Malaska Golf // The Importance of Impact to Play Your Best Golf

It's US Open week, and this is really one of my favorite events of the year. When playing a course like Winged Foot and dealing with the rough off the fairways and around the greens, how you make contact with the ball is essential to playing your best. It may sound basic, but understanding impact is really one of the most fundamental tasks in your golf swing.
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[@td1138]

This is why Matthew Wolff is so good. He basically rehearses his impact position as part of his swing trigger. With every swing, he reminds himself where he needs to be at impact and then builds his swing around feeling.

[@golferkevt]

One of the best teachers I have found on KZbin. Easy to understand, I have changed my swing because of you. Now shoot in the low to mid 70"s from high 70"s low 80"s. Makes golf more fun when hard work pays off.

[@MrBigspendn]

Have you checked out Chris Ryan, Eric Cogorno, and Jonathan Taylor golf. They are great teachers. Helped my swing tremendously.

[@cubfan69kmz85]

Totally makes sense and rings true for me. As a young teenager I was a pretty darn good athlete and at times a decent golfer. I had very good hand eye coordination. However, after I started diving into Golf Digest and Golf Magazine etc. etc, I all of a sudden had a thousand swing thoughts going through my head and it ruined my golf swing. Only recently have I discovered my natural ability again.

[@obito8950]

Best teacher by far. My impact was always trash I’d shoot even par feel great then check my swing on video and would get very discouraged. Once I realized I was playing on pure confidence I would shoot bad for a cpl weeks and the cycle continues. Now when I shoot good scores I get validated by my swing looking technically sound. I can’t thank Mike enough for sharing his knowledge on this channel. 🙂

[@marcevans6609]

Mike: you’re the best teacher in golf. I understand more about the swing and can effectively apply your “move” with increasing efficiency and “impact” was the link I needed. You’re the best!

[@DerrickMertl]

That’s what I teach my kids. Impact is the most important part of the swing. Everyone has different back swings because we have different brains lol. Get you left hip out of the way weight to left side divot in front of the ball. Get there every time. Good stuff Mike!

[@ebttt]

Outstanding. I totally agree. If you get impact correct. It doesn't matter what your backswing what downswing or follow through look like. Impact Precision dictate everything else

[@capkarr]

Mike! This might be the most important and profound discovery. WE TEACH IN REVERSE! I know teach at impact and go back from there! THANKS MIKE!!!

[@robertbright4371]

Very good Mike. You wouldve been a heck of a baseball coach too!

[@brandonjordan2516]

I gained 12mph clubhead speed with my driver literally overnight doing Malaska impact position drills....it's ridiculous. I'm hitting the ball so pure right now with almost no effort. I'd spend a ton to get him to help take my game to where I want it to be and pick his brain. Incredible teacher.

[@arjanpetersen]

I gained 30 mph in an hour.

[@brandonjordan2516]

@@arjanpetersen What was it before?

[@barryread3672]

Great advice Mike. I will now start with impact position in every practice session. Thank you for your great videos.

[@pulsechainpete3808]

Been following for about 1yr. Tried the tip club up without success. Then started to shank the ball, so back to the standing up of the club, OMG it’s not about the downswing it’s the amazing feel of the follow through with hands almost touching your left pocket. Never hit the ball better, golf takes time🙏

[@mb58993]

What a tremendous approach to the game! Will try this. Thank you Mr. Malaska!

[@tombain5665]

Hi Mike I really enjoy your tour experience philosophy and approach to golf coaching. I enjoy helping beginner or less advanced golfers. If I were to coach a beginner. Like my son. I started with a one foot putt to longer putts and chips etc, so they could realise club head control and at the same time encouraging a flowing motion up to the longer clubs. Highlighting the rotary aspect of the club and swing. Great stuff and I've studied this great game with passion a looong time. Keep it up sir. UK

[@MrBigspendn]

I try to go over and chip for awhile then hit the range. It helps my timing and rythm plus gets me in the impact position so when I hit irons on the range I pure the ball a lot better.

[@pozmarciv]

That makes sense Mike, thanks for the video

[@RWaxo]

Excellent video again, impact is the key

[@colinwhite2724]

This has got to make sense. Only been playing 30 years but I’ll work on this.

[@lizcannan1092]

Oh my goodness!! Where are the golf instructors who want to be better teachers of the game? Well they should sign up with Mike....simple and efficient. Lots less stress on the body too....this comment from a retired D.C. Most people leave the game they love due to injuries that have evolved from inefficient movement patterns. Thanks!

[@hawkness_monster]

Great stuff as always!

[@pluto3215]

Wow I get it. High low draw fade straight, how cool is that, thanks!

[@robsaxepga]

Sounds like a simpler explanation of TGM. I just feel like I'm swinging my hands back to the impact fix position. I mentally aim my hands at that spot. I've practiced that a lot so the feel is pretty simple. Works.. If you don't know impact and can't swing your self there, you're chasing ghosts...I did that for years. Precision just isn't possible without a keen understanding and feel of impact.

[@Yoohoo2949]

I remember Sam Snead in one of his books said he had an image of his hands in a holster at address, and that his goal was to swing back to that holster at impact. I think his concept here is similar. There may never be another drill or concept better than this.

[@mr.walker8700]

This is how golf should be taught. Teach fundamentals first before you get into complex thoughts and movements.

[@muffle2877]

I've recently seen a video of tiger woods in 2000 saying that he feels like he only swings with his arms. Until now my golf swing was basically turning to the top and then just rotating my lower body and letting shoulders and arms follow losely. It kinda works but I'm always batteling inconsistency. Now I've tried to just swing back to the top and from there just swing with my arms and letting my body follow, it works as well as the hip swing. Now I'm kinda lost and not sure, which of the both I should practice and adapt. Since I really like your content and views on the golf swing I thought maybe you could help me. Great vid by the way.

[@stickgs]

Hi Mike! Thanks for all your terrific videos that have helped me in many ways. Would you, could you possibly due a review of the DST 8I curved Impact training club that puts the golfer in the perfect impact position that you discussed here, & that many PGA Tour professionals have been using?

[@courtneyroy270]

Thanks once again Mike, from courtney😒🇬🇧

[@xpost92]

Exceptional tip. Building your swing from knowing impact position.

[@fishblade2]

I love this teaching. I seriously think I’m going to save up for a lesson. Do you do online lessons and how much do they cost?

[@georgesealy4706]

I have had the opportunity to meet Mike. He is not only one of the best teachers in the world, he is truly a fine gentleman.

[@jonblaz1]

Should you adjust your grip for impact rather than at setup?

[@trotamundo8]

Great!.

[@louispounds7486]

When I line up the shaft with my right forearm at address my hands feel.really high. Is that correct?

[@zatoichi-sm8mj]

superb explanation

[@markk171]

THANK YOU! In all the "lessons" I have ever taken NO ONE has put much emphasis on WHERE to be at impact. It was always positions, weight shift, blah blah blah. AND DONT SWING YOUR ARMS OR USE YOUR HANDS! Never made any sense to me. I played baseball when I was young (MANY YEARS ago) and I would always ask "why not swing similar to swinging a baseball bat?". The reaction was always BAD BAD BAD NO NO NO...but watching and listening to you, your swing looks a LOT like a pro baseball player when they swing a bat...this weight shift thing NEVER made any sense to me. THANKS keep up the good work...I can hardly wait to get out and practice point of impact and MOMENTUM shift!

[@bobfindley6949]

Thanks, I now start my practice with the at impact position drills.

[@DerrickMertl]

Question Mike…at the moment of impact, should your shoulder line match your toe line parallel with ball line or will it be a little left of toe line?

[@Rich--J]

A day late and $1300ish short--if I won. Maybe next time. Thanks for the giveaway and the video!

[@texaswaldo61]

I play golf lead arm dominate due to vision problems. So my trail arm is my weak side. Does the trail arm push or provide power or does the club swing and pull the trail side d through? I live in San Antonio Texas.

[@user-en3hp7rd7m]

[memo & recap] '임팩트가 진실로 .. 골프스윙에서 가장 기본적인 과제 중 하나라는 것을 이해하는 것', '공과 contact 하는 방법을 아는 것이 최선을 다 해서 play 하는 데에 아주 필수적이다' (골프 play 에서 공과 어떻게 접촉해야 되는지를 알아야 골프play에서 최선을 다 할 수 있다). US Open 에서는 ball flight 와 trajectory 를 control 할 수 있는 능력이 결정적이다. 정말로 ball 을 controll 하는 능력이 필요하다. ' ... No, You should start with impact and understand what that is, and then you build your swing from impact to the top back to address is a more efficient way ' - - - 이 말이 너무 제게 너무 위안이 되네요 (최근에 우연히 어드레스 때에 임팩트 자세를 취하고 그 자세에서 부터 백스윙을 시작해봤더니 impact 는 물론이고 스윙전체가 너무 잘 되는 거예요.. 그런데 이런 정보와 지식을 얻게 되다니 ... 고맙습니다!) Thanks so much !!

[@cluman1]

The Phoenix to San Diego analogy was unnecessary and a let down lol. Seriously, Mike is correct when it comes to impact. All pros and low handicappers have one thing in common: they look the same at impact. Once I started doing impact drills, my ball striking improved immensely. More importantly, I beat my golf buddies all the time. The one drill I love is the split hand slapshot drill. I start that drill in slow mo than I add a little speed every 5 to 10 swings. I'm really focused on keeping my lead arm straight on the back swing while rotating around my hips (no swaying) and making sure I look like a golf pro at impact. There are no golf balls involved either. 10 minutes in my home every other day. It's the feel I'm looking for. When i took it to the range, I hit some of the worst shots ever but then it happened.... I started compressing my shots. Beware, it does get a little ugly before it gets better but show some resilience. Of course there are a few other things involved (weight transfer, wrist hinge, head position, etc) but this was a smart place to start. Changed my game for the better.

[@dominicjodoin7756]

i tried to control impact chipping is great full swing is too fast

[@HHHWLH]

Mike, how do you incorporate the L to L concept with Impact Position? It seems almost impossible to get to the follow thru L (or J) position when practicing Impact position. It is not fluid or easy to get to the follow thru L position when Impact position is the task.

[@dominicjodoin7756]

when i swing my right arm correctly , my body go to impact position naturally just like tennis , tennis i just think of swinging my right arm

[@mr.walker8700]

I like this feeling too.

[@Jmastives]

Mike I've been watching your videos for 4 hours straight. If I wasn't in the UK I'd be over for a lesson. I'd love to know how to pay for your help.

[@gildas2]

You're no longer with Honma ??

[@frankenstein01]

What's the website url?

[@Bill-jv5eg]

Great lesson, thanks

[@nickl1975]

Guru.

[@teddythodo3302]

feeling pretty depressed right now, ball is contacted good, straight.. but losing distance because i'm adding so much loft, scooping and my hands are on my trail leg.. they're supposed to be higher up on my lead leg. Don't know how to fix this ... my practice swings are picture perfect hands forward, shaft lean and all.

[@normankleinberg5525]

@teddy, I could have written this. Even trying a small movement to feel impact I end up hitting fat. I guess I'm (we're) just not moving the body forward. I have my playing partner video me and I SWEAR my practice swing is, as with you, "picture perfect". Put a ball in front of me and I shy away from it just before impact, wrists scoop, I chicken wing it, etc. The only time I've had success is with the L-to-L and practicing it a few times then stepping up to the ball IMMEDIATELY and swinging for real. I sometimes can keep the feeling and swing through the ball. BTW, Jim McLean has a video from about ten years ago on just this topic, impact, in which he agrees with what Mike says and then goes on to say that he won't move on with a student until they master the "pinch" drill, which involves just a swing back to P1. Good Luck.

[@teddythodo3302]

@@normankleinberg5525 Be Better Golf has a video about backswing could be a potential culprit. But yes if I were to take it back to p2 and through to p10 I have my handle leading and compression. Only problem is I can’t swing like that all the time

[@dancarey9495]

Mike's grip does not look as strong as he recommends in other videos. Is it just camera angles?

[@supercooloz13]

No more Honma?

[@rangepro]

NOW YOU are back with TAYLOR-MADE?

[@Golsbygolf]

Mike clubs look to small, have you ever played 1 length clubs

[@GermanBullitt]

Dear Mike, I am a strong believer and user of the malaska move. I am striking the ball well, but sometimes i hit really bad hooks or pull hooks, even with short irons. These shots are killing my game. I guess i i am moving my upper body to much and the club gets behind me. Any cure for that? Seems this motion is burried deep down in my muscle memory and probably under pressure it breaks out...

[@chillyerbeans3756]

Thats exactly the same as me pal. If you work it out let me know

[@barneybrockwell8302]

Sounds to me like your hips aren't getting pushed back(right hip back swing and left on down swing) and you have nowhere to go but "over the top" causing the pull hook. If it were just getting stuck behind you I'd expect to see a colossal block to the right now and again too.

[@GermanBullitt]

@@barneybrockwell8302 Thx for your input. I figured it out now. Was on the range yesterday. Its my strong grip. I dont know why, but sometimes i my left hand gets too strong, what causes the face to get closed on impact. I need to straighten out my left hand and check if the face is closed everytime...doh!

[@justintaylor4471]

I gotta say - wading through all the bs videos on golf swings with "rotate this faster, put your hip here, put your elbow here and then here and then here and then here while putting your left knee here and here and your right knee here and here and your ankle should be here while you don't blink and maintain a spine angle" blah blah blah. Malaska shows you and teaches you how to swing a golf club more consistently - and he does it without all the bs. I recommend deleting all the rest of the golf channels you watch and focus on this one. You'll thank me for it in the end.

[@Yoohoo2949]

I must now sell my entire golf books library. They are made irrelevant by his teaching. I'll be lucky to get a fraction of the cost back. Maybe I should buy Mike lunch for a thank you.