Manage Account

Manage Subscription

Discover

In this fifth video of the Player Lesson series, Mike Malaska introduces Jimmy Pearcy to the concept of leverage as the key to creating effortless power in the golf swing. Building on earlier lessons on grip, speed, and relaxation, this session focuses on teaching Jimmy how to harness the club’s weight and momentum to generate speed and control with minimal effort.Mike begins with a practical drill to help Jimmy feel the club’s natural weight and motion. He instructs Jimmy to turn the club around and grip it just above the head, making swings with the lighter handle. This exercise allows Jimmy to focus on the sensation of the club’s balance and movement without the distraction of ball striking. Mike emphasizes that the lightness of the handle contrasts with the heavier clubhead, and this difference helps Jimmy understand how to control the swing using momentum rather than force.After a few repetitions, Mike has Jimmy reverse the club and take his proper grip. With the heavier clubhead now in play, he instructs Jimmy to make soft, easy swings, paying close attention to the weight of the club as it moves through a circular path. Mike explains that the goal is to let the club’s momentum guide the swing, allowing the weight to naturally hinge, unhinge, and re-hinge the wrists without forcing the motion. This, Mike notes, is the foundation of leverage in golf.As Jimmy practices, Mike identifies tension in his hands and arms that disrupts the flow of the swing. He emphasizes that tension is the enemy of power, as it prevents the natural movement of the wrists and restricts the club’s ability to accelerate. Through repetition and reinforcement, Jimmy begins to loosen his grip and feel the freedom in his swing, experiencing how a relaxed approach unlocks the club’s full potential.Mike uses analogies from other sports to solidify the concept. He explains that the motion of a golf swing should feel similar to a tennis serve or a baseball swing, where the player leverages the racket or bat’s weight and momentum for power. In each case, relaxation in the hands, arms, and shoulders is crucial for generating speed. Mike further illustrates this by comparing the golf swing to a tennis racket dropping and snapping through a serve, showing Jimmy how the wrists work naturally when tension is removed.To deepen Jimmy’s understanding, Mike introduces the idea of dynamically using the clubface, much like a tennis or pickleball racket. He demonstrates how slight adjustments in wrist position and grip can change the trajectory and spin of the ball. Mike shows how to lower or raise the loft of the clubface or produce a hook or fade, explaining that these small adjustments give the golfer full control over the shot. By practicing these techniques, Jimmy begins to see how mastering the clubface opens up new possibilities for shaping his shots.The lesson continues with Jimmy hitting balls using his newfound understanding of leverage. At first, he struggles to maintain awareness of the club’s weight and momentum, often losing it at key moments in the swing. Mike patiently guides him through each step, encouraging him to focus on feeling the weight of the club throughout the entire motion—from the backswing to the downswing and follow-through. Gradually, Jimmy begins to make progress, hitting shots that are both more powerful and more consistent.Mike highlights how a proper grip and alignment play a crucial role in this process. He explains that when the grip is correct, the clubface naturally squares at impact, eliminating the need for excessive control or tension. By contrast, an incorrect grip forces the golfer to work harder to manipulate the club, often resulting in erratic shots and a loss of power. With the right grip, Jimmy learns to trust the club’s design and let the swing flow naturally.Throughout the session, Mike reinforces the idea that effortless power comes from leveraging the club’s weight and momentum, not from trying to muscle the ball. He points out that professional golfers achieve their impressive distance not by swinging harder but by using their hands, wrists, and arms efficiently. Their smooth, relaxed motions allow the club to work for them, generating maximum speed with minimal effort.By the end of the lesson, Jimmy experiences a breakthrough. He begins to feel how the club’s weight and momentum can guide the swing, creating power without strain. With Mike’s guidance, Jimmy realizes that the key to effortless power lies in mastering leverage and embracing a tension-free swing.This lesson is a pivotal moment in Jimmy’s journey, as it provides him with the tools to unlock a smoother, more powerful swing. By learning to work with the club rather than against it, Jimmy is set to achieve greater confidence, control, and consistency on the course.

EFFORTLESS POWER MASTER YOUR LEVERAGE

There is a way your chest, hips  and hands move and a way they do not move.  Here is a drill that will help you strengthen your feel for impact.