Secrets of Mike Austin's Compound Pivot for Huge Clubhead Speed! 

Austin emphasized a shift and turn. Always in that order. It was called toll the bell. He never wanted the rear ass cheek facing the target at the top of the back swing. That was a backup of one’s body weight which is a huge error for most struggling golfers. The improper shift of weight is by far the leading culprit of an over the top loop. Most people will modify their grip to strong I an attempt to fix this faulty weight shift however Austin’s compound weight shift prevents this keeping the tush moving square to the target throughout the business area. The amazing advantages to this are freedom of movement with maximum support of the post leg in the direction of one’s weight shift. When you understand base of support for two leg structures, centre of mass it much easier to learn the turn is an effect of one’s shift of weight and not the cause of it. Steve great job love this video😊👍🤗

Probably one of the very best analogies I've seen on the Mike Austin compound pivot. Thanks Steve, excellent video.

What a great lesson and ilustration. I have been trying to emulate the Hogan pivot for years but have always had too flat of a shoulder plane. This will help me no end. Thank You Steve. Grateful Aussie.

I felt this turn and tilt of the hips for the first time with the rock the baby drill. Exactly what I was looking for. I can now shift my weight without swaying. And yes, it puts no strain on the back. Thanks again.

Can't wait to try it as your instruction is so good . Killing it these days .

I have always wondered about the hoop opening and closing greatly complicating the swing motion. You have revealed this very well.

This is a great video Steve! I stumbled upon the Mike Austin tapes recently and it's been revolutionary for my ball striking! Keep 'em coming!

Thanks for turning me on to Mike Austin great videos I keep watching yours and his remarkable

Great tips can't wait to try it out

Credit where it is due Steve, your explanations are clarifying a lot of the Austin swing principles... cheers

I think this is the key at about minute 8’10”…..starting the backswing with the tilt of the hips. This keeps everything connected and drives everything from the legs. I had previously had my shoulders and arms disconnected to my torso in the backswing. This fixes everything!!! The pivot, done correctly, is the magic key.

Absolutely brilliant explanation. Thank you.

Great great video

Great video, explained the pivot to great effect with the hoop. Seen the video one night played the next day in comp using this pivot without any practice and only missed one fairway. Drives and 3 woods all down the middle and further than I normally would hit. Irons were also spot on. Finally might have found the secret to my game. Hopefully I can keep this up and not go back to old habits

Very Very logical...love . I have difficulties with the down swing turning my hips

very good video

Thanks for the explanation, I really like your videos but never really got the main idea of the Austin swing before. IMO, the modern swing takes care of 'seeing the hoop' from DTL through adding left side bend in the BS. The Austin hip 'sway' takes care of and adds that automatically.

Great video. At 72 my aching body trained me well to pivot my body as opposed to too much turning of my hips. Ouch! No turning back in the graveyard for me. Also when I start my swing with my upper body as opposed to my hips and I don't loose the triangular shape of my arms abruptly turning inward to my trail side ( graveyard) then I know my swing is on plane. Cheers

The pivot is important and under appreciated by many teachers. Thanks for this!

Steve - that was very interesting. Can you expand on the effect of Mike's technique and lower back pressure? I have seen some physio-based comment that in the back swing the head should be allowed to move outside the hips, but I can see how the pulley-like swing of the hips could protect the lower back. From many of your other classes, you emphasise the importance of a gentle 'touchpad' grip, this too must help the lower back by allowing the shoulders to turn in sympathy with the hips? Any lower back comments would be much appreciated. Many thanks Richard PS In my case at 60, a combination of the British Army and, like many people, years of sitting at a desk has left me with a severely compromised lower back.

늘 좋은영사을 올려주셔서 감사합니다~이번영상도 good입니다~~

Steve, at 48 (I have 2 hip totally replaced, lifetime of hockey) so love the Mike Austin hip motion & your coaching. Hoping you can clear up some issues that I run into. 1.) Did Mike coach completely straightening the leg ? What’s your thoughts on that ? 2.) Dan Shauger speaks of swing a bag of cement with our bellies from the top of the swing. Which gave a great visual & I was excited to practice this feeling. But I tend to hyperextend when I apply this motion. Do you suggest this visual with your 4:00 o’clock to 8:00 o’clock hip swing? 3.) lots of other coaches do a re centering motion at the top (Justin Rose) and I think I can even dictate Mike Austin himself doing this motion (footage of him wearing green). What are your thoughts on that part of the top of the backswing body motion ?

I’ll try this at my next driving range session.

Thanks for that explanatory illustration of the compound pivot action

Great videoSteve. Counter-Balance in Backswing and Upswing.

My hip pivot is not as fast as I would like and when the hips move faster the ball goes faster and straighter for me. Do you have any hip drills or exercises you would recommend to develop faster moving hips?

Another interesting video Steve. The question I have is, in mike Dunaway coaching video he demonstrates with a hoop but as he rotates his chest he has the hoop so you can see through it on the way back and on the way through. I would be interested in your thoughts. Great to see you going into so much detail with regards MA swing. More people should use this method in my opinion as it is powerful and much kinder to your body. 👍🏌️‍♂️

That hula hoop has made me realize that in my effort to hit with right arm to the side of the shoulder I have been spinning chest open, creating a big open circle to see through the hula hoop, which is a big reason my swing has deteriorated in the last few weeks.

Viktor Hovland goes ok with a flat hip turn and Colin Montgomerie had a pretty good career with a lateral slide. Most people don't have a choice how they move because their natural biomechanics are so different. I don't agree with the one size fits all philosophy and think it is more important to work with what we are given. I've tried the tilted hip turn and also tried a flat hip turn and lost distance and sprayed the ball all over the place with both. Not just for 1 day but several months without any improvement. I naturally move more like Montgomerie with a slide. I've worked on grip, ball position and getting fitted equipment and played off 1-3hcp for 25 years. Even though I disagree with this video I still enjoy watching and taking in new things and look forward to watching more.

I'm trying the Austin method/ideas and I shot best score at rustic. Alway would struggle there. Crushing driver and irons go straight. Struggling only because I need to learn new distances with irons.

Hi Steve: As always thanks for these great videos. Actually, golf instruction and various tips would fill many more than just a few medical texts. One the one hand although these videos and many others illustrate the desired golf swing it is quite another thing for viewers to actually accomplish the same movements in sequence. The problem is less often comprehension than it is lack of the physical ability to actually execute various movements which put stress and strain on ligaments and joints which are simply not up to the task of moving as desired. Moreover, such restrictions are not only age related but redound through the entire age group that enjoys learning the Austin Swing. There are likely many who will not be able to master the Austin Swing....and no fault of their own. Alternate roads lead to success. At this point I must point out that you have an ingrained motion of your front foot which I suggest alleviates some of the stress on your forward hip and leg and which allows you to move without restriction. Obviously NOT a criticism but simply an observation that you as a talented golfer and teacher needed to introduce a compensatory movement to execute the Austin Swing as desired. Well done! Please keep posting these fascinating videos which provide a window into the work and life of Mike Austin.

Very good video, thanks Steve. It seems like this kind of pivot promotes more of a "lead shoulder goes under rather than around" type of move , which I think is correct. Question though: do you have any side tilt at address with the driver, e.g. is your lead shoulder higher than the trailing shoulder at address?

Every golf video about the driver talks about upper body secondary tilt.. while there may be some at address, it is quickly negated in the takeaway...with the MA technique. True or false?

Sorry I missed my lesson with you when you got cvid

At the end u hv to do the right movement from zero, setup backswing downswing n so on. U go back n forth like a yoyo. Though a good lesson.

i'm trying this pivot action, and my head cannot stay still! I'm not able to stand on one leg in the backswing, because my head is too far on my left side. How would I be able to stand on my right leg in this fashion? my head just feels like it's going on top of my right big-toe if i keep the head right in the center, i'm never able to stand on the right leg

I just have a really hard time visualizing the difference in the two hip movements. I don’t understand.

Wow, your conventional swing sure looked like a severe take it to the inside reverse pivot to me. It also looks like the Austin backswing could easily create a reverse weight shift with that backward tilt for someone learning this method. I’m not saying this wouldn’t work, but I’m confused as to why most pros haven’t gravitated to this swing. I have a double fusion of the 6-7 and 7-8 vertebrae and kind of use a combination of both because of my limitations. The thing that is similar to Austin is I don’t reverse pivot, I don’t come over the top, and I don’t slide. Always looking for some extra yards, even though I hit it pretty good. Interesting video.

Hi are there any pro golfer that use this swing today ?

Jimmy Ballard is the way to go.

Better swing for the back probably

I need a hula hoop.

The Mike Austin swing is the real deal . Anything, else is missinform!

Hi Steve thanks for keeping mike Austin methods alive. Just one thing can you please please get back to all of us as this is such an important part of mikes theory. Am I right in understanding that Mike Dunaway was Mike Austins main student because if you check out Mike Dunaways video which you put out on RU-vid under the heading MIKE DUNAWAY ON SUPPLE QUICKNESS, GOLF SWING SEQUENCE AND MORE DRILLS. the same drill you are describing is totally wrong to mikes interpretation. It’s just the opposite !!!!!!! Can you please correct this please as it’s putting Mike Austin methods incorrectly shown. Thank you

I dont understand why everyone makes the golfswing so complicated. After all it is just a underhanded throw, but using 2 arms instead of one when skipping a rock on water....