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

M4-Combining Skills

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

M2-The Lever System

Renowned 2024 Golf Digest Legend of Golf Instruction Mike Malaska has crafted the M-System Lite, which stems from the world&rsquo;s premier golf swing process, the M-System.
Mike has distilled the M-System's main concepts into 5 concise, impactful, game-changing videos designed to simplify and improve your game quickly.
Mike understands that many people may not have the time or commitment to invest in or commit to a lengthy training program like the full M-System, and the M-System Lite is the answer.
With just 5 videos, you&rsquo;ll witness remarkable improvements in your swing and see your score drop dramatically on the course.
The M-System Lite starts with an overall introduction video from Mike. Then, videos on M1: Line of Compression, M2: The Lever System, M3: How the Body Works, M4: Combining Skills, and M5: Practice. This all aligns with the original M-System M1-M5, and these are the most important concepts to understand from the M-System.
The M-System Lite is a fast track to a better golf swing, and mastering these 5 videos will undoubtedly pay off in lower scores and increased confidence.
Once you have mastered the M-System Lite, you can continue your golfing journey and augment it with the full M-System.

M-System Lite

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

IN THE CLUBHOUSE WITH FRIENDS, PLAYERS AND LEGENDS Sometimes the best part of the game is talking about the game. Find out what&rsquo;s really going on inside players&rsquo; heads. Hear the stories that become legends firsthand. Get a better understanding of the mental side of the game, the highs and lows. Explore what players and instructors think about how the game is taught, practiced and played. This is how I end every day at the course. Now, it&rsquo;s here for you to enjoy as well. These are the clubhouse conversations that keep the game going long after the sun has set and the clubs have been put away.

Golf Talk

The M1 Coaching Series concludes with a challenge focused on trajectory control, a crucial skill for refining your golf game. This exercise emphasizes using the same club to achieve different trajectories, such as low, medium, and high shots, while maintaining control over distance.
Key techniques include adjusting your hand and wrist positions relative to the shaft to manipulate loft. For example, placing your knuckles forward reduces loft for lower shots, while aligning them even or past the wrist increases loft for higher shots. This control is essential for achieving precise distances and mastering shot versatility.
Trajectory control directly impacts carry distance, with minor changes in launch angles leading to significant differences. Starting with pitch shots allows golfers to refine this skill at slower speeds before applying it to full swings. This approach mirrors the incremental learning process in other disciplines, focusing on mastering basics before increasing speed or complexity.
By practicing the challenge and mastering short shots, players build a foundation for consistent performance across all clubs. Trajectory control not only enhances precision but also provides valuable insights into the mechanics of the full swing, making it a critical component of the M1 Coaching Series.

M1 Coaching Series-Challenge

The M-System Coaching Series by Mike Malaska provides a structured and progressive approach to mastering the golf swing. Spanning five series, M1 through M5, the program emphasizes foundational principles, body mechanics, and effective practice techniques to help golfers of all skill levels achieve consistency, power, and enjoyment in their game.
M1 introduces the fundamentals of the golf swing, focusing on concepts such as the line of compression, grip, and body mechanics. Through drills and techniques, players develop consistency in setup, short-game skills, and full-swing mechanics. By incorporating elements like trajectory control and athletic patterns from other sports, M1 establishes a strong foundation for swing development.
M2 builds on this foundation by teaching golfers to master the lever system, refine their grip, and develop face control. Central to the series is the interplay of hands, wrists, and arms, which drives both distance and accuracy. Using natural athletic instincts, players learn to create fluid and powerful swings while minimizing strain.
M3 shifts focus to body mechanics, teaching players how to harness the body&rsquo;s power while maintaining safety and efficiency. With an emphasis on offsetting forces and proper alignment of the pelvis, hips, and shoulders, golfers learn to engage ground forces and reduce injury risk. Functional movement patterns and exaggerated drills like the chair drill highlight the importance of integrating the body and club.
M4 emphasizes blending the body&rsquo;s movement with the lever system to create a cohesive and repeatable swing. Key concepts such as change of direction, ground forces, and offsetting forces are explored in depth. Golfers refine their ball position, alignment, and posture, ensuring static and dynamic consistency for long-term improvement.

M-System Coaching 

IMPROVE EVERY DAY Whether you&rsquo;re a Tour Pro or a weekend player, there&rsquo;s always room for improvement. The more you understand about the forces at work in the golf swing, the better you&rsquo;ll be able to control the club face and strike the ball. When I&rsquo;m on the range or on the course as a coach, I do my best to explain these natural forces in a way that reveals the &ldquo;a-ha moment&rdquo; for players. It doesn&rsquo;t matter what your handicap is, seeing how other golfers are applying their understanding to improve will ultimately help you fine tune your swing as well. I&rsquo;m also going to share firsthand experiences at some of the world&rsquo;s finest courses, so you&rsquo;ll know what to expect when you visit and play. This is what the Player Lessons section is all about.

Player Lessons

In the fourth video of the Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska shifts his focus to one of the most fundamental elements of the golf swing: the grip. This session emphasizes how the way a golfer holds the club directly impacts every aspect of their swing, from power and control to ball flight and consistency. For Jimmy Pearcy, learning to perfect his grip is a transformative step in his journey to improving his game.Mike begins by explaining that the grip is the connection between the golfer and the club, and getting it right is essential. He walks Jimmy through a step-by-step process for properly positioning his hands. Starting with the left hand, Mike instructs Jimmy to grip the club in his fingers rather than his palm. The hand should fold naturally over the club, with the thumb resting gently along the side. The right hand then fits snugly over the left thumb, with the "V" formed by the thumb and index finger of both hands pointing toward the same spot.Mike emphasizes a critical checkpoint for grip alignment: when Jimmy looks down, he should see three knuckles on his left hand. This alignment ensures that the wrist and forearm are positioned to support the natural movement of the clubface. Mike warns that if this alignment is off, the rest of the swing will falter, making it impossible to strike the ball consistently.To illustrate the role of grip in swing mechanics, Mike draws on analogies from other sports. He describes how a baseball player grips a bat to generate leverage and power. Similarly, in golf, the grip allows the wrists and hands to act as levers, creating speed and control. Mike shows Jimmy how this lever system works by having him practice a "lever-and-hit" motion, where the hands guide the club into the ball with a fluid release.As Jimmy practices, Mike identifies an issue with tension in his grip. He explains that excessive tightness robs the swing of speed and power. A relaxed grip, on the other hand, allows the club to move naturally, maximizing both efficiency and control. Using a series of drills, Mike encourages Jimmy to let the weight of the clubhead dictate the motion, focusing on a smooth hinge and release of the wrists.Mike connects these concepts to ball flight and spin control, introducing Jimmy to the idea of shaping shots. Just as a tennis player learns to apply topspin for greater control and precision, a golfer must master the clubface to produce a consistent draw. Mike explains that a proper grip ensures the clubface aligns correctly at impact, allowing Jimmy to hit powerful, controlled shots that start slightly to the right and curve back toward the target.The lesson continues with Jimmy hitting shots while applying these principles. Initially, he struggles to adjust, but as he loosens his grip and focuses on the lever action, his swings become more fluid and powerful. He begins to hit solid shots with less effort, a testament to the effectiveness of a proper grip and relaxed motion.Throughout the session, Mike emphasizes the importance of practicing the fundamentals. He reminds Jimmy that the grip is the foundation of a successful swing and that consistent practice is key to making it second nature. He advises Jimmy to spend time hitting balls into his net at home, focusing on his grip and the lever system until it becomes an automatic part of his swing.By the end of the lesson, Jimmy experiences the difference that a correct grip can make. He learns that the hands and wrists play a crucial role in controlling the clubface and generating power. With Mike’s guidance, Jimmy begins to see how mastering his grip can unlock greater consistency, accuracy, and distance in his game.This session marks a significant milestone in Jimmy’s journey. By focusing on the grip, Mike equips Jimmy with a foundational skill that will improve every aspect of his swing. With this newfound knowledge and practice, Jimmy is poised to take his game to the next level.

Perfect Your Grip Step By Step

From the set up take the club back to waist high on the backswing. At this point when your lead arm is parallel to the ground you should have a 90 degree angle between the club shaft and your lead arm. Then swing down through impact and into the follow through until your trail arm is parallel to the ground. Again you should have a 90 Degree angle. 

L TO L

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about a video that Ashley Malaska Moss did on the L to L Drill.Mike Malaska explains that many of the drills are slight exaggerations. When you do the L to L, you move from the ‘L’ on the backswing to ‘L’ on the follow-through and hold that position. However, if your body stops, the momentum of the club swinging through will cause the club to turn or flip over.Mike demonstrates from straight-on, where you can see the rotation in his arms. This is what they were asking about.When Mike does the L to L, he doesn’t swing hard and holds the ‘L’ on both sides. That way, his arms are stopping, and he is able to do the drill.If he goes to full speed while doing the L to L, then some rotation in the arms will happen. The momentum of the club will take over as it swings through on the follow-through.Again, drills are exaggerations. Mike actually likes to see people do the L to L drill while loosely holding the club in their fingers. Mike explains that this is so that you can feel the momentum and weight of the club, making your wrists hinge, unhinge, and rehinge. This is better than trying to hold the club too tight and start hanging on the club with your shoulders. Drills like the ‘Look Cool’ drill help you create the momentum of the club.Start holding the club loosely, then add a little structure and tension until you find the correct pressure when doing the L to L. That’s how you build it.Remember, the L to L is a slight exaggeration. Some things wouldn’t happen in full swing. Mike also notes that because your body stops, your wrists will rehinge earlier than they would in full swing.The L to L is there for a reason and is a slight exaggeration, but if you master it, it will pay big dividends.

L to L is an Exaggeration

Mike Malaska introduces the M-System Lite M2: The Lever System.The Lever System is the most important part of M2 and the M-System. This is where you generate distance and speed from your irons and clubs.Mike demonstrates what the Lever System looks like, swinging an iron loosely, horizontally in front of him, from side to side. He looks very flippy with his hands as he swings the iron back and forth. However, this is how the Tour Players swing. Most amateurs tend to drag their hands throughout the swing.&nbsp;Mike explains that people don’t let the momentum of the club go and let the lever system work. This is how you create speed.Mike now drops the club down to the ground, applies the same motion/swing of the lever system, and hits a ball. Mike hits the ball 110 yards with little effort using the lever system.Even though the practice swings look flippy, they take on a different look once you add your body into the equation. The swing looks more fluid. Mike feels like he is doing the same thing. One of the biggest things he has learned in 60 years is what you feel like you are doing and what you see are very different.Mike now shows us a drill that puts the Lever System together, which is the L to L.First, make sure your grip is on correctly. As Mike demonstrates, the grip goes primarily in your fingers. People say it’s a strong grip, but really, it’s how your arm straightens and all your joints line up. Your right palm goes right on the back of your left thumb. Your right hand faces the target because it moves like a throwing or pushing action. Your left hand acts more like a chopping action.Once you get your hands on it, the lever can work correctly. Mike swings the club back and creates an ‘L’ with his arms and club on the backswing, then swings through to create the same ‘L’ on the follow-through. This is the L to L. Mike demonstrates the L to L, and you can see how the swing mirrors itself.It is important to be able to do this drill and let the momentum of the club rehinge your wrists. This should be an easy drill, but most people struggle because they tighten up and let their shoulders pull.This drill is monumental relative to distance, consistency, and the ability to relax and gain a lot of distance and speed.

M-System Lite M2-The Lever System

Creating width is not a matter of how far you can move the clubhead from your body, it is how far you can distance the club handle from your chest. Creating width is the first step to increasing distance with your driver.

Adding Distance With The Driver

The M-System is a 5-tier instructional plan designed to simplify the game and build your skills for every type of swing. It doesn&rsquo;t matter if you&rsquo;re just starting out or if you have been playing for years at a high level. We&rsquo;ll go step-by-step through every aspect of the sport from basic setup to advanced theory and swing drills. Each video explores a new aspect of the game to give you a greater understanding of what&rsquo;s happening when your club hits the ball. Every level increases its focus as you increase your ability. I promise you, golf is not overly difficult. You just have to unlock the game that works best for you. And this is exactly what The M-System is designed to do.

M-System

The arms move the club out, as the body rotates. In this way, the full swing is a blend of arms and body.

THE BLEND OF ARMS AND BODY

The right shoulder levels out as it goes through the ball.

HOW THE RIGHT SHOULDER WORKS

Developing the skills for the short games are the same skills and or tasks that you use in the full swing. This is the basis for the full swing. Small swing success before big swing success. Plus your short game is where about 50 to 60 % of your scoring comes from. It is the area that you can make the most improvement the fastest and the biggest impact on your score.

Skill Pathways-Short Game

The Focus of the Month can be inspired by a number of things. It might come from something a tour player is doing &mdash; maybe someone who&rsquo;s winning right now &mdash; and there&rsquo;s something in their swing that&rsquo;s really valuable. Sometimes I&rsquo;ll look at that and say, &ldquo;Okay, here&rsquo;s what you can take from this&hellip; and here&rsquo;s what you shouldn&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
 It could also be based on a swing technique or something that&rsquo;s trending in the golf world. I've been through a lot of these patterns, so I can say, &ldquo;I see how this could help, but here&rsquo;s the part that actually makes sense &mdash; the part that&rsquo;s really going to help your game.&rdquo;
 Sometimes it&rsquo;s about the time of year. Where are we in the season? What should your Focus of the Month be right now based on that?
 Now here&rsquo;s the great part: Every single Focus of the Month connects back to content on Malaska Golf. Everything I have you work on will be found in one of the Malaska Golf videos. There&rsquo;s nothing random here &mdash; it&rsquo;s all inside the site. And in the process, you&rsquo;ll learn how to use the site more effectively, how to learn more efficiently.
 That&rsquo;s really what I&rsquo;m hoping it does. It gets you thinking. It brings up questions. And the answers? They&rsquo;re in the site &mdash; or inside the M-System. This approach is powerful because it keeps you engaged. It gives you small, targeted things to focus on &mdash; and you start to see results. You might think, Why did that small adjustment improve my game so much? And when you want to understand why &mdash; the answer is right there in the M-System.

Focus of the Month (May, 25)

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 latest additions to the Ask Malaska Golf Collection.

Ask Malaska Golf-What's New

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

Teaching Better

Take an alignment stick place it on the club shaft so it extends longer than the grip end. Then set up to the ball with the stick touching your lead side. Make your backswing. Once you reach the the end of your backswing. Now make the shaft pivot behind and touch your trail side. This will work the club out into the correct arch to run into the ball. This is a feeling that offsets the change of direction and gets the club in the correct arch. Rather than dragging the handle forward and having to catch the club up. 

ASHLEY - DIRECTING THE MOMENTUM OF THE CLUB

Core Content

Elite Content

In the final video of the John Lang Player Lesson series with Mike Malaska, the focus is on refining posture, grip, and the effective use of levers to create a consistent and efficient swing. This lesson ties together the concepts introduced earlier, emphasizing the importance of consistency and simplicity in both setup and swing execution. Practical drills are introduced to help John internalize these adjustments and build a repeatable, reliable motion.The session begins with a drill designed to improve posture and swing mechanics. By choking down on the club, John is forced to bend more from the hips to reach the ball, creating the correct spine angle and alignment for a proper swing. Mike demonstrates how pushing the handle of the club downward during the takeaway allows the clubhead to rise naturally into the correct position. This motion prevents the club from going off-plane and helps John maintain a consistent swing arc. Through this drill, John begins to feel how the correct mechanics differ from his previous swing, which relied too heavily on his back and lacked efficiency.Mike emphasizes the importance of using visual aids, such as shadows, mirrors, or windows, to monitor posture and swing motion. These tools allow John to observe his movements during practice and ensure he maintains proper alignment and setup. Mike demonstrates how to identify and correct posture issues by observing reflections, ensuring consistency in every practice session.Addressing John’s left-eye dominance, Mike explains how turning the head slightly to keep the left eye focused on the ball helps compensate for the loss of depth perception due to vision issues. This adjustment is modeled after left-eye dominant golfers like Jack Nicklaus, who maintain head stability through impact for better visibility and control. Mike notes that while John may lose sight of the ball after impact, this adjustment allows him to maintain focus during the critical moments of the swing.As the lesson progresses, Mike ties the adjustments back to three fundamental areas: grip, posture, and the lever system. He explains that holding the club in the fingers, rather than the palms, and avoiding gripping at the very end of the club ensures better control and consistency. Proper posture, achieved by pushing the hips back, creates the necessary angles for the shoulders to rotate correctly, preventing the swing from going flat or off-plane. The lever system, reinforced through drills, focuses on pushing the handle down to lift the clubhead, allowing for a more powerful and efficient arc.Mike stresses that good golfers are disciplined in their approach, maintaining consistency in grip, posture, alignment, and setup. Variations in these fundamentals lead to inconsistencies in the swing arc and impact position. By repeatedly practicing the drills and maintaining discipline in these areas, John can build muscle memory and confidence in his swing.The session concludes with Mike recommending further practice with the M-System, particularly the M2 section, to continue developing an understanding of lever mechanics and hand movement. He encourages John to focus on the simplicity of the adjustments and repeat them consistently to refine his game. By mastering these fundamentals, John is equipped to maintain and build on the progress made during the lesson series.This final lesson leaves John with a clear understanding of how to approach his practice and play, emphasizing consistency, proper mechanics, and the importance of deliberate, focused effort in building a reliable and effective swing.

Refine Setup For Power

Plus Content

Joe Nichols is someone you may not have heard about, but is someone you should know.  His knowledge for improving your game is unparalleled and has influenced Mike's teaching and understanding of the golf swing.  Find out more in this video.

INTRODUCTION TO JOE NICHOLS

Fixing problems in the downswing by fixing the backswing.

Doug Jackson

Ask Malaska Golf: Stand the Club Up Drill In this episode of Ask Malaska Golf, Mike Malaska is joined by Malaska Golf Certified Coach Austin Graham to answer a question from member Rob Saxe: &ldquo;How do I properly use the Stand the Club Up or Corner Drill?&rdquo; This drill is a key part of the M-System, designed to help you train the transition from backswing to downswing. It teaches you how to get the club into the right position early, so you can stay on path and let the club shallow naturally without manipulation. What You&rsquo;ll Learn in This Video: &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;How to feel your arms dropping while the clubhead moves slightly outward at the top of the swing &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why standing the club up too much puts it in front of you, while letting it fall underneath drags it behind &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;A simple checkpoint: if the clubshaft points at the ball in transition, you&rsquo;re likely in a great position &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;How to exaggerate the feel to find your ideal arc and swing balance &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why the right transition feel creates a swing that is free, athletic, and naturally shallow &ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t about forcing the club to shallow. If you change directions at the right time and feel the motion, it will happen on its own.&rdquo; &ndash; Austin Graham &ldquo;With every drill, you have to understand what it&rsquo;s fixing and what it&rsquo;s building. This one is about getting the club in the right arc early.&rdquo; &ndash; Mike Malaska Key Takeaway: The M-System helps you master transition fundamentals like path and position, so you can maximize swing efficiency and maintain a balanced arc throughout the motion. The Stand the Club Up, Shallow It Out drill is essential for players who struggle with early extension, over-the-top moves, or inconsistent contact.

Stand The Club Up Drill

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know about The Loop Drill and its purpose.

When you watch Tour Players on their backswing, by the time the club gets waist high and parallel to the ground, the clubhead is even with or to the golf ball side of their hands. No one has the club pointed back behind their body. The club must come up over the top on the downswing if you do this. Some players like Craig Stadler and Sam Snead swung their club like that; however, they were able to get the clubhead back on track on the downswing.

As the clubhead goes back, the club is constantly moving away from the ball. Their shoulders and hips are back when they change directions, and the club starts to shallow or loop on the downswing. This allows them to come in at the right angle of approach to the ball. The clubhead is completing more of a circle than their arms. The clubhead is making a good-sized loop.

Mike demonstrates this loop with a wedge, a fairway wood, and a driver. If you get the loop action going, your club automatically shallows the club.

LOOP DRILL SHALLOWING THE CLUB

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

Doug Roberts is a PGA Class-A Member since 1996 and is currently rated by Golf Digest as the #1 Golf Instructor in Utah. He is a 2-time recipient of the Utah PGA Teacher-of-the-Year award. Doug is a Certified Staff Instructor for Malaska Golf and excelled for 25 years as a
Trainer and Instructor for the Jack Nicklaus Academies conducting golf schools in 14 countries and in 30 states across the USA. He is a National Staff Member of PXG, a Master Staff Instructor for the Patriot Golf Schools and is a FlightScope Certified Instructor.

Doug is a former Director of Instruction for the TPC of Scottsdale, the Estancia Club in Scottsdale, Victory Ranch in Park City and the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf at The Ledges. He is a past Lead Instructor and Video Analysis Specialist for the Nicklaus/Flick, ESPN and Jim Flick Premier Golf Schools and former director of Nike Junior Golf Camps in Utah. He leads his own popular golf schools, clinics and private lessons at The Promontory Club in Park City, Utah and also at The Entrada Club in St. George, Utah.

Doug played basketball, baseball &amp; football in his formative years before deciding to focus on his golf skills. These skills would lead him to be a 2-time All-Conference player at the University of Utah and play in the NCAA National Championships. He owns individual tournament wins at the Junior, Amateur and Professional levels. This blend of experience from playing competitively, to working alongside some of the game’s greatest instructors has provided Doug with the expertise to help all levels of players use natural forces and find athletic success in their golf.

Malaska Certified-Doug Roberts

Baseball can give you a feel for where you should be at impact. Start to feel what your right arm needs to do.

PRACTICING IMPACT WITH BASEBALL

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

M1-Swing Concepts

Tennis and golf are very similar. Feel how lining up your right arm is key to a solid hit.

PRACTICING IMPACT WITH TENNIS

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

YOU ARE NOT YOUR SCORE

Set up and toss a ball behind you using your right and left hands. Doing this will teach you the feel of the backswing and get the club on the correct arc. 

BALL TOSS

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

Nibley Park Golf Course is the first course I ever played golf on. Learn how it shaped me into the player I am today.

Nibley Park

The M5 Coaching Series by Mike Malaska introduces a focused, deliberate approach to practicing on the range. Emphasizing the importance of control and consistency over speed, this video guides golfers on building effective habits for long-term improvement. By utilizing structured setups, deliberate motions, and visual cues, players can train their hands, clubface, and body to work in harmony.
Mike stresses the importance of starting with small, controlled motions, such as waggling the club to train hand and wrist movements. This foundational action ensures the clubface maintains proper alignment and avoids twisting during the swing. Gradual progression from chip shots to full swings helps establish consistency while reinforcing proper mechanics. Visual aids like alignment sticks and target markers create clear paths for the club and ball, improving accuracy and feedback.
Consistent routines, including grip, posture, ball position, and swing patterns, are vital for reliable outcomes. Mike highlights that random practice leads to inconsistent results, while disciplined, repetitive practice develops muscle memory and dependable performance. By focusing on precision and gradually adding speed, golfers can make lasting improvements in their swing and ball striking.

M5 Coaching Series-Practice On The Range

A Malaska Golf member wants to know how to shape up his game.

Mike suggests you begin by working on your grip; however, he wants to focus on the swing first.

To begin, drop your right foot back and start making swings, doing the "L to L" drill. Make the "L" on your backswing and the "Reverse L" on the follow-through.

Most people struggle because when they swing, their body takes off, and they can't get back square to impact. The lever system is a great drill to make this work and doesn't put your chest out in front of the club.

Mike sets up, his right foot back, and makes the "L to L" swing as he hits the ball. This drill should be easy to do. It doesn't help to go any further if you struggle with this. This skill is crucial to help you to master the full swing.

Practice the "L to "L" Drill on the range before you go out to play.

SHAPE UP YOUR GAME

A Malaska Golf Member has an observation about the downswing. He notices that when you change directions, the handle comes down before you twist.Mike Malaska says that this is ideal. One of the worst things you can do is immediately twist your body before the club starts down as you start down on your swing. People struggle with this in the golf swing.A great drill to learn how to feel the arms drop is to set up to the ball with your right foot back, let your arms drop, and run the club into the ball. Your shoulders need to be relaxed in order to do this.When it comes to your full swing, Mike demonstrates the reason the arms drop. Mike starts his back swing; his shoulders are turned, his wrists are hinged, and his club goes up. When he starts to change direction, Mike’s pelvis starts to move a little laterally, and when this happens, his spine angle tilts. When this happens, the shoulders tilt, and your arms will drop. It is what your lower body is doing that makes your arms drop.Again, you want your arms to drop. Many Tour Players move the club handle away and down, and then everything twists into the ball together. One of the worst things you can do is have your body outrun the club. You want your body and clubface to stay together.

How and Why Your Arms Drop

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the backswing. Sometimes, his arms get too far back behind him. The member wants to know a drill that he can use to make the club do what it’s supposed to do.When Mike takes the club back, the club gets behind his hands, and his arms and hands swing back and straight up; that’s okay. That’s how Mike takes the club away. He doesn’t necessarily bring it back and make a loop with it.Mike swings back with the club in line with his hands and then moves it behind his hands, demonstrating this.He is swinging the club on a line (arc), and his shoulders keep this all in sync.The problem most people have is that their shoulders don’t turn on the same arc of the swing, but they turn back. This is what gets most people in trouble.Holding an alignment stick with your golf club is a good drill for feeling how your club works and getting your shoulders steep enough. Mike holds the stick together with his club, and the stick extends up past the handle and the back of his belt.&nbsp;The key to this drill is to take the club back. As you do this, you have to get the stick off your hip and make it swing down on the other hip. When you do this, your shoulders turn steeper. Mike again demonstrates the swing with the alignment stick on the end of the golf club.Again, this is a great drill to help you turn your shoulders steeper instead of turning your shoulders and arms back.

Don't Turn Your Shoulders

Ball Position is a vital part of The M-System series. Mike Malaska walks us through how using different clubs, from your driver to your wedges, affects ball position in your setup. Mike builds a practice station for you to follow to help with ball placement and how you line up your body to the ball. Mike&rsquo;s approach from 120 yards out is consistent with hitting from his left side. As Mike gets into fairway woods, rescue clubs, and his driver, the approach and ball position are more forward, and both legs come into play. The golf swing is a circle, and the ball position and angle of attack change with the club.

Ball Position

The driver and putter are the two most important clubs in the bag. With the driver, it is essential to hit the ball a decent distance and control where it goes off the tee. It is crucial to get started the right way. You can't play the game if you can't hit your driver well. It won't put you in a position to chip or putt the ball because you are out of play all the time. Learning to hit the driver well is paramount to playing the game. Hitting a driver well is the most enjoyable part; everyone likes to see how far the ball goes. The problem is that what people perceive will make the ball go farther and what makes the driver move fast is incorrect. What people attempt to do with tension and effort to make the club move faster actually slows the club down. When you put everything together, you can have fun with how the driver works, how those forces work, hitting the ball farther, and controlling the golf ball. When you go through The M-System Driver series, you will learn different parts of what you are trying to do to get the right feel of swinging the driver. If you get out of sequence and one part doesn't work, and you try to make the ball go far or create more speed, then you are creating speed the wrong way. This is harder to control the clubface and to be able to have fun. Getting off the tee successfully and getting the ball in play can make the driver the most important club in the bag.

Driver

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about feeling relative to where his hands are pointed. This is a really good question, as Mike always says, ‘Your hands control the golf swing.’ If you can control what your hands do, then there is a good chance the clubface will work.Now, if you aren’t connected to what your hands are doing or your grip, you are trying to do everything with your hips. Your hips don’t control the face.The Member’s comment is that as he is working on grip, line of compression, and impact, he feels like his left palm at impact is facing down and more into him, as opposed to facing out and up.Mike talks about what hurt him in golf. He had had his grip changed, and as he came into the ball, he had to bow his wrists.Mike got pretty good at this until he broke his wrist and tore a tendon. This was Mike compromising that joint.Now, instead of facing down, Mike’s palm is facing toward his leg. Mike said that what the member is feeling with his palm is a really good thing.If your grip is correct, it is a chopping action with your left hand and wrist. Your palm will be facing in if you do it this way. As you swing through, your arms straighten, and the release action is up. You don’t twist or rotate the club as you swing through. There is a big difference.If you use the grip Mike talks about, your joints line up, you hit the ball, and your hands work. It’s a good feeling to have your palm facing down and toward you, then toward the sky.

Hands Control the Golf Swing

A Malaska Golf Member recently had an aha moment when he started to feel how the handle of the club comes down and moves the club out in front of him. He wasn’t dragging the handle.Mike says he knows some people teach this concept, and in fact, Mike did it for a big part of his career. The problem with this is that if the inside circle, your body gets way ahead of the clubhead, you will have a hard time catching the face up.Jake Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and others felt that starting the club released the club from the top. As the club started away, it worked back out in front of you instead of getting underneath. This got you ‘stuck.’Again, once you change directions and get the club out in front of you, the handle comes down, and the clubhead works out. This allows you to get to impact. You should feel like your chest and club are going through the swing together, as opposed to getting your hand way out ahead of you.Mike demonstrates the swing, and he iterates that the club and your chest go through the ball at the same time.Now, if you look at it on video, it doesn’t look that way, as the club is moving much faster. This is what it feels like to Mike, and it keeps the club in sync. You don't have to catch the club up or twist the face to get the ball to go straight.

Transition of the Club

A Malaska Golf Member has a question about Moe Norman and Ben Hogan. Mike has had the opportunity to see them both hit golf balls.

Back in the 80s, Moe Norman hit balls for Mike at the finals of the Tour School. He hit balls for 45 minutes, and Mike was amazed
at how good Moe could hit it. Mike was also able to see Ben Hogan hit balls for about 15 minutes, and that experience was unbelievable.

The Member's question is about hand action. Did they both have the same hand action and lever system? They did not.

Moe had the club more in the palm of his hand as he had big grips on his clubs. He flattened or bowed his left wrist when he took the club away. Then, as he turned into the ball, he hit it and released the club on the follow-through. Moe didn't twist his forearm. Mike demonstrates how Moe sets up and hits the ball.

Hogan had a much weaker grip, and as he took the ball away, he would have a little cup in his left wrist. He wanted the clubface to be on the swing plane with his right palm facing out. Moe Norman's right palm was facing down. Because of this, Norman had much less face rotation in the club than Hogan did.

When Hogan took the club back, he had a lot of rotation in his forearms, palms facing up, and then he rotated his forearms really hard through the ball. This looked a lot looser in his wrists.

Now, Mike demonstrates Ben Hogan's swing.
Mike tried to imitate that same swing for a long time early in his career. Mike had difficulty timing the rotation of the forearms for that style of swing. The benefit of this swing style was that it helped Hogan not to hook the ball. Hogan wanted a hand action, an application that felt like he had two right arms. He wanted to be able to rotate his forearms as hard as he could and not hit a pull hook. This will work for you, but it isn't easy to time the clubface.

The two swings were very different, but where they were similar was if you stopped them both at impact. This is the most important position in the game, and there are many ways to get there. Moe Norman and Ben Hogan were very different but also very proficient in their golf swings.

Ben Hogan and Moe Norman

Toski on Ben Hogan Photo Part 1 - The Left Side

Ben Hogan-The Left Side

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

FACE CONTROL DRILL

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.

Two Swing Types

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald is subbing in to answer “Ask Mike’s” from Beverley County Club in Chicago. A member has made a comment about, ‘it’s not flipping.’Billy said he is absolutely right. What the member is talking about is how the golf club works back and forth in the swing.The clubhead has both the farthest and longest to travel, so it will have the most amount of speed. The grip end doesn’t have nearly as far to travel and if it goes the same speed as the clubhead we wouldn’t have any clubhead speed.We are talking about these levers, where the grip end acts as a pivot point for the clubface. Mike Malaska refers to this as the snap of a towel.Billy demonstrates his hand, simulating snapping a towel. When you change directions, the opposite end of the towel you are holding accelerates. This is the same thing that happens in the golf swing.Billy demonstrates in slow motion how this works. As the clubface goes up the plane line, the grip end slows down to accommodate the face going up. The clubface matches your spine angle, which is going to be square to the target. At no point is the clubface flipping or twisting throughout the swing.Again, as you swing back, the clubface goes up the plane line, and the grip end slows down so the club can pivot. As you change directions at the top, the clubface is still square. Again, the grip end slows down, which makes the face speed up in the ball. On the follow-through, the clubface accelerates. For some, it may feel that the grip end is slowing down. It certainly isn’t going as fast as the face of the club.Some people who are notorious for pulling the handle and turning on their shoulders never feel the acceleration of the clubface and how that relates to the grip. Billy says he understands when people say it feels like a flip, but a flip is when the clubface turns over. The face rotation is minimal and stays square to the arc, and now Billy is providing the snap effect of the towel feeling in the swing. The grip provides the pivot point, and the club accelerates.Billy makes practice swings so you can see the clubface accelerate through the golf ball. The grip slows down, and it hinges as you swing back. Billy shows you where you feel the ‘snap of the towel effect' and feel the clubface take off; the grip slows down and then rehinges on the follow-through.It feels like a flip, and for some people, this is a good thing because they are feeling their hands more and the acceleration of the face, and they just don’t realize it yet. If you spend some time with this, you will see the golf ball travel straighter and farther than you ever thought.

Don't Flip the Club

Mike Malaska talks about the change of direction in a golf swing. He believes there is no "top of the swing," just a start and a finish. 

There is a point and time in the backswing at the club transition point where inertia takes over, and you start on the downswing. This should be one fluid motion, so think of the "top of the swing" as "the club transition point."

If you change directions correctly, that's what drops your arms and gets the club coming down perfectly into the ball. You will come over the top if you change directions incorrectly or too late.

A great way to practice change of direction is to use an Eye Coach tennis machine, where you can practice your forehand with a tennis racket. As Mike swings and hits the ball, the racket goes back, and he moves forward.

That same timing and motion are identical to a golf swing. As Mike swings the golf club back, he steps forward. This change of direction is a continuous athletic motion. It is not wrong to practice the transition point, but when your mind thinks to swing to the top and start down, you won't be able to get to your left side soon enough.

This same concept applies to multiple sports, such as baseball, hockey, soccer, and golf.

USING A TENNIS SWING MACHINE TO PRACTICE TRANSITION

In the third video of John Lang’s player lesson series with Mike Malaska, the focus shifts to refining John’s grip, posture, and swing path to create a more efficient and repeatable motion. This lesson highlights the importance of maintaining a proper spine angle, using a correct grip, and ensuring the shoulders rotate on the proper plane for consistent ball striking. Through posture drills and adjustments, John begins to improve his setup and swing mechanics, laying the foundation for better control and consistency.The lesson begins with an evaluation of John’s swing path. Previously, excessive hand rotation at impact was causing inconsistent ball flights and too much spin, particularly with the driver. Mike emphasizes the role of the grip in stabilizing the clubface and starts by addressing John’s hand placement. The club is adjusted to sit more in the fingers rather than the palms, with attention given to the right hand's role in pulling the palm down onto the left thumb. This creates a critical pressure point for better wrist hinge and control during the swing. Mike humorously suggests that players need a “shock device” to avoid letting the grip cap touch their hands, underscoring the importance of this adjustment.Posture becomes the next area of focus. Mike explains that John’s stance is too upright, with insufficient hip bend, causing the shoulders to rotate flat instead of on-plane. To correct this, Mike demonstrates how pushing the hips back creates the necessary spine angle and allows the arms to swing upward rather than around the body. He compares this movement to the bowing posture common in Japanese culture, where the hips naturally push back for balance. Mike instructs John to start upright, set his grip, and then push his hips back until the club reaches the ground without excessive knee bending or back rounding.Drills are introduced to help reinforce these adjustments. One drill focuses on pushing the handle of the club downward during the takeaway, which naturally raises the clubhead and keeps the swing on plane. Another drill uses a ball on the ground as a visual cue, training John to swing the clubhead over the ball on the backswing and return inside it on the downswing. These drills provide immediate feedback, helping John internalize the proper movements and build muscle memory.As John practices, Mike emphasizes that the correct posture and grip are non-negotiable elements of a good swing. He points out that starting from an improper setup leads to compensations, such as sliding hips or flat shoulder rotation, which disrupt the swing plane. By starting from a proper setup, John can achieve a dynamic and effective swing.The session concludes with John hitting several shots while applying the new adjustments. His improved posture and grip result in more consistent and controlled swings. Mike encourages John to continue practicing these changes, emphasizing the importance of repetition and deliberate effort in building a reliable and efficient swing.Through a combination of clear explanations, practical drills, and immediate feedback, this lesson equips John with the tools to improve his swing mechanics and develop a more confident and consistent game.

Better Posture, Better Swing

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

When we talk about release. We are not taking about letting go of the club. We are talking about how your hands direct the momentum of the club to the ball. And how they react to that momentum as the club goes through the ball and into the finish. So the question is how do your hands work or direct the momentum of the club.

Release the Club

If you know how to practice, and you know what type of practice stations to set up, and what type of aids you need to give you feed back, you will start to see some amazing progress. Most players do not know how to practice. They think practicing is just hitting balls. That becomes a plan for failure. Lets make a plan for success.

M5-How to Practice

Foot action lets you transfer ground for effectively through your body.  Start to get a feel of this by keeping your feet flat and making swings with the club.

THE FIRST STEP

When you set up to the ball your trail wrist is at a 90 degree angle to your swing arch. As you swing back to waist high your trail wrist is still at a 90 degree angel to the swing arch. As your arm swings to the top of your swing your trail arm externally rotates in your shoulder socket. That rotation makes the club face look as thought it has opened up. Then as you swing down the arm internally rotates back so that at waist high the wrist is back to a 90 degree angle to the arch. It then stays in that same relationship until waist high on the follow through. At that point your lead arm continues to externally rotate. 

SWING ARC

If you stay on your left side when you hit the ball 100 yards in, is it ok to do that with all your clubs?

Mike says this is the Stack and Tilt method, and you are basically playing off your left foot. Force is going from right to left. You aren't trying to hit the ball as far as you can, but you are trying to control trajectory as much as possible.

Mike stands on his left foot and swings from 100 to 120 yards. When he gets outside that range and is still on his left side, he finds it harder to get the ball in the air. Also, Mike can't hit the ball as far.

When you are creating speed, it comes from the ground up. When you swing left, right, left, that whole change of force is a considerable speed producer that goes through your body.

If you stand on your left side, you have eliminated the loading of the shaft, and you won't hit the ball as far. You will hit the ball a little lower and more to the right.

Golf is about a blend of motions and actions. When Mike is hitting short shots, he hits from his left side. If he hits his driver with the same setup, he could hit it fine, but he wouldn't get the distance. Using the left, right, left motion allows Mike to pressure the shaft and become a big speed producer.

It's the change of direction in your body and the force it puts into your club.

Playing on your left side is a way to play, but after 100 yards, you will have to give up distance and speed.

 STANDING ON YOUR LEFT SIDE

Using his 7 iron, Austin moves from the ROTEXMotion Floor discs to the floor, applying what he has learned.

Mike says this is how you should practice. Use the ROTEXMotion Floor discs, then transfer that swing motion to the floor. It has been a great coaching aid for Mike and his students. The rotating of the feet on the discs gets your hips to move correctly. This also helps you to feel where the force is going.

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Austin makes more swings with his 7 iron and puts the timing of his swing together. Austin talks about how his backswing felt wobbly a few weeks ago, but now after using the discs, it feels perfect.

Mike also notes that when you are on the discs, your right leg straightens, then pushes your right hip up and tilts your shoulders. This throws your arms up in the backswing allowing your shoulder and hip planes to work parallel. This all should be a free-flowing motion. It’s like swinging on an elevated plane; your swing should feel level.

7 IRON OFF THE DISCS

Mike Malaska has a Player Lesson with Javier Montoya. Javier has had problems shanking the ball or pulling the ball to the left with his irons and driver. Mike notices Javier tends to swing from the inside, and his clubface is open at impact. Mike works with a drill to lever the club and to get Javier to stand the club up on the backswing and the follow-through. Another thing Mike does to help Javier feel the club release upwards is by doing the Look Cool Drill. These few drills improve Javier&rsquo;s swing dramatically.

Javier Montoya- Player Lesson

Knowing how the handle and bounce works are the first things to gain familiarity with for hitting these lob shots. Here's how you practice that.

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS FOR HITTING LOB SHOTS

How your body moves is an important part of the swing. It is also a big speed and control producer (if it works correctly). However, if it is trained incorrectly it can make it almost impossible to reach your speed and control potential. It can also potentially create patterns that can lead to injury.

Ask Malaska Golf-Body Motion

From 130 to 120 yards and in. Force is in front foot. No force transfer. You rotate on your lead leg. The swing because of ball position is slightly downward. Right foot or trail foot is for balance and stability not speed.

INSIDE 120 YARDS

Do sports really connect? Well, your body is a pattern machine.

Let's talk about fitness, nutrition, and how it all works together.

There are two basic movement patterns:
1. Throw (or Lag in Golf)
2. Hit (Impact)

Baseball and Golf Connect
Tennis and Golf Connect
Basketball and Golf Connect
Hockey and Golf Connect
Soccer and Golf Connect
PickleBall and Golf Connect
Bowling and Golf Connect
Ping-Pong and Golf Connect
Football and Golf Connect
Racquetball and Golf Connect

SPORTS CONNECT™

Sports Connect Overview

Every green can be divided into four quadrants.

MAPPING THE QUADRANTS

Putting first establish line of compression. Then develop posture. Now your trail forearm pushes the shaft through the ball. Then you allow your wrist to flex and extend not twist. Now make the ball roll and finally find your tempo and maintain it.

PUTTING SUMMARY

Putting is the basis for the entire swing. Having an understanding and being able to attain the skills necessary to hit a putt with consistency, efficiency and also being able to duplicate it under pressure. This is the basis for the full swing. Many things that go on in an efficient putting stroke also happen in a driver swing.

Putting

Learning how to integrate how your hands and arms work, with how your body moves. This is a step-by-step process. If you follow the process then having them work together is fairly easy to develop. If you do not train them in the correct sequence you can dramatically increase the compensation necessary to hit the ball consistently.

Ask Malaska Golf-Combining Skills

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Matt Baker based in the United Kingdom is answering a member question.We've got a question here from Richard Solman, who is talking about parallax and how it's really helped his game and improved his ability to visualize alignment. This is a fundamental aspect of improving your golf game because getting alignment right is crucial. There's an old saying: "What you see, your brain receives, and then your body reacts." What you're seeing at address is often different from what's actually happening or what's correct, and it's important to understand that.Parallax refers to the difference in perception when you're standing behind the ball, aligning yourself towards your target. You can even practice this in a net. When I address the ball, my eyes have a different perception of where my start point is. Where my start line is crucial, and when I look at the target from here, it might appear far left of where my actual target line is due to parallax. However, I know that everything is aligned squarely toward my target.It's very important to get this correct and to work on it. Using alignment aids like lines or sticks down the fairway will help you get a better visual of what you're aiming for. If I'm standing over the ball and perceive the target as left of where I intend to start the ball, my body will naturally react to that perception. I'll end up swinging to the left, thinking I'm correcting the aim, but that's why it's essential to practice alignment.Some people like to use a marker; for example, I can use the end of my stick. Others might use a spot in front of them. However, when I'm standing here and looking at it, it might seem way off to the right, like it's hitting the side of the net, when it’s right online. That's parallax, and it's crucial to work on this so your body reacts correctly at address.Focus on your start point, and your body will react by starting the ball on the right line. Mastering parallax and alignment is essential; it's the basic 101 of alignment that every golfer needs to learn.

Parallax: Key To Accurate Shots

The key to creating speed is staying relaxed and swinging without tension. Mike Malaska suggests that words like "trying to hit the ball harder" or "pound the ball" impact how you swing. People usually tighten up when they try to hit the ball harder. Thinking about it from the perspective of creating speed will help.

Mike tells a story of how sprinters in relays would start to grip the batons tighter as they tried to go faster. This actually made them slower because just gripping the baton harder created tension in the shoulders, neck, head, and body. They learned that when they accelerated and didn't tighten up their hands, that made them faster.

Gravity plays a role in creating speed. This principle applies to golf too. Hold your driver above your head with both hands and drop it. As you can see, it produces quite a bit of acceleration. If you want to create a lot of speed, make sure on your backswing that you get your right hip out of the way and shoulders turned.

Also, ensure that your arms go up because if they do, they must come down, creating a downward force. If you pin your arms against your side and have a shallower swing, you may have more control, but you won't have any speed. When you come down, your left leg plants and stops the forward motion, just like in a baseball swing. Your left leg pushes back your left hip and accelerates the club through the ball. When you hit a golf ball, it's not about driving your legs or spinning your hips.

Mike takes us through a few steps to create speed and more distance. First, get set up and get your right hip out of the way on the backswing. Make sure that you are using the lever system. Make some practice swings and get a feel for how that flow works. Now, as you come down, focus on your left leg pushing your left hip out of the way. Make some practice swings. To get your maximum distance, ensure you have enough arm swing and that your arms are soft.

Combine all the steps and accelerate the club forward. Remember, no tension, get out of the way, let your arms swing up so they can drop, and then time your left hip getting out of the way as your club comes through the ball. You will create the maximum amount of speed out of your arm swing, body motion, and the lever system.

CREATING SPEED

The pivot or rotation of the body has to be in sync with the club motion. The key with pitching is as the club moves through impact your lead leg pushes your lead hip socket farther away from the ball than it was at address. Also your trail shoulder moves level not down through impact. Timing these three motions. The swinging of the club. The movement of the lead hip and how the trail shoulder works. All in harmony is one of the main tasks in all swings.