Golf Boot Camp

If you'd like to learn the most powerful, most accurate and most efficient golf swing in existence, Dan Shauger and I will take you from zero to 60 in one fun-filled weekend. We will hold a two-day Boot Camp in Los Angeles March 5-6 that will cover virtually every aspect of the Mike Austin swing as well as all facets of the short game. When you complete the weekend you might be a little tired and a little sore but your game will never be the same. Just a few weeks after learning this method from Dan, I began winning long drive titles. Maybe you can do the same!! To learn more or to register, visit Dan's web site at www.aperfectswing.com.

The Mike Austin Golf Swing

Although the Mike Austin golf swing looks rather effortless and easy, there's a reason for that. Mike found a way to use the body's joints, which are all levers (hinges, ball and sockets, etc), in a way that is like a powerful compound lever. He used the legs, the most powerful muscle group in the body, as the main power source. It looks so natural, because unlike the conventionally taught swing, his swing was built around how the body is meant to function. He didn't use conventional golf terminology like coil, lag, hinging the wrists, delayed release, etc. Instead, he used natural body leverage, throwing the club around the swing circle center, and a square-blade concept where the shaft doesn't roll open and closed. The ball flies straighter and father without the back-strain.

Grip pressure

The proper amount of grip pressure is a very important element in a golfer's ability to execute an efficient and powerful swing. Here is a way to deterime if your's is correct:

Hold a club out in front of you with the shaft horizontal to the ground. That's too much pressure. Now, lift the shaft so that's pointing straight up in the air. That's too little pressure. The ideal amount occurs when the shaft is halfway between these these too points; in other words, at a 45 degree angle to the ground.

We want to try to maintain the same grip pressure throughout the swing although centrifugal force will cause us to tighten slightly. I have found that when I consciously soften my grip on the downswing I add clubhead speed. This also makes it easier to square the clubface at impact.

Remember that tension kills speed!!

Alignment and ball position

Alignment and ball position are both important factors for any golfer wanting to hit longer, more accurate shots. As part of the pre-shot routine, the player must pick out a very specific target while standing behind the ball and facing the target. Most good players pick out a piece of grass or clump of dirt roughly 12 inches in front of the ball and directly on the target line. This provides a far more effective reference point with which to aim the clubface. When the golfer moves into the address position, all of the body lines (toes, knees, hips, elbows and shoulders) should be on a line that is parallel to the target line. Keep in mind that most right handed, right eye dominant people have a tendency to allow their aiming point to drift to the right. It's something that needs to be checked constantly.

I will discuss ball position in my next blog.

Web site: www.jmlongdrive.com