Many sports incorporate the Lever System and the pivoting action of a club, bat, racket, etc. Developing the Lever System begins with pivoting the club back and forth.
Tennis and golf are very similar in that the ball is stationary at impact, and you pivot the club or racket to hit the ball. When you hit a tennis ball, it is at the apex of the toss; therefore, it is considered stationary. The Lever System or pivoting action is critical to creating speed. Your center mass isn’t moving much and is not responsible for speed.
In golf, if you put a club on your shoulders and swing it back and forth, you will feel the Lever System at work. Long Drive Champion, Mike Austin, used to help Mike Malaska with this drill. Start with the club on your right shoulder and begin to throw the club out as you swing; your left arm will straighten as the clubhead straightens. Because your left arm is relaxed, it rotates externally and will fold up as you continue the swing to your left shoulder. This pivoting action is the Lever System, which is how you generate speed. Your arms don’t help the ball and pull through the swing.
It is essential to get the feel of the Lever System and how the club pivots. You will notice how little your body moves. Take this drill and apply it to your golf swing and try to hit a ball. Let your body move with the swing to maximize the Lever System. The biggest thing that Mike Malaska has learned in 50 years is that the golf swing is invisible. What you see isn’t necessarily happening.
The Chair Drill is one of the best drills to learn the Lever System. Set up to a ball while sitting on a bag stand or a chair, and put your right leg back, so your knee is out of the way. Make little swings and hit the ball from the chair.
This drill will help you harness the Lever System. Because you are isolating your body movements, you will be forced to use your arms and pivoting action to hit the ball.
This Driver video zeroes in on creating speed. PGA professional Davis Love Jr. was one of the best drivers of the golf ball. His father had him do a drill which was phenomenal at creating and increasing speed. By creating more and more speed, everything has to stay in sync when you swing. You won...
Mike Malaska works us through a drill that focuses on driver face control. He likes to refer to the driver as a placement club.
Mike places four balls on tees to hit different shots. He hits a hook, fade, and a low shot while getting control of the face. Mike hits the ball, making the ball curv...
The key to creating speed is staying relaxed and swinging without tension. Mike Malaska suggests that words like "trying to hit the ball harder" or "pound the ball" impact how you swing. People usually tighten up when they try to hit the ball harder. Thinking about it from the perspective of crea...
