Category Archives: Mike Austin

Golf Legend Mickey Wright Condemns The Modern Swing

This is incredible – I’ve written a couple of posts before about Mickey Wright, first about her great Classic Golf Swing action and then a little more breaking down her setup and mechanics, but the legendary golfer really gives the Modern Golf Swing a firm condemnation in a long-awaited interview with Golf Digest (thanks to Peter A for passing it on).

I’m wondering how many of the greatest golfers ever have to to knock down the Modern Golf Swing, but they won’t be around forever – so it’s a good thing to get them on the record.

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Mike Dunaway’s Swing Mechanics

Mike-DunawayThose of you who have been around for the past few years might remember my constant harping on my view that Mike Dunaway’s swing was not the same model as Mike Austin’s.

If you aren’t familiar with Mike Dunaway, he is largely regarded as the father of modern long driving and who passed away last year around this time.

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Byron Nelson, the Swing Machine

byron nelson topByron Nelson is the greatest ball-striker ever on the PGA Tour, though not many would know it or even remember his name as something other than the man for whom the “Iron Byron” golf swing machine is named.

I would ask anyone who says Byron Nelson wasn’t the greatest swinger ever, why did they name the machine after him?  Tom Watson had said once that Byron hit at least two flag-sticks every round he played.

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Mike Dunaway’s Shock Absorbers

Mike-DunawayIf you look at this video compilation of Mike Dunaway’s swings back when he was the dominant driver on the planet (John Daly said MD was longer than him, Greg Norman called him the best driver of the ball that ever lived, etc.), you’ll see what I was talking about in my posting on the knees being “shock absorbers.”

I want to also mention Mike’s website Dunaway Long, for those who weren’t aware that he has returned to golf after a lengthy absence.

It has always been a mystery to me why Mike Dunaway wasn’t a household name in golf from the ’90s going forward.

Swing techniques have improved over the years, but you still won’t see a better swing action than Dunaway’s from years ago.

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You Want Proof? Golf Industry Scam Or Not? (Updated)

imperfect lies coverUpdated with this comment from me in response to a comment from David:

“PS – I’m not saying today’s instructors are all deliberately selling snake oil. But when you get to a certain level, you should know this is a bogus swing method.

So I can break modern golf instructors down into two camps: They are either A) Guys who don’t know enough about a proper golf swing to teach the swing at all or B) Guys who know better but want to complicate it so they’re never out of work.

I don’t think much of either group, but at least one of them is honest… in a way…”

I had said that I couldn’t think of a passage off-hand to reference John Christensen’s new book “Perfect Swing, Imperfect Lies” about the life of Mike Austin.  I have thought of the perfect passage, and not because it relates to Mike Austin, but as it relates to the state of modern golf instruction.

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The Original 350 Man – Mike Dunaway

Mike-DunawayMike Dunaway was honored last week at the opening of the 2013 Remax World Long Drive Championship.

Mike of course is the most famous of Mike Austin’s students, but many don’t know how instrumental Dunaway was to the sport of long driving.  Many don’t know that the Callaway Big Bertha technology was developed in the 80’s with Dunaway as the company’s tester.  His feedback led directly to the Big Bertha.

He was also the inspiration for Art Sellinger, founder of Long Drivers of America.

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