You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m not someone who promotes “quick fixes.” Instead, I focus on the deeper foundations of swing change efforts. In all honesty, there’s no other way to make lasting progress. By asking the right questions and understanding the true nature of the changes you want to make, you can set yourself up for a much higher chance of success.

This is the third article in a three-part series on major swing changes. If you haven’t already, please make sure to read the other articles before diving into this one:

• Article 1 – Must Haves & Pitfalls for Major Swing Change
• Article 2 – Understanding Your Golf Swing DNA – Where you are Now

And, as the title states – this article is primarily about where you want to go and a little bit how to get there.

Two Swing Change Questions for basically ALL solutions

How does a golf swing generate power? How does it square the clubface at impact?

Every motion in golf is fundamentally defined by the answers to these questions. All other parts (e.g. how the body is reactively moving or forced to move) are just byproducts of answering them.

Based on my experience and research, I’ve identified six main approaches to power generation and blade control in a golf swing. These are the outcome solutions that top players and various swing systems use to optimize their motion:

1. Use the Swing Arc to its max potential and perform a long journey on a long swing arc. This is the old school way and it keeps your blade in check due to how you intend your arm movements pre and post impact. This is what I teach in The FMM Swing.
2. Sling the Golf Swing = you deliberately delay your arms to create a sling in a baseball style golf swing. This keeps the blade in order through delaying the wrist release so that the blade is squared with body rotation. This exists with e.g. Milo Lines or George Gankas.
3. Use Lag & Intentional Forearm Rotation to stimulate centrifugal force. This uses neutral body impact conditions to create a balance between centrifugal and centripetal force and it creates great accuracy on the cost of speed. This would be e.g. Advanced Ball Striking Concept
4. Use Lag & Intentional Trail Arm Extension. This keeps the blade in order through not extending your trail arm until after impact. This would be e.g. later MORAD protocols.
5. Use Lag & Whip it out. This forces manipulated blade closure in the transition part of the swing and creates a clear “stop” to the swing after the ball. This would be e.g. Clay Ballard.
6. Use Lag & Ax/Hammer the Ball. This works quite “automatically” from a blade closing perspective but also brings the journey to an end after the ball = post impact is mostly for show. I personally find this method to be a “until scratch” approach where better ball striking is held back by limited post impact limitations. This is very Pete Cowen and also partly MORAD’s 86 swing.

Additionally, there are many other techniques that are less commonly defined but still contribute to the overall motion. These include more unified body movements or using the shoulders in a certain way to generate power. However, these methods are not as widely represented on the professional tour, and I’ve excluded long-driving-specific protocols, as they focus primarily on power rather than consistency.

Each of these techniques has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the key to success lies in identifying which method—or combination of methods—best fits your physical and mental makeup as a golfer.

Your Swing DNA is the ruler – You are in charge

Even though I’m a huge fan of golf systems, your own idiosyncrasies will naturally add a personal tweak to any system. You always need to prioritize your own unique needs.

For example, one of my first swing changes involved learning a lag-and-whip style that required difficult movements during the transition. My own swing DNA forced me to view the swing as a three-part motion, fundamentally changing my relationship to the golf swing. Had I simply followed the instructions, I never would have succeeded. Now, looking back, I realize that this system didn’t align with my swing DNA, but because I placed myself at the top of the hierarchy, I was able to truly own and execute it (even though it was much harder than what I perform today…).

Finding YOUR Solution – The Grid

You need to align where you want to go with what you can do. In other words, match your Swing DNA to your intended solution.

The table below shows the relationship between Power & Blade Sources and how they align with your Inner Image and Individuality. I’m fully aware that this isn’t a 100% solution, but rather a very subjective interpretation based on my experiences over the years.

For mobile readers, click here to expand watch it as an image instead.

	Inner Image		Individuality
	Utilizing the complete swing arc?	Using a wide or narrow downswing arc?	Quick or Tranquil?	Thinking Style in Swing Change Training?	Physical Demands?
Swing Arc Power	Yes, complete arc	Wide 1 plane	Both Works	Abstract	Nothing Special
Sling Power	Yes, complete arc	Wide 2 plane	Tranquility needed overall	Technical	Max Athleticism
Lag & Trail Arm Extension	Somewhat, post impact some limitations	Semiwide 1 plane	Both Works	Technical	Max Athleticism
Lag & Whip Power	Somewhat, post impact some limitations	Semiwide 2 plane	Tranquility needed for transition part of swing	Technical	Strong Body Needed
Lag & Axe Power	Clear post impact limitations	Narrow 1 plane	Both Works	Abstract	Nothing Special
Lag & Forearm Rotation	Yes, complete arc	Narrow 2 plane	Both Works	Abstract	Arm Strength (given by training)

This is indeed extremely challenging, and I understand if you feel overwhelmed at this stage. If that’s the case, I offer Jungle Guiding Services, where I can consult with you through this process. I do this out of respect for the DIY effort, it won’t be a cash cow…

I hope you enjoyed these major swing change articles. Click here for a hands on Swing Change Plan (simplified version) so you can get some structure into your efforts.

The Major Swing Change Article Series

Golf Development Consulting

I offer some services for you that are into golf technique and want some assistance.

Some General Swing Tech Posts (with Videos)

The FMM Swing Articles