Power Layers of the Golf Swing — Build the Engine

Most golfers try to fix their swing.

But swing faults don’t appear out of nowhere.
They come from misapplied forces.

If the power is wrong, the swing constantly breaks.
If the power is right, the swing works.

For more than a decade, I’ve studied not positions—but what actually builds motion.
Because when you build the power, you build the swing.

This is the foundation of what I call the FMM Power Blueprint.

The Idea — Power Comes in Layers

The golf swing isn’t one thing.

It’s not a position.
It’s not a sequence.
It’s not a “perfect move.”

It’s layers of power working together.

I see five layers:

  • Three layers build the engine
  • Two layers add performance on top

Most golfers never get past layer one or two.
And then they try to fix the swing on top of a broken engine.

This video changes that.

Layer 1 — Making the Club Work

Everything starts here.

The question is simple:
What actually drives the swing?

My standpoint is clear:

👉 The hands and the club create the motion
👉 The body reacts

This is base power.

When this breaks—the swing breaks.

If you can’t make the clubhead move freely, nothing else will hold together.

Feet together.
Six-iron.
Simple task.

If you yank the handle—everything collapses.
If you throw the club—the pendulum breaks.

Most bad swings start right here.

Train this, and you train the engine.

Layer 2 — Ground Support & Pattern Fit

Once the club works, it needs support.

This is where golf splits.

There isn’t one swing.
There are different functional patterns.

What changes is how the ground supports the motion.

  • Some move early into the lead side → space + large arc
  • Some build resistance on the trail side → later acceleration
  • Some slide and push forward → directional force

Different looks. Same purpose.

👉 Support the club
👉 Don’t disturb it

When this layer is in place, things start to make sense:

  • Release styles
  • Timing
  • Speed additions

Without support, everything becomes manipulation.

Layer 3 — Supercharging the Pendulum

Now we can add speed.

Not forced speed.
Functional speed.

Each pattern does this differently:

  • Big Arc Swinger → large arc, upward exit
  • Trail Power → vertical pressure, late acceleration
  • Backside Chop & Push → energy moves toward the target

Different actions.

Same job.

👉 Supercharge the same base motion

The ground supports it.
Your athletic intentions activate it.

The First Three Layers — Your Engine

These three layers create the engine.

And here’s the important part:

👉 This is achievable

  • Anyone can swing the clubhead
  • Anyone can use the ground
  • Anyone can add speed to a pendulum

When this works, the swing holds together.

But engine does not equal performance.

Layer 4 — Performance Begins

Now things change.

Once the engine works:

  • Centrifugal force releases
  • The body reacts
  • The motion stabilizes

Now you’re no longer fixing a swing.

You’re controlling the ball.

This is where:

  • Ball position
  • Clubface control
  • After-impact intentions

start to matter.

Think:

Scottie Scheffler repeating a controlled fade.
A trap draw appearing from small adjustments.

This isn’t mechanics.

This is performance built on a functioning engine.

Layer 5 — Refinement (Optional)

This is where most golf tips live.

And this is why most of them fail.

Because they are applied too early.

Once the engine works, refinement becomes powerful:

  • Big Arc → extension + rotation
  • Trail Power → shoulder plane tweaks
  • Backside Chop & Push → open stance, Trevino style

Different tools.

Same rule:

👉 Refinement only matters when the engine runs

Final Thoughts — Build the Engine First

These are the five layers of power.

The first three build the engine—
and this is where most swing faults actually live.

The good news?

👉 It’s achievable

When the engine works:

  • The swing stops breaking
  • The game simplifies
  • You can add performance.

This is the foundation of the FMM Power Blueprint.

Everything else builds from here.

Check out all Video Articles on the Overview Page here.

Check out the Forgotten Master Moves homepage here.

In the FMM Academy I teach differnt patterns and it’s all about fit – has it’s overview page here.