i've been golfing for 40+ years and kind of discovered on my own how to do the pivot with the help of youtube videos like this. most golf guys only allude to pivot but don't really explain how it's done because it can be hard to figure out when we watch a real expert do it. you and a few others really give some good insight into it because it's such an important part of the correct action, when i can get it right it's real good. i try to do the pivot with some armlift and the downswing just kind of happens because it's so fast. always working on it, thnx for the help.
Thanks for your positive feedback Steve. Yes the pivot is a huge aspect of the golf swing. Not sure if you had a chance to watch my free 1 hour fun video on the concept of the Wheel Power Golf Swing. See my website at: WheelPowerGolfSwing.com In this concept, the arms and shoulders act like a firm structure to turn a wheel; with the club being held by the hands controlled by the wrist actions. The wrists ride along the rim of the wheel and the shoulders are the hub of the wheel. The key point of the pivot is this: Imagine turning a wheel. Go back up to get to the top of the wheel. Then, SHIFT to your lead side AS you rotate/turn the wheel with your arm and shoulder structure. Keep the Wheel turning on an even tilted plane. The PIVOT is the action that powers the body to allow you to turn the wheel. Just like a machine. The key point is that the you will FEEL the correct pivot required by the lower body to turn the wheel - which is your goal. The club goes along for the ride. One last important part. Keep the RADIUS of the wheel (a line between your neck and wrists) the SAME distance through the swing. Norm
A really illuminating video and I thought the visuals with the wheel were really useful. I have dabbled with the MA swing in the past and recently returned to it. I found more success this time by making sure in the forward part of the compound pivot that as you mention there is a BIG lateral shift of the hips to the left AND it must be on a 10 o’clock to 4 o’clock axis. I would be really interested on your thoughts why this 10 to 4 o’clock axis is so important- in his videos Mike alluded to it many times. You have a new subscriber
Hi David, thank you for the positive feedback. The 4-10 was Mike Dunaway's (student of Mike Austin) explanation of the positions of the right hip in the pivot motion. So for right handed golfers; if you are facing a clock (12) on the ground, on the backswing, the right hip goes to 4 o'clock, and on the forward swing the right hip goes to 10 o'clock. It's a diagonal shift, not a pure lateral shift like 3-9 would be. Here's the key point. A golf swing should be a rotational motion, swing the club around you in a circle. A human has 2 legs (2 posts). In any rotational motion, you can NOT rotate around 2 posts; rotation means going around a single post; like a gate door that swings around a post. So as humans, we have to make compensations and first do a slight lateral shift to try to establish a single post on the lead side. Then as we rotate from the top of the backswing, our circle path ends up slightly Oval shaped like the shape of an egg; not a pure circle. Nothing we can do about it; that's why we struggle with the golf swing. We MUST establish a lead post to swing around. So the 4-10 of the right hip is a FEEL analogy to help make this compound pivot action; It's compound because we are doing multiple actions with the hips: shifting, tilting and rotating. That's just the lower body motion (pivot) to power the wheel hub (shoulders) to rotate. It's our engine. There is a lot more to the golf swing. We must use our shoulder and arm structure to turn the wheel and have the club face set properly so it squares to the ball. If you have not done so, please watch my free and fun 1 hour Introduction video at: ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html This explains the concept I describe as simple turning a wheel and the club is pulled by the wheel rim. Mike Austin hinted at this wheel concept many times. I also have many other videos on my channel that you will enjoy that include Mike Austin's concepts: UA-cam.com/WheelPowerGolfSwing/Videos and if you are still struggling, I do swing analysis, see: www.wheelpowergolfswing.com/swing-analysis Thanks again, hopefully this answers your 4-10 question. Norm
I've been an Austin study for many years and have never seen it presented this way. Kudos to you! I hope it helps many understand the concept. Mike was a bit too technical in his nomenclature of terms. I understood them due to my connection with anatomy and physiology in my profession but many do not.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, Mike Austin was brilliant and complex, and yet his swing concept was so simple - but never really explained well. Not sure if you watched this short video of mine below: Even Mike Dunaway his best student looked a bit puzzled as he thought he understood it. ua-cam.com/video/Bxs-k7pTNI0/v-deo.html Also, not sure if you already watched my entertaining 1 hour long video, - it drives the point home in a funny way. ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html Thanks again. Not everyone gets the concept.
The only thing I add to my Austin swing is Joe’s EBWB- early backward wrist break. And that T-square image really adds a deeper understanding to Mike’s teachings. Also COAM - conservation of angular momentum helped me a bit too. Joe Dante is one of the most overlooked and underrated teachers of the game. Like Mike, he went against PGA methods and was ostracized. My Austin swing finally became mine after 3 years of struggling. At 67 I was hitting 280 yard carries and finally getting honest 300+ drives. 2022, September, I almost died from pneumonia. Today (3/2023) I just can’t do it anymore but my now 240 yard carries still out drives most guys my age. BTW, I was 63 about the age Mike his his infamous 515 drive and was down to a 92 swing speed from 105+ in better years and after my complete overhaul, I recorded swings up to 118 (that was my record 285 carry) and could cruise at 103. Sucks to get old. My comfortable swing is now down to about 95 and can push it to about 103 for a 240 carry but it’s only gonna go downhill from now. I believe I’m living proof of the benefits of the Austin Method. Mike hit 300+ at 77 before his stroke. There’s a “secret” that modern instruction still denies.
Why wouldn't you just start with the weight mostly on the trail side to start the swing? Why is it necessary to pivot to move weight. If I start heavy right, the windup gets me there without a sway. Just asking if it is absolutely necessary to have a 50-50 weight distribution at address.
Thanks for your feedback. Your Center of Gravity (COG) is your navel area. Think of your stomach as a big heavy wrecking ball that swings in a pendulum motion. The top of your spine (your shirt tag area) is the pivot point for the pendulum action. If you close your eyes and just feel the rhythm of the wrecking ball swaying first back then forward, the pendulum movement backwards gets you into a bigger backswing and torques up the muscles ready for the downswing. It is not a sway because your trail foot should be braced to prevent the hips passing your trail foot - which is a sway. The bottom line is you MUST get that COG wrecking ball over to the lead side and the butt of the club swings around the lead side. This initial lateral motion of the pelvis (pendulum action) uses your spine initially as a lever, and then as you rotate your pelvis your spine acts like an axle or drive shaft that rotate your shoulders. If you start on the right side, you may have too much of a static swing and lose that rhythm to build up torque and speed. You want mobility in a swing, not just stability. As far as starting 50%-50%, I actually like a forward press to start where you first lean to the lead side; so it goes from 50%-> 60% lead side before going backwards. Like pushing a kid on a swing. You pull them back first then push them forward to get a smoother running start. There is no perfect swing, but hope these ideas help. Hopefully you watched my free 1 hour Introduction Video. ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html Norm
completely agree and understand compound pivot but would love if you would show impact where the arms/club are in relation to pivot when it has returned to left and then at impact( person) thanks
Hi Mike, did my videos a while ago. I'm working on creating some new videos and video lessons in the near future that will be much more specific on exactly how the arms and wrist action works. I'll give you a hint for now. On the backswing the chest faces behind the ball, on the downswing as you approach impact (pre-impact), the chest faces past the ball - where the swing center (C7 vertabra) remains a constant distance from the ball in both cases. As you come to this pre-impact position with your arms... your hands holding the butt end of the club come ahead of the club head, and you pivot the butt of the club in front of your belt buckle - so the club head swings through the ball and beyond while the hands stay in front of your belt buckle. The hands in front of the belt buckle (the pivot area) is important because they stay there ...and then follow the rotating belt buckle as the hips rotate forward ... and then... the arms move up to the finish after the ball is hit. Watch any pro golfer and you will notice this. Three important things: 1. The hands are ahead of the clubhead as you come to impact. 2. the back of the left wist must be flat or even bowed out to the ball (not cupped) through impact. 3. the wrists operate so that you feel as though you are pushing the toe of the club head down through impact and feel like you are scraping the toe of the club head along the ground all the way up to the finish. (this gives you the correct wrist action through impact and beyond). If you initially start hooking, redo your grip so that the club face is more open at address. Good Luck. Norm
Hi Staale, I did receive your request and purchase., Thanks for signing up for a swing analysis. For anyone else interested, Instructions are at: wheelpowergolfswing.com/swing-analysis Norm
Glad you liked it David. You may want to check out my full free and fun 1 hour INTRODUCTION video. Here is the link: ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
Thank you for sharing. It is the other way around the shoulders turns the hip and the knees and legs on the backswing. You are showing the shoulders turning without the hips rotating/pivoting. If you connected the two of how they work together as your video goes on; then fantastic; if not? Cheers
Hi Thomas, I do show the hip action. Watch this video a few times from 7 min 59 sec through to 8 min 49 sec. This is Mike Austin's compound pivot action where the spine acts like both (1) a lever as it shifts side to side at the spine bottom (hips) and (2) an axle as the spine rotates. This Compound action by the lower spine and attached hips shifting side to side, tilting and turning (all driven by the leg action) is EXACTLY what creates the rotational motion at the shoulders (the wheel hub) - using the spine as both a lever and axle. It took me 5 years of study and working with 2 long drive golf instructors who knew and studied under Mike Austin before the light bulb came on for me (I'm a slow learner !!). It is not a concept golfers grasp quickly, because I see many many Mike Austin fans comment on how they struggle understanding that compound hip shift/rotate action. The biggest reason golfers struggle is with the exact sequence: you must first shift the hips back, then tilt them by bending the opposite knee, and then turn the upper body. Then.. do the exact same sequence going forward: a BIG shift of hips forward, followed by a tilting them, and then a turn of the upper body. The left shoulder points down on backswing and right shoulder points down on forward swing as they rotate around the swing center. That's why I personally decided to create all my videos promoting his superior swing method. Mike was brilliant. He studied the human body through the science of kinesiology and saw the human body golf swing action as nothing more than a movement of fixed levers and flexible joints operating like a single axis wheel turning machine. If you watch some of Mike Austin's old material (I seen hundreds of hours of it), he consistently comes back to the concept of how the shoulders act as a wheel hub, the arms act as the spokes and the compound hip action drives the rotation action of the shoulders. The swing center is at the C7 (where the shoulders meet the top of the spine at the base of the back of the neck) Many golfers and instructors have attempted to explain Mike Austin's swing concept; so just add me to the list !!! In closing, I can honestly say to all the golfers out there, that as soon as I understood the concept, my personal scores dropped 6-7 strokes per game, every game. Because my body acted like a single axis wheel turning machine (similar to the Iron Byron), it was impossible to hit anything but straight shots. My human body was acting like a robotic golf machine !! I encourage all struggling, inconsistent and frustrated golfers to learn the Mike Austin golf swing concept (Wheel Power Golf Swing). ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html Say goodbye to lost balls, frustrating slices and say hello to effortless power drives and lower scores. Thanks again for all your great comments and feedback. Norm Rosen
So I think you’re saying the hips are the big red handle in the wheel analogy? It’s taken me a while to figure this all out too, but the power and ball flight are just incredible when this is done correctly.
@@kevinhartman7465 Hi Kevin, yes unfortunately Mike Austin was a genius, but not a great teacher because he was just too technical. I studied Dan Shauger and Mike Dunaway who both studied under Mike Austin, and then I took lessons from a really great teacher: Senior Long Drive champion - John Marshall who studied under Mike. I also had several conversations with Long Drive champion - Jaacob Bowden. Mike had a reputation as being rough around the edges as a teacher, but anyone who actually understands what he was trying to say will eventually catch on. The biggest challenge I found after reading hundreds of comments from golfers who followed him, or other golf instructors teaching his method, is grasping what Mike called the Compound Pivot. This video above is an extract from my 4 hour advanced training series, and it took me years to finally understand that there was a specific sequence that must be followed on how the lower body hip action moves. Watch this video a few times from 7 min 59 sec through to 8 min 49 sec. I believe this is the key. This is the only way the lower body can emulate the red turning handle of my prop. Its a SHIFT first, then TILT, then TURN motion which cause the spine to rotate the shoulders like a wheel hub. Mike never discusses the sequence exactly, so many golfers start doing things in the ``wrong order`` and get frustrated. It took me years to grasp the concept that there had to be a very BIG shift forward on the downswing of the lower spine BEFORE the other actions. Golf is challenging; do 1 thing slightly out of order and it just doesn't work. Here's a really big secret I'll share with you. The right arm MUST start unfolding right away on the downswing. There is no delay to try to hold the angle. The arms have to go faster than the hub turning, or you end up with the arms getting caught behind the body all twisted up behind the body, and you end up coming down over the top and slice. As soon as you start the hips shifting forward, those arms have to speed up and hit off the side of the right hip at impact. I explain this is one of my short videos: ua-cam.com/video/rhQfvvPdiso/v-deo.html As you stated in your comment, when the light bulb comes on and you 'get it' !!, it is such a simple and easy golf swing to perform. Effortless Power, Straight shots consistently and... no more back or spine pain as I show in my video: ua-cam.com/video/d4hVUU-FDIU/v-deo.html Thanks for your comments and feedback. Norm Rosen
@@kevinhartman7465 I really appreciate the time, effort and money Norm had placed in his video; however I simply see my ‘wheels’ as being the shoulder and the hip. One activating first over the other. This allows the core of my entire body to rotates back and then forth as I swing the head of the club with my hands placed correctly of the handle of my club. So on my backswing as my shoulder is turning up to 90 degrees or less it automatically directs my hip to turn correctly somewhere under 45 degrees without any thoughts process on my part. . And on my downswing my hip turning with subtle quickness compels my shoulders to turn to the completion of my swing. Because I have not placed any tension on the hinges throughout my body (nicely marked in red on on Norm’s videos) my arms attached to my shoulder sockets swings the club head ‘smoothly, freely and fluidly’ up behind my body and then down, up and around my body as my fluid hip joints, knees and ankles also pivoting bringing my trail knee pointing to my target area allowing my foot to rise at the end of my swing. I believe if Mike we’re alive today he would need to simplify all that he knows about the movements of the muscles bones and and joints in our body and realize that the core of our body creates extremely more amount of power and energy in our swing than our hands; arms; knees; and feet joint combined together could possibly provide us. But, combining our swinging the club head with both the core of our body turning back and forth along with the joints/ hinges mark on Norm videos; creates a priceless easy and automatic swing for all of us. Cheers
@@thomasfraser9072 Hi Thomas, I think we are ALL agreeing on the fact there is a wheel at the shoulders. I also agree that the power starts from the ground up and from the core. I did one video I have somewhere where I spin a toy top. Spin it from the center and it spins for minutes. Try to spin it from the outer edge, it wobbles and falls after a few seconds. The power starts from the ground up, and from the body center core absolutely. Here is a video of Mike Austin ``himself`` describing the wheel at the shoulders; listen. to his own words at 4 minutes 10 seconds into the video until 4 minutes 50 seconds. ua-cam.com/video/TxWrhTsTeho/v-deo.html I see the loose wrists (acting like a swivel hinge) riding along the RIM of that shoulder wheel, and the hands hanging onto the golf club. So as the shoulder wheel turns, the golf club is being whipped around by the wheel RIM as I explain in my Wheel Power Golf Swing videos. I think the vision we all have at the hip area may vary in the interpretation slightly. The Swing center (C7 vertabra) is both the swing center .. and... the pivot point of an upside down cone where that pivot point is the vertex (point) of the cone. So if you can visualize that upside down cone, the hip movements are moving within the outer wide area of the cone. At one point several years ago when planning my videos I did think about showing that. So obviously as I demonstrated, you cannot turn the turning handle in a pure circle under the shoulders, but, to your point the compound movement of shifting, tilting and turning the hips caused by the leg action can be looked at as a circle or second wheel (the outer wide area of the cone). I see it as a third wheel for one only reason only. The RIM of the shoulder wheel MUST go faster than the HUB of the shoulder wheel which is accomplished by the right arm folding then unfolding on the back swing, then the left arm folding up on the forward swing. In my Introduction video I talk about it being very similar to a car rear differential system where outer rear wheel of a car going around a corner MUST go faster than the inner rear wheel. For that reason only I distinguish the HUB and RIM ``acting`` like 2 different wheels. Watch again my Introduction video - the entire chapter of "Wheel Power - Path & Plane" starting at 43 min and 48 sec: ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html. This explains exactly why the shoulder HUB and RIM act like 2 different wheels. In a normal wheel the hub and rim travel at the same speed; If the rim and hub are going at different speeds, it's not exactly 1 wheel anymore. So bottom line I think we are all saying the same thing in a slightly different way; and that is that Mike Austin was a genius and the rest of us mortals can only hope to explain his concept to other struggling golfers who are torquing their backs and ending up with back and spine pain and inconsistent golf shots. You may want to rent my 4 hour Advanced Training video on my website and consider listing yourself as an instructor on my website. Take care and thanks again for your great feedback. Norm Rosen
Your upper body moved when you made your backswing. Mike threw his hips back on the backswing and forward on the downswing. Once the hips were in place, he pivoted around them. Reference a UA-cam video, "Mike Austin Teaches the Pros". Pay attention to how Mike abuses a female pro. She bonks him on the skull with her golf club, but there is a lot to learn in this priceless, slap-stuck, near Vaudville act.
Thanks for your feedback Chester. The upper body IS supposed to move as the 3rd of 3 actions. Yes, the hips go back first, then the hips tilt, then the upper body turns like a door on a gate so that the left shoulder points down. (This is what gives the appearance of a big shoulder turn done by traditional golfers who coil their backs). On the forward swing there is a very big shift of the hips forward, then the hips tilt the opposite way as the back knee bends inward to form a Z position of the back leg, and the upper body then turns so that the right shoulder points down. All this must be done while the swing center (the C7 vertebra - where top of spine and shoulder meet) stay fairly still in 3D space. The goal is to keep that swing center from moving up and down or left and right, but, it can rotate in it's 3D space. So the compound hip pivoting action (the lateral shift like a pendulum and then tilt ) causes the spine to act like both a lever and a turning axle. This compound pivot action of the lower hips is what causes the shoulder to rotate like the hub of a wheel where the arms then act like wheel spokes. It took me many years to study exactly what Mike was doing in this one move. This is where he loses students because he never quite explains the exact movements and sequence and yes, I've seen that crazy video of him teaching the golf instructors many times. In that video of him screaming at his students for not understanding, it's his own lack of ability to explain well enough. I've had many conversations with golfer instructors who studied under him, he was a genius coming up with the concept, but lacked teaching skills. Sorry, it may sound like I'm chest beating, but If you watch this video above I made above a few times; especially from 4 min 58 seconds into the video, I believe it is the best explanation of his compound pivot action that uses the lower body action to rotate the shoulders. As far as any slight flaws in my own movements in the video, it's hard to hold props, demo the actions and talk at the same time, but focus on the concept. I'm very happy you made this comment because you can see just how subtle the movement is. And that is why Mike Austin himself ended up screaming at professional golf instructors who could not get it. The secret is the sequence. There is a shift of the hips back, then a tilt of the hips (by folding in the opposite knee), then a turn of the upper body to rotate the shoulders. Then the exact same sequence going forward. It's actually very simple. The goal is to use the lower body compound action to cause the shoulders to rotate like a wheel hub around a center point. Norm Rosen
A wheel hub and the wheel itself does not tilt when it rolls backwards or forward. It rolls upright attached to a primary axis as you show in your video. Once we are in our correct golf posture our spine is correctly tilted thus the wheel hub ( as Mike refers to our shoulders as a wheel) is no longer rolling upright; but, on a tilted slanted plane. Correct? So as we are shifting our weight as you have shown: our wheel hub is simply rolling to our trail axis ( leg) and then reverses course, rolling to our lead axis ( leg). Our left arm can represent a spoke that rolls the the wheel hub to our trail axis (leg) and then our trail arm can represent the spoke on the wheel hub that rolls the wheel to our lead axis( leg) With the shifting of our weight from side to side this shows we have a two axis swing that causes our wheel to travel on a angular path from one axis to the other; not upright only on one axis Cheers So as you can see the tilt is already built in our bending first from the hips then the knee; and tilting any more then we should could mess us up. Cheers
The pelvis shifts to the lead side and also rotates which causes the spine to act like both a lever and and axle - which turns (rotates) the shoulders (the wheel hub). The wrists ride along the rim of the wheel and the hands just hang onto the club. As long as the golfer keeps rotating the shoulders, the rim will rotate and the club will be pulled around. It's a simple concept if golfers keep rotating. Check out my video on Mike Austin and The Iron Byron golf machine. ua-cam.com/video/HG9MVGzGtgc/v-deo.html It becomes so obvious. Thanks for your positive feedback. Norm
I am going to sound like an old fuddy duddy but here ya go. If the system is so good why do you have to "sell" it with women wearing short dresses, short shorts and showing cleavage? I am 2 things among others. First a Christian male and somewhere down the rung, a golfer trying to improve. When you try to sell lust along with golf to a Christian male who wants golf improvement and not something to lust over, you lose potential customers. As in me. I checked out pretty quick after realizing what you were doing. If the product is good...sell the product. No fancy wrapping will be needed. John 3:16.
I'm sorry you found the video offensive. That was not my intention. The girls were added because I assumed it would be more interesting than watching an old guy like me. It really is an excellent golf swing method. I hope you are able to try doing it sometime.
Lighten up even Christians have sex. Really, why did you find yourself lusting and not listening to the well taught message. I thought it was fine and really well done. I have watched many Austin style videos and this one simplifies the swing technique the best way possible. The compound pivot is a difficult system to explain using words only. Well done sir, and Belg6179 get your mind out of the gutter.
@@simmo5071 What makes you say my mind is in the gutter? You said it...Defend it. Why do you presume I was lusting? You said it...Defend it. If you enjoy sensuality in lieu of golf, that is your prerogative. It is not mine. I was hoping to find golf instruction...Just golf instruction. As a Christian...Yeah. I know we have sex. BTW...Do you claim Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Lets talk.
@@Belg6179 Your totally correct, what I should have said is watch the video for the real message it’s sending with humor, is the golf swing. I’m sorry for being judgmental, your double entendre message is learned.
i've been golfing for 40+ years and kind of discovered on my own how to do the pivot with the help of youtube videos like this. most golf guys only allude to pivot but don't really explain how it's done because it can be hard to figure out when we watch a real expert do it. you and a few others really give some good insight into it because it's such an important part of the correct action, when i can get it right it's real good. i try to do the pivot with some armlift and the downswing just kind of happens because it's so fast. always working on it, thnx for the help.
Thanks for your positive feedback Steve. Yes the pivot is a huge aspect of the golf swing. Not sure if you had a chance to watch my free 1 hour fun video on the concept of the Wheel Power Golf Swing. See my website at: WheelPowerGolfSwing.com
In this concept, the arms and shoulders act like a firm structure to turn a wheel; with the club being held by the hands controlled by the wrist actions. The wrists ride along the rim of the wheel and the shoulders are the hub of the wheel.
The key point of the pivot is this: Imagine turning a wheel. Go back up to get to the top of the wheel. Then, SHIFT to your lead side AS you rotate/turn the wheel with your arm and shoulder structure. Keep the Wheel turning on an even tilted plane.
The PIVOT is the action that powers the body to allow you to turn the wheel. Just like a machine. The key point is that the you will FEEL the correct pivot required by the lower body to turn the wheel - which is your goal. The club goes along for the ride.
One last important part. Keep the RADIUS of the wheel (a line between your neck and wrists) the SAME distance through the swing.
Norm
A really illuminating video and I thought the visuals with the wheel were really useful. I have dabbled with the MA swing in the past and recently returned to it. I found more success this time by making sure in the forward part of the compound pivot that as you mention there is a BIG lateral shift of the hips to the left AND it must be on a 10 o’clock to 4 o’clock axis. I would be really interested on your thoughts why this 10 to 4 o’clock axis is so important- in his videos Mike alluded to it many times. You have a new subscriber
Hi David, thank you for the positive feedback. The 4-10 was Mike Dunaway's (student of Mike Austin) explanation of the positions of the right hip in the pivot motion. So for right handed golfers; if you are facing a clock (12) on the ground, on the backswing, the right hip goes to 4 o'clock, and on the forward swing the right hip goes to 10 o'clock. It's a diagonal shift, not a pure lateral shift like 3-9 would be.
Here's the key point. A golf swing should be a rotational motion, swing the club around you in a circle. A human has 2 legs (2 posts). In any rotational motion, you can NOT rotate around 2 posts; rotation means going around a single post; like a gate door that swings around a post.
So as humans, we have to make compensations and first do a slight lateral shift to try to establish a single post on the lead side. Then as we rotate from the top of the backswing, our circle path ends up slightly Oval shaped like the shape of an egg; not a pure circle.
Nothing we can do about it; that's why we struggle with the golf swing. We MUST establish a lead post to swing around. So the 4-10 of the right hip is a FEEL analogy to help make this compound pivot action; It's compound because we are doing multiple actions with the hips: shifting, tilting and rotating.
That's just the lower body motion (pivot) to power the wheel hub (shoulders) to rotate. It's our engine.
There is a lot more to the golf swing. We must use our shoulder and arm structure to turn the wheel and have the club face set properly so it squares to the ball.
If you have not done so, please watch my free and fun 1 hour Introduction video at:
ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
This explains the concept I describe as simple turning a wheel and the club is pulled by the wheel rim.
Mike Austin hinted at this wheel concept many times.
I also have many other videos on my channel that you will enjoy that include Mike Austin's concepts:
UA-cam.com/WheelPowerGolfSwing/Videos
and if you are still struggling, I do swing analysis, see:
www.wheelpowergolfswing.com/swing-analysis
Thanks again, hopefully this answers your 4-10 question.
Norm
I've been an Austin study for many years and have never seen it presented this way. Kudos to you! I hope it helps many understand the concept. Mike was a bit too technical in his nomenclature of terms. I understood them due to my connection with anatomy and physiology in my profession but many do not.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, Mike Austin was brilliant and complex, and yet his swing concept was so simple - but never really explained well.
Not sure if you watched this short video of mine below: Even Mike Dunaway his best student looked a bit puzzled as he thought he understood it.
ua-cam.com/video/Bxs-k7pTNI0/v-deo.html
Also, not sure if you already watched my entertaining 1 hour long video, - it drives the point home in a funny way. ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
Thanks again. Not everyone gets the concept.
Great stuff.
This is like Joe Dante's description of hip, shoulder T-square.
The only thing I add to my Austin swing is Joe’s EBWB- early backward wrist break.
And that T-square image really adds a deeper understanding to Mike’s teachings. Also COAM - conservation of angular momentum helped me a bit too.
Joe Dante is one of the most overlooked and underrated teachers of the game. Like Mike, he went against PGA methods and was ostracized.
My Austin swing finally became mine after 3 years of struggling. At 67 I was hitting 280 yard carries and finally getting honest 300+ drives.
2022, September, I almost died from pneumonia. Today (3/2023) I just can’t do it anymore but my now 240 yard carries still out drives most guys my age.
BTW, I was 63 about the age Mike his his infamous 515 drive and was down to a 92 swing speed from 105+ in better years and after my complete overhaul, I recorded swings up to 118 (that was my record 285 carry) and could cruise at 103.
Sucks to get old. My comfortable swing is now down to about 95 and can push it to about 103 for a 240 carry but it’s only gonna go downhill from now.
I believe I’m living proof of the benefits of the Austin Method.
Mike hit 300+ at 77 before his stroke. There’s a “secret” that modern instruction still denies.
@jamestown4867 thanks for sharing your story.
Very inspiring!
Why wouldn't you just start with the weight mostly on the trail side to start the swing? Why is it necessary to pivot to move weight. If I start heavy right, the windup gets me there without a sway. Just asking if it is absolutely necessary to have a 50-50 weight distribution at address.
Thanks for your feedback. Your Center of Gravity (COG) is your navel area. Think of your stomach as a big heavy wrecking ball that swings in a pendulum motion. The top of your spine (your shirt tag area) is the pivot point for the pendulum action.
If you close your eyes and just feel the rhythm of the wrecking ball swaying first back then forward, the pendulum movement backwards gets you into a bigger backswing and torques up the muscles ready for the downswing. It is not a sway because your trail foot should be braced to prevent the hips passing your trail foot - which is a sway.
The bottom line is you MUST get that COG wrecking ball over to the lead side and the butt of the club swings around the lead side.
This initial lateral motion of the pelvis (pendulum action) uses your spine initially as a lever, and then as you rotate your pelvis your spine acts like an axle or drive shaft that rotate your shoulders.
If you start on the right side, you may have too much of a static swing and lose that rhythm to build up torque and speed.
You want mobility in a swing, not just stability.
As far as starting 50%-50%, I actually like a forward press to start where you first lean to the lead side; so it goes from 50%-> 60% lead side before going backwards. Like pushing a kid on a swing. You pull them back first then push them forward to get a smoother running start.
There is no perfect swing, but hope these ideas help.
Hopefully you watched my free 1 hour Introduction Video.
ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
Norm
completely agree and understand compound pivot but would love if you would show impact where the arms/club are in relation to pivot when it has returned to left and then at impact( person) thanks
Hi Mike, did my videos a while ago. I'm working on creating some new videos and video lessons in the near future that will be much more specific on exactly how the arms and wrist action works. I'll give you a hint for now.
On the backswing the chest faces behind the ball, on the downswing as you approach impact (pre-impact), the chest faces past the ball - where the swing center (C7 vertabra) remains a constant distance from the ball in both cases.
As you come to this pre-impact position with your arms...
your hands holding the butt end of the club come ahead of the club head, and you pivot the butt of the club in front of your belt buckle - so the club head swings through the ball and beyond while the hands stay in front of your belt buckle.
The hands in front of the belt buckle (the pivot area) is important because they stay there ...and then follow the rotating belt buckle as the hips rotate forward ... and then... the arms move up to the finish after the ball is hit.
Watch any pro golfer and you will notice this.
Three important things: 1. The hands are ahead of the clubhead as you come to impact. 2. the back of the left wist must be flat or even bowed out to the ball (not cupped) through impact. 3. the wrists operate so that you feel as though you are pushing the toe of the club head down through impact and feel like you are scraping the toe of the club head along the ground all the way up to the finish. (this gives you the correct wrist action through impact and beyond). If you initially start hooking, redo your grip so that the club face is more open at address. Good Luck. Norm
This is comedy gold🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
interesting video, we needed more of the girl in the action, thnx.
Good stuff. Possible to get a analysis from you? Regards Staale, Norway
Hi Staale, I did receive your request and purchase., Thanks for signing up for a swing analysis.
For anyone else interested, Instructions are at: wheelpowergolfswing.com/swing-analysis
Norm
Great
Great video
Glad you liked it David. You may want to check out my full free and fun 1 hour INTRODUCTION video. Here is the link:
ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
Thank you for sharing. It is the other way around the shoulders turns the hip and the knees and legs on the backswing. You are showing the shoulders turning without the hips rotating/pivoting. If you connected the two of how they work together as your video goes on; then fantastic; if not? Cheers
Hi Thomas, I do show the hip action. Watch this video a few times from 7 min 59 sec through to 8 min 49 sec. This is Mike Austin's compound pivot action where the spine acts like both (1) a lever as it shifts side to side at the spine bottom (hips) and (2) an axle as the spine rotates.
This Compound action by the lower spine and attached hips shifting side to side, tilting and turning (all driven by the leg action) is EXACTLY what creates the rotational motion at the shoulders (the wheel hub) - using the spine as both a lever and axle.
It took me 5 years of study and working with 2 long drive golf instructors who knew and studied under Mike Austin before the light bulb came on for me (I'm a slow learner !!). It is not a concept golfers grasp quickly, because I see many many Mike Austin fans comment on how they struggle understanding that compound hip shift/rotate action.
The biggest reason golfers struggle is with the exact sequence: you must first shift the hips back, then tilt them by bending the opposite knee, and then turn the upper body. Then.. do the exact same sequence going forward: a BIG shift of hips forward, followed by a tilting them, and then a turn of the upper body. The left shoulder points down on backswing and right shoulder points down on forward swing as they rotate around the swing center.
That's why I personally decided to create all my videos promoting his superior swing method. Mike was brilliant. He studied the human body through the science of kinesiology and saw the human body golf swing action as nothing more than a movement of fixed levers and flexible joints operating like a single axis wheel turning machine.
If you watch some of Mike Austin's old material (I seen hundreds of hours of it), he consistently comes back to the concept of how the shoulders act as a wheel hub, the arms act as the spokes and the compound hip action drives the rotation action of the shoulders. The swing center is at the C7 (where the shoulders meet the top of the spine at the base of the back of the neck) Many golfers and instructors have attempted to explain Mike Austin's swing concept; so just add me to the list !!!
In closing, I can honestly say to all the golfers out there, that as soon as I understood the concept, my personal scores dropped 6-7 strokes per game, every game. Because my body acted like a single axis wheel turning machine (similar to the Iron Byron), it was impossible to hit anything but straight shots. My human body was acting like a robotic golf machine !!
I encourage all struggling, inconsistent and frustrated golfers to learn the Mike Austin golf swing concept (Wheel Power Golf Swing). ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html
Say goodbye to lost balls, frustrating slices and say hello to effortless power drives and lower scores. Thanks again for all your great comments and feedback. Norm Rosen
So I think you’re saying the hips are the big red handle in the wheel analogy? It’s taken me a while to figure this all out too, but the power and ball flight are just incredible when this is done correctly.
@@kevinhartman7465 Hi Kevin, yes unfortunately Mike Austin was a genius, but not a great teacher because he was just too technical.
I studied Dan Shauger and Mike Dunaway who both studied under Mike Austin, and then I took lessons from a really great teacher: Senior Long Drive champion - John Marshall who studied under Mike. I also had several conversations with Long Drive champion - Jaacob Bowden.
Mike had a reputation as being rough around the edges as a teacher, but anyone who actually understands what he was trying to say will eventually catch on.
The biggest challenge I found after reading hundreds of comments from golfers who followed him, or other golf instructors teaching his method, is grasping what Mike called the Compound Pivot. This video above is an extract from my 4 hour advanced training series, and it took me years to finally understand that there was a specific sequence that must be followed on how the lower body hip action moves.
Watch this video a few times from 7 min 59 sec through to 8 min 49 sec. I believe this is the key. This is the only way the lower body can emulate the red turning handle of my prop. Its a SHIFT first, then TILT, then TURN motion which cause the spine to rotate the shoulders like a wheel hub.
Mike never discusses the sequence exactly, so many golfers start doing things in the ``wrong order`` and get frustrated. It took me years to grasp the concept that there had to be a very BIG shift forward on the downswing of the lower spine BEFORE the other actions. Golf is challenging; do 1 thing slightly out of order and it just doesn't work.
Here's a really big secret I'll share with you. The right arm MUST start unfolding right away on the downswing. There is no delay to try to hold the angle. The arms have to go faster than the hub turning, or you end up with the arms getting caught behind the body all twisted up behind the body, and you end up coming down over the top and slice.
As soon as you start the hips shifting forward, those arms have to speed up and hit off the side of the right hip at impact. I explain this is one of my short videos: ua-cam.com/video/rhQfvvPdiso/v-deo.html
As you stated in your comment, when the light bulb comes on and you 'get it' !!, it is such a simple and easy golf swing to perform. Effortless Power, Straight shots consistently and... no more back or spine pain as I show in my video: ua-cam.com/video/d4hVUU-FDIU/v-deo.html
Thanks for your comments and feedback. Norm Rosen
@@kevinhartman7465 I really appreciate the time, effort and money Norm had placed in his video; however I simply see my ‘wheels’ as being the shoulder and the hip. One activating first over the other. This allows the core of my entire body to rotates back and then forth as I swing the head of the club with my hands placed correctly of the handle of my club.
So on my backswing as my shoulder is turning up to 90 degrees or less it automatically directs my hip to turn correctly somewhere under 45 degrees without any thoughts process on my part. . And on my downswing my hip turning with subtle quickness compels my shoulders to turn to the completion of my swing.
Because I have not placed any tension on the hinges throughout my body (nicely marked in red on on Norm’s videos) my arms attached to my shoulder sockets swings the club head ‘smoothly, freely and fluidly’ up behind my body and then down, up and around my body as my fluid hip joints, knees and ankles also pivoting bringing my trail knee pointing to my target area allowing my foot to rise at the end of my swing.
I believe if Mike we’re alive today he would need to simplify all that he knows about the movements of the muscles bones and and joints in our body and realize that the core of our body creates extremely more amount of power and energy in our swing than our hands; arms; knees; and feet joint combined together could possibly provide us. But, combining our swinging the club head with both the core of our body turning back and forth along with the joints/ hinges mark on Norm videos; creates a priceless easy and automatic swing for all of us. Cheers
@@thomasfraser9072 Hi Thomas, I think we are ALL agreeing on the fact there is a wheel at the shoulders. I also agree that the power starts from the ground up and from the core.
I did one video I have somewhere where I spin a toy top. Spin it from the center and it spins for minutes. Try to spin it from the outer edge, it wobbles and falls after a few seconds. The power starts from the ground up, and from the body center core absolutely.
Here is a video of Mike Austin ``himself`` describing the wheel at the shoulders; listen. to his own words at 4 minutes 10 seconds into the video until 4 minutes 50 seconds.
ua-cam.com/video/TxWrhTsTeho/v-deo.html
I see the loose wrists (acting like a swivel hinge) riding along the RIM of that shoulder wheel, and the hands hanging onto the golf club. So as the shoulder wheel turns, the golf club is being whipped around by the wheel RIM as I explain in my Wheel Power Golf Swing videos.
I think the vision we all have at the hip area may vary in the interpretation slightly. The Swing center (C7 vertabra) is both the swing center .. and... the pivot point of an upside down cone where that pivot point is the vertex (point) of the cone. So if you can visualize that upside down cone, the hip movements are moving within the outer wide area of the cone. At one point several years ago when planning my videos I did think about showing that.
So obviously as I demonstrated, you cannot turn the turning handle in a pure circle under the shoulders, but, to your point the compound movement of shifting, tilting and turning the hips caused by the leg action can be looked at as a circle or second wheel (the outer wide area of the cone).
I see it as a third wheel for one only reason only. The RIM of the shoulder wheel MUST go faster than the HUB of the shoulder wheel which is accomplished by the right arm folding then unfolding on the back swing, then the left arm folding up on the forward swing.
In my Introduction video I talk about it being very similar to a car rear differential system where outer rear wheel of a car going around a corner MUST go faster than the inner rear wheel. For that reason only I distinguish the HUB and RIM ``acting`` like 2 different wheels.
Watch again my Introduction video - the entire chapter of "Wheel Power - Path & Plane" starting at 43 min and 48 sec: ua-cam.com/video/UDdzq70yKRQ/v-deo.html. This explains exactly why the shoulder HUB and RIM act like 2 different wheels. In a normal wheel the hub and rim travel at the same speed; If the rim and hub are going at different speeds, it's not exactly 1 wheel anymore.
So bottom line I think we are all saying the same thing in a slightly different way; and that is that Mike Austin was a genius and the rest of us mortals can only hope to explain his concept to other struggling golfers who are torquing their backs and ending up with back and spine pain and inconsistent golf shots.
You may want to rent my 4 hour Advanced Training video on my website and consider listing yourself as an instructor on my website. Take care and thanks again for your great feedback. Norm Rosen
Mike hit a long way in his time, but he proved that swing not having the precision to compete.
Your upper body moved when you made your backswing. Mike threw his hips back on the backswing and forward on the downswing. Once the hips were in place, he pivoted around them. Reference a UA-cam video, "Mike Austin Teaches the Pros". Pay attention to how Mike abuses a female pro. She bonks him on the skull with her golf club, but there is a lot to learn in this priceless, slap-stuck, near Vaudville act.
Thanks for your feedback Chester. The upper body IS supposed to move as the 3rd of 3 actions. Yes, the hips go back first, then the hips tilt, then the upper body turns like a door on a gate so that the left shoulder points down. (This is what gives the appearance of a big shoulder turn done by traditional golfers who coil their backs).
On the forward swing there is a very big shift of the hips forward, then the hips tilt the opposite way as the back knee bends inward to form a Z position of the back leg, and the upper body then turns so that the right shoulder points down.
All this must be done while the swing center (the C7 vertebra - where top of spine and shoulder meet) stay fairly still in 3D space.
The goal is to keep that swing center from moving up and down or left and right, but, it can rotate in it's 3D space.
So the compound hip pivoting action (the lateral shift like a pendulum and then tilt ) causes the spine to act like both a lever and a turning axle. This compound pivot action of the lower hips is what causes the shoulder to rotate like the hub of a wheel where the arms then act like wheel spokes.
It took me many years to study exactly what Mike was doing in this one move. This is where he loses students because he never quite explains the exact movements and sequence and yes, I've seen that crazy video of him teaching the golf instructors many times.
In that video of him screaming at his students for not understanding, it's his own lack of ability to explain well enough. I've had many conversations with golfer instructors who studied under him, he was a genius coming up with the concept, but lacked teaching skills.
Sorry, it may sound like I'm chest beating, but If you watch this video above I made above a few times; especially from 4 min 58 seconds into the video, I believe it is the best explanation of his compound pivot action that uses the lower body action to rotate the shoulders.
As far as any slight flaws in my own movements in the video, it's hard to hold props, demo the actions and talk at the same time, but focus on the concept.
I'm very happy you made this comment because you can see just how subtle the movement is. And that is why Mike Austin himself ended up screaming at professional golf instructors who could not get it. The secret is the sequence.
There is a shift of the hips back, then a tilt of the hips (by folding in the opposite knee), then a turn of the upper body to rotate the shoulders. Then the exact same sequence going forward.
It's actually very simple. The goal is to use the lower body compound action to cause the shoulders to rotate like a wheel hub around a center point. Norm Rosen
Norm your spot on
A wheel hub and the wheel itself does not tilt when it rolls backwards or forward. It rolls upright attached to a primary axis as you show in your video.
Once we are in our correct golf posture our spine is correctly tilted thus the wheel hub ( as Mike refers to our shoulders as a wheel) is no longer rolling upright; but, on a tilted slanted plane. Correct? So as we are shifting our weight as you have shown: our wheel hub is simply rolling to our trail axis ( leg) and then reverses course, rolling to our lead axis ( leg). Our left arm can represent a spoke that rolls the the wheel hub to our trail axis (leg) and then our trail arm can represent the spoke on the wheel hub that rolls the wheel to our lead axis( leg)
With the shifting of our weight from side to side this shows we have a two axis swing that causes our wheel to travel on a angular path from one axis to the other; not upright only on one axis Cheers
So as you can see the tilt is already built in our bending first from the hips then the knee; and tilting any more then we should could mess us up. Cheers
This compound pivot instruction, whereby you are using the spine as both an axil and a lever, is the Only relevant swing methodology in golf!!!!!
The pelvis shifts to the lead side and also rotates which causes the spine to act like both a lever and and axle - which turns (rotates) the shoulders (the wheel hub).
The wrists ride along the rim of the wheel and the hands just hang onto the club.
As long as the golfer keeps rotating the shoulders, the rim will rotate and the club will be pulled around.
It's a simple concept if golfers keep rotating. Check out my video on Mike Austin and The Iron Byron golf machine.
ua-cam.com/video/HG9MVGzGtgc/v-deo.html
It becomes so obvious. Thanks for your positive feedback. Norm
It is funny as hell kkkk
5:00....bring the girl back! Heh.
Hilarious spoof
Hahahaha this is so crappy
I am going to sound like an old fuddy duddy but here ya go. If the system is so good why do you have to "sell" it with women wearing short dresses, short shorts and showing cleavage? I am 2 things among others. First a Christian male and somewhere down the rung, a golfer trying to improve. When you try to sell lust along with golf to a Christian male who wants golf improvement and not something to lust over, you lose potential customers. As in me. I checked out pretty quick after realizing what you were doing. If the product is good...sell the product. No fancy wrapping will be needed. John 3:16.
I'm sorry you found the video offensive. That was not my intention. The girls were added because I assumed it would be more interesting than watching an old guy like me. It really is an excellent golf swing method. I hope you are able to try doing it sometime.
Lighten up even Christians have sex. Really, why did you find yourself lusting and not listening to the well taught message. I thought it was fine and really well done. I have watched many Austin style videos and this one simplifies the swing technique the best way possible. The compound pivot is a difficult system to explain using words only. Well done sir, and Belg6179 get your mind out of the gutter.
@@simmo5071 What makes you say my mind is in the gutter? You said it...Defend it. Why do you presume I was lusting? You said it...Defend it. If you enjoy sensuality in lieu of golf, that is your prerogative. It is not mine. I was hoping to find golf instruction...Just golf instruction. As a Christian...Yeah. I know we have sex. BTW...Do you claim Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Lets talk.
@@Belg6179 Your totally correct, what I should have said is watch the video for the real message it’s sending with humor, is the golf swing. I’m sorry for being judgmental, your double entendre message is learned.
@@simmo5071 I appreciate your response sir and I respect you for it.