Do you feel your hips driving toward the ball on the downswing, your posture standing up early, and your arms running out of room right when you need it most? That's an early extension, and it's one of the more common faults working against solid, consistent contact. It doesn't feel like a swing flaw at the moment. It feels like your body is just doing what it wants to do, which is exactly why it's so hard to fix by thinking your way out of it mid-swing. I'm Michael LaBella, a performance...

Few words in golf carry as much dread as "the yips." A shot that should take no thought at all, a short wedge, a routine chip, suddenly turns into a jerky, involuntary flinch. The club stabs at the ball instead of swinging through it, and the harder a golfer tries to control it, the worse it usually gets. If you've felt that loss of control over a simple shot, you already know it has nothing to do with talent and everything to do with what's happening in your hands, wrists, and nervous...

Michael LaBella, PGA, has been named the 2026 Tri-State PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year, the Section's top honor for excellence in golf instruction, coaching, and player development. It's his second time receiving the award in three years. He also was awarded it in 2024. Quick Facts Award: Tri-State PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year, 2026 Recipient: Michael LaBella, PGA Roles: Owner, MLaB Golf; Director of Golf Performance, Butler Country Club; Co-Owner, Golf Back Method Previous win: 2024...