Mike Malaska - Getting the club in front of you. Made easy...

[ddetts]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and briefly speaking with him this fall, while he was in my town watching the Symetra Tour's GreatLIFE Challenge on my home course. He's somehow affiliated with a golf and fitness organization in my area called GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness Club (title sponsor of the Symetra event which is pretty obvious). They basically took a gym membership type business model and made it to include golf, and a few other fringe benefits like bowling, etc. It's really awesome, because I have unlimited golf and fitness year round for $75/month for my family.

 

First thing you notice, is he is a pretty big guy. I'm going to put him at 6'2" or 6'3" maybe and probably 210-220. Second, I think he teacher brain is always working hard - was standing by him watching some of the Symetra ladies hit and put on a couple holes and he was making a lot of comments to a friend about swing flaws, this move or that move, why something wasn't working for so & so, etc. It was pretty interesting to observe. Overall impression was that a) he would be a great instructor to learn from and b) would be a fun guy to hang around with too.

[scopek]

Someone put this link to Tiger and Butch Harmon on the Be Better Golf/Mike Malaski YouTube comments. Check this out, especially just after 1:50 mark. Look familiar?

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[bigseanc12]

Someone put this link to Tiger and Butch Harmon on the Be Better Golf/Mike Malaski YouTube comments. Check this out, especially just after 1:50 mark. Look familiar?

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That's awesome. If someone was guilty of sucking the club back behind them you really can't argue with this.

[Jasonic]

Someone put this link to Tiger and Butch Harmon on the Be Better Golf/Mike Malaski YouTube comments. Check this out, especially just after 1:50 mark. Look familiar?

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That's awesome. If someone was guilty of sucking the club back behind them you really can't argue with this.

 

And he's doing GG freezers (which even tiger says are hard and he hates lol)

[scopek]

Someone put this link to Tiger and Butch Harmon on the Be Better Golf/Mike Malaski YouTube comments. Check this out, especially just after 1:50 mark. Look familiar?

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That's awesome. If someone was guilty of sucking the club back behind them you really can't argue with this.

 

Yeah, this video is money. Actually, the best place to start focusing is after 40 sec to about 2:15. Great stuff. I'm surprised that Tiger doesn't go back to this. Mike Malaska would have been a perfect teacher for him. Would help him get back to the great swing he had in the 2000 era but I'm sure Malaska could help him keep healthy.

[Deadaimz]

I just joined Mike's video learning center. It's up and the content is great I can't wait to get to work!

[Jasonic]

I just joined Mike's video learning center. It's up and the content is great I can't wait to get to work!

 

How much is that to join?

[ddetts]

I just joined Mike's video learning center. It's up and the content is great I can't wait to get to work!

 

Link? I'm interested in seeing what it is.

[scopek]

I just joined Mike's video learning center. It's up and the content is great I can't wait to get to work!

 

Link? I'm interested in seeing what it is.

 

I just went to his website and it looks like you can sign up from there. I'd be curious what others think after using it:

https://www.malaskagolf.com/landing/

[Deadaimz]

$10 a month first month free or $100 a year two months free

 

https://www.malaskagolf.com

[Jasonic]

$10 a month first month free or $100 a year two months free

 

https://www.malaskagolf.com

 

Thanks

[Deadaimz]

His videos thus far have helped my swing so I am happy to support his new site especially at that price. The content that I've seen so far is great and I love the simpleness in which he describes what he is teaching.

[scopek]

$10 a month first month free or $100 a year two months free

 

https://www.malaskagolf.com

 

Compared to some other sites, that a good price.

[petah]

This pretty much saved me from quitting golf! I was hitting my driver great all year until a few months ago. I then started dragging the club across to try and hold the wrist angle which caused the club to be way under plane and had to hump the goat and flip my hands to get the club through. The result is pretty much like everyone else: nasty hook or a huge block.

 

Started taking lessons 2 months ago and was so frustrated I almost quit.... until I started reading this thread. Mike's video really helped with my downswing as I was really uncomfortable starting the downswing. My coach knew what the issue was but couldn't get his point across and to explain it to me in terms for me to understand (OTT feeling with rotate/push hips away front ball).

 

I read through the entire thread and started practice swings at home to get the feeling of club head in front at the start of the down swing. Had a lesson last week and my coach was noticing huge swing change. I am now hitting fades with my irons (I now know how to work the ball both ways) and the driver swing is back on track with no distance loss. I did notice if I apply Mike's technique with the irons I do hit a high fade with small loss of distance (5-7yards) as to the draw. This is probably due to the path is nearing 0 and my club face slightly open which I can easily play with and not cause huge issues down the road.

 

The only issue I seem to have is the vertical swing plane according to Trackman for my 7 irons used to be around 58 degrees. With Mike's technique it is now around 61-62 degrees. Is that too upright now?

 

[swhogan35]

This pretty much saved me from quitting golf! I was hitting my driver great all year until a few months ago. I then started dragging the club across to try and hold the wrist angle which caused the club to be way under plane and had to hump the goat and flip my hands to get the club through. The result is pretty much like everyone else: nasty hook or a huge block.

 

Started taking lessons 2 months ago and was so frustrated I almost quit.... until I started reading this thread. Mike's video really helped with my downswing as I was really uncomfortable starting the downswing. My coach knew what the issue was but couldn't get his point across and to explain it to me in terms for me to understand (OTT feeling with rotate/push hips away front ball).

 

I read through the entire thread and started practice swings at home to get the feeling of club head in front at the start of the down swing. Had a lesson last week and my coach was noticing huge swing change. I am now hitting fades with my irons (I now know how to work the ball both ways) and the driver swing is back on track with no distance loss. I did notice if I apply Mike's technique with the irons I do hit a high fade with small loss of distance (5-7yards) as to the draw. This is probably due to the path is nearing 0 and my club face slightly open which I can easily play with and not cause huge issues down the road.

 

The only issue I seem to have is the vertical swing plane according to Trackman for my 7 irons used to be around 58 degrees. With Mike's technique it is now around 61-62 degrees. Is that too upright now?

 

Not that is fine.

[swhogan35]

i saw his video on BBG and it made it allot easier, he thinks what he says is simple in his videos but its not, that made it easier

 

Just watched that video it was good I think the secret is to not unhinge your wrists or open the shoulders too early, 2 o'clock ,flamingo, speeding up the arms,Justin rose left arm working across your chest,club gets to the ball before your shirt buttons,ring the bell,pull the chain,chop wood,left shoulder staying put longer, keeping everything behind the ball.They are all saying the same thing to me.

 

I still have this urge to throw everything at the ball though

 

I'd say opposite, You can "unhinge" very early if you want as long as you are moving the club in the proper direction. That is the whole idea with this swing, you don't need to hold anything and then rely on timing at the ball.

[swhogan35]

Someone put this link to Tiger and Butch Harmon on the Be Better Golf/Mike Malaski YouTube comments. Check this out, especially just after 1:50 mark. Look familiar?

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That's awesome. If someone was guilty of sucking the club back behind them you really can't argue with this.

 

Yeah, this video is money. Actually, the best place to start focusing is after 40 sec to about 2:15. Great stuff. I'm surprised that Tiger doesn't go back to this. Mike Malaska would have been a perfect teacher for him. Would help him get back to the great swing he had in the 2000 era but I'm sure Malaska could help him keep healthy.

 

Yes he could have. Mike's current philosophy with his teaching, he is dedicating the rest of his career to not trying to teach the best players, but teach people how to have fun with the game and stay healthy while playing it. Seems like it would have been a good fit.

[Golfonthemind]

If you just swing the club forward and backward and forward and backward in one rhythmic motion you can start to feel the club wanting to do what mike describes in both the backswing and downswing. I can suddenly feel the wrists hinging properly and the club releasing in front of me. I do that a few times behind the ball ( kinda like how Jordan speith does when he's waiting to hit his shots) then step into the ball and try and recreate the feel. It's really hard to try and get away from the swing thought driven swing and move to the feel type action but it produces beautiful results for sure.

[millerrh]

I've also swung the club with my left arm only back and forth. The only way to do that rythmicly with any sort of power is to let the momentum of the club do the work - just as Malaska talks about. Do that a few times and it really helps get the feeling of how this swing works.

[Switter]

GOLF | What Jack Nicklaus told Mike Malaska about the golf swing:

 

[wmblake2000]

Two things seem great to me from Malaska's major points about getting club more in front. My OTT isn't any worse but the club/shaft is much more on plane bottom half of the downswing. Second it gets my trail arm much more in front of body. I hit it pretty good this way. Have to watch the pull but that is solvable.

[solarbear88]

GOLF | What Jack Nicklaus told Mike Malaska about the golf swing:

 

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I love this video. One of the best explanations of this swing.

The 9:20 part is well worth watching.

[spinball]

I've been watching Malaska videos for a year, but thought it was too radical. I have been taking lessons for 2 years and my teacher never said anything like this. My game has always been all over the place. I'd get on a streak and shoot in the 70's and then loose it. Was all about timing. Last week I tried Mike's "feel" and absolutely smashed the ball. Penetrating flight I'd never seen off my irons. I'm going to stick with it and see if it's something I still have going in a month.

[wmblake2000]

The other point he makes that isn't new but somehow it clicks for me is in the 'swing the weight and use your butt as counter weight' idea. This really helps me in every phase of the swing. This lets me create and sustain space and it's a great anchor/engine for the arms to swing from.

[flatnstuck]

I've been watching Malaska videos for a year, but thought it was too radical. I have been taking lessons for 2 years and my teacher never said anything like this. My game has always been all over the place. I'd get on a streak and shoot in the 70's and then loose it. Was all about timing. Last week I tried Mike's "feel" and absolutely smashed the ball. Penetrating flight I'd never seen off my irons. I'm going to stick with it and see if it's something I still have going in a month.

 

Unconventional swing thoughts creating a conventional swing.

[AMPlayer]

The 9:20 part is well worth watching.

 

Yes, it is well worth it, and MM is spot on here with his approach. There is another moment of commentary from MM which goes back to an earlier age within professional golf. MM said:

 

"He (Nicklaus) figured out when we start talking about forces, a lot of these old guys, Sam Snead, and Jack, Hogan they actually figured out how to offset the force of the club coming out in front of you with their legs which made their hips turn."

 

This is automated, subconscious, motion, or as Claude Harmon put it, "get in your way to get out of your way."

[gripandrip]

GOLF | What Jack Nicklaus told Mike Malaska about the golf swing:

 

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So what course/facility is this? I want to practice on a range with that view!

[glk]

GOLF | What Jack Nicklaus told Mike Malaska about the golf swing:

 

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So what course/facility is this? I want to practice on a range with that view!

 

Superstition Mountain outside Phoenix.

[i*windows]

signed up to 30 days free

[ddetts]

GOLF | What Jack Nicklaus told Mike Malaska about the golf swing:

 

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So what course/facility is this? I want to practice on a range with that view!

 

Superstition Mountain outside Phoenix.

 

It's a really nice facility and course there. I attended when the LPGA still had an event out there (Safeway International?) - in 2006 I think. Saw Annika, Lorena, Gulbis, Paula Creamer, Laura Davies... I also then got to play one of the 18 hole courses in 2007, I think it was the prospector. The courses, practice facilities and the clubhouse are all just awesome.