SportsGolfTechnology

The Spin Axis - Golf Podcast

Erik J. Barzeski, Tyson Deskins, Jayson Nickol

The Spin Axis is a conversation among golf coaches and instructors. We discuss the latest in teaching methods and techniques, equipment, training aids, and technology. Episodes are 20 minutes or shorter so you can listen to an entire episode on your way to work (or the course).

Play

Open in

31 episodes
weekly
Avg 22 min
English

Episodes 31

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

#85
Tuesday · 20 min
085: Snake Draft — Six Things Junior Golfers Need to Learn
What do junior golfers really need to learn to develop their games? In this snake draft, Erik, Jayson, and Tyson (and then Tyson, Jayson, and Erik ) pick six priorities, from understanding why a junior wants to play golf and having realistic expectations about the time and commitment improvement requires, to building a solid setup and avoiding excessive turn in the swing. They also discuss controlling speed, developing short-game skills before frustration sets in, and using programs like Operati
#84
October 13 · 20 min
084: Mailbag #4 — Shorter Drivers, Favorite Drills, and External Focus
The guys tackle five listener questions covering a range of golf instruction and equipment topics. They discuss whether shortening a driver to 45 or even 44 inches can improve driving accuracy, the one drill they would keep if they could use only one for the rest of their careers, and the potential downsides of external-focus swing instruction. They also consider what their students who make the biggest improvements tend to have in common and whether golfers with strong grips should weaken them
#83
October 6 · 18 min
083: Backswing Pelvis Thrust
Pelvis thrust toward the ball during the backswing is an extremely common swing fault, and the guys break down how to recognize it, what causes it, and what problems it can create. Thrust often starts at setup with the golfer’s pressure too far toward the heels, then shows up as the pelvis moves toward the ball, the trail knee extends, and pressure shifts toward the trail toes rather than allowing the torso to turn the pelvis. The resulting reduction in pelvis turn can lead to compensations such
#82
September 29 · 18 min
082: The Flat Left Wrist
The “flat left wrist” (or lead wrist) has been a staple of golf instruction for decades, but what does “flat” actually mean, and is it even a useful goal? The guys discuss why grip type changes the appearance of the lead wrist, why a flat-looking wrist at the top can encourage a laid-off or “off-plane club,” and why many Tour players actually have some extension in the lead wrist at the top. They also get into the more important distinction between the wrist’s appearance and its function, includ
#81
September 22 · 22 min
081: Using a Launch Monitor for Practice
A launch monitor can be useful for far more than simply checking how far you hit a club. In this episode, the guys break practice into four broad phases — initial diagnosis, swing-change practice, ongoing maintenance, and skills practice. Erik, Jayson, and Tyson discuss how the information you need from a launch monitor changes with each phase. Early on, you may want to examine everything from speed, low point, path and face-to-path relationships to swing plane and ball flight. Once you’re worki
#80
September 15 · 21 min
080: Internal vs. External Focus — What Actually Helps Golfers Learn?
Should golfers focus on their bodies, the club, the ball, or the target when they’re trying to change or improve a movement? The conventional wisdom strongly favors external focus, and there is substantial research supporting that position. However, newer analysis has raised important questions about publication bias, differences between studies, and whether the effect is as universal as it’s often made out to be. The guys discuss how internal and external cues actually work in golf instruction,
#79
September 8 · 18 min
079: Tour Player Ranges and Windows in Teaching Amateur Golfers
How useful are Tour-player ranges and “windows” when teaching amateur golfers? Why do outliers create so much confusion? Erik, Jayson, and Tyson revisit the idea that elite players can look dramatically different while still operating within effective ranges for dozens of important movements and impact conditions. They discuss how just a handful of variables (wrist hinge, trail elbow bend, arm lift, and lead-arm adduction) can combine to produce an enormous variety of swing appearances, especial
#78
September 1 · 19 min
078: Why Do You Get Tired During a Round?
Why do so many golfers feel fine for the first 12 holes and then suddenly start struggling? The guys discuss the difference between being genuinely fatigued and simply losing focus, along with the importance of building up your ability to walk and play 18 holes rather than expecting your body to be ready without preparation. Sleep, hydration, nutrition, footwear, walking fitness, and even playing longer practice rounds all get attention, as does recognizing how your swing and decision-making cha
#77
August 25 · 27 min
077: Hanging with Mr. Cooper — Cooper Dossey on Life in Professional Golf
Cooper Dossey joins the Spin Axis for a wide-ranging conversation about his path from junior and college golf to professional golf and the Korn Ferry Tour. A Baylor standout and two-time All-American, Dossey won the 2019 North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 and turned professional in 2021; he has since competed on PGA TOUR Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour. He talks about his instructional journey, what he learned along the way, how practice changes as you progress through the professional rank
#76
August 18 · 28 min
076: Kinematic Sequence, Transition, and Casting with Dr. Sasho MacKenzie
What does the kinematic sequence really tell us about how golfers create speed? Dr. Sasho MacKenzie returns to discuss the relationship between pelvis, chest, arms, and clubhead velocity, as well as why the classic “pelvis, torso, arms, club” sequence may not describe every elite golfer, with Erik and Tyson seeing a substantial number of players whose arms peak before the chest. The conversation also digs into “braking” forces and why slowing one segment down is often less about actively applyin
#75
August 11 · 20 min
075: Monte Scheinblum on What Really Creates Club Speed
What actually creates club speed, and does the answer change when you’re hitting an iron versus a driver? Monte Scheinblum, former U.S. and World Long Drive Champion and former Nike Tour player, returns to break down the mechanics of creating speed, starting with irons and then moving into the driver. The discussion challenges simplistic advice about “hitting down” or “hitting up” and gets into how delivery, strike, launch, spin, and the golfer’s intent interact to produce distance. With Monte’s
#74
August 4 · 19 min
074: Move the Body You've Got, Not the Body You Wish You Had
Every golfer has physical limitations, but too many try to force their bodies into positions they simply can’t reach. In this episode, the guys discuss how mobility, strength, and anatomy influence the golf swing, and why the best swing for you may not look like the best swing for someone else. They cover ways to work around physical restrictions, when it’s worth improving your body’s capabilities through fitness or physical therapy, and how screenings can help identify what’s limiting your moti
#73
July 28 · 25 min
073: Our Biggest Instructional Pet Peeves (with Mike Granato)
Mike Granato returns to join the guys for a candid discussion about some of their biggest pet peeves in golf instruction. They tackle common myths and bad ideas, including the idea of the “effortless” golf swing, instructors relying on their own feels instead of measurable reality, demonstrations that don’t actually help students, and the growing or ongoing misuse of ground reaction forces and 2D video analysis. Along the way, they explain why good coaching should be grounded in objective data,
#72
July 21 · 32 min
072: Mike Granato on Stack & Tilt, Measurements, and Missing the Windows
Mike Granato from Athletic Motion Golf (AMG) joins the podcast to examine something that’s a hot topic amongst a certain small group of instructors on social media: Stack & Tilt and its claims about what the best players actually do in their golf swings. Using 3D motion capture data from GEARS and force plate data, the discussion looks at where some commonly cited S&T measurements fail to match the actual movement patterns of elite golfers. The group breaks down four major areas: 1) lateral pelv
#71
July 14 · 25 min
071: Quick Hits — Equipment Topics on Our Minds
In this rapid-fire equipment episode, Erik, Jayson, and Tyson each bring a different gear topic to the table and dive into the details behind what’s on their minds these days. They discuss the rise of mini drivers and why some players may not need a traditional 3-wood anymore, and how equipment choices should reflect modern strategy and player ability. The conversation also covers wedge fitting, including lie angle and bounce considerations, before wrapping up with the ongoing debate around putt
#70
July 7 · 22 min
070: Snake Draft — Why Golfers Don’t Get Better
Why do so many golfers plateau despite taking lessons and practicing regularly? In this fun, snake-draft-style episode, Erik, Jayson, and Tyson each select what they believe are the biggest reasons players fail to improve. The picks include a lack of commitment, focusing on outcomes instead of the process, making changes that are too small to create real movement, practicing without objective feedback, chasing symptoms instead of root causes, and trying to fix too many things at once. Along the
#69
June 30 · 17 min
069: Should You Copy Your Favorite Tour Player’s Swing?
Is copying your favorite Tour player the fastest path to better golf or a recipe for frustration? In this episode, Erik, Jayson, and Tyson discuss why elite players developed their swings over decades, often beginning in childhood, and why trying to duplicate the finished product rarely works. They explain how mobility, athleticism, and individual tendencies shape every great swing, making direct comparisons misleading even among players with similar body types. Instead, they suggest borrowing p
#68
June 23 · 25 min
068: Building a Home Golf Simulator at Any Budget
Thinking about building a home golf simulator but not sure where to start? In this episode, Mike from Carl’s Place joins the show to break down realistic simulator setups at four popular budget levels: roughly $2,000, $5,000, $12,500, and $25,000. The conversation covers where serious golfers should spend money first, when upgrades begin to provide meaningful value, and how launch monitors, projectors, computers, mats, and enclosures fit into the equation. We cater this discussion toward the mor
#67
June 16 · 21 min
067: Preparing for a Member-Member, Member-Guest, or Club Tournament
Whether it’s a member-member, member-guest, club championship, or another big event on your calendar, preparation can make the difference between feeling ready and feeling overwhelmed. In this episode, the guys discuss how to structure your practice leading into a tournament, why over-training in the final days often backfires, and the importance of arriving with a clear strategy rather than searching for your swing. They cover sharpening your short game, managing your energy and recovery, and d
#66
June 9 · 18 min
066: How to Practice Golf on Vacation (Without a Club)
Just because you’re away from the course doesn’t mean your golf improvement has to stop. In this episode, our coaches discuss practical ways to work on your game while traveling, even if you don’t have access to a range, a golf course, or even a club! From grip rehearsals and mirror work to balance drills, mobility training, and course-management or statistical studies, they share simple ways to stay connected to your goals without turning your vacation into a training camp. The crew also explai

Showing 1–20 of 31 episodes