The Mike Austin Swing
In the 1974 United States Senior Open Championship tournament, at the age of 64, Mike Austin drove a golf ball 515 yards, on level ground, with a persimmon head driver measuring 43 1/2” in length. True, the shot was favored by a tail wind of about 30 miles per hour.
That tee shot is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest drive ever in a competition sanctioned by the USGA.
Mike Austin is still alive at this writing, and he received an honor from the PGA of America in September, 2004, at the age of 94. He is
one of the original members of the “350 Club” (America’s long driving team, exclusive to golfers who have surpassed 350 yards in competition), he holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the National Academy of Applied Science, and his life story includes many notable additional accomplishments outside of golf. His brilliant personal history includes victories in boxing, and serious quality opera performance.
With his salty mannerisms and other personal characteristics often found in geniuses, he continues to teach his golf swing, despite a stroke some years ago. And among his protégés is Dan Shauger, Mike’s pupil and friend (“like a son”) of 25 years, currently teaching the Austin method in North Hollywood, California, who has put the Austin method into print and video, and whose work Mike characterized as faithful to the truth as though they were his own words.
This unique and astounding swing is based upon motions that use leverage and strengths of one’s arms and legs in ways that are not possible in the conventional swing currently used by virtually all tour professionals. The procedure also eliminates the problems of acute timing required by the conventional swing for producing precision trajectory. The nature of the swing is to hinge the hands, arms, and body in a way that takes misdirection—slices and hooks—out of the equation entirely.
Years ago, the track and field sport of high-jumping was universally done with a head-first “straddle” dive over the bar, with tummy facing the ground, and the Olympic record using that method (set by Valerie Brumel in 1963) was 7’ 5 ¾”. In 1968 a young high school jumper by the name of Dick Fosbury, over the resistance of his coach, invented and employed a new method of jumping backwards over the bar, tummy facing the sky, and he himself went on thereafter to win the 1968 Olympic event by clearing 7’ 4”. Since then, virtually the whole world of track and field contenders has converted to his new, revolutionary style, and in 1993 a new world record of 8’ ½” was achieved with it. The point of this analogy is simply this: prior to knowing about, or even considering an alternative method of the high jump, the whole world just accepted what was passed down and used without considering, or comparing it to, other methods. In the same way, it is the author’s belief, shared with virtually all who have discovered and tried the Austin swing, that his swing method will be the normative golf swing of the future, given its inherent access to physical strength, leverage and control of direction that simply does not exist in a conventional swing procedure.
It is ‘different engineering.’ To make an analogy—it is a bit like the difference between the rotary jet engine used for airplanes and the piston type internal combustion engine used in automobiles. Both create thrust, but by different mechanisms. And the automobile engine simply does not have enough inherent efficiency for the power needed for air craft.
Among Austin’s “converts” are long drive champ Mike Dunaway, a name familiar to many of us, and Jaacob Bowden – a newcomer in the long drive champion circuit (his website is www.jaacobbowden.com) who at only 6’ tall and 210 pounds (not large for that competition), has achieved 381 yards in one of the Pinnacle Distance Challenge contests.
Reports back from other converts reinforce the superiority of Austin’s swing method, and my own personal experience in using it confirms my first suspicions, reinforced from personal instruction by Dan Shauger in California this very year, that it is indeed a superior method for achieving distance and accuracy in golf. Dan (currently teaching in Los Angeles) is the original source for the Mike Austin swing method,
based on a friendship and ongoing instruction from the man himself during the last 25 years while Mike refined and developed his ideas. It took that long
for the two men to synthesize and refine the details of this unique method to the point where now every detail is clear, precise, and complete. Dan has just this year (2004)
published Mike’s amazing swing in print and onto video (more are in the works), and no one else anywhere can teach, describe, or explain it as competently as Dan has done. All “authorized instruction” of the Mike Austin method WILL originate from Dan, and any departure from his teaching
or grafting its concepts into traditional instruction will effectively nullify
what must be taken as a whole, and which cannot be mixed with other swing
systems, any more than you can use a rotary jet engine in a piper cub. To say nothing of to depart from Mike’s ingenious and unparalleled accomplishment. Dan’s website where you can purchase the video/DVD and book “How To Kill The Ball” is www.aperfectswing.com and if you want personal instruction from Dan himself, where you can contact him to make those arrangements.
I am presently in a program leading to official accreditation to teach the
Mike Austin swing method, where in addition to skill in
executing the swing, ability to teach it effectively is considered
supremely important. This requirement differs significantly from the norm
for "credentialing" your 'local pro,' where there is no standard regarding his
ability to teach nor his knowledge of swing mechanics, but only his own playing
ability. Having proven my ability to teach effectively, while awaiting
official credentialing from Dan Shauger, in the meantime I am offering
personal instruction in the Mike Austin Swing and I invite your inquiry in your journey down that exciting path. Please feel free to phone at any time. 800.226.9326.
Before the month is up, hopefully, I will make available here (for
immediate download) in text and
pictures the routine that I use for "learning myself" and perfecting the swing.
I have explained and illustrated it in a way that if someone wants a brief
introduction to all of its principles and how best to practice it, this might work
for you as well. It will not only include pictures, but I'll also provide links
to videos that you can freeze-frame, analyze, and absorb, along with references
to more information about Mike and some of his followers. Please bookmark
this page "The Mike Austin Swing" and check in in a few days.
"Guys, I just have to post this 'cause what was excitement over starting the MA method has turned into something way beyond.
Last night after work I took my 64* wedge, 6 and 3 irons to the range. Armed with only what I've read in this and the Tour Tempo threads I thought I'd give "it" a try. Mind that the only things I was paying any attention to was the wrist movement and the tromboning (sp) of the right arm as I understand it. I paid absolutely no attention to the pivot as I have no idea what's going on there.
So... 30 balls.. wedge- very relaxed 1/2 swing, "pancake action" on the wrists, club face toward the target at all times and slight "pump" of the right arm at and following impact. Results- after adjusting my stance and grip slightly (I was going left) 15 balls- last 10- 8 of 10 120yds all would fit in a kiddie wading pool. WOW! I've never had such consistancy nor "easy" distance.
Getting a little ****y I pulled out the 6 iron. Usually I go 180 yds with a 30yds left/right radius from where I'm aiming.
10 balls, had to adjust stance and grip to very neutral, once again an easy swing, about a 2/3's backswing wrist and trombone action only. Flag was at 183 yards, all 10 carried beyond, 4 well beyond and all were within 8-10 yards left/right. WOW!!
3 iron- usual distance 210 with larger directional diversity (not accurate). 5 balls- first pulled. 2nd ball was incredible. The last flag was at 253 yds. Now remember, I don't have any concept of the hip action in the "method", I was just "fiddling" with the wrist and right arm pump. This shot left the clubface slightly right and drew back to the left. It hit about 7-10 yards dead solid in front of the 253 flag and rolled past it no more than 2 yards to the left and stopped about 5 yards past the flag. Without a doubt, the best 3 iron shot I've ever hit ! The last 3 balls were not quite as good, but were still MUCH better than usual.
A guy 2 slots over saw the big shot, he was hitting his driver and asked what club I was hitting. He couldn't believe it (neither could I). I'm hooked!!! and if I never fully understand the hip action, so be it. Just the two aspects (wrist and trombone) I barely understand have convinced me that there's something very good going on here.
Thanks for pointing me in this direction!! There is really something to this method!!"
-Post By rockhead
The following is from an email from Jaacob Bowden himself, most recent poster-boy for the Mike Austin swing,
and this got posted on the discussion board known as FGI in response to questions and the
raising of doubts there about the Austin swing method, on Sept. 27, 2004.
A few thoughts...
As for me, working with Dan and the new swing, I have gone from an amateur with a 14 handicap (probably in all actuality more like a 20 tournament handicap) to a pro with 3 mini-tour wins in just 20 months. My maximum swing speed has gone up 18mph, my longest drive increased from 326 to 400 (in competition), my driving average went from about 285 to 321 (with
a 45" driver), I won the Pinnacle Distance Challenge by hitting a televised
drive of 381 yards to beat the top distance drivers in the world, and I got to
the District Finals of the World Long Driving Championships. All of this is
directly related to working with Dan and what he has to teach.
I've learned both the conventionally taught swing and the true fundamentals of the Austin swing, and I can whole-heartedly attest that the Austin swing is superior. It's easier to learn and master, it requires less maintenance, timing is less of an issue, back and knee problems are mitigated if not eliminated, and it's longer and straighter. Who wouldn't want that? This swing truly is the Fosbury Flop of golf. Just like when Mr. Fosbury began jumping over the high jump bar backwards, there were naysayers. Gradually, though, over time the records began speaking for themselves and now-a-days...everyone jumps over backwards. So it is with this golf swing. It's only a matter of time. If I don't do it myself in the next 5 years, there will certainly be others using this method that average 350 yards/drive at 80% driving accuracy on Tour. It's right around the corner. My advice is to get in on it now and beat everyone else to the punch, because in 10 years...everyone that wants to play the game at a higher level will be using this method! :-)
Good luck and happy golfing!
Jaacob
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