of a baseball swing. He emphasizes the role of hand and finger pressure in controlling the clubface and demonstrates how Garrett can manipulate the clubface to achieve different shot shapes.
Throughout the series, Mike provides analogies and exercises that relate golf swing mechanics to baseball pitching, making the concepts more relatable and easier for Garrett to understand and implement. By the end of the series, Garrett shows significant improvement in his swing mechanics and shot control, demonstrating how the principles of pitching and golf are interconnected.
There is a natural sports connection between baseball and golf.

Garrett Richards Ex MLB Pitcher

First set up without a club. Make a backswing. Let your shoulders turn then just let your arms drop without moving your shoulders. Once you can do that then as your arms drop let your shoulders follow your arms. Then take your club and copy the same routine. Set up in a closed stance. That gets your trail hip out of the way. It makes it easy to turn. Then let your arms just drop and then as the club swings down let your arms pull your shoulders into impact.

ARM DROP WITHOUT TENSION

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

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

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