5 years ago I watched the OK Ladies Open and had the same question about how they did it. For me it was their slower swing with perfect timing did it. I copied them, slowing my swing down, and over the following 3 months put an average 25 yards on my driving distance from 180 to 205 yards. I was 70 years old at the time.
Mike truly deserves his own 30 minute show on Golf Channel. There's no one better at breaking down golf and the golf swing into simple, easy to apply concepts.
Mike! Thanks 'so' much for the beautiful and concise explanation. My game has always been a struggle. I am 62, and I have only scored below eighty once in the many decades I have played, and, I have spent far too much of my hard earned money on lessons--to no avail. After watching this short video, I went to the range, and, 'voila'. My first round out I shot a "73". My entire game was better! Thank you, so much. I'll be in Naples again in the near future, and I will look you up. I feel I owe you a lesson. Thanks!
I wrote you a while back and I wanted to share what I've learned. I'm a big strong guy now in my 60's and this has been a revelation ! Learning to swing smooth instead of hard did not come easy ! It took months. I'm now able to keep my eye on the back of the ball through my swing. What a change. I'm trading off a little distance for a lot of accuracy and finesse. Bless you my son !
Donald Benson, it is a crazy golf oxymoron but it is true.., “it’s hard to swing easier” But if you leave your back to the target longer and let your arms drop as you shift your weight to your left side You can really let your arms whip sling into a full finish. Keep learning to swing easy and learn how to accept the extra distance and accuracy Mike
I wanted to get some greenside pitching practice on a 9 hole par 3 course, holes 100 to 130 yards, so I just hit sand wedges from the tees, loose and casual since I didn't care where they went, just somewhere short of the green so I could pitch the next shot. Usual sand wedge 75 to 90, but just letting the club drop and turning, I'm seeing these balls hit the greens up till 120. Changed how I swing forever. LPGA players great for most guys to emulate. This is an excellent explanation and illustration. Sending to the guys I know who "hit" the ball.
Gravity Golf came out by David Lee in 1978 or 79. You heave your arms in the backswing and literally throw all of the tension out of the arms, at the top of the backswing the hands and club reach a "stall" feeling much like when a direct elevator gets to the top floor and settles just a little. The passengers experience a slight zero gravity or weightless condition. This is how the hands and club should feel. Now comes the most misunderstood part of this swing technique, the fall AND the counterfall. By fall is meant towards the later part of the heave your body weight falls onto your front foot and then is deflected into the counterfall. When the arms start using gravity to begin their trip back down from the top and around the swing arc to bring the club into the ball they pull the trunk of the body toward them. To keep the swing in balance there must be a "counterfall". Actually the counterfall is s deflection of the body away from the swing of the arms. Think of as a playful big brother swinging his younger sister around him in the yard, to stay in balance and to maintain the swinging circle he has to lean back in an opposite direction that his arms are being pulled by the swinging weight of his sister. This is the counterfall. Mike Malaska refers to it as a push away of the body. David Lee starts the body counterfall as a deflection of the body off center to balance the swing of the arms. As a drill,I used to fall into my front foot and then "counterfall" with the upper part of my body, as if falling to the ground like when a tree is cut. I then would have to swing of my arms around me in a down and out motion to keep me from falling to the ground. To me this was a great way to sense the counterfall that David Lee taught. I hit some the best shots in my lifetime as an avid amateur golfer and swing enthusiast using Gravity Golf. The problem with this swing method is that it requires absolute trust. As soon as the golfer tries to manipulate the swing by adding tension in any way, the misses are horrendous. I called David once snd joked thay playing the Gravity Golf Swing was like dating a redhead. When it is going good it is the greatest, but be careful because one little bit of a false step (tension) and you get a frying pan to the head.
I’m amazed by Inbee Park, she has one of the slowest swings on the LPGA but she’s very accurate. Seven major wins proves that you don’t have to be the longest player to be successful.
Thanks, Mike I have been trying to emulate the Women's Tour swing for some time. Your explanation and demonstration have been a revelation for me. Paul Wilson (another RU-vid instructor) got my attention with his Swing Machine Golf which included powerless arms and free-hinging wrists. You have cleared up an important necessary element, I was focusing on clearing the left hip (as put forward by Ben Hogan). I agree with you that the way Women's Tour players generate speed is more relevant to older club members.
A couple of weeks ago I hit a 9 iron about 20yards further than I normally do. Couldn't work out why but now I think I was inadvertently using the gravity golf method - many thanks for explaining
I want to thank-you so much for this video. I have at times swung with minimal tension and the direction, flight and distance were the best I could hope for. Of course the old problem of trying crept back in and well, we all know that story. I am surprised that the swing you demonstrated is so...upright with minimal cocking effort of the wrists.....a definite no no to how I was taught the swing so long ago. I am going to focus on this method when the season starts back up. Thanks again!!!
As a 63 year old 9 handicap who works out hard 3 days a week (boot camp and cardio combat), I was a sceptic. I modified my swing to use this effortless method last week. My irons are now crisper, taller and more accurate. This is fun! I had to reduce the loft on my driver to 9.5 and now my drives are still higher than before but a bit longer too. Wow. Just got off the course, doubled the first hole, then settled down to an effortless 77 (on a par 72). Best round of the year. Thanks....
I have been seeing a change in my swing when I stopped trying to hit the ball and I just turn and turn back. I was trying to describe it to a friend I was playing golf with, but I was doing a bad job. It was hard to describe, it was more of a feeling to me. This is a much better description of what I was doing. Thanks for the explanation.
Glad I found this video. I swung that way for a while and always had great speed and distance. Then had a swing coach that told me it sounded like all timing and then commenced to teaching me to swing like DJ. I’m almost 60 and body doesn’t move as well as when I was younger. I watched the amateur girls tournament at my local club this summer at The Club at Olde Stone and noticed how slow they swung but generated so much power. Until I saw this video, I thought to myself that I must have been wrong when I used the gravity swing even thought it produced a great whip with an easy follow thru. As soon as I’m healed up from this knee surgery, I’m going back to the gravity swing!
So glad I came across this video. I knew nothing about "Gravity Golf" before today but happened on several by David Lee and then seeing yours I realized I was trying to do what you are describing but I was missing the relaxed ingredient. I've been setting the club in what feels vertical to me in a nice relaxed manner but then I've been trying to muscle the downswing with too much tension. The light bulb went on watching your video. Thanks Mike
Didn't know it had a name, but stumbled into best swing of my life, easy effortless great distance said I would never break a sweat golfing again, Noticed it couldn't be rushed or forced....it just all came together...I have a video of myself doing it...but lost that swing....after watching this maybe I can find it again....
I'll give this a shot! My first concern: Keeping a consistent width in my swing. I'm thinking the centrifugal force of the downswing will increase the arc width, causing me to strike behind the ball. Guess I'll have to make sure I'm shifting forward correctly. Sounds like I need time on the range to try it! Should be fun!
This is a purfect two plane move. I have believed in a Jim Hardy Plane Truth for golf ever sence starting He is one of the only people who has broken down the body swinger or the arm swing. This V swing and hip bump are exactly what he explains for the two plane swing. Thanks for your insight. Great job.
Wow perfect video So clear so easy..i just played my best 18vin 5yrs from watching yr vid last nite an this morning before i teed off.. THANKS MATE BRILLIANT
Gravity Golf has taken strokes off my games. There is a couple more things David and Danny(his son) Lee will explain and demo that Mike didn't cover, but I don't think Mike's intent was to cover everything, thanks Mike. The counter fall is a feeling of falling back towards the target in the backswing. That is the point you start "dropping" your hands and turning. The other thing is transfer the weight. I spend a great deal of time doing one arm drills, routing (very cool) and cross leg drills. You will be surprised how far and straight your irons go. We use similar techiques in chipping and putting. So one swing for your entire game. It really, really works. If you want a reference, asks the men and women in my golf league about my play!!! So when you practice, and you hear all the time from various people that practice doesn't make them better, well this is not true for Gravity Golf. You will practice with intent and you will see improvement. In fact I love my practices.
Where do I go to learn all of the aspects of how the LPGA ladies get so much distance. Where can I get the explanations of the drills you are talking about? Thanks
Thanks Mike. Great advice. I applied this natural swing idea on course today. First impressions are more control and more accurately relating distance to different clubs in bag.
The video is perfect, but giving the LPGA players the credit they deserve was the best part. If you’re not watching them play you’re missing an entirely different game of golf than men play. They’ll never hit it 360 yards, but when you’re hitting 85-90% of fairways and most greens in regulation who cares. There are many girls who average 300+ on tour now.
Excellent presentation on a number of fronts. Am reminded of Bobby Jones swing speed statistics where it is said that his down swing speed was the equivalent of the speed of gravity. His swing imho is one of the most silky of many of the greats. PS When you demo using the hands/arms you see the lag disappearing over the horizon!
Mike Dero! One of the best people ever in the golf business! Super pro! Great player! True gentleman! I know him, have taken lessons from him a super experience! Wishing him all the Best! If your down there, try and visit him!! If not, RU-vid it! You go Mike! Miss ya! Best to all!! K
I don't know him but I liked him as soon as I started the video. Seems like a genuinely nice person. Unfortunately, I don't think this is any more a magic swing than is Paul Wilson's (also preaches tension-free) or Manuel De La Torre's, or Todd Graves' (and I don't mean to imply Mike is saying it is). I can feel the swing, good idea, but if I tried it I'm sure I'd either miss the ball completely, top or hit it fat or send it screaming off to the right (I'm right-handed). There's path, club face orientation at impact, low point, early extension; i.e. a lot of issues to resolve with this or ANY swing.
Such a great video! I didn't know there was a term for this method, but I have intuitively tried to do this! I think you explain it better than David Lee!
Thank you! I’m a 6 hdcp I was moving all over it last week and actually hitting some shanks. I watch a lot of lpga golf I can relate more to them than the men. After hearing you explain this I could visualize Inbee Park and she really does this so well. I went out and did this. Had one of my best ball striking rounds. Only trouble I had was outta thick rough and that may have been true with any swing. I’m anxious to go back out and work on this much simpler swing. Thanks again great info. Mike
Great explanation, I have often wondered how they; LPGA women, do hit it so smooth and then hit it far. I will try this and see what happens. Thank you,
Gravity golf yes as explained years ago by Johnny Miller, but plus with the old snap for distance in front of you, thats the complete answer as per the original golf fundamentals.
It's true that a light grip and loose muscles go a long way to promote swing speed, and that FORCE = MASS x ACCELERATION as most of us soon learned at school. But let me move on from basics, without mentioning gravity as it affects everyone, First, how far one hits the ball with an iron is not too important; if one is not hitting far enough then simply opt for a longer iron. Simple. One's iron swing does not usually attempt to optimise coiling for distance . But some coiling will not only increase distance but will also make drawing a ball (when needed) relatively simple. Basically an ' up and down' swing is usually satisfactory for irons' play. The rationale for long hitting only fully comes into its own within the field of driving - that is using the most powerful club in your bag which you can efficiently manage. As a specialist golfer (senior international longdrive golf competitor / master club builder / specialist teacher of longdrive - now retired) I did at one time post over one hundred articles / videos on the internet but these have now all been deleted as little interest was shown. These examined the essential sixteen key facets of power hitting and how to practice them. But, after harping on for years (a lone voice in the dark) that a driver swing is very different to an irons' swing I see that a few golfers are now mouthing the same message. For this brief post I will simply mention the main power point, namely when one swings a driver (not an iron for fairway play) one's swing is very different. The key thing to work on is 'coiling' and keeping one's shoulders back for as long as possible. Power essentially is generated by one's core, not one's arms. To optimise core power one releases it as late as possible. Not as most golfers do, namely at the top of one's back swing! Although one addresses the ball square to target, one attacks way right of target (say 20 yards to the right of true target) squaring extremely late. Initially when one gets into this most golfers block their ball to the right due to failing to square up in time / failing to get their weight FULLY onto their left foot and failing to optimise their follow through. There are only two common facets which all big hitters utilise namely to swing fast, and the main building block for such is to swing soundly - in particular the correct release of coil (core) power. Gravity takes care of itself. P.S. In the extremely unlikely event that a reader is inspired to try out the above advice let me explain why very likely you won't improve. 95% of driving practice should be carried out with a 2 iron. NOT a driver. A driver is only ever used to practice a single driving facet once you can repeat correct technique at least four strokes out of every five attempts with a much shorter / higher lofted club. Indeed many times I had to start practicing a facet using a nine iron! After a few hours of practice with a 9, only then did I attempt to repeat with a long iron. Needless to say, whatever club(s) you practice one facet of driving with you should always tee the ball up with the ball lined up with your left heel and SWING THAT PRACTICE CLUB AS THOUGH YOU WERE SWINGING A DRIVER. Incidentally I have asked several struggling golfers which club they can drive the furthest with - a driver or a 5 iron. Most did not know! Practice should involve thoughtful application. Not renting 80 balls on the driving range and, using a driver, endlessly repeating the same errors.
Mike malaska has a great program it's called the invisible swing !! It's incredible effortless great for me 55 years old love it ty very much for your work and studying the swing !!
Thanks Mike. I tried this before. When it worked it was wonderful. The thing is it was virtually impossible for me to keep tension free for long, especially on make or break shots. I believe it would be effective for beginners from the get go. For older folks like me it's just too hard.
I stumbled across this over breakfast, nearly choked on my porridge. Have I found the missing tip and does it work with the driver? You have a new subscriber. Thanks.
great effortless swing!!!! Everyone can do this -- but most don't get how the swing in reality works -- they are pulling down on the club, flipping their hands --- all over the place trying to create lag and speed.
There’s definitely two different type players, in golf. Swingers, and hitters. Swingers of the club just allow it to swing on its natural path, without manipulation. Ernie Ells, Freddie Couples, Scotty Sheffler. Then, you have hitters. Jon Rahm, Cam Young, Arnold Palmer.
All I know...I witnessed Bryson sending long range artillery rounds around the course last week...and he did not use gravity. He used the trebuchet effect to launch those bombs.
Not bad but he left out the important explanation of the nature of the counter-fall as explained by Lee. It’s more than a weight shift. It’s left and slightly backward to offset the momentum of your swinging arms (as well as their lengthening as a consequence of being pulled by the weight of the club). In other words, a simple weight shift is along the target line. If you were looking from above at the golfer’s head, and three o’clock was the direction to the target, the counter-fall would be toward 1 or 2 o’clock. Many instructors talk of this backward movement (like Mike Malaska) but only Lee called it “the counter-fall.”
Such a great video and makes so much sense. Does the body rotation determine how quickly the club can whip through at the bottom or is it purely dependent on gravity?
