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The Director of Distance series is a comprehensive 11-part masterclass designed specifically for experienced golfers who want to add serious yardage to their drives. Presented by World Long Drive Champion Justin James and Golf Digest Top Instructor Mike Malaska, this exclusive series blends long drive mechanics, proven swing fundamentals, and the structured learning progression of the M-System. Together, Justin and Mike provide a powerful system that helps you harness your body&rsquo;s full athletic potential to generate more speed, power, and consistency.
 This series goes far beyond simply "swinging harder." Instead, it takes a methodical, athletic approach rooted in biomechanics, sequencing, and real-world experience. You&rsquo;ll learn the Five Gears of Speed&mdash;a progressive framework that starts with basic hand control and gradually builds to explosive full-body movement and maximum speed generation. With each step, you&rsquo;ll learn to layer new swing elements while maintaining control and efficiency.
 Justin contributes expert-level insights into strength training, force production, neurological priming, and ground mechanics&mdash;all vital components of optimizing driver distance. He shares the same training concepts he uses in long drive competition and when coaching elite athletes. Mike Malaska anchors the system with world-class instruction that&rsquo;s grounded in human movement and athletic patterning. He connects modern speed mechanics with foundational M-System movements, helping you master the golf swing from the inside out.
 Each video includes detailed breakdowns, specific swing drills, warm-up routines, key terminology (like attack angle, club path, and face angle), and mental cues that you can apply immediately. The series covers key topics like driver setup, golf grip for speed, swing sequencing, neurological activation, launch angle, and impact consistency. More than just a how-to, Director of Distance is a roadmap for developing repeatable, controlled power that holds up under pressure.
 Whether you're a competitive golfer looking for a scoring edge or a seasoned recreational player chasing 20&ndash;30 more yards off the tee, this golf training series provides a clear, actionable path. With detailed technical instruction, real-time demonstrations, and professional guidance, Director of Distance empowers you to train smarter, swing faster, and hit it farther&mdash;without compromising accuracy or risking injury.

How to Max out Your Driver

Discover

Your left thumb can create a lot of tension in your wrist, arm, and shoulder.

Mike explains how the left thumb has caused many problems in golf. He emphasizes the use of the left thumb is more for support. If you use your thumb to push down on the handle, it can cause tension.

In baseball, your thumb isn't extended in the grip. The same is for tennis. The thumb isn't on the back of the racket. Because Mike came from a baseball background, he used that same grip when he began playing golf.

When you take your thumb off and make a swing, your arms are relaxed, and it is easy to rehinge the club on the follow-through. As you put your thumb on the shaft, make sure there is no pressure. Don't push down on the shaft with your thumb; this creates tension. On the backswing, your thumb acts as a stabilizer to the shaft. When you swing down to impact, your thumb is loose, and on the follow-through, your thumb stops the club from collapsing at the end.

Mike suggests getting your thumb off your grip. Make practice swings to feel how loose your hands, wrists, and shoulders should be. If your thumb comes into play and pushes on the shaft, it will lock your elbow, wrist, and shoulder, making it hard for your hands to work on the follow-through.

Again, swing without your thumb on the shaft and switch back to using it without the tension.

PROBLEMS THE LEFT THUMB CREATES

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

Austin Graham

Elite Content

You control something with what touches it. Your hands are your only connection with the club. The more your hands become aware of and can control the face the better player you will be. Take a sand wedge. Place it in either hand. Take a ball in the other hand drop it on the face and try to bounce the ball on the face. Then change hands. Try to pick the ball up off the ground with the club head. Use two clubs and bounce the ball back and forth. Great for hand eye coordination. 

BOUNCE BALL ON FACE

Ball position is the final step to a proper setup. What you do before you swing makes a big difference.

FINDING YOUR BALL POSITION

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

A Malaska Golf Member wants to know some drills so they don’t pull their hands in on the swing instead of extending them.Most teachers who see students come into the ball and pull their arms in call this the ‘dreaded chicken wing.’Mike demonstrates how the chicken wing happens. People think that the answer is to straighten your arms on the follow-through. Mike explains this is not the case; your arms are pulling in because they must. People have more hand-eye coordination than they give themselves credit.What happens is that when people swing back, they don’t push their hips back. On the downswing, their body ends up moving closer to the ball. To hit the ball, they resort to pulling in their arms to get the clubface on the ball. Hence, the ‘chicken wing.’&nbsp;Mike explains the fix! When you swing a golf club, the thing that makes your arms straighten out is when your left hip pushes back and away. By doing this, it throws and accelerates your arms forward.When Mike has students who do the ‘chicken wing,’ he gets them to step back from address and try to hit the ball. They usually miss the first one because their arms pull in. When they hit the ball, their arms must straighten out, and the ‘dreaded chicken wing is gone.’The ‘dreaded chicken wing is an effect of people moving closer to the ball. Once you figure out that if you push your left hip back, your arms will straighten out, and the ‘chicken wing is gone.’

The Dreaded Chicken Wing

A Malaska Golf Member says he is left-handed when it comes to baseball, but he plays golf right-handed. He says his lead (left) hand is his control hand, and he wants to strengthen his trail (right) hand.

Mike says both hands have a role and a job. Mike sets up three balls and makes a swing with just his lead hand holding the club. Note the wrist action is more of a chopping motion. Mike hits the ball with only his left hand. He does this to feel how the club works and how the wrist releases into the ball.

Then Mike switches to his right hand and makes a practice swing. His right arm and hand release like a throwing motion.

Finally, Mike puts this all together with both hands on the club and hits the ball, allowing them to do what they should in unison.

Mike reiterates it isn’t about one hand or the other (right or left) but about using both in tandem. Working on this drill will help with your golf swing.

USING LEAD AND TRAIL HANDS

The latest additions to the Ask Malaska Golf Collection.

Ask Malaska Golf-What's New

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

Your hands are your swing. If you use them in a certain manner. It becomes significantly easier to control the ball. Your lead hand basically hinges and unhinges. Your trail hand flexes and extends. There is very little fact rotation relative to your swing arch. Also if your lead hand is in this hinge position it is very strong. IT is how the lead wrist is designed to hit an object with the most force and the least chance for injury. Your trail hand flexing and extending is how you throw a ball, Shoot a basketball, or throw a bowling ball.

WRIST HINGE

A deep dive into Pitching with Mike Malaska and the M-SYSTEM

Pitching

HOW TO HIT THE BALL LEFT

Set up to the ball. Then drop your trail foot back until the toe of your trail foot is even with the heel of your lead foot. As you swing back now your trail hip will be out of the way. This creates the space you need to swing your arms into. On your down swing leave your trail foot or heel on the ground. Your force or weight moves up to your lead foot but your trail heel is still on the ground. This will help you accelerate your arms faster than your center. 

RIGHT FOOT BACK

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

Plus Content

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

Introduction to Grip

Core Content

Doing certain exercises not only helps your swing but gives you an understanding of who you are motion wise. Start by lying on the ground with your feet up in a chair. Just let your lower back relax into the ground. Then breath from your diaphragm. This relaxes your body and create a neutral pelvis. Then go to your hands and knees. Pike your body up. Then try to put your heels on the ground. IF this is hard for you to do. Then you need to be careful how much angle you put in your hips in your set up. Last Kneel at a chair, put one knee at the back of the other foots heel. Then stand and straighten your legs. Keep your hands on the chair. This stretches your hamstrings. A big part of being able to maintain your spine angle in a swing.

SWING CONCEPTS - FITNESS

Hitting balls off your knees is a great way to start to put two things together. One the lever system.Two the path or plane that the club swings on. As you hit balls off your knees the first thing is to focus on the hinging, unhinging and rehanging of the wrists. Then as you hit the ball you must have the correct path into the ball. If you come over the plane. You will go right over the ball. Or drive it into the ground. If you drop the club under too much the club will hit the ground way before you get to the ball. You need perfect path. Once you do that you stand up and duplicate the feel relative to your upper body.

THROW THE CLUB DRILL - KNEES

If you just sit in a chair and take the club set it on your trail shoulder with your arms relaxed. The handle of the club is pointed straight away from you. Then just direct the momentum of the club out away from you and let the arms and wrists react. There is no of very little rotation in your body. The handle will pivot. The club head will accelerate. The lead arm will straighten then fold up. Understanding and being able to do this is what your swing really feels like. IF you add body pivot to this action you will gain a tremendous amount of club head speed.

THROW THE CLUB DRILL

There are many phrases in golf. Once you know what needs to happen, the game will become much simpler.

The Swing Plane

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

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

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

Mike Malaska introduces the M-System Lite M1: Line of Compression. Line of compression goes right into the concept of impact. To hit the ball solid, you need to compress it, which most amateurs don’t. This happens because they don’t have a great line of compression.What is line of compression? If you take a baseball bat and hit something, a tree, for instance, your arms will line up with the bat. This is because the bat stabilizes the force coming back through it.Mike says that you wouldn’t roll your wrists when you hit with a baseball bat. If you did this in golf, it would be considered an ‘over the top’ swing.Mike demonstrates what line of compression is with a baseball bat.Line of compression happens in tennis too. If you take a tennis racket and make a forehand swing, the same thing happens. Your arm lines up with where you hit the ball on the racket, and this stabilizes the force.In golf, line of compression starts with your putter. It is important to get a feel for it with putting and distance. You need to establish line of compression first with putting before you can master it with your full swing.The concept of line of compression relates right to impact, and understanding it will help you.Mike holds his putter level out in front of him so that his arm lines up with the shaft. His arm is slightly angled, a little forward, because his arm pushes the putt.Some people keep the angle in the wrist, and others let it go, but the arm still lines up with the putter.Mike now sets up to a ball with a line on it. The ball needs to roll the line. You don’t want the ball to wobble. You want a center face hit with a good path.Mike demonstrates putting the ball as his right arm pushes the shaft through the ball. Again, the key is to make the line on the ball roll. Mike sinks the putt.It is important to command line of compression first with just one arm so you are stable with the putt before you add your second hand and arm.Mike moves to the edge of the green to talk about how line of compression relates to chipping. He explains that chipping is really ‘off-green putting.’Line of compression is the same with chipping. You can see this as Mike lines up his arm with his wedge. It is on the back of the shaft and pushes the shaft through the ball.&nbsp;You don’t want your arm to twist over or underneath. Again, you are pushing the shaft through the ball.There is one change from putting to chipping, though. Mike has drawn a dot on the clubface. The key here is to put that dot on the back of the ball when you hit it.The ball will get in the air, not because you lift it, but because the loft of the clubface gets it up. Mike reminds us that chipping is a ‘lofted putt with a chipping stroke.’When Mike sets up to the ball, he likes to practice with just one hand/arm first and then move on to both. This is all about feeling the line of compression and how your right arm pushes the shaft through the ball.Mike reminds us that the line of compression starts with putting and chipping. Then, you learn to compress the ball and get it in the air with the club.This is a big concept to master, and it applies to every iron and club in your bag, including a full swing with a driver.

M-System Lite M1-Line Of Compression

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

The M5 Coaching Series highlights the importance of dynamic movement and balance in your golf swing, dispelling the myth that feet should remain static during play. Mike Malaska encourages golfers to embrace movement, just like in other sports such as baseball, tennis, and bowling, where footwork plays a critical role in fluidity and power. Practicing with a step-back, step-forward motion can help develop better body mechanics and improve swing transitions.
Dynamic balance allows your feet to naturally adjust within your shoes, facilitating proper force distribution and maintaining stability throughout the swing. Overly static feet can lead to an over-reliance on the upper body, resulting in inefficient motion and poor control. Instead, golfers should learn to minimize unnecessary foot movement while still allowing for natural dynamics to support the swing.
Mike emphasizes that watching professional golfers reveals the importance of foot movement in achieving balance and power. By incorporating dynamic footwork into practice sessions, players can achieve smoother transitions, better timing, and greater consistency in their swing.

M5 Coaching Series-Use Your Feet And Dynamic Balance

A Malaska Golf Member comments on how the left arm immediately rotates on the downswing.

This is external rotation. Mike explains that the right arm is also rotating. As it goes back on the swing, it externally rotates to the top; then, as the arm comes down, it internally rotates into the ball.

When you take your left arm on the backswing, it does the opposite of the right arm. It internally rotates to the top and then externally rotates on the downswing and partially through the follow-through.

Mike demonstrates a swing holding the club with only his left arm and hand. He says his left arm is rotating in his left shoulder socket. He makes the same swing with his right arm.

Combine internal and external rotations of both arms, and you have your golf swing.

Mike shows how the right and left arms rotate in either shoulder socket. It is not your hands and arms rotating but your shoulder sockets. Your shoulder sockets must be relaxed. If not, they won't be able to rotate, and your hands and wrists start to twist, making it hard to time when you are trying to hit the ball.

Again, both arms' internal and external rotations match and are crucial to making the shoulder sockets work through the ball.

ROTATION IN YOUR ARMS

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Matt Baker reviews the M-System M3: Slap Drill.

This is a wonderful drill that is flexible enough to do anywhere. It helps Matt organize his body and how he uses his shoulders and chest correctly. It also helps with the body motion of his hips and legs. The Slap Drill gets his hands and arms on the right path and helps with early extension.

Matt gets into his golf stance and has both arms out in front with his hands against each other. He swings his right arm back and feels his chest stretch and shoulder blades contracting together. At the same time, his right hip is pushing back with his right leg. From there, Matt can keep his spine angle correct, feel the pressure on his right heel, and start pushing into his left leg.

Matt then brings his right hand down from the top to slap his left hand out in front. This helps Matt to organize his swing. As Matt hits his left hand, his right arm is lower than his left as he is lining up to the "shaft." Matt feels the pressure of slapping in his other hand as his hips push away. From there, Matt's left hand completes the swing on the follow-through, and his right hand stays in the center. Again, he feels his chest stretch and his shoulder blades contract when his arm goes up.

Matt concludes that this is a great drill if you struggle with the concept of body action.

MATT BAKER M3: SLAP DRILL

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 commented on how much The M-System Driver Series and especially the Driver Summary helped him.

Mike discusses how the industry promotes the driver, and it is all about distance. Mike isn't going to disagree with that statement; however, there is a skill development process to achieve that. The first part of the process starts with your grip and the Lever System. 

Mike is adamant and disagrees that you start with people focusing on moving their bodies to control the driver! Yes, the body comes into play at some point in time, but there are specific skills you need to develop before you get to that point.

Mike demonstrates the Lever System, swinging effortlessly back and forth, holding the driver with his left hand. Notice how the wrist hinges and unhinges in the swing and how his arm is relaxed. Mike's body nudges him to start the swing, but the arms take off, and the body follows. It is the same when Mike switches to his right hand. Mike places his hands on his chest to show how soft the upper body is when he swings.

If the relationships with the swing hold and your body starts to pick up speed, then you have something. If your grip isn't correct, the Lever System isn't working. If your wrists are tight and you overuse your body, you aren't going to create the speed you need.

A great drill is sitting on a chair or on your knees and making easy swings to try to hit the ball. This drill is excellent for understanding the lever system and realizing that even by taking your lower body out of the equation, you can easily hit the ball and far.

It's all about skill development to create speed with your driver. It's not about clearing your hips and swinging as hard as you can! Mike hits the ball 195 yards in the air to prove that point.

Work on your grip and the Lever system, and then allow your body to move faster.

HOW TO MAX OUT YOUR DRIVER

In putting and in all swings you want your trail arm to line up with the shaft and push the shaft through the ball. You do not want any twisting in your forearm. If you put the club in your lead hand again as you swing your arm is in line with the shaft and your lead wrist does not twist. It can flex and extend but should not twist. Practice these independently and together. 

RIGHT ARM - LEAD ARM ONLY

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

How to make friends with your golf club

IFYP-Full Swing

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

Drill Center

Brian Gott, Malaska Golf Certified Coach is answering members questions. This question comes from a Malaska Golf member, who asks about using different clubs to achieve various distances.There are two ways to approach this: you can either maintain the same swing and change clubs to get different distances, or you can adjust the length of your swing—either longer or shorter—to vary the distance. The second approach is more challenging because it requires a lot of touch and practice. So, I recommend getting out on the range and learning how far each of your clubs carries. Remember, we’re focusing on carry distance, not total distance. Practice hitting different distances with each club.For instance, my pitching wedge goes about 155 yards on a full swing. If I want to hit that same 150 yards with an 8-iron, I’d use a half to three-quarter swing, which gives me the same distance with a shorter swing.To improve, pick a target and try hitting it with different clubs using various swing lengths—full, 80%, 60%, 70%. I often teach my students the clock system, where when your lead arm is parallel to the ground (around 9 o’clock), you see how far you can hit the ball with three different clubs.It’s easier to control one swing with different clubs, which is why you have a variety of clubs in your bag. Avoid taking too much off a club like a pitching wedge, as this can lead to chunking or blading the shot. You want good acceleration at the bottom of your swing, so shorten the swing slightly and change clubs to control distance.The key is to get out there, pick a target, and practice hitting different clubs at various distances. You’ll become a better player and have more tools at your disposal on the course.

Master Club Distance

M-System Max

Learning to play golf is about how to accommodate uneven lies. There are more uneven lies on a golf course than flat lies. Even fairways that look relatively flat have slopes, and the more you make little adjustments to compensate, the better you will become.

There are two essential things to understand when it comes to uneven lies. First, you must ensure that your body is perpendicular to the ground as if you were hitting off a flat lie. If you are on a downhill lie, your body should tilt forward. 

Most people on a downhill lie tend to lean back when they try to hit the ball. Your club will bottom out early when you try to make your swing. Make sure you are getting your shoulders even relative to the ground. Mike also drops his right foot back because your knee tends to be more up on a downhill lie and in the way of your swing. The more severe the downhill lie, the more your foot goes back.

Second, once you accommodate the lie with your body and stance, make a practice swing to see where your club bottoms out. You will find that the club will bottom out slightly in front of the ball. You will have to adjust your position in your stance so the club will bottom out and hit the ball.

When it comes to playing golf, it’s about adjusting; in this instance, it’s about making those adjustments to the lie and not your swing. A downhill lie will take loft off the face; an uphill lie adds loft; below your feet doesn’t do much, and above the feet, your shot goes to the left.

Remember, on a downhill lie, get your shoulders level with the ground, drop your right foot back and see where your club bottoms out. Set up and go from there.

MASTERING UNEVEN LIES

Harry Hooker moves to the fairways and focuses on where his practice swing hits the ground.

Harry noticed his club was hitting way back off his right foot when he made practice swings.

The “Fix” is for Harry to set up to the ball and position his feet to where Harry’s club hits the ground.

When Harry makes a swing, he hits it solid down the fairway.

Watch your practice swing; it indicates where to set up and address the ball.

Harry Hooker Fairways Practice Swing

Brian Gott, Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A Malaska Golf Member feels like he's hitting all his shots thin because he's not extending his arms.

Brian thinks it's the opposite. He says he is moving up closer into the ball and having to pull the left arm up so he doesn't dig it into the ground and hit the ball fat. This is causing the member to hit the ball thin.

Brian suggests the member move farther away from the ball, make a small swing, and see if that left arm extends out all the way. If that still happens, then you are moving too close to the ball. You will feel like you are running out of room, and your body knows it isn't going to hit the ball, so it starts to pull up.

The key is to get the hip out of the way. The Right Foot Back Drill will help you do this. This will help to extend the arm through impact. Make sure you get the right hip back on the backswing and the left hip back on the follow-through.

Brian says you are getting too close to the ball and crowded when you swing. Your arms will start to come up, and you will hit it thin.

Get farther away from the ball, balance your arm, and extend it correctly.

Hitting the Ball Thin

Brian Gott, Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike on this question. A Malaska Golf Member wants to know whether you can perform the Front Loader Drill before you make a shot on the course.

Brian demonstrates the Front Loader Drill, where you start the swing with the golf club extended out in front. Most other sports you play don’t start from a static position; everything has movement, and we react to it.

The Front Loader Drill helps you move back to the position in the backswing. You will likely lock up if you are too concerned about getting into the correct positions.

Before hitting a shot, you want to feel where you intend to swing. The Front Loader Drill is a great way to do this. Make that pre-swing and get a feel for it. Then, set up and reproduce that feeling when hitting the ball.

You will get a better result with your shot instead of getting locked up and worrying about what’s happening behind the ball.

Front Loader Drill on the Course

Set three or four balls on the green with lines around the ball. Set up to the ball. Line the line on the putter if you have one with the line on the ball. Then just make a stroke and make the line roll with no wobble. Then once you can do that then do the same thing making the ball go different distances and at different targets. 

ROLL BALL

Austin Graham, a Southern Californian native now residing in Ohio, is in Phoenix to work with Mike Malaska. Austin is eager to work on his wedge game, as he is experiencing confusion with his transition in the golf swing. He has too much lateral movement in his swing and wants Mike to help him with that. In this six-part series, Mike evaluates what is going on with Austin&rsquo;s golf swing and addresses the lateral movement that is happening in Austin&rsquo;s golf swing. Mike introduces Austin to the ROTEXMotion Floor Models to help with the movement of his hips and minimize the lateral movement of his body. Austin has an aha moment with this fitness device.

Austin Graham- Player Lesson

LET&rsquo;S MAKE GOLF UNCOMPLICATED Golf uncomplicated means going beyond the &ldquo;fixes&rdquo; that often just add confusion. The lessons here are all about creating a better understanding. This is where your progress becomes permanent. Once you understand how simple golf really is, you will start to find your own greatness in the game. And, it can happen immediately.

I Feel Your Pain

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

Mike believes many people get too mechanical with their swings because the golf industry fixates on golf positions.

Mike sets up multiple balls in random positions and swings continuously, one after the other hitting each ball. Part of this exercise is to trigger your hand-eye coordination and your athleticism. The key is to get the clubface on the ball.

This exercise is like tennis, where you constantly hit multiple shots in different positions. It is the same as playing baseball and swinging at different pitches.

Continuing this retains your balance and control of the club and puts the clubface on the ball. Your wrist also levers, which creates force.

This drill is fun to do. It takes the mechanics out of the golf swing. Start with a wedge and experiment with different clubs.

Again, this drill gets you back into athleticism and hand-eye coordination rather than positions.

DON’T GET SO MECHANICAL WITH YOUR SWING

This Quick Fix Friday focuses on improving hitting the ball square on the clubface. On the putting green, put down four tees in a box shape slightly wider than your putter head. Get set up, and practice hitting the ball without hitting the tees. 

The goal is to hit the ball in the center of the clubface. If you do not, you can see if you are hitting it more to the toe or heel of the putter. 

Next, set up the tees toward the hole and bring that into play. This drill is a great way to practice before you go out to play a round of golf.

PUTTING TEE DRILL

Billy Fitzgerald, a Malaska-certified coach, addresses a question from viewer Peter Zhu about the slapping motion of the hand through impact in the golf swing and the role of the right wrist. Billy explains how the wrist and forearm should align at a 90-degree angle to the spine to ensure proper mechanics.Using a dowel for demonstration, Billy shows how this alignment keeps the club on plane, allowing the hand to return to impact naturally without twisting. He emphasizes the importance of shoulder alignment, as maintaining a 90-degree angle with the spine enables the arms and hands to follow a vertical path, supporting a consistent swing.The slapping motion at impact, Billy explains, is achieved by this vertical arm and hand movement. Without the proper shoulder alignment, the arms can twist, causing the clubface to open and making square impact difficult. This coordination is key to a powerful and accurate strike.Billy highlights the role of grip, especially the left hand, referred to as the "chopper." This grip position stabilizes the clubface, allowing the right hand to slap through impact without twisting, making the swing more reliable.To build awareness, Billy recommends practicing the feel of each body part—the shoulders, hands, and arms—independently before integrating them into a cohesive movement. This approach helps golfers understand each component’s role in a fluid, powerful swing.In summary, the correct grip, along with coordinated movement of the shoulders, arms, and hands, enables a clean, effective slapping motion at impact. Billy thanks Peter for the question, hoping this breakdown clarifies how each part contributes to optimal performance.

Wrist Position For Perfect Impact

As you swing the club on the downswing. You feel like the club head gets to waist high then levels out. Or creates a flat spot in the swing. So if you where actually doing this the club would swing over the top of the ball and not hit it. But because of gravity and centripetal force the club head works down the ball. But you are not helping it down. The club then swings up on the follow through side. This leveling out feeling keeps the correct pressure on the shaft and the club more infront of you body. 

SWING ON AN ELEVATED PLANE

A Malaska Golf Member comments about starting with small skills and building them daily.

Mike believes this is the key to golf. Malaska Golf has the M-System that gives you a step-by-step process, and you should learn those steps. It is best to start that same way every time you practice. The Tour Players have the same routine.

If you can't do the small skills, you assume they will show up when you make a bigger swing.
They won't. Then, it becomes compensation after compensation to find the flaws in your big swing when it's actually in your basic skills.

Mike likes to make small shots with just one hand, swap to the other, and then use both hands. If you can't do these basic skills, trying to make big swings may not work.

Those little swings teach you to line the club up with the shaft and push it through the ball. This is called the line of compression, and once you feel that, it will show up in all your shots. The same relationship you make for the small swing shows up in the big swing.

Master the small skills and get a practice routine. Your swing will get so much better.

MASTERING BASIC SKILLS

A good picture for your swing is the areas the handle of the club swings trough. If you take a line directly under the but end of the club. Extend it parallel to the target line. Just to the right of your back foot about 6 inches put a tee. Then place another tee the same distance in front of your front foot on that line. On the backswing the club shaft goes directly over the back tee and the club shaft aims at the tee. On the down swing the club hits the same point. On the follow through the butt end of the club is directly over the front tee and the club shaft is aimed at the tee. 

CORNER DRILL

The basic concepts and or tasks and skills that you take on determine how your body builds the patterns for the swing. It is critical that you have a good understanding of exactly what you are trying to do and what are the ways to develop them. Your body if given a correct task will eliminate anything and most everything not relevant to the task. That is why the base concept and or tasks are correct.

Ask Malaska Golf-Swing Concepts

Mike illustrates the momentum of the club and the up to under in the golf swing. Mike then finishes by getting Josh to curve the ball left.

PATH CONTROL CURVE LEFT

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

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

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

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

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

The Lead Thumb

Learning to toss the club effortlessly in space around you not only looks cool, it teaches your hands how to hinge and relax. Try it the next time you are out on the range.

CLUB TOSS 101

Certified Coaches

Mike discusses how to not hit the ball fat when you practice the Left, Right, Left Drill, and push away.

A lot of this is about creating a feel. When Mike sets up for the Left, Right, Left Drill, he first goes left and pushes his left hip out of the way. Then, Mike’s left leg moves right on the backswing as his right leg and hip push back. He is back on his left foot and has plenty of time to push away on the downswing.

It is almost impossible to get to your left side too soon if you make a full-shoulder turn in the process. There are biomechanics out there that reinforce this idea.

Again, when you go left, right, left in your golf swing, by the time your right leg pushes you up to your left side, your club will be at the transition point and starting the downswing. Force is transferred to your left foot, and you will have lots of time to push away through the ball.

The timing of this drill is crucial. If you are late on this drill, you will hit everything fat. This action is just like hitting or throwing a baseball.

COMBINE WEIGHT SHIFT WITH PUSH AWAY

M-System Elite

This Mulligan Monday, Mike discusses developing putting tempo on the green.

Golf swings are all about finding a tempo and Tour Players are masters at maintaining tempo under pressure. Tempo is the pace at which the swing works, and rhythm is the sequence. Timing is what holds it together. The key is finding the tempo and maintaining it. If the tempo changes, the sequence changes, and then the timing changes.

Mike is developing tempo on the putting green by making swings. He counts out 1 and 2 and then putts the ball. Whether Mike is putting a two-foot putt, a twenty-footer, a fifty-footer, a chip shot, or even a drive, the tempo remains the same. The only difference is that the club is swinging in a larger arc.

PUTTING DEVELOPING TEMPO

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

Proper Hip and Foot Action

Practice working on swinging the club with the lead arm. This drill helps you keep your shoulders level, not slide your body, stop the up and down motion in your wrists, and get your hips out of the way as you pivot through the ball.

LEAD ARM DRILL

Joe hated a "floating right elbow." See what he wanted you to feel and learn how pivoting your right elbow will automatically steer your hands and arms.

PIVOT YOUR RIGHT ELBOW

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

Mike's Winning Mindset

In the set up there are two positions relative to ball position. One is how far from the ball and the other is where in my stance front to back. The distance from the ball is extablised by first take your grip. Then let the club unhinge or radial deviate your lead wrist. Once the is established just bend until the club touches the ground. That will give you a great feel for distance from the ball. Then with short irons up to about a 5 iron the back of the ball goes in the center of your stance. That makes it easy to have a slight downward hit. As the club gets longer but on the ground the back of the ball moves slightly more forward. The last is the driver. Here the ball is up off your lead foot. Either just off the inside of your lead foot to even with your lead toe. This allows you to hit slightly up on the ball.

BALL POSITION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SWINGING A CLUB ON AN ARC

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

An Instagram member wants to know why he keeps hitting slices now that he has a strong grip. Mike believes that the member's grip is more neutral than strong.

Mike demonstrates with a strong grip why the member slices the ball. As Mike hinges his wrists on the backswing, the wrists cup, and at the top of the swing, his left wrist is bent, and his right wrist is flat.
This causes the clubface to be open. When you start the downswing, your clubface is still open and will be open at impact, causing you to slice the ball.

Even though your grip is strong, it doesn't mean your wrist will work correctly.

This time Mike demonstrates the solution. When he takes the club back and hinges his wrists, it is flatter, so the clubface is facing the ball.

Mike then shows the difference between the two wrist hinges on the takeaways. It is obvious the member's wrist hinge will cause the clubface to be open. The key is ensuring your wrists work correctly with a strong grip.

CORRECT WRIST HINGE

After reviewing the impact position with Frank, Mike shows him how to make the clubface more stable by moving the left hip out of the way instead of twisting the hands at impact.

Working through these drills of taking small hits and making them bigger, the club will accelerate forward when the left leg pushes the left hip out of the way. Suddenly you will hit the ball and be amazed at how little effort it requires. The ball will go far, if not farther than before, and straighter. The circle of the clubhead is now matching the circle of the body. With less effort and less flip, you will have more clubhead speed.

Mike is concerned with the amount of twist and stress Frank puts on his neck when he swings. It’s a neck injury waiting to happen.

Mike gets Frank to swing and focus on a strong grip, with a shut clubface on the backswing and getting the left hip out of the way through impact position and into the follow-through.

Frank makes a great shot with less effort and more efficiency.

Mike tells the story of Sandy Koufax and how he learned to throw the baseball fast but softly. Sandy’s pitching then got better and faster. He was learning how to create speed with less effort.

Golf is about figuring out how not to add more effort but how to create maximum speed with the least effort.

FRANK COX: LESS EFFORT MORE CONTROL

Meet Matt Baker, PGA Professional and newest Malaska Golf Certified Coach. Matt is based in the United Kingdom. Matt has been a golf professional for over 25 years, working his way up from Assistant Pro to Head Pro, and now teaches full-time. Matt started playing at age 14 and immediately fell in love with the game and how the swing worked. Golf became his passion. Matt was intrigued with the motions of the game, putting the swing together, and helping other golfers, which led him to coach. Matt, who was looking to improve his game, came across Mike Malaska on YouTube, he loved what he saw, and the videos improved his game immensely. Not only did he improve, but Matt gained a better understanding of the game because it was simple and made sense. The key takeaway was that Mike Malaska&rsquo;s instruction and coaching just made sense to Matt! Matt has applied this knowledge to his game and especially to his students. Matt has seen great success from them as they start to play better golf and understand the game. Matt also loves the sport connect and how other sports relate to golf, making the game more understandable. His goal is not to teach you something you don&rsquo;t understand but to teach something you already possess and can do. Matt is excited to be a Malaska Golf Certified Coach and help others play better golf. The M-System is Matt&rsquo;s favorite, and he does it every day.

Malaska Certified Coach-Matt Baker

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

A Malaska Golf Member asks about crossover sports and getting a feel for the golf club.

Mike has heard people in the golf industry talk about “throwing a ball.” They want you to feel the golf swing and feel like you are throwing the golf ball way out in front. Doing this causes your right elbow to go in front of your hip, an exaggeration you don’t want to happen. Your right elbow should work on your right hip. Ben Hogan kept his right elbow even with his hip when he swung a golf club. It never outran his hip.

Mike says you don’t want to feel like you are throwing the ball out in front of you. Instead, try throwing a ball at another ball placed where you would set it up on a tee.

Mike demonstrates this and says that if he practices enough, he can hit the ball anywhere on the surface of the target ball. This drill helps you to direct momentum down towards the ball and, in this case, a golf club. When you swing, you are directing the momentum of the clubhead down to the ball.

Mike also shows us if you follow what others are saying and want the clubhead to run into the ball, you will miss the ball on the swing.

Again, Mike says you are throwing momentum into the back of the ball with the golf club. Get a feel for throwing a ball and feel how loose your wrist is when you do this. This is the same feeling you have in a golf swing.

THROWING A BALL

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

Learning to prepare for a tournament is a skill. There are certain things to focus on to maximize your potential to perform. If you follow these skills you will find yourself getting the most out of your game in the events you play in. If you just take on a tournament like any other round your chances of really being successful go way down.

Skill Pathways-Tournament Play

Take a driver. Tee up a ball then sit down in a chair to hit the ball from. Sitting in the chair you need to relax your shoulder sockets so your arm can swing independent of your shoulders moving. This is an important part of the swing for not only speed but consistency. You also need to let the momentum of the lever your wrists on both sides of the swing. 

CHAIR DRILL

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)

Take two alignment sticks. Place one through your front belt loops. So that it is parallel to your hips. Take the other rod and hold it on the club shaft so it extends up the lead side of your body. On the back swing point the club shaft stick at the target line or just inside it. On the down swing the club shaft stick needs to come down infront of the hip line stick and behind or to the right of your trail hip. Then you swing the club into the ball. This is an exaggeration but it is what a lot of great players feel. It keeps the club in the correct arch an position relative to the rotation of your upper body.

TWO ROD RELEASE DRILL

A Malaska Golf member wants to know how to use the natural forces around him when he swings. When you make a golf swing, you are directing the momentum of the club, and the club just goes. It is very similar to a baseball swing.

Mike grabs a baseball bat and demonstrates. When you swing, you are getting the bat in the same arc as the ball. You let the bat go once you hit the ball. At the same time, your body pushes back away and throws the bat forward. It's the same flowing motion in the swing if you apply it to your golf swing as long as your grip is correct.

When you swing, as your body turns, the club will push out in front of you. With the correct grip, the club's momentum will square the clubface at impact. If your grip is off, something else must come into play to square the clubface.

If the grip is correct, then when you swing, it is like you are pushing the club down into impact, and then you are letting the momentum of the cub run into the ball. It will go where you want it to. When your arm straightens out and your hands pressure the shaft, it does feel free flowing, like a baseball swing. It is the same as a forehand in tennis and throwing a ball.

It must be a flow of motion and not positions. The game gets in trouble when too many positions are going on, and you don't know the motion that connects them.

Flow of Motion

Mike Malaska works with Dr. Joe LaCaze, Owner and Managing Partner of Rotex Motion. Joe plays golf mainly in the summertime and shoots anywhere from 75 to 77.

Mike observes Joe make a few practice swings. He notices that Joe's body mechanics are really good, although the way his hands and Lever System work is minimal.

Mike's goal with Joe is to get him to understand the Lever System and put that together with what his body is doing. Mike adds that if the Lever System works correctly with much less tension and effort, Joe could get more speed.

When Mike observes golf swings, he looks for how the body moves and what the Lever System is doing. Most of the time, Mike corrects the Lever System first and then the body. Because Joe's body motion is good, Mike mainly focuses on the Lever System with him.

Joe makes a couple of swings, and Mike notices Joe's grip is off. When Joe tries to lever the club, he levers at the elbows instead of the wrists. If he levers at the wrists, this will keep his arms straight on the backswing. Joe tends to cast the club on the downswing.

Mike works with Joe's grip to ensure that the club feels like it's more in Joe's fingers. Mike then works on Joe's takeaway and understanding that the Lever System is immediate. The lever needs to happen before the club is parallel to the ground. Mike also wants Joe to feel like he is pushing the handle away from him.

Mike gets Joe to swing and point the handle away on the backswing and the follow-through. This motion is the Handle Away Drill. Mike reminds Joe to keep the wrists loose and go easy on the swing.

Mike wants Joe to make practice swings with a plastic ball with his right foot back. This helps Joe to feel the Lever System and practice the Handle Away Drill. Mike really wants Joe to get a feel for how the hands work.

FEEL THE LEVER SYSTEM

If you watch a hammer thrower. Or if you create the action with a basket and some balls. As the hammer and or weight swings around you. You are constantly offsetting the motion of the basket with an opposite force. This is what accelerates the basket and or maintains the circle and the balance. If you move into the force created by the basket you are immediately off balance. Plus the basket slows down. Tension then tries to make compensations to regain control. The same skills or tasks in throwing the hammer are what happens in a golf swing. I have never had someone swing a weight around them and move into or the same direction the weight moves. It is not instinct. So try this simple motion and feel how your body moves where is force going in your feet. Then duplicate it in a swing.

HAMMER THROW

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

Most all sports cross over. 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.

Mike sits down with MLB Hitting Coach Craig Wallenbrock to discuss the similarities between the golf swing and the baseball swing.

Baseball and Golf Connect

Brian Gott, a Malaska Golf Certified Coach is answering Ask Mike’s this week. This question comes from Tyler Dunnigan. Tyler asked about lead arm depth in the backswing.If you remember, a while ago, everyone was focused on the towel drill, where we would stay connected by pinning the left arm against the chest and keeping everything tight. Well, that’s been disproven by biomechanics. We now know that pinning the arm against the chest causes too much rotation, flattens out your swing plane, and makes it difficult to get back to square and stay on plane.What we want is lead arm depth, but not wrapped around the body. We want a good shoulder turn, with the arm out and away. If you look from this angle, as I take the club back, the arm is not pinned against my chest. It does connect when it comes down here, but we don’t want it wrapped around the body.We want the arm to stay out. The angle between the chest and the arm only changes about 17 degrees for most good players. We just don’t want to get too wrapped around, as it causes too much rotation. The more we can get the arms out and up, the easier it is to bring them down. Mike has a drill in the M System called the Four-Step Drill, which will help with this a lot.The Four-Step Drill goes like this: Step one, take the club out; step two, rotate; step three, push the arms out and away; and step four, hit the ball. Remember, you want a good shoulder turn with the arm going out and away, keeping everything in front, not pinned behind. If the arm gets pinned behind, you end up with too much rotation, the club gets laid off, and you must play catch-up.So, try the Four-Step Drill, and remember: the club goes out, up, and away—not pinned against your chest and wrapped around.

Lead Arm Depth

Malaska Golf Certified Coach Matt Baker, based in the United Kingdom, is answering a member question.A Malaska Golf Member has a question about the Arm Drop video and how it doesn’t get the club parallel to the path on the way down or to the ground. However, when Mike does it, it does.Matt agrees with the member, and he explains that the golf swing is a dynamic motion and there are lots of other things moving as well. The arm drop is just a feel. Matt demonstrates when you take the club back to the top of the swing and you let your arms drop, the club is still behind your hands. What you want to do is learn to have a separation between the arms and the body. You want the club to just fall down. During this motion, other things are happening as well, because the golf swing is a dynamic action. Your body is moving and pushing away from the ball from the clubhead through the shot.Also, at the same time, you are directing momentum on the way down, famously called the ‘Malaska Move’ or tipping the club. Matt demonstrates this move. As he starts the club down, you will see that Matt is ‘tipping’ the club out or forward on the downswing. If Matt had a steering wheel, it would feel like he was turning the wheel to the left.Matt reiterates that as you are changing the direction of the club, you are changing the momentum of the club. Matt’s favorite drill is the 3 Corners Drill. This drill helps you with ‘tipping the club’ out in front of you. When Matt practices the 3 Corners Drill, he feels like he gets everything out in front of him, and the club just swishes through on the swing and takes off.Matt agrees with the member that if you do drop your arms, the club will still stay behind your hands, because of momentum. What you must do is offset that momentum and change that path. This all happens in transition. Performing the 3 Corners Drill and working on changing momentum will transform your golf game.

Master The Arm Drop

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

Hi, my name is Matt Baker, and I’m a Malaska Golf Certified Coach based here in the UK. This question comes from Derek Neve (apologies if I’ve mispronounced your name). It’s great to hear from you, Derek, as you’ve been a long-time member of the site, and Mike wanted to personally thank you for your continued membership.We know you took a break to try different things, but you’ve come back and realized how great the system is, so Mike wanted to welcome you back.You mentioned how much you're enjoying the M2 system, and that one drill has really helped you: the hinge drill. This is a fantastic drill because it helps you understand the correct wrist motion and the relationship between the shaft, the club, and your hands. It’s a fundamental drill that we encourage many golfers to practice because it benefits the overall swing.The drill is simple. Take hold of the club and stand at address. From this position, you hinge your wrists upwards. When you do this, it sets your wrists at the right angle. A lot of players may notice a slight angle in the shaft as well—this is normal, given how you hold the club and how your wrists function. Some golfers try to keep it straight, but you should just allow it to hinge naturally.Once the wrists are hinged and the shaft is parallel to the ground, all you need to focus on is completing the swing arc around your body. From there, you can hit the ball. Practicing this drill repeatedly will set you into a nice backswing position and help with your overall swing momentum.This is an excellent all-around drill. I still practice it regularly, and I highly recommend others incorporate it into their routines. It's beneficial for setting up the swing and directing momentum.Thank you for sharing your experience, Derek. I hope you continue to enjoy the M2 system, and I encourage you to check out M3 as well. It’s another great addition to your game.Thanks again for your question, Derek, and I hope to catch up with you all soon.

Better Golf With The Hinge Drill

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

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 

Matt Baker, a Malaska Certified Coach, is subbing for Mike this week. A Malaska Golf Member is having problems getting his right elbow under his left. Too far underneath.

Matt says this comes from two different areas. You are shallowing the clubhead too much, and it’s getting too far behind you, or your left hip isn’t working properly on the follow-through. You may be stalling, and your hip goes upwards. This will cause you to tilt your body back, and you will get caught behind the ball.

There are two things you can do to work on this. First is the ‘Turning the Corner’ of ‘Tipping the Club.’ This is in the Malaska Golf Drill Center.
This is where you feel the handle is being pulled down, and the club feels like it’s going over the handle. This gets the club back out in front of you.

Second, start working on moving your left hip backward on impact. Reference M1 of the M-System, where you chip and learn to pivot the left hip backward by pushing the left leg and hip back as you swing through. This will help you turn the shoulders and keep them level.

You can do either one, and that should help you.

Keep From Getting Stuck

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

As you progress in golf, having a solid L to L is critical for helping stabilize your speed.

L-TO-L

Mike Malaska explains to a Malaska Golf member that it is not ok for his right hand to pull off the left thumb in his backswing. Mike says you must maintain that pressure which provides stability and puts pressure into the back of the shaft.

People struggle with this mainly because there is so much tension in their arms and shoulders that their right elbow and arms start to pull apart.
The tension causes them to pull the right hand off the left thumb. The right arm should be relaxed in the shoulder socket. As you go back, it rotates, folds up, and gets underneath, so the left thumb rests on the right hand. The right hand is constantly pushing against that thumb.

Again, the biggest reason it comes off is that there is so much tension that the arms start to pull apart, pulling off the hand as well. The pressure on the thumb should remain constant on the backswing and through the ball. It is a crucial pressure point to maintain.

RIGHT PALM LEFT THUMB PRESSURE POINT

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.