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**BrianW** · 05-09-2008, 08:52 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Hi GB,

I have heard a lot of the Mike Austin swing but don't know what it's principles are. Please could you explain to us what sets it apart from others?

**bill reed** · 05-09-2008, 08:54 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

hi Golfbald
what your opinion of someone copying lee trevino's swing systen.
i have been using his system of and on since the late 70s and just wondered what you though of his swing from a golf engneer point of view, good points and bad.
cheers
bill

**LowPost42** · 05-09-2008, 12:11 PM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Hey GB,

My slight understanding is that it's based largely on leveraging the proper bio-kinetic sequencing to produce proper power.

What kind of iron distances do you see with the MA method? 225 yard 7 irons? Or is it more applied to driver distance?

**Golfbald** · 05-10-2008, 03:38 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Brian,

Like Low Post stated, its kinesiology applied to the golf swing using the muscles and joints in an optimum manner. I guess that would be the short answer. I picked Mike's brain every week for month's and would get bit's and pieces. I found my experience like a jigsaw puzzle constantly adding pieces until it is highly efficient. I like to use the analogy get it started and get out of its way. Mike always said if you’re doing it right the power produced feels like it will rip your arms out of the sockets.

Some of the differences are the 2 part lower body movement. A gate like motion where on posts the weight on the right side without locking the right knee and the left knee comes down the left side swigs around the post then at the transition the weight shifts to the left first and right side comes in line with the left. I tell students keep the belly button moving.

The arm movement at the start of the backswing is a bit different. I could probably do 2 pages on how it's different. Basically, I try to get each arm working individually so a student can understand each arms role in the swing. I then manipulate the arms in the proper position. When I put my hands on a students arm, I can feel the muscles contract and relax and know when they are doing it right. I then have them marry the two arms into one action on the club so the brain can coordinate the movement. The important positions are the parallelogram with the club shaft, arms and shoulders. It looks like you are taking the club low and to the inside but its just part of the wind-up.

Overall I like the balance from side to side, no part of the body forcing the swing, each body part giving its total energy when called upon. The swing becomes a massive energy release at impact.

I am putting together all my notes from talking with Mike, all my videos and observations I have written about how I have taught students this swing and am going to put it on tape. There is so much detail in the swing there is not any one source of information to go to anymore.

I was teaching a new golfer tonight who was doing more gardening, throwing dirt and grass on my back than hitting the ball. In 30 minutes, I had him looking somewhat like a golfer. He was hitting a 9i about 120-125 yards straight and high with some spin. He had a lot of bad luggage coming into the lesson but left in pretty good shape to move forward. The keys were the pivot first, then getting the right arm fixed. He was ecstatic about the sudden progress. This swing is easy to learn but difficult to master the finer points. I just went to blades because I feel confident I can hit them again. Heart problems slow on to a halt some days.

Sorry for the rambling its been a difficult week. I hope there is an answer in here somewhere.

GB

**Golfbald** · 05-10-2008, 03:57 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Lowpost,

I enjoy knocking out there. I had some serious heart problems and used Mike's swing to comeback to the game with. I started with the Secrets of the longest hitter Video. No DVD then. I am actually on the DVD.

My distance was about 190-210 with a driver. I felt like everything in body would short circuit when I swing. I still get a few of those from time to time. I went from there to 225 pretty quick. The next jump was 240-250. I didn't get stuck again until 280, then I started calling Mike. He filled me in on the details slowly.

I did a few seasons of long drive, it's difficult for a fourty something to keep up with 20 somethings that are healty. Best I could muster was 368. Long by playing standards, medium by long drive standards.

I hit a dead straight 3 wood 309 last week on a 590 yard par 5, Driver 3 wood to the fringe. I was playing with rgolfnut on this forum. Guys don't like to hit next to her on the range because she will out hit them. She is in the details of the swing and gaining yardage and accuracy. I never understood how difficult it is sometimes to get someone to move from the reds to the golds, then to the whites, and testing the waters of the tips.

I was testing the blades and hit some riduculiously long shots with them. But one thing I truely like about the Austin swing, it's dead straight if you do it right. It will keep me playing for many more years I'm sure.

I call this swing almost unlimited reserve. I don't swing like an 800 lb gorilla most of the time.

GB

**Golfbald** · 05-10-2008, 04:07 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

GolfinGuy28,

Good analogy. There is much more detail in the how to when you are with a student though. I have heard this swing talked to death on the golf forums years ago. I seen people put out material on this swing that should have never been released and diluted the original Mike Austin method. He didn't pioneer the golf swing, what he taught was A-Z what it took to be a successful golfer. He backs everything up through the study of kinesiology. Mike was insistant on that.

I stopped posting on forums and concentrated on teaching it, it's more rewarding seeing a student "get it" and get just as excited as you are for them getting breakthroughs. That is where the passion is, in the game and teaching.

I guess the thing that got me hooked, in this generation wehit it long because of technology, Mike hit that drive with a 43" persimmon wood, with a steel shaft. I got one off ebay and practice with it. It takes every ounce of concentration to nail that thing and the margin of error is next to nothing. There is no forgiveness in a persimmon, that makes is drive just that much more special.

GB

**Golfbald** · 05-10-2008, 04:12 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Bill,

I have never made a study of Lees swing. I know he is a straight hitter and did a lot of club test in his day because he could hit it straight.

Sorry I can't help you there.

GB

**bill reed** · 05-10-2008, 09:24 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

hi Golfbald
thanks for replying.
i know Lee is so diffrent to Austin and just wondered how you thought about distance V control.
what i have seen it that almost all long hitters seem to miss the fairway more than some of the players that play for control more.
guy's like tiger have such a good recovery that it dont often cost him shots but it does cost us higher handicap players.
i use to play with a draw and hit longer but never knew for sure if i'd be on the fairway or in the rough with my drives, with my Trevino system it unusal if i miss a fairway but i do loss about 10 to 15 years on my drives.
whan i was younger i use to like to hit longer and take my chances but now i'm 55 i like to play on the fairway more and am happer playing within myself.
do you think its a trade off in the austin system that you do lose some control to gain more yards and that suits the younger players more than the older (say over 50).
cheers
bill

**LowPost42** · 05-10-2008, 01:24 PM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

GB, is there any youtube video of MA (or even yourself)?

Interestingly you make the gorilla comment - once again, stupid me took 15 holes to realise that you give up no yards to swing within yourself, but the accuracy gained is immense. A flushed shot at 80% goes just as far as a missed one at 105%!

It sounds like biomechanics are the way to go.

**Matt10** · 05-11-2008, 12:22 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

GB - I personally have used the Austin Method and Dan Shauger method - do you have thoughts on the difference between the two? I lurked on the MA forums (mainly because the owner did not ever confirm my request to join), and it seems the majority were against Dan Shauger's (Aperfectswing) method to hit the ball.

**Golfbald** · 05-14-2008, 02:22 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Matt,

As a person that know sthe whole story behind that mess, I would stick to the original MA teaching. I'll give you the cliff notes version. Dan was asked by Mike to update his material. He was working on a update to his swing. Not being able to work on the swing, about age 90 or so at the time. Dan wrote the book, if you got a first cut at it you will notice all the typos and wrong info. And he put his name on it, Mike was steaming mad.

Not good information, I tried the original book and it was terrible. I don't know if he has revised it. Jacob was a long drive guy before he met Dan. Pinacale Challenge win was before Dan. He already had a good swing. All the pictures in the book are posed unless it has been updated.

Enter George Hibbard, Mister APerfectSwing. George got information from Thomas Dang mostly. He never took a lesson from Mike but met him once. He ask Mike if he could write about his swing and he claims Mike said yes, Thomas was there and said Mike said no. Thomas and I argued this point with him when he left Oregon, when I was out there during Hurricane Katrina. George looked at Mike's swing for a few month's before he did his video. He has never studied under Austin or one of his certified instructors. George steals other instructors swings (Brian Manzella) to make a buck off of them and still does to this day. George is a wordsmith not a golf instructor, may be harsh but he has heard it from me before. I have a copy of his swing when he worked with Thomas. If you seen it, you would know why he only talks on his video, he's boring and long winded. He can't hit the Austin swing, I can say that I have seen him swing in person.

The real information, Secret's of the games longest hitter was produced by Kevin Knoblach. I spoke to him when he was doing the DVD. I sent in a testimonial and it was used on the DVD. Kevin produces documentaries. Mike and Mike Dunaway did the instruction. This is pure MA instruction, I used it and still teach it because it works. Great fundementals. Mike has known Keven's family since he was a kid.

Mike Dunaway did a DVD a few years ago. Good DVD if you can find it. Mike is a great guy, hope he makes it to the Champions tour.

Mike did the famous 60's TV show, not all of which is in the bonus footage. I have the entire show. Austinology was a 300 dollar video that had probably the best instruction but it was poorly produced and difficult to follow. I used it to write all the details down in order and really tweaked my swing and teach these concepts as a whole method, Mike's only and uncorrupted by the **** I've seen. Every time I seen the banner for APerfectSwing it pisses me off. (Rant Off)

I also have an exibition Mike did before the stroke. I had to fix the sound, It was labeled the Pico Riviera exibition. Done on vhs, it had some great stuff I have never seen before. Seeing Mike hit was a thing of beauty. And the crack of the club, wow. Made me wish I was born a few generations earlier to see him hit a ball in his prime.

I know these as imperatives:

1. People can spend there money on what they want, why waste your money on instructors that put out material that convalute or say they know something they know nothing about the original material. Not me.

2. This swing is easy to learn and keep up with, accuracy and distance without ruining your body. Kinesiology.

3. I use this swing and for a man of 46, many physical health issues, in ok shape nothing spectacular, and able to hit a 3 wood an average of 114mph. sometimes higher (season long 309 dead straight) and a driver speed in excess of 120 mph. (season long 327 dead straight, avg 280 - 290 carry). I can truthfully say it works. I started this swing hitting 210-220 carry and roll.

GB

**Golfbald** · 05-14-2008, 02:34 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Lowpost,

I'm new to You Tube. I seen some stuff out there. rgolfnut has her MA swing out there. I have been teaching her. She can really smack it good!!!
Google: rgolfnut Mike Austin. Leave her a comment on what you think. It's a work in progress - her longest this season is 306. I am very proud of her.

I will be putting some stuff together next week with her help. I'll keep you posted. I was thinking of bringing a vid camera when I play. I have a skycaddie and can mark distances and a swing speed radar to recoed he clubhead speed. It would be cool to hit a smokin' drive, recorded down line, then stay with it as it is marked and the results. No camera tricks. This is what I have planned.

GB

**Matt10** · 05-14-2008, 05:13 AM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

GB - thank you so much for clearing things up for me. I had no idea George Hibbard was involved, here I thought Aperfectswing was all Shauger's handywork.

I have somewhat followed the whole thing with Mike and Dan - but more along the lines of skimming as I wanted to get down to the nitty gritty. I must say I am relieved that I had not paid for a lesson or anything in regards to this swing style.

So to cut to the chase - can you recommend, or give me a step by step plan in order to find the right way to go about? I now know to stay away from Shauger and Aperfectswing. The only DVD I have in regards to MA and Dunaway is the How to kill the ball (or something along those lines).

Lastly - any instructors you know of in the midwest area, I'm in Kansas - I understand many members were waiting for Thomas Dang to make a trip their way with no such luck.

Thank you again, GB - I really appreciate it.

**Golfbald** · 05-14-2008, 12:37 PM

Re: Still teachin Austinology...

Matt,

How to kill the ball is Dan's handywork. That one is NOT the MA method. Secrets of the games longest hitter is where I start all my students. It's at PeaceRivergolf.com. This was the last video Mike and Mike did. Mike told me about How to kill the ball when it was being written. He never endorsed it. I remember talking to him about it and he went ballistic about it. I never brought it up again after that.

I know there are 2 ladies in Texas that came out to see Mike every year that are PGA instructors but their names ilude me now. I'm sure Thomas still teaches in Oregon. Mike Dunaway is in Rogers, Ark. I'm in New Orleans.

GB

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