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This Player Lesson series captures Mike Malaska guiding John Lang through refining his golf fundamentals to build a consistent and effective swing. Key areas of focus include grip, posture, swing path, and leveraging proper mechanics to enhance control, power, and ball striking.
Mike begins by addressing John&rsquo;s grip and posture, emphasizing holding the club in the fingers and creating the correct spine angle by pushing the hips back. Drills, such as pushing the handle down to position the clubhead correctly, are introduced to reinforce swing mechanics. Visual aids like shadows and mirrors help John self-correct and practice effectively.
The series also addresses John&rsquo;s left-eye dominance, teaching head adjustments to maintain focus and consistent ball striking despite vision challenges.
By the final session, John shows significant improvement, mastering key fundamentals. Mike underscores the importance of discipline and consistency, highlighting how a strong foundation in grip, posture, and alignment leads to long-term success. This series offers golfers practical tools and insights to simplify their swings and elevate their game.

John Lang-Player Lesson

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I&rsquo;m a Malaska Certified Coach based here in the UK. Today&rsquo;s question comes from Ian Martins. It&rsquo;s more of a comment than a question, but Ian mentioned watching the Directing Momentum video with Ashley, who does a fantastic job demonstrating this drill using an alignment stick.
The purpose of this drill is to help direct the clubhead&rsquo;s momentum back out in front of you rather than letting it get stuck behind. It&rsquo;s a feel vs. real drill, meaning it exaggerates the motion to provide immediate feedback, which can be extremely helpful for understanding the correct movement.
To perform the drill, take your golf club and hold it at the back of the shaft, leaving a portion of the grip exposed at the top. Position the exposed grip against the outside of your left hip. Swing the club back to the top of your swing, and from there, direct the alignment stick so it moves behind your right leg. This motion requires pulling your hands and arms down to tip the club or redirect its momentum back toward the ball. From here, swing down and through, focusing on moving everything together to achieve the feeling of proper momentum.
A key focus is ensuring the butt end of the club points toward the ground on the downswing. This action helps direct the clubhead to complete its arc properly, resulting in a square impact and a clean strike. It feels effortless when done correctly because the clubhead naturally follows its path.
It&rsquo;s important to note that this is purely a training drill and shouldn&rsquo;t be used to hit balls with the stick in place, as it could cause injury. Instead, use the drill to develop a feel for directing momentum. Over time, you&rsquo;ll transition from the exaggerated movement to a more natural swing while retaining the benefits.
This drill is especially effective for golfers who struggle with the club getting stuck behind or dragging the handle toward the ball. It teaches you to direct momentum properly from the start of the downswing, allowing the clubhead to complete its arc without compensations.
As Ian mentioned, repetition is essential. It may take some time for the movement to feel natural, but the results are worth it. Incorporating this drill into your regular practice routine can lead to significant improvements.
I hope this explanation helps! It&rsquo;s a fantastic drill, and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Alignment Stick Drill

MLM-How to Practice

The&nbsp;Ashley Huizing Player Lesson Series&nbsp;with Mike Malaska is a comprehensive journey into improving golf mechanics, tailored for players of all levels. Across four detailed lessons, Mike addresses the critical aspects of the swing, emphasizing practical adjustments, personalized techniques, and simplifying complex concepts.
In the&nbsp;first lesson, Mike explores two contrasting approaches to golf and debunks myths perpetuated by professional legends. He critiques the impracticality of replicating Ben Hogan&rsquo;s intricate swing method for the average player, stressing the importance of balance, control, and adaptability over rigid adherence to elite techniques. This sets the foundation for Ashley to develop a consistent and reliable swing that suits her individual strengths.
In the&nbsp;second lesson, the focus shifts to Ashley's swing mechanics, particularly hip movement, hand coordination, and sequencing. Mike introduces drills that emphasize proper hip rotation to avoid early extension and reduce strain. By syncing the hips, arms, and club, Ashley begins to build a smoother, more powerful swing. This lesson highlights how small adjustments can create a solid foundation for overall swing improvement.
The&nbsp;third lesson&nbsp;dives into refining Ashley&rsquo;s short game with chip shot drills designed to improve hand-club coordination and swing efficiency. Mike simplifies the mechanics, teaching Ashley to maintain a square clubface and promote natural motion through small, controlled swings. These drills build muscle memory, minimize over-rotation, and create a more consistent short game.
Finally, in the&nbsp;fourth lesson, Mike introduces Ashley to grip refinement and advanced swing adjustments. He emphasizes proper club placement within the fingers and demonstrates how a correct grip improves control and power. Mike also redefines the concept of "release," focusing on directing club momentum forward rather than relying on wrist unhinging. With these refinements, Ashley achieves better alignment, reducing compensatory movements and increasing accuracy and power.

Ashley Huizing-Player Lesson

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

ROLL THE LINE

Player Lesson with Michael Garden.

Michael Garden

Bringing the range to the course is a process.

PRACTICE ON THE COURSE

Understanding hand action and how the hands work is essential because your hands control the club and the face. 

HAND ACTION

The top of your swing can be ceceiving. Learn how the swing is one fluid motion.

UNDERSTANDING TRANSITION

If you are not confident in the shot you are making, you will not commit and will not hit a good shot. The first step to pre shot routine is choosing the shot you are comfortable with.

Pre-Shot Routine

It has been my privilege and honor to represent Jack Nicklaus around the world. Training instructors how to teach what Jack felt was the keys to the game. Being around him for the last 35 years has helped me so much in understanding really what makes a great player. Or what will get the most out of your game. It has also allowed me to travel the world to see how other cultures embrace the game of golf. It has been a life-changing experience for me. One that I hope to share with as many as possible.

Jack Nicklaus Academies 

Noticing small changes before they become big.

THE SMALL CHANGES

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

Drill Center

When to, and when not to, hit the flop shot.

Flop Shots

Mike shares a shortcut to a new swing.

Chris Lebiedz

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.

Motion Sequence for Max Force

How "under" affects a player at any level.

Julie Yang

First to feel line of compression. Take a bat or a stick. You can do it from your knees or standing. Just take the bat and hit a bag or a tree or a tire. Feel how your trail arm lines up with and pushes the stick or bat into the object. That is what happens in a golf swing. The other is just get on your knees or in a chair and throw a ball. Feel how your wrist works. It does not twist. It flexes and extends. That is the same in a golf swing.

SWING CONCEPTS - SPORTS CONNECT

Have a higher chip that stops, and a lower chip that runs.

TWO BASIC CHIP SHOTS

Tennis is very similar to golf. Learn how to apply the motions of tennis to your golf swing.

LEARNING TRANSITION THROUGH TENNIS

In the fourth video of this Player Lesson, Mike Malaska and Certified Coach Julie Yang expand on the grip adjustments made in Part 3 and move into one of the most important skills in golf: face control. With the grip now aligned properly, the athlete begins learning how to use his hands to control the clubface and curve the ball intentionally.
Mike demonstrates how the palm, thumb, and fingers connect to the shaft to stabilize and accelerate the club through impact. Using simple checkpoints, the athlete learns how different hand positions change ball flight&mdash;low, high, left, or right. Just as in lacrosse, where a player twists the net at the last second to curve a pass or shot, golf relies on precise face control to shape shots.
To reinforce the concept, Mike sets up drills where the athlete must curve the ball left, curve it right, hit it high, and hit it low. The goal isn&rsquo;t distance&mdash;it&rsquo;s learning how subtle changes in the face affect ball flight. Mike explains that the best players in the world can adjust the face by just one degree, and that level of precision separates elite golfers from average ones.
Julie adds another key lesson: when making swing changes, it&rsquo;s smart to tee the ball up rather than fight poor lies on the ground. Practicing from a tee gives players margin for error, builds confidence, and allows them to focus fully on path and face control before layering in the skill of compressing the ball off the turf.
This session emphasizes the M-System philosophy: master your grip, connect your hands to the face, and build a foundation of control. Once you can consistently start the ball left or right and bring it back on command, every other part of the game becomes easier.
Key Takeaways &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Face Control Is Everything: Whoever controls the clubface best controls the game. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Grip Creates Control: Proper grip alignment allows the wrists to hinge naturally, without twisting. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ball Flight Awareness: Players must learn to intentionally hit the ball low, high, left, and right. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Small Changes, Big Impact: Just one degree of face difference can send a ball 20+ yards offline. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Practice Smart: Tee the ball up when learning changes&mdash;it reduces variables and builds confidence. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sports Connect Lesson: Just like curving a lacrosse pass, golf requires precise face adjustments to shape shots.

Face Control is Everything

Maintain your favorite club tempo with longer clubs.

Longer Clubs

PRACTICE-HITTING BALLS

SMASH FACTOR - OVERVIEW

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

Joe LaCaze- Player Lesson

Practicing in your yard can be fun and improve your swing. Learn how to set up a place to practice.

PRACTICING IN YOUR YARD

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

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

Impact Drill With A Driver

Wrist action stays at a 90 degree angle of your swing arc.

WRIST ACTION

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about how the hands work. When the member changes her grip, her left wrist still collapses when she gets to the top. This will cause multiple problems.Mike comments that if you have the correct grip and your wrist collapses, you have a significantly good chance of getting back to the ball. It is even better if the wrist doesn’t collapse. If your grip is correct, you can get away with having your wrist collapse at the top. As soon as the club comes down in the swing, force will square the clubface.So, how do you get to feel what you are supposed to do without going back to what is comfortable? Your body will always resort back to what it has always done. What you need to do is keep reinforcing what you want.&nbsp;A good way to do this is to swing back, set your wrists, stop, and then swing to the top. Then you swing down and run your club into the ball. The key is not to change your hands from there. Then, you will start to feel how it should work at the top of your swing because you have already set it.

How Your Hands Work

In order to swing correctly, your hips need to work in your favor. Learn how your left hip helps your swing.

GETTING YOUR LEFT HIP BACK

Time between shots evaluates if you know what you're doing.

TAKING THE RANGE TO THE COURSE

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

Visualizing The Course

Rapsodo Partner Videos

In this video series, Mike Malaska looks back on his return to the Utah Open, 50 years after his remarkable victory as an amateur, providing valuable insights into both the mental and physical aspects of competitive golf. He revisits key moments from that final round, beginning with the surprising calm he felt on the day of the tournament, despite the pressure of trying to achieve something unprecedented. Mike explains how reading an article that underestimated his chances helped remove the pressure, allowing him to focus on playing freely and with confidence.
Mike goes on to highlight the importance of trusting his natural shot&mdash;a draw&mdash;especially on a course that played to his strengths. He emphasizes that, rather than forcing a fade or other shots outside of his comfort zone, he relied on the draw he had perfected over the years, which gave him the consistency he needed under pressure. Mike shares how this trust in his own abilities allowed him to navigate challenging situations and maintain control of the game.
As the series progresses, Mike reflects on his ability to manage crowd pressure, recalling how entering a packed tunnel full of spectators made him feel claustrophobic but also helped him focus once he emerged onto the course. He speaks to the mental strategies he used to turn pressure into performance, keeping himself composed in critical moments.
Mike also recounts a pivotal recovery shot during a par-5, where instead of using an iron, he chose a 7-wood to escape from the rough and hit a remarkable 50-yard slice to the front of the green. This decision proved to be a turning point in the tournament, and Mike highlights the importance of making smart shot selections under pressure. He explains that knowing when to take risks and when to play it safe is a key factor in competitive success.
In the final section, Mike discusses how he closed out the tournament, holding onto a narrow lead and staying true to his strategy. He reflects on the critical decisions he made, including opting to stick with his driver on the final hole, even though a safer choice might have been tempting. His decision to trust his instincts and stay aggressive helped him secure the victory.
Through this series, Mike provides an in-depth look at his thought process during one of the most significant moments of his career, sharing valuable lessons about mindset, decision-making, and self-confidence on the golf course. The series is not only a reflection on a past triumph but also a masterclass in how to handle pressure and play to your strengths in competitive golf.

Mike's Winning Mindset

Malaska Certified Coach Matt Baker from The Manchester Golf Club in England answers a question from Randy Monroe about whether golfers should have a trigger to start their motion &mdash; especially when putting.
Matt explains that every golfer should have a trigger or movement cue to begin the swing. Whether it&rsquo;s a putt, chip, pitch, or full shot, a trigger creates rhythm, helps eliminate tension, and ensures the motion starts dynamically rather than statically. Starting from a frozen position often leads to a jerky, non-athletic motion that lacks flow and timing. He recalls how both he and Mike Malaska learned that even the best players incorporate a forward press or subtle shift before starting the stroke. Great players like Roger Davis used a pronounced forward press to initiate motion, while others kept it small and natural. Regardless of size, the key is that it introduces dynamic energy into the swing. Matt compares this to athletic movements in other sports &mdash; a goalkeeper leans one way before diving the other, or a long-drive competitor shifts side-to-side before launching the ball. The same principle applies to golf: movement creates motion.
For putting, Matt recommends a slight forward press with the hands to set the stroke in motion. As long as the wrists don&rsquo;t roll or manipulate the face, this trigger won&rsquo;t affect alignment &mdash; it simply starts the stroke smoothly and builds tempo and rhythm.
In this lesson you will learn: &bull; Why every swing needs a trigger to create dynamic motion. &bull; How static starts lead to tension and inconsistent rhythm. &bull; Why a forward press helps sequence the putting stroke. &bull; How movement before motion creates flow in every part of the game. &bull; Why triggers improve timing, rhythm, and overall consistency.
He leaves golfers with a timeless reminder: &ldquo;Every great swing starts with movement &mdash; find your trigger and let it set your rhythm.&rdquo; &mdash; Matt Baker, Malaska Certified Coach This Makes Sense. Own Your Swing.

Why You Need a Trigger

Control of the club face must be gained before speed is introduced. Practice different techniques and find which works swing works best for you.

FINDING A SWING TO USE UNDER PRESSURE

Properly preparing for a tournament is very important.

Tournament Prep

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Matt Baker, based in the United Kingdom, is answering a member question this week.A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the directional control finger, more specifically, what part of the finger points.Matt emphasizes that the directional control finger is an important part of the putting stroke. This will help you maintain your peripheral vision, keep the putter online, and keep the face square.The first thing you have to do is to establish which finger it is. There is a test where you have a person standing to the side of you, and you are looking straight ahead. They will place their hand in different places. Your goal is to try and point either finger to wherever you think it is close to the hand. You will use your peripheral vision to help you find the person’s hand. This helps you to establish which finger is better, your left index finger or your right index finger.When you grip the putter, you will use that more dominant finger to point on the follow-through. It doesn’t matter which one it is, and you can also apply this to different types of putting grips, too. For instance, the claw grip.First of all, establish which is your directional control finger. Then, regarding what part of your finger, it’s the tip, as this is where you will be pointing. Regarding the putting stroke, you will point your finger along the ‘target line.’ You start pointing at the ball, and then as you stroke it, it moves along the target line.’ You want to hold it as long as you can, and this depends on the length of the stroke.That’s really what it is about, and it is an important aspect of putting. Finding that finger is really the key factor to this. You have to really feel you are lining that face up towards the target and point your finger to where you want the ball to go. You are also using your peripheral vision to do so.Matt demonstrates how this works and reiterates that once you find your directional control finger, you will start putting better.

Directional Control Finger

A Malaska Golf member wants to know if he can use the feeling of ‘handle away, handle away’ to play golf while on the course.Mike explains that when you go to the golf course, you must understand why you are there. Are you there to compete or work on your swing?These are two very different ideas. If you are there to work on your swing and the score is not an issue, you can work on ‘handle away, handle away’ while on the course, regardless of where the ball ends up. Then, you base how well you did on that.If you are playing golf, there is a way to do it, and every Tour Player also does it. Make a practice swing doing ‘handle away, handle away.’Make a mental image of what that feels like, the motion when you go up and hit the ball, and duplicate that feeling. You aren’t forcing positions and thinking about ‘handle way, handle away.’Golf can be a reactionary sport, but you need something to react to. The key is that it is a picture of a feel, not about positions.If you are over the ball and saying, ‘Handle away, handle away,’ then you are practicing and not competing. That will prevent you from hitting good shots.Again, there are ways to practice and play simultaneously. If you are over the ball and competing, you had better have a motion in mind and just let it go.If you are over the ball practicing, forcing something to happen, you rank your day by how many times you made that correctly, not by the score you shoot.

Practice and Play on the Course

Preparing your golf bag for a tournament.

Tournaments

Control the momentum to create the correct arc - in golf and in auto racing.

Release From The Top

Proper grip square the face without compensations.

GRIP

The look cool drill is really where a large part of your speed comes from. This is critical that this action becomes second nature. Your lead arm is not a puller. It is more a rotator than it is a puller. Your trail hand works like it does on a tennis racket. The handle swings to a point. Then it almost comes to a complete stop and the opposite end becomes a whip. Understanding this skill is a big part of being able to hit the ball your potential distance. With out it you will always struggle with speed. It does not take strength it takes understanding of the pivot and gravity and momentum.

LOOK COOL DRILL

A Malaska Golf member feels like when he sets up to the ball, he makes a long, slow rotation of his left forearm. When he gets to the top, he wants to know what he must do to come back down and hit well. 

If you take the club, and as you’re going back and continually rotating your left forearm, the clubface becomes more open, so when you stop at the top, you must have a lot of forearm rotation when you come back down. But is that actually happening, or is it just a feeling?

When Mike swings, he feels the rotation of his arm in his shoulder socket but not his forearm. If you do indeed have a lot of forearm rotation going back, you must have it coming back down. It is difficult to make that happen consistently. 

If you are hitting it solid, have control, and don’t have to practice much, it is probably just a feeling, not a reality.

FOREARM ROTATION

Preparing for a tournament can be tricky. Make sure to utilize the time you have with practice that matters.

Play Your Worst

M2 focuses on mastering the lever system, grip, face control, and utilizing natural athletic instincts to build a consistent and powerful golf swing. Mike Malaska emphasizes that the lever system, comprising the hands, wrists, and arms, is the primary driver of distance and consistency in the swing. Practicing a correct grip and loosening the wrists are essential for achieving fluidity and effortless speed.
Through drills like the L to L and exercises designed to develop face control, golfers can refine their mechanics and better understand their swings. Integrating insights from other sports, M2 ties together athletic patterns and body awareness, helping golfers enhance performance and avoid unnecessary strain.
Mike reiterates the importance of consistent practice and patience, urging golfers to spend time mastering these fundamentals before progressing to more advanced techniques. M2 delivers a comprehensive guide to building a swing foundation that improves accuracy, distance, and overall enjoyment of the game.

M2 Coaching Series-Summary

Use the momentum of the club to create your backswing.

FRONT LOADER DRILL

The topic of this Quick Fix Friday is to get a feel for how your hands work.

According to Mike, the idea that you should take your hands out of the swing is simply ridiculous.

Mike motions with his right and left hands to illustrate how they work. He uses his club to swing back and forth, switching from his left to right hand as he makes a swing. He then uses both hands to hammer home the point, basically the "L to L"  Drill. 

This is your golf swing.

HOW THE HANDS WORK

Tennis is a sport that connects with the golf swing. Like in golf, you use the lever system to hit the ball at the apex or top of the tennis serve. The tennis forehand uses the up to under motion on the backswing and into the ball. You also step back with your left leg as the racket accelerates forward to create more speed.

Baseball is another sport that is almost identical to golf. If you watch baseball players hit the ball, they set up, load their right side, and step. This motion puts force into the ground while their front foot pushes back as they accelerate the bat forward. That same motion is how Mike Malaska hits a golf ball.

Mike demonstrates how backswing action in tennis and baseball is the same as hitting the driver. If you have played tennis and baseball, utilize that feeling to accelerate the driver. The only difference tennis and baseball have to golf is that when you hit the ball, it is out in front of you. In golf, the ball position is back and square to you. That means you must get turned more on the backswing to hit the ball, but the same action applies to all three sports.

Take those actions and apply them to your golf swing. The body movement patterns are the same. It is important to start connecting to other sports that you have played.

DRIVER SPORTS CONNECT

Three different drills to remove the tension from your arms.

FRONT LOADER DRILL SOFT ARMS

Face control is necassary before speed. Feel how to create spin on the ball.

HOW TO IMPART SPIN WITH YOUR DRIVER

Concepts from the full swing applied to the driver.

WORKING WITH THE DRIVER

Your hands control the club face. Practice so you can feel how your hands work.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Mike On Nicklaus Part 1 -- Golf Does Not Define You

Golf Channel Interview-Mike on Nicklaus

When you are in the practice area, you should be coming up with the feel of the shot and deciding how to hit it.

THE PRACTICE AREA

A waggle is a smaller version of your full swing. If it does not include elements of your swing that you wish to show up, you are waggling wrong. Here is a deeper look on what is a waggle.

WHAT DOES WAGGLE MEAN

Here Mike uses the Chair Drill to help Billy feel the role of the hips in the swing

USING THE HIPS TO GAIN CONTROL

Using the big club and ball gives you a great visual of where to hit the ball and how the face works relative to the target line and the swing arc.

FACE & HAND ACTION - BIG BALL

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Matt Baker, based in the United Kingdom, is answering a member question this week.A Malaska Golf Member says he loves the ‘Hitting off Your Knees Drill,’ but it irritates his knees when he does it. Hitting off your knees is a great drill to learn and train the swing path. If you tend to swing underneath, then you will be hitting the ground behind the ball. Similarly, if you ‘swing over the top,’ you will hit in front of the ball.This drill really trains your hands and arms and the path to swing around your body correctly. Because the golf swing is a circular motion, this drill also trains the release of the hands and wrists correctly.The good news is that you don’t have to hit off your knees to enjoy this drill. You can use a chair or a bag stand, and you will still benefit from this drill. Matt recommends dropping your right leg back when you sit in the chair. Again, this trains the correct circular motion around your body. More importantly, it trains how the wrists work and how the arms rotate in the shoulder sockets.Matt emphasizes that you don’t have to hit off your knees if you don’t want to and if it hurts your knees. Try hitting it off a chair and get good at that. It is probably easier with a driver than a 7-iron.

Hitting Off Your Knees

When you understand how the body is designed to move, proper shoulder rotation becomes easy.  This is why and how we hinge the wrist.

HINGING WRISTS

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

The motion of kicking a soccer ball or football with your foot is the same principle applied when the clubface hits the ball.

PITCHING SPORTS CONNECT

In the final video of this Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska and Certified Coach Julie Yang bring everything together. Over the course of six sessions, the athlete has gone from struggling with slicing long clubs to building a foundation based on grip, face control, swing plane, and posture.
This concluding lesson emphasizes how to take the new skills onto the course. Mike explains that the golf swing isn&rsquo;t about adding more complexity but about applying a simple process: &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Get the grip right. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Connect the hands to the face. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Control the ball&rsquo;s curve. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Use posture and plane to create consistency and compression. With these fundamentals in place, the athlete can now stand on the range, test which curve he controls best, and take that shot onto the course with confidence. The goal isn&rsquo;t perfection&mdash;it&rsquo;s developing reliable patterns that eliminate the slice, produce compression, and give him a repeatable ball flight.
The session also highlights the Sports Connect philosophy of Malaska Golf: athletes from other sports already have the instincts to succeed at golf. By connecting what they know to the M-System, they simplify the game and accelerate their improvement. This video closes the loop on the series by showing how small adjustments in grip, posture, and face control lead to major changes in ball flight, distance, and consistency. It&rsquo;s a clear reminder that the game starts in your hands, and once you master that, everything else falls into place.
Key Takeaways &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Grip First: Every swing starts with correct grip and hand placement. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Face Control Wins: Whoever controls the face controls the ball. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Curve with Confidence: Learn to curve it right, left, high, or low&mdash;then refine for control. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Swing Plane &amp; Posture: Simple adjustments create consistent alignments and compression. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Play What You Own: On the course, rely on the curve you control best for scoring. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sports Connect: Athletic instincts from other sports translate directly into golf success.

From Slice to Consistency

Training videos on how to use the Lagshot Irons.

Lagshot-Irons

A Malaska Golf Member dips his right shoulder down when he swings. He wants to know if there is a solution.

Mike explains that it starts with the M-System, M1, right arm, and pitching. When standing on your left foot and swinging your right arm, your left leg pushes your left hip out of the way. This brings your right hip forward, which brings your right shoulder forward.

Mike demonstrates this first drill by making a few swings.

The biggest reason your right shoulder goes down is that halfway through the downswing, you push with your right foot. When you do that, your right leg takes off, and your right hip goes forward and drops your right shoulder!

When you get your left hip out of the way, it pulls your right hip forward. Mike makes a swing, and as you can see, his hip doesn't take off, causing him to dip his shoulder.

Another great drill is to stand on your right foot and use your left toe to balance. The object of this drill is to make a swing and not fall forward. Players who have the problem of dropping their shoulders when they swing will have a tough time doing this drill. They will find themselves falling forward and off balance.

The reason is that they try to push off on their right foot too much and lose the stability of their right hip. Again, this causes the right hip to take off, resulting in you dropping your shoulder.

Practice this drill without falling forward, then migrate to your full swing. Make your change in direction, so your hips don't take off.

These two drills will help you feel what was supposed to happen in your swing, so your shoulder doesn't go down.

STABILIZING YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER

Sync up grip, release and body rotation to hit draws.

WHY CAN'T I HIT A DRAW

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about going through the M-System and then taking that to the course to play.

Mike practices the M-System every day while warming up. He also has a process for the shots he wants to hit. The M-Systems reminds Mike of the shots he must take for his swing to have the best chance of hitting the way he wants.

The first thing you must decide when you go out to play is whether you are trying to shoot a score.
Second, are you going out to work on your swing on the course and see what happens?

If it is the latter, you can work on the M-System, break it down, try different parts, and work on various shots. However, if you are trying to shoot a score, you should use the M-System to warm up on the range, which Mike does when he plays.

Mike goes through the M-System quickly, gets a feel for it, and then moves on to full swings. He then analyses the shots he is making. This whole warm-up process helps Mike figure out what his game and swing look like that day.

When Mike goes out on the course, he has a pre-shot routine that he also goes through.
He pictures the shot he must make and then takes a practice swing. It could be part of the M-System, such as the L to L; it could be getting his right hip out of the way. Whatever Mike needs to do, he reminds himself in a practice swing.

Once Mike gets a feel for the overall motion, he hits the ball. After he makes the shot, he evaluates it. You can take aspects of the M-System, like the L to L Drill, and make some swings. You make those swings before you hit the ball, if that helps.

When you finish playing, go to the range and look at how you played and what happened. See where you struggled and what part of the M-System can help you.

It could be posture, grip, and any number of things. Going to the range to work on your game after you have just played is a great way to improve. You can make the adjustments you need for immediate feedback.

This is a great way to learn how to make those adjustments. Mike recalls a story about Jack Nicklaus and how he played a round where he hit terribly. Jack then went to the range and made seven shots. Mike was astonished that Jack had only hit seven balls. Jack responded to Mike that he only needed those seven to get his feel back.

The great thing about going to the range afterward is analyzing what felt good when you made new hits. The key is understanding what felt different out on the range from the course and figuring that out.

Learn how to identify the difference between how you played on the course and the hits you are making on the range. This will make you a better player.

TAKE THE M-SYSTEM TO THE COURSE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Left Wrist Through Impact

Before you start to swing, your grip must be correct.

GETTING YOUR GRIP RIGHT

Here is an overview into the different sections of grip as well as what role each section serves in hitting more consistent shots.

RECAP

The right grip pressure is not too light, not too heavey - but just right.

FINDING LIGHT GRIP PRESSURE

Brian began Gott Golf in 2008. As he developed his unique approach to fitting clubs for golfers of all skill levels, demand grew. For 2015 and 2016, Brian was awarded Golf Digest&rsquo;s coveted &ldquo;Top 100 Club Fitters in America Award&rdquo; (new award winners will be announced by Golf Digest in November). Today, he works with some of Colorado&rsquo;s most prestigious golf clubs, including The Broadmoor, Cherry Hills Country Club, Castle Pines, Maroon Creek, and others. &ldquo;I wanted people to know that they could get a tour quality club fitting experience without having to break the bank to do it. They don&rsquo;t just have to settle for off the rack clubs, either. Give me about 45 minutes in a fitting session, and I can build a custom set that is tailored to your specific needs and abilities.&rdquo; Though the current season is winding down, Gott has interesting plans for Colorado golfers and encourages people to visit www.gottgolf.com for new offerings that will be launching next season. Some things to keep an eye on include putting clinics, the launch of a new online store, and the expansion of his current events and relationship with Common Ground Golf Course, the PGA, and golf courses throughout Colorado.

Brian Gott

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska Certified Coach, is helping Mike this week. A Malaska Golf Member has a question about distance. Although he hits the ball straighter, he still isn&rsquo;t getting the distance he wants. The member lists several ways he is trying to gain speed. First, Billy cautions the member because the golf swing is one fluid motion. Although it is a fluid motion, you do hit some positions.
Another point Billy makes is that working on one thing at a time is essential. If you have too many different things going on in your head, it makes it challenging to maneuver smoothly through the swing. Your swing is a free-flowing motion. Billy advises you to work on one concept at a time before moving on to the next.
Billy talks about the different circles that help you gain more speed. First is the swing circle the club is working on, or the outer circle. Second is the circle the body works on, which is the inner circle. The object is for those circles to match up.
Typically, for the average player, there becomes a point where they can only have so much speed with their hands, wrists, and arms. Tension comes into play when you try to gain more speed and become tighter. This is not a good thing.
Ensure your outer circle and your hands and levers are working correctly. Feel how the club is swinging. Once you do this, it is time to match up both circles. Actual speed starts when they both work off each other.
Billy demonstrates how this happens. As the club comes down in the backswing, the left leg pushes the left hip out of the way as you accelerate through the ball. With your hands working correctly, it&rsquo;s ensuring the two circles work together in the swing. This will help you accelerate the golf club.
Billy reminds the member not to have too many different ideas going on in his mind, as that will create tension.
Work with the outer and inner circles to push away and accelerate the club.

Gaining Distance

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

Tipping the Club

How does force actually move through your feet and what helps it work.

HOW DO YOU MOVE FORCE THROUGH YOUR FEET

Mike connects the relationship with baseball to golf and how the grip is almost identical at impact. Hitting a golf ball and a baseball is essentially the same.

BASEBALL SWING

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

POSTURE AND BALANCE

DUSTIN MAY

If your knees bend too much, you will create tension. Practice standing normally.

BALANCING WITH YOUR KNEES

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

LEARNING HOW TO CURVE BALLS AROUND TREES

Practice needs to be very organized to get the most out of it. First make sure that you set up a practice station. Then have training aids that you can use to give feed back. That can be sticks or swim noodles or water bottles. Use sticks to train your perception of start line. Then practice like you play. Put time between shots. Do not be in a big hurray to just hit a lot of balls. Hit balls with a purpose not just for exercise.

HOW TO PRACTICE - REVIEW

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know about the right shoulder in chipping. Mike explains when you swing, the shoulder doesn't go lower than where it started.

The biggest problem most golfers have is setting up to the ball and having their right shoulder tilted down. This causes you to hit behind the ball because your legs will drive into the ball, and your shoulders will tilt. When you set up in chipping, you want to feel like your shoulders are level through the swing.

The Malaska Golf Member wants to know if this is relevant to your full swing. Mike's answer to this is yes. The only difference is that your shoulders turn significantly more in a full swing, and the right shoulder goes a lot higher. When your right shoulder comes down, it will be level through the swing. This is called "covering the ball." It is not swinging "over the top."

When you go back during the full swing and turn in the downswing, the right shoulder is just below your left shoulder, your left leg pushes out of the way, and your right shoulder will level out and go right through the ball.

Mike concludes that it does have relevance to a full swing as it is the same move with a lot less shoulder turn. Again, the shoulder turn is minimal in chipping before it levels out on the downswing. The bigger the shoulder turn, the more your shoulder will go down before going around. This depends on the shot, but the relevance is the same.

RIGHT SHOULDER ACTION

This Malaska Golf Member wants to know if the swing plane is the same with different clubs.

To demonstrate whether this is true, Mike holds three different clubs together, angled out to where they would hit the ball at impact. The driver is on the most inclined plane, with the putter having the steepest plane. So they do change a little.

Mike doesn't feel them change much. To him, it feels like he is swinging in the same arc. When Mike sets up to the ball, he takes the weight of the club and lets it drop behind the ball. That sets the club up, and then he hits the ball from there.

Mike does the same thing with a sand wedge; however, the arc is a little steeper. Mike takes the driver, sets ups, and lets the club drop again. The club is on a different arc when Mike swings, but he doesn't necessarily feel much difference.

Relative to his body and upper arms, when Mike swings, he feels like they are the same for the most part. Yes, the clubs swing on a different plane arc, but those angles aren't that drastic, and Mike lets the clubs do the work.

IS THE SWING PLANE DIFFERENT

Each one of these skill pathways is a concept. When you learn each segment of arm rotation, adding a club to the sequence is not difficult.

ACHIEVE CORRECT ARM ROTATION

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

WORK YOUR ARMS TOGETHER

In this instructional segment, World Long Drive Champion Justin James breaks down the essential swing concepts behind maximizing distance with your driver by explaining key terms like attack angle, club path, face angle, and low point. Using visual aids like alignment sticks and club shafts, Justin walks through how your swing path and angle of approach influence the flight, spin, and power of your drive.
 He explains that most amateur golfers swing with a negative attack angle and a leftward club path, meaning they swing down and across the ball&mdash;from outside to in. This creates excess spin, low launch, and weak, ballooning shots&mdash;what Justin likens to hitting a bunker shot with a driver. Instead, Justin and Mike demonstrate how to hit from the inside with a positive attack angle, which leads to higher launch angles, lower spin rates, and longer carries.
 By adjusting your low point to fall just behind the golf ball and swinging up through impact, you can optimize your distance&mdash;regardless of your clubhead speed. Justin emphasizes that swinging faster without fixing your path and angle will only amplify your mistakes. But with a neutral or slightly positive club path and a launch angle between 1&ndash;4 degrees up, you'll see a major improvement in performance.
 This video clarifies the physics behind driver optimization and gives practical ways to correct downward strikes and leftward paths. It&rsquo;s a must-watch for players looking to understand how to launch the ball higher with less spin and turn speed into distance efficiently.

How to Visualize Path and Angle of Approach

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the rotation of the left arm in the swing.

Mike demonstrates this action and takes his left arm back on the backswing. His arm slightly rotates and continually internally rotates to the transition point (top of your swing.) When you come down, your left arm externally rotates down to the ball.

The Malaska Golf Member wants to know, if your left arm continually rotates throughout the swing, how do you stop it from rotating too much?

Momentum is the answer! Mike explains when you swing down, and your arm starts to rotate the club out in front of you, there is so much force in the club pulling your arm. If you get the club in the correct arc and let the club go, the momentum of the club will monitor how much the club rotates.

The momentum of the club rotates the arm along with the force of the club. You don’t have to force your arm to rotate; this motion happens automatically.

Players feel pressure in the chest when they swing down. That is your left arm externally rotating on the downswing. This is how you pressure your chest. You don’t do this by spinning your body. You start the swing, and you ride the momentum throughout the swing.

LEFT ARM ROTATION AT IMPACT

In this player lesson, Mike Malaska helps beginner golfer Sandy James. He tells her to make a practice swing. As she sets up to the ball, Mike has her aim her body to the left. He wants her to lever her wrists, swing and hit the ball without worrying about where it goes. 

Even though the ball ended up in the hazard, Mike was happy because Sandy used her grip, got set up, and made a practice swing feeling the lever system.

Now they go down onto the fairway and take another swing. Mike doesn’t want her to spend a lot of time hitting multiple shots and certainly doesn’t want her to keep score.

After Sandy hits another shot on the fairway, they will go up to the green. Mike is then going to show her a game where she keeps score. It has nothing to do with these first shots. It is about getting used to being on the course, making swings, getting the ball in the air, and having fun.

ENTRY-LEVEL COACHING DRIVER

Fixing problems in the downswing by fixing the backswing.

FIXING THE DOWNSWING BY FIXING THE BACKSWING

Your body needs to know how to move correctly to swing. Learn how to teach your body the correct motions.

THE WALK INTO AND WALK AWAY FROM DRILL

Get in a set up position holding on to bands or a pulley system. The goal is to pull the pulleys or bands and create more space with your hips. On the backswing side you push away from the pulley. Your force goes into he heel of your trail foot and on the inside. Then you go back to set up or impact then around on the follow through side. Always pushing away from the force on the bands or the cables. This is how you offset the inward force that the club puts on your when you swing. 

PULLEY DRILL

Here is a deeper look at how to create a bridge, why you do that, as well as an overview on the role of the right hand in gripping the club.

RIGHT HAND PART II

In this lesson, John Lang works with Mike Malaska to address the challenges of playing golf after losing vision in his right eye due to a stroke. As a former right-eye-dominant golfer, John must adapt his swing and develop new techniques to maintain his performance despite issues with depth perception and spatial awareness. The lesson focuses on helping John modify his head positioning, adjust his approach to the game, and utilize targeted drills to build consistency and confidence.The session begins with John explaining how his vision loss has affected his ability to gauge depth and follow the ball, particularly under certain sunlight conditions. With peripheral vision playing a more critical role, he now relies entirely on his left eye to track the ball. Mike highlights that this adjustment requires a change in head positioning during the swing to ensure the dominant eye stays focused on the ball. Drawing on the example of Jack Nicklaus, who is colorblind and relies on feel rather than sight to track the ball, Mike advises John to slightly offset his head to maintain focus. This simple yet essential adjustment is crucial for overcoming the limitations caused by his vision loss.The conversation transitions to the M-System and its extensive library of drills. John expresses his appreciation for the system but notes that the library’s wealth of information can feel overwhelming. Mike emphasizes the importance of the drills, sharing a story from his teaching experience in Japan, where golfers focused on seven basic drills to address their weaknesses. Over 11 weeks, the group made significant improvements by mastering each drill without directly working on their swings. Mike encourages John to approach the library in the same way: selecting a drill, identifying challenges, and working through them to strengthen specific aspects of his swing.To wrap up the lesson, Mike observes John hitting a few shots. John shares that a previous suggestion to drop his back foot has been particularly helpful in stabilizing his swing. He also mentions focusing on the mental and psychological aspects of his game, paying close attention to how his hands and body work together during practice. Mike praises this approach and encourages him to continue refining his fundamentals, reinforcing that targeted adjustments and deliberate practice will help him adapt and improve.

Master Your Swing After Vision Loss

In this special Player Lesson, Mike Malaska is joined by Certified Coach Julie Yang to work with Liam Johnston, a recent graduate of Arizona State University and lifelong lacrosse player. Liam&rsquo;s grandfather introduced him to golf when he was just four years old, but between school and athletics, his time on the course has been limited. After 12 years of competitive lacrosse, golf has mostly been a fun activity with his friends or a chance to spend time with his dad.
Now that Liam has graduated, he wants to get more serious about his game. While his short game is fairly solid, he admits that his biggest struggle comes with his long clubs&mdash;especially slicing his driver and woods. Mike and Julie start by watching him swing but quickly shift to showing Liam how his background in lacrosse gives him built-in advantages for golf.
Mike uses the lacrosse stick as a teaching tool, pointing out that the way Liam controls the head of the stick, uses leverage, and maintains spatial awareness is exactly the same as what golfers must do with the clubface. The push-pull action of passing in lacrosse mirrors the lever system in the golf swing, and Liam&rsquo;s ability to feel the &ldquo;face&rdquo; of the stick translates naturally to controlling the clubface.
Julie helps guide Liam through setup and swing checkpoints, while Mike ties everything back to the M-System, showing that sports like lacrosse, baseball, or tennis already teach the core athletic patterns needed for golf. Instead of reinventing the wheel, golfers should connect what they already know to the game of golf.
By the end of the lesson, Liam begins to understand that his slice isn&rsquo;t about lacking ability, it&rsquo;s about grip, face control, and trusting momentum instead of trying to force the swing. This Player Lesson demonstrates how Malaska Golf&rsquo;s Sports Connect approach simplifies golf by linking it to movements athletes already know, making improvement faster and more instinctive.
Key Takeaways &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sports Transfer Works: Lacrosse passing and shooting mechanics directly relate to the golf swing. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Grip Matters: Liam&rsquo;s natural lacrosse grip instincts give him face awareness, but need adjustment for golf. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;The Lever System: The push-and-pull action of the hands in lacrosse mirrors how golfers create speed and consistency. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Face Control: Hand-eye coordination from lacrosse builds a strong foundation for controlling the clubface. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Momentum vs. Force: Letting the club&rsquo;s momentum work naturally creates consistency; forcing movements leads to errors. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Slice Fix: Most of Liam&rsquo;s slicing issues come from grip and face position, not athletic limitations. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sports Connect Philosophy: Athletes from any sport can simplify golf by building on skills they already understand.

Lacrosse and Golf Connect

In this third episode of the Malaska Golf Player Lesson, Mike Malaska takes Jeff Coburn and Jeff Krull into one of the most misunderstood areas of golf&mdash;the short game. The focus of this lesson is chipping technique, solid contact, and center-face control.
 Mike begins by setting up a simple on-course chipping station that includes both tight lies and light rough, replicating the conditions golfers face in every round. He explains that most players never learn to connect the ball with the center of the clubface, which is the real key to consistent spin and distance control.
 To drive the point home, Mike introduces what he calls the &ldquo;fourth groove test.&rdquo; By marking a small dot on the fourth groove of the wedge, players can see where contact actually happens. The goal is to line that dot up with the back of the golf ball and learn how it feels when you strike it cleanly in the middle of the face.
 As Jeff and Jeff work through their shots, Mike highlights a major misconception: amateurs often try to scoop the ball into the air or rely on the high-risk flop shot they see on television. He explains that these shots require thousands of hours of practice and are rarely the right choice for most golfers. Instead, the key is using a simple putting-style motion with a slightly descending strike.
 Mike demonstrates how moving the ball slightly back in the stance, keeping the head forward, and maintaining steady rhythm allows the club to bottom out naturally after contact. The result is crisp, repeatable contact that makes the ball pop up and roll predictably toward the hole.
 He also stresses that most golfers would benefit from simplifying their short game. Rather than constantly switching clubs, he recommends testing a few&mdash;pitching wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge&mdash;to find the one that produces the most consistent contact. Once you identify that club, practice striking the center of the face with it every time. This session reinforces one of Mike&rsquo;s favorite concepts: learn what your tendencies are and make small adjustments. Instead of trying to reinvent your swing mid-round, learn how to adapt what you already do. By paying attention to how the club interacts with the ground and the ball, you&rsquo;ll develop instinctive control over trajectory and rollout. By the end of the lesson, both players begin to feel what solid chipping contact really means&mdash;and how to reproduce it under pressure. This isn&rsquo;t about style or technique; it&rsquo;s about building awareness and confidence through consistent feedback.
 Key Takeaways: Center-Face Contact: Great chipping starts with striking the ball in the middle of the clubface. Simplify the Stroke: Use a putting-style motion with minimal wrist action. Forget the Flop: Consistency beats creativity&mdash;avoid high-risk shots you can&rsquo;t practice daily. Ball Position Matters: Move the ball slightly back to ensure solid, descending contact. Play What You Own: Learn your tendencies, adjust setup, and trust your feel.

Solid Contact Chipping

Mike Malaska introduces Garrett Richards for a Player Lesson and Sports Connect at Ocotillo Golf Course. Garrett, a retired MLB pitcher, previously played for the Boston Red Sox and, most recently, the Texas Rangers.Mike talks about how he had always wanted to play baseball as a kid, and he pitched until college. He loved the hand-eye coordination of the sport.Mike explains that he will look at Garrett's swing and relate that to pitching. Baseball players have great hand-eye coordination when they are hitting and throwing a ball. They already have the perfect golf swing.There is a misconception that baseball and golf are different; however, they have the same body movement patterns. You hit the ball on a different plane and at a different spot, but the swings are very similar.Garrett says that his misses are usually an over-draw to the left, and he struggles with pitch shots inside of 100 yards. He is more comfortable with 150 yards. Garrett says he tends to overthink tight lies with his wedges and catches the ball thin or fat.Garrett says he is looking for a mindset, a comfortable feeling, or a weight shift that will find the clubface more often.Mike asks Garrett how often he plays a week. He says that he uses a simulator at home and that he is a member of Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, AZ. He doesn’t get out as much as he would like because of kid’s activities, but usually, it’s once or twice a week.Garrett usually warms up with a pitching wedge to loosen up. Mike watches Garrett hit a few shots to assess his swing.Mike comments that Garrett has a nice motion, which he expected, having been a professional athlete. Mike says that he watched Garrett pitch, and Garrett explains that he was a cross-body pitcher. Mike says there are a lot of things that are similar in pitching and golf, specifically how quickly you open up. In golf, if your shoulders open up too fast, you are dead, and the same is true when you are pitching.Mike explains that in golf, instead of throwing a pitch out in front of you, you have a ball on the ground, and the pitch is down there. You must rotate and stay rotated until you plant your feet. There are many similarities.Mike says he will fix Garrett’s swing fast. He wants to work on a fundamental concept in golf that Garrett is weak on. Mike elaborates that he is fighting all his natural instincts for one particular motion. Once Garrett understands this, he will get significantly better.Mike asked Garrett what type of pitch he liked the best: a fastball or a curveball. Garrett liked his slider better because he had more control over it. Based on this, Mike says he will show Garrett why he hooks the ball. Mike continues to explain that Garrett controls the type of pitch with his fingers on the ball. When you play golf, you can also control the clubface with your fingers.That is how Mike does it because Mike used to be a pitcher. Mike controls the clubface by pressuring it with his fingers to hit a draw or fade and hit it straight, just like a pitcher does with a baseball. You curve and spin the golf ball the same way you do with a baseball. The clubface becomes an extension of your hands.Mike takes Garrett’s hand and fingers and shows him how to manipulate his fingers to hit different shots, which is similar to pitching. Mike tells Garrett that he is so good at putting spin on a ball that he should be good at it with golf.Garrett hits a ball, and Mike says that Garrett is going to improve easily.

Garrett Richards-Pitching and Golf Connect

What you want is a swing that you can rely on under pressure. Shutting the face avoids complicated timing sequences. Here's how to pull it off.