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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.

MALASKA CERTIFIED: MATT BAKER

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

INTRODUCTION TO LIGHT GRIP PRESSURE

Mike has received the highest honor of PGA National Teacher of The Year in 2011. He wrote, “I Feel Your Pain” in 2013 and is proud to announce the new release of this 2nd book entitled, “The Invisible Swing” in 2019. Mike produced his own DVD, You Are Your Own Swing, featuring 2 ½ hours of both golf and fitness instruction in 2004. In 2010 he was selected for PGA Southwest Section Teacher of The Year and went on to be named The National PGA Teacher of the Year In 2011. In 2017 Mike was honored to receive once again, the PGA Southwest Section Teacher of The Year Award for a second time.

Since 2000, Mike has ranked among Golf Digest’s America’s Top 50 Greatest Teachers, and currently listed in the top 20 in the nation. Mike has also been selected as Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America every year from 1995 to 2017. Since 2012 when the Golf Range Association of America started its list of award winners, Mike has been one of the top 50 on that list for his contribution to growing the game of golf. This award called Growth of The Game Teachers in America is yet another of his accomplishments. In 2017 he was voted the Top Teacher in Arizona by Arizona Foothills Magazine.

A graduate of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, Mike was a college All American in 1974. He was then inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in February 1999 and into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 2015. In September 2013 Mike was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for his service to the University and his community. Mike is currently the Director of Instruction for the Nicklaus Academies Worldwide, Superstition Mountain Country Club, and a member of the National Advisory Board for TaylorMade Golf since 2002. He has been a summertime guest instructor for the prestigious Maroon Creek Golf Club in Aspen, Colorado in 2017 and 2018. As Director of Instruction for the Jack Nicklaus Golf Centers in Japan from 1992 to 1995, Mike was featured in Golf Digest Japan and was nominated for Japan’s Teacher of the Year in 1993. Then in 1996, he received Teacher of the Year for the Utah PGA Section.

As the continuing Director of Instruction for Nicklaus Academies Worldwide, Mike instructs the teachers at each of the centers around the globe. He continues to be a guest lecturer at countless corporate functions, PGA Section Seminars, PGA National Coaching and Teaching Summits, and as a guest speaker for the World Golf Fitness Summit in 2012. He has appeared numerous times on The Golf Channel as a guest instructor.

MIKE MALASKA

A Malaska Golf Member had a prior question about the yips. Mike Malaska had advised him to put a dot on the clubface and the ball.The object is to connect both dots on the swing. Doing this drill will help you bottom out correctly, so the yips—or, as Mike calls them, the ‘saviors’—go away. This way, you don’t have to do something to fix your club hitting the ground.The member asks, “Do you see the same dot on the back of the ball when you do a full swing?” Mike is very aware of where the center of the clubface is on the arc of the swing. When he makes a backswing, he doesn’t stare at the back of the ball but in the general direction.Mike sees the club flash through there when the ball disappears. He is so focused on what impact feels like and what happens past the ball to get it to do what it’s supposed to.Next time you practice, make short shorts and see if you can see the club flash through the ball.Most people can’t do this, as halfway on the downswing, they turn their heads to see where they want the ball to go.Mike poses the question, “What’s your target? It’s the ball!”In baseball and tennis, you watch the ball right to the bat or racket, respectively. The same is true with ping-pong; you should watch the clubface right to the golf ball.However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you are focused on the ball. There are players who focus on a dot on the back of the ball, a dot on the front of the ball, the top of the ball, or even out in front of the ball.There are all kinds of eye tricks to ensure that you are coming into the ball correctly. Your eye gives your brain a picture, and then your body reacts to that picture. If you don’t have a picture, then there are no instants or neurological systems to react to.You don’t keep your head still, and you don’t focus on a spot, but you definitely see the club flash through there. If you do, you will notice your ball-striking skills improve.

WATCH THE CLUB FLASH AT IMPACT

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

LEARNING HOW TO CURVE BALLS AROUND TREES

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know what you look for when swinging the golf club.

Mike has set up alignment sticks on the floor. This is something he got from watching Ben Doyle on the Golf Machine. He had a mat placed on the floor with lines on it.

This is great to give you visuals of the swing path of the ball. Mike is working with four alignment sticks.

First, he has an orange stick he uses for the target line. He places a yellow stick at a 40-degree angle off the target line. It is also aimed straight at the ball. Another yellow stick, about 6 inches in front of the ball, is angled off the target line stick. The last orange stick aimed at the ball is slightly more than 40 degrees. This helps you visually understand the golf swing while standing over the ball.

Mike sets up behind the ball. His left foot touches the second orange stick, which helps with impact. The target line will guide Mike on his backswing. The setup of all the alignment sticks will provide a path throughout the swing.

To get a view from Mike’s perspective, he uses the Malaska Golf Cam to help illustrate the swing path.

When Mike swings back, his arm is parallel to the orange target line stick. When Mike swings to the top and changes direction, his arm is now parallel to the yellow alignment stick. His arm follows that stick until it hits the ball, and the club shaft at impact lines up with the second orange stick. 

Once Mike hits the ball at impact, his arm is back to following the target line. When his arm moves up to shoulder height, it is now parallel to the other yellow stick.

Mike goes through the motion of the golf swing where the sticks line up and come into play.

SWINGING A CLUB ON AN ARC

Use alignment sticks to form 90-degree angles on the tee box to figure out how to aim correctly down the fairway.

USING ANGLES

Training videos on how to use the Lagshot Driver.

LAGSHOT: DRIVER

Livestream replays for Malaska Golf Members.

MALASKA GOLF LIVE

ECLIPSE EDITION

INSIGHTS-DISPERSION

Pro golfers describe the motion as 'painting' with the club.

FEEL LIKE YOUR PAINTING

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A member has a question about the lead thumb (or, for right-handers, the left thumb) and how it goes on the club and fits into the right hand.

The club is in your fingers of the lead hand, and your hand wraps around slightly on the side of the grip. You will notice a gap in the palm of your right hand, which goes over and pressures your lead thumb when you grip the club.

Billy demonstrates how the hands work together on the handle. There is no gap in his hands. This is a good pressure point of how your hands fit together. You will use that connection in the swing. If you need more width on your backswing, you can push back on your grip to do so. In the process, you will feel that pressure point.

The same thing happens when you swing down into impact. Your left arm is straight out, your left thumb is slightly on the back of the shaft, and your right hand fits behind the left thumb. This will line up the club shaft, and that will help compress the ball when you hit.

Getting the correct grip with the thumb and pad relationship is critical. Billy shows us this and how you grip the club in your fingers. Ensure you have the correct contact points, that your hands are on the club correctly, and that you are aware of those pressure points.

THE LEAD THUMB

A Malaska Golf Member has a question on how to keep his anxiety level down while on the golf course.

Mike explains that most anxiety happens because you focus on what could potentially happen. Most good players are not worried about the outcome; they focus on the process of what they are doing.

When amateurs get over the ball, they are not sure what they are doing and don’t have a feel for their swing. Standing over the ball and going through a mental checklist before you hit the ball is not the way to go. This will create a lot of anxiety in the process.

Mike says you have to get committed to a shot and a motion. Make a practice shot behind the ball and visualize. This is about feeling the shot and previewing what you will do.

Mike approaches the ball; it is about the process, not the outcome. If you do the process, the outcome should be good.

Mike also notes that regardless of the outcome, he learns from it. If Mike hits the ball the way he wants, he replays it in his head. If Mike hits it wrong, he figures out what he did incorrectly. He then makes a practice swing to correct it.

Mike concludes that every swing you make is a process. You go through the process and learn from the outcome. Replay it or fix it and then go on to the next shot. That’s how you play the game. It is a constant process that will help reduce anxiety.

RELEASING ANXIETY

Get the club out in front of you and feel the club's momentum at impact. This will prevent you from getting stuck, bringing the club around to the left.

GETTING STUCK BEHIND AT IMPACT

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I'm a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based in the UK. Today's question comes from a gentleman named Mark Hughes. I know Mark—he’s from Wales—and he’s been working on the four-step drill. His question is: when he performs the drill with a driver, it works well, but when he uses an iron, he tends to hit the ball out to the right. He’s checked his grip and says it’s okay. So, he wants to know what might be causing this issue.First, let’s recap the four-step drill before addressing the problem. The four-step drill is designed to help build a good backswing and establish a sense of where the club should be in time and space at the end of the backswing, ready for transition into the downswing.To perform the drill, take your address position over the golf ball. Lift the golf club and rest it on your right (trail) shoulder while maintaining your golf posture. Turn your body by pushing your right hip back and feeling pressure shift to your right heel. This gets you to the end of your backswing position. Push your arms away to achieve the correct top-of-backswing position, then swing through and hit the ball. This sequence—address, step one, step two, step three, step four—is excellent for building consistency and understanding proper club positioning.Now, let’s diagnose what might be going wrong. The first thing we always check as golf professionals is the grip. A poor grip often causes the clubface to stay open, leading to shots that veer to the right. If the grip is too weak (hands positioned incorrectly on the club), the clubface can remain open during the swing. Mark has confirmed his grip is fine, so let’s explore other possibilities.One common issue we see is the left wrist position at the top of the backswing. Sometimes, when performing the four-step drill, golfers create a "cupping" motion in the back of the left wrist. This happens when the wrist hinges upward, leaving the clubface pointing downwards (toe of the club pointing toward the ground) at the top of the swing. This cupping often results in an open clubface through impact, causing shots to go right.To fix this, aim to keep the left wrist flat or slightly bowed at the top of the swing. This keeps the clubface square or slightly closed. Focus on your left wrist position as you swing back. Avoid hinging your wrist excessively upward, and work on achieving a flat wrist at the top, ensuring the clubface is at a more neutral angle. From the front view, the left wrist should align with the forearm, and the clubface should be angled rather than pointing straight down.If the grip and wrist position aren’t the issues, another possibility could be improper hand rotation through the swing. However, nine times out of ten, the problem lies in the cupped wrist. Practice focusing on your left wrist position during the drill, and this should help you immensely.Let me know how it goes!

THE FOUR-STEP SWING FIX

The correct swing feels slightly different every day.

HOW THE SWING FEELS TODAY

How rotation gets the club moving from the top.

ROTATION AND ACCELERATION

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

MY FAVORITE LESSON

Instead of focusing on the ball, pick a target or spot on the horizon and swing.

FOCUS ON A TARGET

To control trajectory, practice using a sand wedge to hit a low shot followed by a high shot. Play around and experience this same drill with other clubs.

CONTROL TRAJECTORY

Finding Your tempo is one of the keys of this game. Use your putting stroke to find what is natural to you. This will be the tempo that you use in the rest of your clubs.

FIND YOUR TEMPO

The final video in the M-System Lite series is M5: Practice. Now that you have combined M1 through M4, it’s time to practice correctly.Mike explains that when you are going to practice or even go out to play, the first thing you should do is get loosened up. He uses a pair of stretch cords to do multiple exercises and stretches. He loosens his shoulders, does curls, and exercises to work on bending and rotation. Making sure that you are loose before you practice will help your swing be more consistent, and you will have less chance of injury.&nbsp;Mike has a practice station set up on a fairway. He emphasizes the importance of setting one up when you are practicing. You need to be consistent with setting one up to get better. He has an alignment stick for the target line, a reflective stick for where he wants the ball to start, another stick to line up shoulders, eyes, hips, and maybe your feet, and the last stick for ball position.Mike sets up to the ball the same way every time, with whatever club he is using. Mike must have the same visual picture and target. Now, Mike swings and watches the ball flight relative to the target. The ball was right at the hole, so that was the feeling that he was looking for.Mike talks about training aids or objects to help with your swing. For instance, if you are swinging ‘over the top,’ then a good way to help you swing back to the correct path is using a head cover. Mike places a head cover, lined up to the side of the ball. If Mike swings from the inside, he will miss the head cover and hit the ball. If, of course, he swings over the top, he will naturally hit the head cover. This is a great way to test the path of your swing and give you immediate feedback.The next important thing to practice is face control and path control. Mike makes a practice swing, curving the ball to the left, then he will curve the ball to the rightand hit the ball low and then high. This is all about face control.Next, Mike focuses on path control. He wants to hit the ball so that it starts on the right side of the reflective alignment stick. Mike must make sure that he comes down from the inside on his swing to curve the ball to the right of the stick. This is path control. Then, Mike will curve the ball to the left, training his arms to swing on the correct path. Now, you put face control and path control together.Mike has set up the practice station on a course because when he is on the range, this is what Mike visualizes. When Mike is on a range, he sees a fairway or a hole that he is hitting at. Most people on the range are just randomly looking out at the range. Think about a shot you will make out on the course. Set up and hit the ball; picture that fairway or green. This is a great way to set up and visualize different shots you can make in different situations. When Mike was young, he practiced this way because the golf course he belonged to didn’t have a range. Mike would practice for many hours with an alignment stick on the ground. He was lucky to use the golf course as his practice area.The key learning here is to set up on the range like you really play and put time between shots. Putting time between shots while you practice is more like how you play in a round of golf. You don’t hit shots continuously, one after another. Make a good shot, wait a minute, and then try to duplicate it. If you can, great, and if you don’t, then think about your miss and how to correct it.If you practice this way, it will pay off tremendously, rather than just hitting random balls and hoping you get better.

M-SYSTEM LITE M5: PRACTICE

The next step in John's lesson is to get his right hip out of the way on his backswing.

Mike makes John drop his right foot back in his stance and wants John to push his right hip back on the backswing. This allows John to have more swing with the right foot back while pushing the right hip back. Having more room gives you more speed for your arms to come down into the ball.

You will likely come over the top with your swing if you don't push your hips back.

Again, pushing your hip back creates more space, allowing your arms to come down and your hands to lever the club.

Mike reinforces to John to work on his new grip and get his right hip out of the way.

GET YOUR HIP OUT OF THE WAY FOR MORE SWING

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

JACK NICKLAUS AND BALL POSITION

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

MALASKA MOVE DISCUSSION

HITTING FAT APPROACHES

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

IMPACT DRILL WITH A DRIVER

PRESSURE AND THE TIME BETWEEN SHOTS

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

POWER UP WITH LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT

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

ALEX GAUGERT

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

BILLY FITZGERALD

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

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

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

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

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

COUNTERBALANCING YOUR CLUBS

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

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE LPGA PLAYERS

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

HOW TO PRACTICE - CHALLENGE

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

LEARNING TRANSITION THROUGH BASEBALL

Maintaining balance is key to controlling the golf swing.

CHIPPING FITNESS

SEE THE SHOT

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

DON'T GET MAD, GET QUIET

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

DOWNHILL GREENSIDE BUNKER

Performance Combines to put your skills to the test.

MLM: PERFORMANCE COMBINES

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

THE TWO TYPES OF SWINGS

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

NOT A RANDOM WAGGLE

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

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

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

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

GET THE TENSION OUT OF YOUR SWING

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

LEFT ARM ROTATION

Mike uses exercise bands to do reverse chest openers.

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

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

This is an excellent exercise.