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ASK MIKE: EQUIPMENT

Almost every club has a life-long participant of the game. Superstition is fortunate to have Mr. Peterson, who has been playing 72 years.

MR. JIM PETERSON

Here's what drove Hale during the PGA Tour Champions.

BEING IN THE HUNT

At 120lb, Bob had to overcome physical challenges.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

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

FEELING CENTER FACED HITS

Mike works with Danie on fairway bunker play and getting the ball in the air. Drawing a line in the sand is a great drill to figure out ball position and setup.

 FAIRWAY BUNKERS GETTING THE BALL IN THE AIR

Set up to the ball. First hinge your wrists and set the club on your trail shoulder. There needs to be no tension in your shoulder sockets to do this. Then Push your trail hip out of the way and turn your upper body until it is at a 90 degree angle to the target line. Then with your trail hand push your arms up and over your trail shoulder maintaining the angle in your wrists. Last swing down and hit the ball. This is a great drill for tension, creating the correct shoulder turn and creating the space you need to swing down into. 

FOUR STEPS

Your mind is a muscle just like your body. It needs to and can be trained. The proper mindset is critical to maximizing performance. Your mind controls your body so how do we train it to make the correct decisions. React in a manner that gives us the best chance for success. And how do we train it to process what happens properly so it becomes a constant learning process and roadway to success.

MENTAL GAME

Build body movement in five steps, gradually adding motion.

FOOT ACTION

Mike Malaska works on wedges and irons with Austin Graham in the Malaska Golf Studio. Mike has worked with Austin for six years and historically has coached Austin with the idea of "I want to feel." You see the shot you have hit and its trajectory and get a feel for what you are doing. What the numbers say are just the numbers. Mike also adds that's what good players do. Their thought process is what they want the ball to do, and what does it feel like to get it to do that? They aren't necessarily wrapped up in perfect numbers.

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When Mike watched Austin make some warmup shots, he didn't necessarily like how Austin moved in his golf swing, and it is something Mike wants to fix.

Austin has a question for Mike regarding wedges. He feels good about his hands, arms, and grip, but when he gets into his right cleat, he feels that the turning of his hips isn't natural. Austin also feels like he is sliding his body forward. In tournaments, Austin goes back to the motion of throwing a ball because his legs and hips aren't doing what he wants them to do. Austin's desire is clean up his swing sequence with Mike.

Mike gets Austin to make a couple of swings to observe his golf swing. Austin swings into the TruGolf simulator to get some readings. Mike notices he swings slightly inside out, but the launch angle on his sand wedge is perfect.

On the second shot, the numbers look good. Mike says that relative to the numbers, it looks great; however, relative to what his body is doing, that's a different story. Austin has issues with his right leg and right hip. This is something that Mike wants to explore in the following video.

PLAYING GOLF WITH FEEL

This Quick Fix Friday is to help determine how wide your stance should be when you set up to the ball.

We all have DNA for balance, and if you notice how you walk during the day, just stop and turn. That is how wide your stance should be. Mike has a broader gait, so his stance is wider.

Players with broad stances have wider setups and vice versa. Find what stance fits you and what fits your gait pattern.

Use that on almost all your shots because that’s where you will be the most comfortable relative to balance.

HOW WIDE IS YOUR STANCE

Use how you stand to find your natural posture

NATURAL POSTURE

Grab a pair of drumsticks and practice tempo. Once you understand this, bring it to your golf swing.

GO SLOW TO GO FAST

A firm left side is about stabilizing and stopping lateral movement. Although, it still continues to rotate away from the ball and accelerates the club.

HITTING UP AGAINST A FIRM LEFT SIDE 

CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

Pepe Cortez, a PGA Golf Professional since 1995, has been helping students become better golfers for over 26 years in the Seattle area. Pepe fell in love with the game as a young boy playing golf with his father and went on to play competitively at junior, high school, and collegiate levels. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he went to work at Sahalee Country Club under the Director of Golf, Rick Acton. He taught there for 26 years and is now teaching at Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club. His approach with his students is grounded in the foundational teaching of Jim Flick and Mike Malaska, who both helped him improve his own game. But it was Mike’s mentorship over the past two decades that solidified Pepe’s understanding of the golf swing and fueled his passion for teaching. Pepe is proud to be a Malaska Golf Certified Instructor and is excited to help you reach your full potential as a golfer. You’ll better understand how the golf swing works and how the body works through the swing.

MALASKA CERTIFIED: PEPE CORTEZ

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

Is your left arm tension free as it hinges? Try this pattern to find out.

THE LEFT ARM

In this video, a Malaska Golf Member has noticed that when Mike swings a club with one hand, his heel pad is off the club.

Mike explains that you should hold the club in the fingers and off the heel pad so there is space to insert your left hand to form the grip on the club.

Another reason the club should be off the heel pad is because you can’t implement the lever system. Once you have both hands together, you can do this. Your right hand should be resting on your left thumb.

Again, if you are just swinging the club with your right hand, you don’t want to keep your right heel pad on the club. It’s your left heel pad that stays on the club.

HOLD THE CLUB IN YOUR FINGERS

Your eyes are an essential part of the game. Developing the correct vision and seeing the right things is critical to hitting good shots.

Most players and teachers don't even talk about the eyes. Your eyes perceive something, giving your brain a picture, then your body reacts. Your brain must understand the picture that it sees. Because you are playing to the side of the ball and not on top, many things happen. It is called parallax. Training your eyes to see the line and path begins with putting and chipping.

Mike demonstrates by making chip shots using alignment sticks, aiming the face of the club down the path. His eyes turn and track down the line. Setting up, pointing your eyes parallel to your target line, and rotating your head down the track is crucial.

Use alignment sticks with putting and chipping to get used to seeing what it looks like to be set up correctly and the exact path your ball must follow to get into the hole. It doesn't look the same as it does when standing behind it. Train your eyes to see the line and where to hit the ball.

LEARN THE CORRECT VISION

Malaska Golf Certified Instructor, Pepe Cortez, explains how this drill can help separate your shoulders from dominating your putting stroke.

RIGHT ARM PUTTING DRILL

The importance of grip vs. squaring the face.

DISCUSSION ON GRIP

Turning gang kids into members of the band.

THE SOLID ROCK FOUNDATION

How your feet pressure the ground makes your body move. Start by hitting some balls flat footed. Then let your feet roll in but your heels can not come off the ground. Then let your lead foot roll in on the backswing then your trail foot rolls in on the downswing and into the follow through. Last blend the trail foot roll and letting it be pulled up. 

FOOTWORK DRILL

Players nowadays are getting better and better. Learn how the pros have imporved their games.

NEW GENERATION OF PLAYERS

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the Malaska Move.Mike says the funny thing is that he had nothing to do with it. It was a move that Joe Nichols taught Mike, and several other coaches talked about it.Mike shows the Malaska Move, where you start down on your swing, and the club works back out in front of you rather than going out in front of your body.The Member’s question is if he does the Malaska Move, will it make his hands tip over the top and go over in the follow-through? Mike explains that won’t necessarily happen. When the club is on the downswing, when you change directions, the handle comes down, and the club will go out.The momentum of the club will be in the right arc as you turn into the ball. You don’t have to catch it up.A lot of the twisting of the clubface happens because the club is too back and out. Mike demonstrates this. You have to either twist your body hard or catch the club up with your hands.If you do the Malaska Move, where the arms and handle come down, with the club going out, you can just turn on the ball, and the clubface will run into the ball. There is no twisting of your forearms because the momentum of the club is out in front of you, and everything stays together as you hit the ball.It is all about directing momentum. It feels one way. It does something different.

THE MALASKA MOVE

Begin every practice session by pivoting the club.

BOB JACOBSON

SPORTS CONNECT: TENNIS

Hello, I'm Matt Baker, a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based here in the UK. This is my at-home studio, and I want to address a great question from Ryan Bart. Apologies for the delay in getting to this, as it relates to something he noticed while watching Wimbledon, which was some time ago now.While watching the players at Wimbledon, Ryan noticed something very insightful, which ties directly into what Mike and our coaching philosophy at Malaska Golf emphasize—natural athleticism. What he observed was that no tennis player ever moves forward into the ball when they hit it.For example, if a ball is coming toward them, they don't move forward to play the shot. Instead, they instinctively move away from it to give themselves time, space, and room to execute the stroke. Whether they're playing a forehand or backhand, they never crowd the ball. If anything, they naturally create distance. This is an instinctive movement found in almost any sport.Take baseball as another example: if you’re swinging a bat, you don’t move up into the ball. You naturally create space and time by moving away slightly to make the swing more efficient. This concept is key in golf as well.The trick to understanding this is to start by mimicking a forehand stroke. You can use a racket or even something simple like a bottle—though my dog, Ted, might not be too happy with me using this as a prop! The point is to get a feel for how your body naturally moves. As with tennis, the racket goes up and then comes under to hit the ball. Pay attention to how your body works during this motion, particularly the pressure in your feet.When practicing this, notice how your left hip moves naturally. In the Malaska Method, we emphasize the importance of this "push-away" motion with the left hip during the swing. Golfers often say they struggle with turning their left hip, but when you give them a tennis racket, they do it instinctively without even realizing it.So, the drill here is simple: make some forehand tennis strokes. Practice this as much as possible to build a sense of how your body moves. Once you've got the feeling, pick up a golf club and try to replicate that same motion. Don’t overthink what the club is doing on the backswing or follow-through—just focus on swinging through the ball.Here’s how it looks: take a few swings, feeling that same "up and under" motion. Start slow, and you don’t need to hit the ball hard. If you’re using a tee, focus on pushing away as you swing through. You’ll notice that the motion becomes more fluid and natural with practice.This is the essence of athletic motion—creating space and letting the body move instinctively. Golf isn’t as hard as people make it out to be. The movements are already familiar; we just need to transfer those skills from other sports, like tennis or baseball, into golf.And that’s the beauty of the M-System at Malaska Golf—it simplifies the game by building on movements and patterns you already know.

MASTER ATHLETIC GOLF MOVES

GRIP - Part II

Drills are used to benefit your swing. Learn how the walkthrough drill can help your swing.

CONSISTENCY

Mike Malaska continues his player lesson with Joe LaCaze, stressing the importance of the Lever System. Mike wants Joe to practice the Lever System at home by looking in a mirror, ensuring his arms are at a 90-degree angle on the backswing, then swinging down into the ball and making another 90-degree angle on the follow-through.

Mike doesn’t want Joe to make full swings when practicing this because Joe’s shoulders are in too big of control of his hands and arms. Joe is a body guy who is so tight in his arms and shoulders that his body is pulling his arms.

Your arms must accelerate on the swing as your body goes with them. In Joe’s instance, his body is ahead of his arms. Mike adds that your shoulder sockets must be relaxed like a baseball pitcher. Mike reiterates that Joe needs to keep the club in his fingers with a strong grip, with at least three knuckles showing.

Joe should choke down slightly on the club, ensuring the handle points down and away on the backswing and the follow-through. If Joe focuses on the Lever System when he swings, he should be able to hit the ball farther with little effort. His shoulders should not be pulling his arms through the ball.

Joe makes more practice swings and notices that he uses less effort. Mike says that when the effort goes down, the efficiency goes up.

The key to Joe’s success is getting his hands moving and working on the Lever System. 

IT’S IN YOUR HANDS AND ARMS

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

WRIST ACTION

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the rotation in the left arm and when it starts.

Mike had asked a similar question to his mentor, Joe Nichols. Mike wanted to know at what point you want your wrist to be hinged or loaded.

Joe’s response was that he didn’t really know and that it was somewhere on the backswing.
Mike was looking for a specific time and place for this to happen. Again, Joe’s response was that he didn’t know specifically where, but it was somewhere on the backswing.

The reason for Joe’s nebulous answer was he didn’t want people to get so technical and worry about that when they can’t even do some of the basic things in a golf swing. He didn’t want them to get ahead of themselves.

So, when does your arm rotate? At some point and time on the backswing and sometimes earlier than others. It needs to rotate by the time the club is halfway through the backswing. The left arm must rotate so the club can get in the right arc. 

There isn’t a right or wrong answer; however, when you swing, it is a gradual, continual process.
The key is not to overthink when this process happens and be too technical about it. 

Use the momentum of the club when you start the club back. If you have no tension in your shoulder socket, the momentum will determine the right time for your arm to rotate.

Again, Mike reiterates that it isn’t a specific point where the rotation happens. This is a problem in golf where people get off track because they want to know specific positions when, in fact, it’s an overall flow of motion.

Use all the natural forces around you to do all the work in the golf swing instead of trying to connect all the dots. Let momentum in the club rotate the left arm into position.

WHEN DOES THE LEFT ARM ROTATE

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GREATLIFE

Mike On Nicklaus Part 2 -- Neutral Is The Way To Do It

NEUTRAL IS THE WAY TO DO IT

All sports you are trying to catch the ball in a certain relationship to your body or the arch of the swing. So wether it is golf or tennis or baseball. Timing where you hit the ball of setting up to catch the ball in the same part of the swing arch is very important to consistency.

BALL POSITION SPORTS CONNECT

LAG SHOT FACE CONTROL

Hi, I'm Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska-certified coach based in Chicago. Chris Downer asks about using a metronome to build rhythm and wonders about the correct beat—whether it's 70, 80, or another tempo. Chris, that’s a great question, because when it comes to rhythm, one thing I notice across the board is how varied it is among the people who come to me for lessons and those I see practicing on the range every day.Typically, the tempo gets faster as the club length increases, with the driver often being the quickest and rhythm sometimes almost nonexistent with the putter. That’s one area where tour players excel—they have consistent rhythm throughout their game. Even if their swing is a bit off, good rhythm can help save their shots. When we lose rhythm, our timing gets thrown off, and the swing can feel different each time.In terms of using a metronome, I recommend starting with the putter. I always emphasize rhythm in putting lessons, as it greatly impacts speed control. I use a simple pattern: “take back, impact, take back, impact.” The exact tempo doesn’t have to match mine—it will vary based on your personality, lifestyle, and natural pace. Some people are naturally slower, others faster, and it’s about finding what feels right for you.To illustrate, if I use my natural rhythm with my putter, I might go “take back, impact” at a comfortable pace. If I try it too quickly or too slowly, it feels off. Finding the right rhythm and sticking with it is crucial. Once you identify your rhythm, you can use a metronome to match the beats, but since rhythm is so personal, assigning a specific number might not be accurate for everyone.Whether I’m using a putter, an eight iron, or a driver, my rhythm remains the same— “take back, impact.” The rhythm doesn’t change, whether it’s for a two-foot putt or a driver. Once you find your rhythm, make it part of your pre-shot routine and use it every time. The best players have the most consistent routines and rhythm, suited to their own feel and personality.In summary, find a rhythm that works for you and keep it consistent throughout your game. This will give you stability and confidence, regardless of which club you’re using.

CONSISTENT RHYTHM ACROSS CLUBS

A Malaska Golf Member has a question pertaining to a video Ashley did about tipping the club out and ‘L to L.’ The member thinks this looks contrary to what Ashley talks about because your arms are rolling over.Mike’s answer to that is that they are crossing over. First, Mike demonstrates the tipping of the club, where most people tend to drag the handle forward instead of bringing it down.Once the club runs into the ball, you let the club rehinge on the follow-through. The club is working up, and your arms aren’t rolling over. There is a big difference between the two.Mike explains that Ashley is exaggerating to get people to let the weight of the club break up on the follow-through. Her right hand is not rolling over at impact.&nbsp;Mike demonstrates the hand action where the clubface works up without turning down. Make sure your forearms aren’t rolling over. They are crossing over after you hit the ball. This is the same way you hit a baseball.

DON'T TWIST THE FOREARMS

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DIVINE NATURE

Tiwsting can cause problems. Learn how to get your right hand working correctly.

HOW YOUR HAND WORKS RELATIVE TO THE SWING ARC

Mike discusses the concept of “turning the corner” on the downswing and how that relates to throwing a ball. 

The turning the corner analogy comes from motor racing. It is where the cars speed into the corner using momentum and centripetal force to slingshot them out of the turn. It is the same feeling you have where you have the correct arc of the club on the downswing so it can go at impact.

Throwing a ball relates because you also turn the corner. As your arm goes back and transitions forward, it starts to turn the corner as you get in position to throw the ball.

In golf, it is also called shallowing the club, but they are very similar motions to each other. They just happen at different locations. Swinging a baseball is similar as well.

For lower trajectory shots, you aren’t holding off from turning the corner; you are just throwing the momentum at a different spot a little farther in front of the ball.

As soon as you start holding your wrist, it creates tension, and then you drag and hang onto it.

The key is where you are directing momentum. The farther you direct momentum in front of the ball, the lower the ball goes.

THROWING A BALL AND TURNING THE CORNER

Begin working on Club Toss 101 for this week's Mulligan Monday.

Let the club drop and toss it up into your hands and take your grip. You have the club where you want it in your fingers. 

Continue to drop the club, pivot, and take hold of the club. It looks easy to do. Most Tour Players can do this; however, most amateurs cannot.

The purpose of this drill is to feel the weight of the club and start to feel how the club swings up into your fingers.

When the clubhead is above your hands, it will be more in your fingers and help your grip.

CLUB TOSS 101

When you move your left hip out of the way, your right hand goes under so it doesn't have to twist. You won't hit a pull hook.

RETURN TO NATURAL JOINT ALIGNMENT

The Backswing is a resistance of offsetting forces. Learn what this means and how to use it to your advantage.

LEARN TO FEEL THE FORCE

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know how you get from a tee to the ground, where you start to control the angle of approach.

Mike was watching a tour recently, and even the Tour Players were hitting iron shots off tees. Mike sets a ball on a rubber tee in the studio and hits it. The object of this is to control path and clubface and hit the center of the ball. By using a tee, you don't have to control angle of approach, and this is a difficult skill to learn. Make sure that when you swing off a tee, your path and clubface are working first. Many of you get out there, and Mike is amazed at the lies you put the ball on. You miss-hit the ball, and you think your swing is terrible. No, your swing could be really good, but you didn't get the angle of approach quite right.

Mike always starts off from a tee or from such a great lie that it might as well have been from a tee. Tour Players hit the ground with their clubs to make a grass tee and place the ball on that.

When you start to control trajectory, you can make swings behind the ball to see where the club is hitting the ground. If your club is hitting even or slightly in front of the ball, you are good to go. You can then set up to the ball, hit, and see if you duplicated the same angle of approach.

Many drills help you with this but don't try to do it in combination with path and face control when you are warming up and working on your swing.
Putting the ball on a tee makes you focus on path and control of the clubface first, without dealing with angle of approach.

There are only three variables: path, clubface, and angle of approach, and that comes last.

HITTING OFF A TEE

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I’m a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based in the UK. Today’s question comes from Mark Hughes, who is asking about the ideal degree of hip openness at impact, and its relationship to the shoulders.The simple answer is that it depends on your flexibility. It’s crucial to work on flexibility not just for your golf game but also for your overall health. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to stay flexible and strong, so incorporating simple stretching exercises into your routine is essential. Mike has some great exercises available on the site, especially focusing on the posterior chain, which includes your hip flexors, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, calves, and lower back. Stretching these areas will help you improve your hip movement and, consequently, your swing.In our current lifestyle, we often spend a lot of time sitting, which reduces flexibility, so regular stretching is critical, no matter your age. Even young people can struggle with flexibility due to sedentary habits.In addition to improving flexibility, understanding how the hips work during the swing is vital. I had a breakthrough when I learned that the hips work in straight lines rather than a turning motion. The concept of pushing the left hip back during the follow-through helped me maintain proper momentum and complete my swing arc. You can also practice drills like the M1 drill with one arm, adding the pivot action for better feel.Regarding how much the hips should be open compared to the shoulders, it varies based on flexibility. Mike said his hips are about 20 degrees open at impact, but it really depends on how flexible you are. Working on your flexibility will significantly benefit your game and help you achieve the desired openness of the hips at impact.I hope this answers your question, and I look forward to catching up with you soon!

BOOST HIP FLEXIBILITY

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

THE BUSINESS SIDE OF GOLF

How to avoid the perils of wanting to get too good too fast.

LEARN TO SLOW DOWN

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.