Ok guys and gals. Let’s get going on the backswing and the path of the hands and arms.
I am pretty sure this is my second day with Mike Austin. As you can hear, he gave me a hefty dose of his “enthusiasm”.
I took the heat, now you can learn from the comfort of your home.
The bottom line here is that unlike a lot of teachings (and many incorrectly teaching Mike Austin’s swing), the clubhead and arms do NOT go straight back on a line from the ball. They move on an “in curve”. This is crucial to a circular motion.
Hope this helps.
Happy New Year and thanks for all of your support this year. We’ve got some great things in store for your game next year.
Best, Chuck
Copyright December 2010 llenroc enterprises LLC
Mentored By The Legend - Mike Austin 
Boy oh boy does that clip bring back memories! It took awhile for us MA students to learn that Mike only yelled at us and jerked our body parts around because he cared for us, and knew we had it in us to perform.
Busy Saturday morning at Studio City, and Mike is disrupting the peace again! I was the recipient of several tongue lashings too! 😀
Steve,
Love it.
And, in the next moment Mike was wishing someone passing by at the range the most genuine: “good morning Sir” that you could ever imagine.
I may put together some clips together just on that alone.
You gotta love Mike Austin. Passion at its best.
I don’t care what anyone says, no one that gave a lesson like Mike.
Chuck
Are your hands via straightening the right leg moving on the ten o’clock four o’clock line?
Robert,
Not sure I know what your are asking. Please feel free to elaborate.
Best.
Lately, I have had a problem of feeling the throw. Some days I would have it others no. I again watched the video “Secret to the Games Longest Hitter” on use of the right arm. I came to the conclusion I have been taking the club away from ball on a line back from the ball. Which is to my right not back. I decided to practice only taking everything back on a line relative to the ball from ten to four o’clock and forward on the same line. What a difference the control and power are astounding. I think I have discovered What Mike was referring to when saying “I hit with my Hunds”
My Question was more an affirmation on what I have been doing.
I really enjoy the website. Please keep it up. Does the “In Curve” refer to the hands going back inside in the first foot of the backswing because the upper part of the left arm is connected to body? After that it looks like there is a lifting action with the right elbow.
Thanks so much.
Good insights.
The hand and arm continues to go along the “in-curve”. You never raise the arms above the shoulder.
Because the right shoulder is above the the left as you turn, the arms appear to raise.
Also, because the right elbow folds and then there’s an infraspinatus spin (right hand going above the right bicep) the arms raise, you never independently raise the arms.
Hope that helps.
Chuck
When you took lessons from Mike, did he have you rotating the forearms on the backswing?
In my early years, Mike did have me rotate my forearms.
However, in later years he did not have the forearms rotate.
They moved with the body without independent rotation.
Stand up and hold your lead arm straight out with the arm touching your pec. Now turn the body keeping that same relationship. Now turn the body the other way. Same move in the golf swing. No independent rotation. “The clubface stays square to the points of the compass”, Mike Austin would say. Hope that helps.
Best, Chuck
Thanks for the info. The past two weeks I have been swinging the arms without rotating the forearms and have been getting good results.
I tried the counter-rotation that some people advocate, but found that wasn’t any better than the conventional forearm rotation.
I find using no rotation that my swing is more consistent and relaxed as well.
Happy New Year Chuck!!
Great to see another clip to close out the year and give me something to work on the course tomorrow 🙂 Are you rehearsing the “incurve” as Mike as is walking towards you? The move looks in and up, would that be close? Many of the other clips looks as if the club is almost going outside more than straight back. Thank you again.
David
You are welcome Dave. Yes, I was rehearsing the in curve. No doubt very nervously given the rise in volume of instruction and Mike walking toward me. He was apt to push and pull you at a moment’s notice.
The backswing is on an arc away from the ball and to the inside. (It should not come outside despite some camera angles which may suggest otherwise.)
Getting this down is going to pay big dividends as you will see from future clips that the swing is a circle and circular momentum is critical to the swing speed.
The backswing will also rise since, as Mike would say, it has to. The arms and club are moving on oblique plane – the left hip and left shoulder lower, tilting the right hip and right shoulder upward.
The lowering of the left hip and shoulder, as you may recall, was initiated when you took your stance and then allowed the back leg go from a flexed position to and extended position. (See, it’s all starting to fit together.)
You aren’t lifting the arms. They move with the body along that angled plane as the upper body turns back. (Specific instruction and clips to come.)
Thanks for your input and have a wonderful New Year!!
Chuck