On the Mark Golf Podcast

How do you create more clubhead speed without sacrificing center contact, control or the ability to repeat your swing under pressure? Mark Immelman sits down with respected golf instructor Adam Harrell, longtime coach of PGA TOUR player Michael Brennan, to explore the principles behind one of Mark’s favorite swings in professional golf. Harrell began working with Brennan as a young player with aspirations of reaching the PGA TOUR. From the beginning, speed was intentional—but never at the expense of fundamentals. The result is a swing built around center contact, neutral fundamentals, an efficient clubhead orbit, proper release, rhythm and the freedom to let the club move fast. Throughout the conversation, Mark and Adam unpack how everyday golfers can apply those same principles to their own games. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why speed should be trained as a skill How Michael Brennan developed clubhead speed from a young age Why center contact remains the foundation of distance How to increase speed without losing balance or control Why even a 1 mph improvement matters How a golfer’s mental “governor” can limit speed Why neutral fundamentals make a swing easier to repeat under pressure The importance of grip, setup, ball position and takeaway How the clubhead should naturally orbit around the golfer Why the body and club must work in harmony How the hands and arms contribute to speed Why energy transfer matters more than simply moving your body faster What golfers misunderstand about “flipping” and releasing the golf club How Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy demonstrate an effective release Simple drills for improving plane, release and clubhead speed How a metronome can improve putting distance control and full-swing tempo. Key Takeaways: Speed Is a Skill You Can Train - One of the most important ideas Harrell introduced to Brennan as a junior was simple: go faster intentionally. Instead of hoping speed would appear as his technique developed, they measured clubhead speed, established numerical goals and practiced producing progressively more speed. But there was an important condition: speed still had to work alongside center contact and a functional golf swing. One Mile Per Hour Is Still Progress - Golfers often expect dramatic increases when beginning speed training. Harrell recommends a more patient approach. Establish your current maximum, try to beat it and gradually raise the ceiling. One additional mile per hour may not sound dramatic, but incremental gains accumulate—and a few extra miles per hour can eventually translate into meaningful additional distance. Sometimes You Need Permission to Go Faster - Harrell shares the example of a 14-year-old student already swinging her driver around 96 mph. After challenging her to reach 100 mph, she broke through that barrier almost immediately. The lesson goes beyond physical ability: golfers sometimes place an unconscious ceiling on themselves. Giving yourself permission to swing faster can reveal speed you already possess. Build Speed on Top of Fundamentals - Michael Brennan’s swing is fast, but it is also exceptionally organized. Harrell emphasizes a neutral grip, sound ball position, proper alignment and a reliable setup before adding speed. His philosophy is to eliminate unnecessary variables so the golfer has fewer compensations to make during the swing. A neutral foundation makes it easier for the motion to repeat when pressure rises. Impact Is Everything - Drawing from his time working with Jim McLean and the influence of John Jacobs, Harrell repeatedly returns to impact. The objective is not simply to produce an attractive golf swing. The positions and aesthetics should serve a functional purpose: controlling the clubface, finding the center of the face and delivering the club efficiently. Speed is then layered on top of that structure. Let the Club Find Its Orbit - One of the defining characteristics of Brennan’s swing is the journey of the clubhead around his body. Rather than constantly manipulating the golf club into positions, Harrell describes the club as moving in a relatively neutral “orbit.” Even when Brennan swings aggressively, the club continues to travel efficiently around him. The result is a motion that is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. Neutral Makes Golf Easier Under Pressure - Harrell is a strong believer in building from neutral whenever possible: i. Neutral grip (ii) Neutral setup (iii) Neutral takeaway (iv) Neutral club plane (v) Neutral club path. There are great golfers with unconventional matchups, but every deviation requires another piece of the swing to match it. Starting from neutral can reduce the number of compensations a golfer must time correctly under pressure. Don’t Leave the Clubhead Behind - A common mistake when golfers try to create more speed is simply moving the body harder and faster. The golfer turns aggressively—but the clubhead never receives that energy. Harrell suggests training the hands and arms to move quickly as well. One drill uses a wider, almost bow-legged stance to restrict lower-body movement while seeing how much speed the golfer can produce primarily with the hands, arms and club. Many players are surprised by how much clubhead speed they can create without violently moving their bodies. The ultimate goal is coordination: body speed, arm speed and clubhead speed working together. Golf Is an Energy-Transfer Game - Creating speed is not simply about how aggressively the golfer moves. Energy has to successfully travel through the system and ultimately reach the clubhead. If a golfer creates enormous force with the body but fails to transmit that energy to the club, the effort is wasted. Identifying those “power leaks” is one of the keys to effective speed training. Let the Club Release - The word “flip” has developed a negative reputation in golf instruction. Harrell argues that golfers should think instead about releasing the energy of the club at the correct time. Great players do not simply drag the handle through impact. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy provide excellent examples of golfers who allow the club to release and rehinge aggressively through the hitting area while maintaining control. The timing has to match the golfer’s grip and overall motion—but the clubhead must eventually be allowed to go. Try the L-to-L Drill - One of the simplest drills discussed in the episode is also one of the most useful. Swing from an “L” created by the lead arm and club on the backswing to another “L” on the follow-through. The goal is to feel the clubhead moving freely, hinging and rehinging while traveling on a functional plane. Harrell also suggests visualizing two golf stand bags—one behind and one ahead of you—and imagining the club handle fitting into each bag during the backswing and follow-through. It provides a simple visual for getting the club onto a neutral plane without becoming overly technical. Let the Turn Multiply the Speed - Once the golfer learns how to move and release the club properly, adding more body turn can multiply that speed. Instead of using rotation as the entire source of power, the body helps add energy to a clubhead that is already moving efficiently. Train the club first. Then allow the body to support and amplify it. Find Your Own Tempo - Late in the conversation, Mark and Adam turn to another important component of Brennan’s development: rhythm. Brennan has used a metronome in his putting practice to develop consistent cadence and distance control. Harrell emphasizes that there is no universal perfect tempo. Some golfers naturally move faster while others have longer, more languid motions. The goal is to discover your most effective cadence and train it until it becomes automatic. Use a Metronome to Train Distance Control - A golfer can make a six-foot putt and a 40-foot putt using essentially the same overall stroke time. The longer putt simply requires a longer motion and a different acceleration profile. That same principle can extend beyond putting into wedge play and even the full swing. Rather than simply trying to “swing harder,” golfers can develop a consistent rhythm while allowing the length and energy of the motion to produce different distances. Memorable Quotes: “There’s no better way to gain speed than to hit the center of the club face.” “Going fast is a skill you’re practicing.” “One mile an hour is better.” “Impact is everything.” “The club is really orbiting in a nice plane.” “I’m a big fan of those neutral-looking swings.” “Releasing the energy that you’ve built up at the right time.” “Finding that natural rhythm of your swing is unbelievably important.” This podcast is also available on YouTube to view as a vodcast - search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

What if one of the most criticized ideas in modern golf instruction—being “handsy”—is actually one of the keys to playing better golf? Mark Immelman sits down with Ethan Bramble, founder of Handsy Golf, for a deep dive into a hands-first approach to the golf swing. Ethan challenges the body-first thinking that dominates much of modern golf instruction and argues that golfers should focus first on the one part of the body actually connected to the golf club: the hands. “The golf swing is decided in the hands, not the hips, not the shoulders, not the ground.” Throughout the conversation, Mark and Ethan explore grip, intent, pressure, clubface control, ground reaction forces, feel and the relationship between the golfer and the golf club. Ethan explains why he believes better communication between the hands and the club can help golfers self-correct, simplify their thinking and reduce the dreaded “paralysis by analysis.” In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why Ethan believes the golf swing should be approached hands first. How intent travels from the mind to the golf club. Why “handsy” does not necessarily mean flipping or scooping. How grip and hand pressure influence clubface control. Why golfers should think about communicating with the golf club. The difference between body-first and hands-first instruction. Why Ethan views the body as supporting the hands rather than driving them. How overthinking rotation, ground forces and body positions can create paralysis by analysis. Why golf should feel more like other bat-and-ball sports. What Scottie Scheffler can teach golfers about grip and hand awareness. Why molded grips are gaining attention among elite players. How Tiger Woods used his hands to control and shape the golf club. Why feel and tactile awareness matter under pressure. What golfers misunderstand about “flipping” the club. How the ForceBall and Compact Club help golfers develop a better connection with the club. Key Takeaways: The Golf Swing Begins With Intent - Every golfer has an intention for the shot—whether that means hitting a draw, controlling trajectory or simply getting the ball into the fairway. Ethan believes the golfer’s job is to send that intention to the club as clearly as possible. The more complicated the message becomes through excessive thoughts about the hips, shoulders, spine and ground forces, the more that signal can become “muddied.” Golf, in his view, is ultimately a game of communication. “Handsy” Doesn’t Have to Be a Bad Word - Golf instruction has often treated excessive hand action as something golfers should eliminate. Ethan wants to reframe that idea. Rather than thinking about “handsy” as an uncontrolled flip or scoop, he describes it as an intentional awareness of how the hands influence and communicate with the club throughout the swing. Hands First Doesn't Mean Hands Only - Ethan isn't suggesting that the body has no role in the golf swing. Instead, he sees the body in a supporting role. When golfers correctly organize their hands, grip and the forces they apply to the club, he believes many desirable body movements—rotation, ground usage and sequencing—can occur naturally rather than being consciously manufactured. Stop Creating Paralysis by Analysis - Golf gives players more time to think than almost any other sport. That can be a problem. Tennis, baseball and other striking sports tend to be reaction-based. Golfers, however, can stand over a stationary ball thinking about dozens of positions and movements. Ethan believes bringing the focus back to the hands, the implement and the intended shot can make the swing feel more athletic and intuitive. Your Relationship With the Club Matters - The golf club is the golfer's instrument. Your hands are the only physical connection between your body and that instrument. Ethan describes this relationship almost like any other relationship: better communication creates a better connection. His goal is to help golfers feel how the club moves, pivots and responds rather than simply trying to place their body in predetermined positions. Scottie Scheffler Offers a Powerful Example - Much of the conversation centers on World #1 Scottie Scheffler. While golfers frequently analyze Scheffler's footwork and ground forces, Ethan believes one of the most remarkable aspects of his swing is how consistently his hands remain connected to the club. Scheffler regularly practices with a molded grip, carefully organizes his hands before the swing and maintains that relationship with the club despite all of the movement happening elsewhere in his body. Grip Is More Than “Set It and Forget It” - Ethan argues that golfers shouldn't simply place their hands on the club and forget about them. Instead, the hands should actively apply pressure, push, pull and influence how the club moves throughout the swing. Understanding those forces can help golfers control the clubface, the swing arc and ultimately the golf ball. Don't Take the Art Out of the Golf Swing - Golfers including Harry Vardon and Henry Cotton emphasized the role of the hands and arms generations ago. Ethan believes modern instruction may have moved too far away from that feel-based approach. The golf swing is not just a collection of biomechanical positions—it is an athletic, tactile and artistic motion. What About “Flipping”? - A flip is often treated as one of golf's cardinal sins. Ethan draws an important distinction between an intentional release of the clubhead and a reactionary flip caused by the club being out of position. At some point through impact, the handle must decelerate while the clubhead accelerates. The goal isn't to eliminate that athletic release, but to properly organize the hands, arms and club beforehand so it can happen effectively. Memorable Quotes: “The golf swing is decided in the hands, not the hips, not the shoulders, not the ground.” “This is just a game. It’s a game of communication.” “I’m not saying it’s hands only. I’m saying it’s hands first.” “The relationship with your golf club is the most important thing in golf, bar none.” “I don’t think golf needs to be any different.” “We’ve almost taken away the art of the golf swing.” “Let the body support that pivoting action.” This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube - search and subscribe to Mark Immelman to watch.

Putting improvement does not have to require hours of technical practice. In this episode of On the Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by Matt Davis, the creator of Putter Cup, to discuss how golfers can develop better speed control, stronger commitment and greater confidence under pressure. Matt explains why putting deserves more attention from recreational golfers and challenges the belief that becoming a good putter requires a major investment of time. With focused, intentional practice—even for just a few minutes each day—golfers can begin closing the performance gap much faster than they might expect. The conversation also explores an often-overlooked part of putting: The human response to pressure. Reading the green, choosing a line and controlling speed all matter, but golfers must still execute when the putt counts. Matt designed the three-part Putter Cup system to simulate that pressure and make practice slightly more demanding than the real thing. Mark and Matt examine why not every five-foot putt should be played the same way, the relationship between speed and line, and how golfers can stop getting trapped by mechanical thoughts over short putts. They also discuss the importance of identifying “shot number three,” letting the putter become the hero and practicing in a way that makes the golf course feel easier. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why everyday golfers can putt at an elite level • How better putting can quickly lower your scores • Why pressure should be treated as a fourth element of putting • The relationship between read, speed, line and commitment • Why not every five-foot putt requires the same pace • How challenging practice can make real holes appear more forgiving • The difference between practicing a stroke and preparing to play • How the Speed Bump trains pace and commitment • How the Center Cup sharpens start line and entry point • How the portable To-Go Cup creates a target almost anywhere • Why thinking about mechanics can undermine short-putt performance • How better putting reduces pressure on lag putts and chip shots • What “firm in the back of the cup” should really mean • When “never up, never in” is—and is not—good advice • Why a few minutes of deliberate practice can produce meaningful results You can also watch this podcast and see the PutterCups if search and subcribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube. Do so and make more putts.