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Mike Austin Swing

wirehair

Life's too short to drink cheap wine.
Apr 29, 2005
2,489
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What is it with these guys jumping out of the bushes to resurrect a thread about some dead guy that is pretty much unknown. They selling videos or what?
 

BKLang

Active Member
May 4, 2011
1
0
I have had great success with the Mike Austin swing. All I have done is look at all of the videos, forums and threads that I could find on the internet. Austinfan has some incredible information out there. There are others, too. What I can take away from what I have gathered for free, is that the MA swing has allowed me to swing more freely with better distance, crisper contact and less effort. What is not to love about that.

BK
 

Tacojoe

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Feb 23, 2013
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Hello everyone, AustinFan, I envy you and your time spent with Mike Austin. I was lucky enough to see him give a demonstration in the late seventies or early eighties. I have never seen anything like it in my life. It was like magic! People that don't know of him or have seen him may think this statement to be funny. I posted in another thread that it's funny to see someone like Tiger swing so hard to hit it 325 with modern technology when Mr. Austin could do that with ease with old technology and range balls and in his late sixties. I don't think there will ever be another like him. To the guy that tore his rotator cuff, you have to be smarter than what your doing.
 

indacup

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Jun 1, 2007
1,519
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Iowa
"....... To the guy that tore his rotator cuff, you have to be smarter than what your doing.

Wow.
I am really shocked that someones very first post here, included a smart azz insult to someone they never met.

Nice entrance pal.

So tell me why do you say that? Did you see the lessons? Do you know what Dan told me to do? Wht do you base your accusation and insults on?

I am not going to re-iterate what I said in comment 18...you can re-read it yourself and hopefully not jump to more ill-concieved notions.

I will tell you what happened in the lesson and how Dan destroyed my R-C.

At the end of my first lesson he told me to go out and practice the swing bearing in mind one "and only one goal" which he said to make swing after swing concentrating so that my left elbow was behind my right knee at impact.

I did this for at least 3 solid hours that afternoon. On next days lesson, I told him my should was really sore because I was following his instructions...I could barely finish the next day's lesson because it hurt so much...but I did.

The following Monday I was in agony went to my physician (who incidentally works on the medical staff for the University of Iowa Sports program) told me my R-C was torn...He asked what I did and I told him...He said the human body was not designed for that kind of stress.
I called Dan immediately and told him what I found out and what happened...and when I said it was because i followed your instructions of "left elbow behind right knee at impact" his response was: "that's what I said, but didn't mean it literally".

So how can I be at fault for poor communication?

Now let me share a few more tidbits with you Taco...

I am one of the sponsors here and not only sell, but have designed golf equipment. I own two locations and teach our high school boys and girls teams traditional golf and we've gone to state championships 3 out of the last five years.

The reason I experimented with the Austin swing is after reading the book and the info from Mike Donaway, it looked interesting..and since I am in the profession, I am always looking for something new.

The Austin swing did not hurt me...it was the instructor who admitted he spoke wrong, but still didn't care.

The ONLY critical statement I have maintained is that the (cult) followers of the Austin method all tend to have sticks up their butt and harbor anger and hurl insults to anyone who does not agree with them.

You have helped me prove the point.
 

Tacojoe

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Feb 23, 2013
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Hello Indacup, Nicely written post I must say. The reason i said that is because of this statement you made. I'm paraphrasing here but basically you said the positions he wanted you to do were hardly possible to do statically. I would think someone such as you would realize that he meant it was a feeling. Surely you're familiar with the saying "feel isn't real".
I apologize for my remark, but as for you saying it was a "smart ass remark" maybe you should go back and read some of your remarks, for example: If your statement of facts regarding swing techniques are as accurate as your reading comprehension, then you just might have put another dent in your reputation . Also, I am not an " Austinite" what ever that is, and I don't harbor any anger towards you.
Speaking of rotator cuffs, I had a frozen shoulder and still have a 70% torn rotator cuff. The Dr. also told me that most people have torn RCs but just don't know it. I opted not to have the tear fixed and I still hit a couple hundred balls a day when the weather permits.
 

indacup

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Jun 1, 2007
1,519
37
Iowa
Hello Indacup, Nicely written post I must say. The reason i said that is because of this statement you made. I'm paraphrasing here but basically you said the positions he wanted you to do were hardly possible to do statically. I would think someone such as you would realize that he meant it was a feeling. Surely you're familiar with the saying "feel isn't real".
Yes, and I questioned him at least twice that first day telling him I felt it was impossible. But Dan assured me it was all about teaching the body movements it was unaccustomed to... I remember specifically asking him that I thought the purpose of the Austin swing was because it was LESS demanding on the body. He assured me that learning this move is like a child learning to take his first steps.
I have had dozens if not hundreds question my instructions....I figured he was the expert, and I'd follow it...heck, I spent too much money to fly halfway across the continent to see this "guru".
I apologize for my remark, but as for you saying it was a "smart ass remark" maybe you should go back and read some of your remarks, for example: If your statement of facts regarding swing techniques are as accurate as your reading comprehension, then you just might have put another dent in your reputation .
But if you noticed, my remarks are part of an existing exchange/argument....I have never, EVER wandered into a forum and right off that bat started mocking and insulting a complete stranger without kowing a single fact about them.
Also, I am not an " Austinite" what ever that is, and I don't harbor any anger towards you.
Speaking of rotator cuffs, I had a frozen shoulder and still have a 70% torn rotator cuff. The Dr. also told me that most people have torn RCs but just don't know it. I opted not to have the tear fixed and I still hit a couple hundred balls a day when the weather permits.
I DO appreciate your response and I too, harbor no anger and fine putting this behind us and starting fresh!
 

azgreg

"Don't count that."
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Sep 20, 2007
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But if you noticed, my remarks are part of an existing exchange/argument....I have never, EVER wandered into a forum and right off that bat started mocking and insulting a complete stranger without kowing a single fact about them.

Rory waits a day or 2 first. :)
 

Tacojoe

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Feb 23, 2013
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Hello azgreg, Ha Ha, It's funny, I normally just lurk on forums and never post and now when I do I make an "azz" of myself.
 

TEA Time

Grumpy Gilmore
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Mar 23, 2011
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This thread has been fun. That said, I have two issues to discuss:

which he said to make swing after swing concentrating so that my left elbow was behind my right knee at impact.
Is that even humanly possible? Your left elbow behind your right knee? Sounds like only a Chinese circus contortionist could pull that one off. But it leads right into my next issue:

Mike's swing was nearly identical to Sam Snead's...
If this were true, and given the statement from indacup, then Sam's left elbow should be behind his right knee at impact, correct?

awww.andrewricegolf.com_blog_wp_content_uploads_2011_02_samsnead.jpg


His left elbow is about a foot in front of his right knee.

P.S. I've never heard of Mike Austin until today.
 

anonymous golfaholic

Refusing Recovery
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Feb 10, 2010
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I don't know anything about Mike Austin either, TEA. My guess is that you want to feel like your left elbow is behind your right knee at impact. I'm guessing the dude wanted people to start their downswing with the opening of their hips...which coils the spring tighter or creates more resistance between your shoulders and your waist. It gives you more power. It's the first move that I make when I start my transition down to the ball. Once I get to the top of my backswing, I open my hips, which pulls my shoulders and my arms are the last to follow.

Did that make a bit of sense, lol? Sorry if it didn't. I had a hard time conveying my thoughts on this.
 

anonymous golfaholic

Refusing Recovery
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Feb 10, 2010
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Also, when you open your hips before starting the downswing, this causes your weight to move forward on the left edge of your left foot and your knees to bend and point towards the target...causing your left arm to be behind your right knee. So I feel like the guy might have told Rory to have that feeling at impact to insure that the arms would be the last part of the chain reaction in the golf swing. This would create lag and promote that lower dynamic loft that everyone seems to be after. Just my take on all of this.
 

WWBDD

Well-Known Member
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Feb 15, 2013
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P.S. I've never heard of Mike Austin until today.

Regardless of the cult of the Mike Austin swing, his is actually a pretty interesting story.

If even half of his wikipedia page is accurate, he had a very eventful life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Austin_(golfer)

Michael Hoke Austin (February 17, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an English-American golf professional and kinesiology expert, specializing in long drives. Besides a doctorate in kinesiology, Dr. Austin had degrees in: Mechanical engineering, philosophy, and physics. He also worked on a highly classified aerospace project (that later became the space program). He was a poet, philosopher, actor, fighter pilot, undefeated heavyweight fighter, contracted opera singer, and spoke several languages.

He was credited by Guinness World Records with hitting the longest drive in tournament play (471m/515 yards) in 1974 at Winterwood Golf Course (the Par-4 455-yard 14th Hole now called Desert Rose Golf Course) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 

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