Malask Golf // Staying Connected - Your Arms, Shoulders & Upper Body Movement Through Impact

Should I Keep My Hands And Arms In Sync With My Upper Body?
As a concept yes, your hands, arms and shoulders rotate through your center together as you connect with the ball. Forcing this alignment might cause some issues. Creating tension in your golf swing will get you in trouble. Practice feeling how the momentum of the club can direct you.
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[@takashi1488]

I can't believe this kind of lessons are free nowadays on the internet. Great video!

[@moonmullins7436]

The comment you made stating that the longer the club the harder it is to "stay connected" like the viewer mentioned is most spot on. Say that more, maybe other instructors will catch on to the tension it causes in the swing. Thanks again.

[@olleedsbacker3015]

I agree with what you say. The feel of being connected for me, is that the upper part of my upper left arm “touches, or stay close” (not pressed against) to the rib case and that the left arm folds. Thank you for your efforts to make us better golfers.

[@sdavidjohnson44]

Great lesson Mike is the best teacher hands down.

[@nicejojo1004]

Just wow! You just answered all my questions. Kudos to you!!!!!

[@pastramiking6874]

This question has been on my mind lately because that type of connection is something I've been doing. And it definitely helps make consistent contact for me. The problem is my swing feels really short, I don't get any width, and I don't get a great sensation of loading up on the backswing. I need to let my trail am disconnect naturally on the backswing instead of keeping it jammed in. It's just hard to let go of something that's improved my game and confidence

[@PeterKennedyMD]

Why do I listen to anybody else?? You surely don't remember me. I'm Peter Kennedy--the guy with the posterior column disorder, the balance problem. I CANNOT hit a ball with a pull, or a knee initiating my downswing. I've played for 50+ yrs, some periods of it pretty well. But I'm old enough that most of the texts, and most all the teaching pro's are convinced that the downswing necessitates a rotary torque. Guys like me cannot do that. In my own case, I fall as I'm spinning, or stand up-and flip-and fall. Now I daresay there are but a few like me. Most probably curse and kiss it off. Damn the world for my malady. But I can feel the clubhead, and I do recognize gravity. And I can make the Malaska move. I go into this much detail because I'm sort of answering my own question. If it comes up again, just go see Mike. Thanks so much Peter Kennedy, M.D.

[@murphyb1991]

Mike, at 6 seconds into this video, in the introduction , you are demonstrating some drill with your right foot back. What video is that from? I’d like to see that.Thank you.

[@brianfrith126]

Great concept on swing the club

[@mija1701]

Tony Luczak has one of the best analogies with his "feeling the arms first" on the downswing. Two jets, circular pattern in unison; the outer jet (head of club) will move faster than inside track jet (hands/arms/shoulders/torso) just to keep up. The inside jet (torso/etc/etc) has a shorter path to cover than the outer jet (head of club) and thus will go slower. Don't know the science behind it nor the proper terminology but it made sense to me.

[@AaronShaHome]

Great point and tutorial Malaska ! I feel the same, if doing the short iron, it's OK, but with long iron, then reduce lots of distance due to the tight tension.

[@juh7111]

I do it with the driver as well. Hit 90% more fairways.

[@donnachiebro]

Fantastic video amazing new take on rotation and feel cheers mike 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🏌️🏌️🏌️

[@patrickwheeler7107]

So true, I lived by being "connected" for years and anything above the 7 was usually a disaster unless it was tee'd up. Driver is a different animal off the tee, 170 out I was WORTHLESS!

[@tommisalomaa7225]

Get connected is the worst advice to a average golfer who has a tendensy to slice the ball or come from out to in. I strugled with that for years untin I tryed Mikes idea of moving my arms seperatly from the body. Tony Luczak’s idea of make the arms move first was also vital. Golf teachers can’t normally tell this ideas because they never sliced the ball. Kids also never slice the ball when they start to play because they hit with their arms and they have to swing the heavy clubhead Malaska style because they are not strong enough. When I learned the right sequence(swinging with my arms) I started to hook the ball and come too much from the inside. That took about and half a year to happen. Now I can think ideas of connecting, opening my torso and hips and so on to prevent the club to come too much from inside.

[@ablgolfmom6211]

Salo Tom glad you’re having success but kids surly don’t swing Malaska style! They always use the body pivot to sling the club. Their body is wide open at impact complete opposite of Malaska move

[@tommisalomaa7225]

Using the body is such a weird consept. There is a lot of talk about it but nobody seem to be able to explain what it really means. If someone is open at impact, how come he somehowe uses his body more to hit the ball. Sure he turns but the ball is always hit by the hands. In all the racket sports and throwing motions the hands work actively away from the body while the body is supporting that motion, golf is no different. Your are right, kids are mostly open at impact. They have to use the momentum because the club is so heavy(Malaska way) They have to work agaist the heavy club after the impact as well which opens their hips.

[@ablgolfmom6211]

Salo Tom you should check out Golfletics channel. He was a Malaska assistant for 5 years but has since gone another direction because of differences between he and Mike. His students are having much more success since moving away from Malaska’s ideas.

[@m.lymann2185]

Marvelous questions?

[@phe9238]

Well explained, thank you

[@guntars66]

There I see the place for discussion about joints construction positions. How is the easiest way to understand and learn this positions. Tension in muscles, from my opinion, is attempt ion to replace this construction connection with muscles force.

[@Prophecy23JC]

I realize that you do swing your arms freely and without tension, but do you keep your right elbow next to you body on backswing and the left elbow on the follow through?

[@scottsanders2641]

not Mike, but based on the swings I've seen he does. Unless you're Jim Furyk, and can contort your hips to be wide open at impact, you should always aim to get your Rt elbow on or in front of your your Rt hip through impact....

[@Prophecy23JC]

@@scottsanders2641 Why do randoms always respond to questions asked to the person making the video…

[@rodgalilee7946]

great video yet again mike, superb content as always, thank you.

[@zatoichi-sm8mj]

superb explanation

[@mattbaker1447]

Do the L to L swing and feel the shaft stay level through impact and float through is the best way to fell connected.

[@MarkSmith-lz5rk]

What do you mean im really struggling with this with my irons

[@OjisMagee]

3:00 This awkward, jerky movement always seems to manifest itself when I am off-tempo (although not as much anymore) and/or completely out of rhythm. Without these, technique becomes absolutely useless on the golf course. I have to practice without thinking and practice often or the 'old me' manifests itself again, my rhythm gets all wobbly, and I start hitting fat and thin shots. If anything, Mike, you give us a great excuse to play more golf (o, darn) so we don't fall back into old habit and teachings. But really, its just the way the club is meant to be swung - frekin effortless.

[@gv6829]

SOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!😎

[@marcussheldon9220]

Thank you 😊 well explained 🤝

[@blarsen8]

If you watch the video with no sound the last couple of minutes Mike looks hilarious.

[@MGN01]

Could you do a video about golf ball position through the irons, hybrids and woods?

[@viperwavstudios]

Hey Mike - Your instructions have completely changed my game for me, and would like to take in peron lessons soon but have a question/problem that is driving me crazy in my driver. I hit my irons perfect/straight but for some reason w my driver take the backswing up way too far back/too high which causes the right elbow to chicken wing* I realize Im doing it.. but back swing feels* comportable thus why I dont realize Im doing it.. can you help explain what the driver/coiled up backswing should* feel like... 😬 Im like over analyzing where the backswing should be/feel like at the top.. and its causing a horrible push- slice to the right. (Starts straight then curves hard to right) only w the driver*

[@davidneshat784]

Hi Mike, my question is about what the feeling is in the left foot when you swing? As a long time slider I struggle with lateral movement in the downswing. Are there any feelings or tasks I can work on to push with the left leg without sliding? Thanks, Dave

[@marclissoway2638]

Hi Mike: Do you have a video on the grip?

[@stevethalls9542]

Do you have a drill for the arm body movement you talked about?

[@jtel5630]

I feel my right hip pushing away and back than I feel my left leg straighten and push back. I feel relaxed and don’t even think of hands arms, absolutely nothing. Hitting the ball great. Am I missing anything? Thanks Mike

[@seth1455]

"Hitting the ball great" I think you answered your own question

[@jacobr4558]

The golf swing can be very simple or infinitely complex depending on your goals. If you want to shoot in the mid to high 80s to maybe low 80s master a stall swing. If you want to get into the 70s you can do that with a stall swing and clean short game. If you want to get into the low 70s high 60s then you are going to have to get much deeper into the physics and mechanics. That is what Mike teaches. If it goes over your head and you can't connect the dots it says more about you than him. If you are ready to go deep into the rabbit hole of the swing then you must truly jump if not then stay where you are and have fun.

[@CapoblancoTube]

I think that what you feel is not what everybody will feel. It's possible that somebody need to feel that he is super connected to be just connected as it has to bee. The feel and the reality are not the same things.

[@johnbak9395]

Good video. Is the feel of the club head coincide with the grip pressure?

[@regcade6767]

Mike is the best golf coach I have ever heard or seen and I've been (and still am) a U.K. fully qualified P.G.A. pro for 58 years.The feel of the club head is dependant on the grip pressure. If is too tense you can't feel the club head, or swing it freely - hence club head speed, momentum and power is lost.

[@ferdinandglockner8616]

THE TRUTH!!!

[@klamsauce233]

Never doing that towel drill again. Thank god.

[@birdiemaker4615]

Yeah but that release you are showing is armsy and the arms pass over the midline and produce chicken wing and not a stable face

[@robsaxepga]

Another crappy thought... Ledbetter connection straps...geez..

[@ArchieBallCat]

Just was about to post how silly swing shirts are that keep your arms in a static position... I guess it might benefit some people

[@robsaxepga]

@@ArchieBallCat I was fully bought into the straps years ago but in hindsight, why would you want your arms to move with your body rather than just in sync with your body, the slowest moving component of the swing? If the intent is just to give the wearer the sense of syncing the arms with the body motion then ok get that but having the upper arms plastered to your sides will not work for everyone. That would take some explanation and instruction for the average golfer to understand.

[@m.lymann2185]

Tour pros(men's) run from Leadbetter. They know better to seek his advice.

[@rangepro]

Thats is NOT CORRECT>>> if you want the outer to travel faster the inner has to speed up!.. ask David who killed Goliath.

[@ablgolfmom6211]

JohnD Mike contradicts himself too often. He sometimes says pushing away with his left leg is the gas pedal which speeds up rotation and other times acts as though the club can create its own speed. The club needs to be propelled by something. I much prefer Golfletics teachings much more correct from an athletes perspective.

[@ianbainbridge5095]

If you move the inner part too much the bottom of your swing arc will be all over and so will your shots. Stay centred and let weight and centrifugal force collect ball. Basically you have 2 types of swing armsy dominated, and body rotation dominated. Armsy will see you golfing into your 60’s and beyond. Body rotation will see your back knackered by mid 40s.

[@rangepro]

@@ianbainbridge5095 you don't know what you are talking about!

[@seth1455]

@@rangepro Because ?

[@ablgolfmom6211]

ian bainbridge Jones Sarazen Hogan Snead Palmer Player and many others used an athletic pivot driven motion and played injury free for the most part until they died. I don’t think you understand the swing very well the more arm driven swingers suffer from more back and hip injuries because of lateral slide and the shaft tends to come in steeper causing early extension. You should watch golfletics channel he worked under Malaska for 8 years and has a few alternative ideas on how the swing works and his ideas have taken what I learned from Mike to a whole new level.