Customer Reviews

How to "KILL" the Ball/The Formula for Power and Accuracy

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The book has a few unfortunate editorial errors in it, but overall it is an impressive explanation of a truly unique golf swing. The claim by another reviewer saying this material has been covered before in "Search for the Perfect Swing" by Cochran and Stobbs is not accurate. That book discusses very briefly a hinged wrist motion that is not the same as Shauger explains. The counter rotating wrist action described in "How to Kill the Ball" puts the club face on a completely different swing plane than the double pendulum motion discussed by Cochran and Stobbs. Further Shauger discusses in a fair amount of detail the twirling of the wrist in a "spinning of the meatballs" action that is not in "Search for the Perfect Swing". If you read Philip Reed's, "In Search of the Greatest Swing" it is clear that Mike Austin developed the hinged wrist and club twirling method. This method is different than the method Mike Austin taught in the past in collaboration with Mike Dunaway. Dan Shauger is teaching the later developed system.

My person experience with learning this method is a positive one. It is not prone to lost balls and hitting fat, those occur when the swing circle moves before hitting the ball or an improper pivot motion. When executed correctly the ball goes dead straight with a long and high carry. When you feel the club head release through the ball you know it is go and go.

I'm confused why one of the reviewers stated that keeping the club square reduces power and this can be substantiated by physics. What evidence is there of this? What is the substantiation?

I also wanted to comment on the contradiction pointed out between Dan's book and other reference materials about Mike Austin's swing.

For example, the Austinology tapes and the Peaceriver tapes both indicate Austin rolled the club through impact...which he did before his stroke. Dan's materials mention a counter-rotation of the wrists in order to keep the club squarer longer. This contradiction is because in the last several years of his life (after his stroke and after he made all his other materials) Austin changed his viewpoints on how the hands should work. Dan's teachings do indeed refect the most current method that Mike taught. But unless you were actually physically with Mike during that time period like I was, you might think think that Dan's materials are incorrect. I hope this helps clarify the discrepancy.

Also, having personally known both Dan and Austin, I can vouch for Dan's tremendous understanding of how Austin swung. Dan was a close personal friend of Austin's for around 20 years, is a fantastic teacher, and his knowledge of Austin's swing is second to none, in my opinion. His book does have grammatical errors and such, however, I encourage everyone to look past the appearance and presentation of the materials, and dig in and actually digest what Dan says. There is great value to be found within. :-)

I am a professional long drive competitor and am always looking for ways to hit longer and more solid shots. I purchased Dan Shauger's book last fall and was blown away by how unique his method is compared to everything I've ever read and learned about the golf swing. In Dan's swing you break many of the cardinal rules of the swing that have been preached for centuries. In my case, I gave the method a try and am now hitting longer, straigher drives consistently.

Congratultions Mr Shauger.Between this and new book "The Golfswing of The 21st Century",you are revolutionising the golf swing.
I am a medical doctor with an interest in biomechanics and a passion for golf.I am disillusioned with the inconsistency of the traditional golf swing .Even top professional golfers struggle to consistently hit fairways and greens.
When I discovered that Mike Austin hit the ball far further than any man in history,I researched his method.It is unique. Shauger describes this method and has added some amazingly effective refinements.
The book describes this method in great detail.My only criticism is a degree of repetition.This may be justified because of the vast difference to the traditional method.
It has now fallen into place,and a friend( with whom I'm studying this method)and myself are hitting the ball straighter and further than ever.

I first read about Mike Austin's ability in a golf tips magazine years ago when he was 68. Whilst he gave a brief summary of action to hit the ball far then, the detail was insufficient to adopt his method. I was delighted to learn of publications about his swing, via the internet and have "How to Kill the Ball-etc. My 70 years of age may be considered too late for swing change but less back strain and more efficient use of the legs and body to produce better trajectory with longer more accurate ball flight is coming from the information detailed in this book. Perhaps the editorial standard could have been better but i believe any purchaser should simply ignore that and concentrate on the instruction given by the author Dan Shauger on the way Mike Austin so effectively hit the golf ball. For those who have never heard of Mike Austin and his unbeaten long distance driving record, this is simply great instruction worth acquiring.

How to "Kill" the Ball is the most complete explaination of how to generate power and accuracy in the golf swing. This is a huge undertaking, and Dan Shauger has a definte "hole in one"!
After reading this book, I finally "got" the golf swing . My pitching wedge immediately went from 100 yards to 110 yards. After six months, I am hitting my pitching wedge 130 yards. Don't kid yourself, turning understanding into a golf swing takes time and effort. However, Dan is helpful and will answer your questions. This book is a complete recipe for creating a powerful and accurate swing. I would recommend that you also purchase the accompaning DVD to see the concept in action. Being that golf swing is three dimensional, the video gives an excellent supplement to the book's instruction.

I've been playing golf for 40 years and as I've gotten into my 50s I've lost distance and the game was becoming difficult. I was about ready to give up the game when I discovered Dan's book. I've been working on the swing as taught in the book for about 5 months now and the difference is amazing. Driver from weak 225 yards to booming 275 in the air. 150 yard club from 6 iron to 9 iron. This swing's release makes accuracy easy. This swing is very easy on the body. His follow-on book "The 21st Century Golf Swing" expands on the swing principles. If you want to get good at this game, get the books and DVDs and spend some time! You will be delighted.

I am a low handicap golfer, having played the game for over 40 years (53 yrs. old). I constantly work on my strength and flexibility to try and maintain a semblance of my youthful distance and scoring ability. With conventional instruction, I just seemed to be spinning my wheels. The "Mike Austin Method" as described and taught by Dan Shauger has got me excited about golf again! The character and trajectory of my shots when I "get it right" is truly amazing--the ball travels like it was shot out of a cannon!! It's winter, and it seems every day I have off, it's raining; so I've only been able to hit balls a few times since I've adapted the method, but I'm very excited about the season ahead.
His website, "[...]" will update you on his seminars and other instructional materials available. The DVDs are a very helpful aid in understanding the concept. Read this book with a golf club by your side, or better yet, order his mini-club from his website.
I instructed one of my friends on his method on the range the other day. I had him hitting shots with a character he had never experienced within a few short minutes. Guess what--he's got his copy of the book now--emails me every couple days on his progress. He's excited about the concept now and No back strain!---He had chronic back problems with his old conventional swing.
I could rant all day so just do yourself a favor and order the book. Take your time to digest it cover to cover--in the order presented, before trying to apply it to your game.

I purchased this compelling book about a week and a half ago and it instantly grabbed my full attention. I've been golfing for almost 50 years and while I have what most would consider quite a decent swing and game (low handicap), it always has frustrated me how that good swing will come and go with less than perfect timing and tempo. I gotta tell you, after digesting this book based on Mike Austin's swing techniques, I find myself more excited now than I've ever felt about my game.

What serious golfer (or even casual golfer) wouldn't love to hit the ball farther, more accurately and effortlessly with more consistency? While I am still a work in progress with the Mike Austin method that Dan teaches here, I can say confidently that I totally perceive the virtues of this teaching as more stable and dependable over more 'conventional' golf instruction.

Mentally, I 'get' it, and I feel very confident that its just a matter of time before I completely master it physically. Indeed, with just a little experimentation after reading and re-reading this book, I could sense the additional power in my swing and the ones I really executed well were enough to really fill me with excitement and promise of transformation: The swing feels like it is swinging itself... without effort. The ball literally jumps off the clubface and hangs in the air an extra second, or two, or three.... and the ball flight is a thing of beauty to behold.

The presentation of the book is a bit rough around the edges, in terms of grammar and quality of illustrations, etc, but the concepts that Dan puts forth here are in logical sequence and expressed very well so don't anything deter you from the exceptional content here that I believe holds the secret of improving anyone's ball striking skills significantly.

I've been so inspired by the promise of transforming my golf game that I've signed up for personal lessons with the author, Dan Shauger, to take me to that 'next level'. So, I will report back on my progress at a later date. But so far, I"m hooked, excited and a true believer!!!
; - )
Jack

Having read what seems like hundreds of golf books in fifty odd years of addiction to the game, I am comfortable saying that most are worthless drivel. On the theory that learning one new thing from a $20 book justifies the investment, I bought this one. It is not easy. I nearly gave up, but persevered to discover a genuine and unique approach which deserves the attention of any golfer with a dominant right arm who is tired of the nonsense about golf being a left handed game for right handed people. Much of the Austin method seems to have been anticipated by Joe Dante (Four Magic Moves), but it leaves Dante behind in explaining how the right arm and right hand can create enormous power by releasing right from the top of the swing provided they have folded properly and been accompanied by a correct pivot. This is the message Bill Mehlhorn preached for sixty years, while advocating use of the arms and legs in a wholly natural way, with no firmness or stiffening of any joint or muscle. Those with a taste for engineering lingo should put Shauger up on the shelf right next to Homer Kelly. Those who complain about his occasional lapses in syntax and spelling may prefer the smooth cliches of the household names whose only disadvantage is functional. Anyone who plays golf should get Mehlhorn's book, Golf Secrets Exposed, which can be found on the Mehlhorn web site maintained by Robert Shave.