Tired of not playing your best golf?
I have been able to reach the scratch level through studying my top online golf instructors detailed below!
Our top 5 list is now a top 10 list and has been update for 2023.
Most of us dream about getting better at golf, right? Hitting that perfect draw with the driver. Sticking the 8 iron from 155 and having it stop on a dime. Sinking that 15 footer under pressure. Here at golfjourney365.com we want to help you reach your goals of getting better and enjoying the game. One route is through online golf instruction.
My Story: I have watched thousands of hours of golf instructional videos online. The 10 below provide a wide range for all types of golfers. They are worth exploring and figuring out which one is best for you. Use our information to help you select a quality online golf instructor!
Looking to improve your swing speed? Have you considered SuperSpeed Golf – Read our Review!
TOP 10 – Best Online Golf Instructors (My Opinion Based on Trial and Error)
- Shawn Clement
- Mike Malaska
- Monte Scheinblum
- George Gankas
- Kyle Morris
- Milo Lines
- Top Speed Golf
- Bobby Lopez
- John Erickson
- Jim Venetos
#’s 5 thru 10 are new to the list. I tried to provide online instructors with different strengths or swing approaches to help golfers of all ability levels and interests. Dive in below to our key information to help you select the best online instructor for your game! I have studied them all and have attempted their swings at vairous time on my journey to scratch. I appreciate the free content and even the paid content that has helped me learn a ton about the golf swing!
When I was youth golfer in the 1990’s the only options for golf instruction were golf magazines or your local PGA professional. All of these cost money in some manner with the PGA golf professional being the most expensive.
In today’s golf environment the access to information about the golf swing for free is extremely impressive, but must be used the right way to maximize the information and to improve your game and entertainment. Selecting one of the swing philosophies of the 5 instructors listed below and sticking with that person for a while will help your game the most. Be careful not to get too many competing voices in your head.
Looking for swing aids, golf shoes or golf balls? Visit our Recommend Products Page
1 – Shawn Clement
- Who He Can Help the Most: High Handicappers who lack distance and solid contact.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Movement Based
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: Canada
- Greatest Strengths: Positive approach, non traditional, target focused, abundance of free access.
Shawn Clement runs a youtube channel and a website – WIsdom in Golf. He promotes a positional free approach to golf that has a target focused approach and allows the body to move in a free manner producing great results. He believes that body manipulation will end in disaster and that as humans we are “gravity geniuses.” His websites promotes his approach in the following way:
“Imagine a place where you feel relaxed, engaged, and absorbed, where the theme is abandonment of control instead of seeking more control, feeling rhythm come to you instead of manipulating rhythm, and painting with broad and fluid strokes instead of painting by numbers. We chose the word WISDOM because it embodies what we do and teach: that combining knowledge, experience, understanding, and common sense all lead to better performance. Led by Shawn Clement, with 30 years teaching experience and helping golfers up their game, WISDOM IN GOLF taps in directly to how your brain and body are wired and formed to open the door to a new way of approaching the game of golf. THIS IS TRULY HOW GOLF SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAUGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE!”
He has over 85,000 youtube subscribers and approaches the videos in a humble and helping manner. The high handicap golfer will appreciate his patiences and his drive to help you not to be ball focused, but rather to spend your energy on the task at hand and making a more natural movement. He encourages his students to let go of control to actually gain more control. He spends a decent amount of time explaining how the human anatomy is set up for certain movements and motions that can create some awesome golf.
He is also willing to show his swing and has produced many playing vlogs where is out on the course talking you through each shot and showing you what he is thinking. It is refreshing to see a golf instructor showing his skill. One unique things about Shawn is that he can golf at a high level both right handed and left handed. This might be a major draw for you lefty golfers out there.
Related: Can Shawn Clement help your game?
My Experience: Shawn has helped my game through the setup positions to work the ball both as a draw and a fade. I now understand the pre swing adjustments and swinging in a certain direction to work the ball the way I need to on the golf course.
2 – Mike Malaska
- Who He Can Help the Most: Low Handicappers who get stuck or those with too many swing thoughts or those that struggle through pain when golfing.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Movement Based
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: Arizona
- Greatest Strengths: Great knowledge of the movements, great at explaining and making common sense, has worked with Jack Nicklaus, teaches a pain free approach, willing to create playing vlogs.
Mike Malaska brings a great wealth of information and has spent a great deal of time conversing with Jack Nicklaus on the golf swing. He has the following instructional programs: THE M-SYSTEM, SKILL PATHWAYS, I FEEL YOUR PAIN, TEACHING CLINIC, ASK MIKE, GOLF TALK, PLAYER LESSONS, and MORE.
According to Jack Nicklaus,
“Mike takes the technical out of the technique, while emphasizing the fun in fundamental. Mike inspires people to grow, learn and enjoy the game. THese are the types of people we need in our game to help secure its future.”
One of my favorite videos of Mike is when he demonstrates the four ways to swing (see below). He then touches on the pros and cons of each swing. He isn’t saying that any of the four ways can’t work, but he is promoting the efficiency and the ability to have the swing repeat under pressure.
Mike has over 31,000 youtube subscribers and some of my favorite videos is when is is working with Be Better Golf’s Brendon DeVore. It is refreshing to see him work with a single digit handicap and help him improve his game. While Brendon does jump around from instructor to instructor as part of his youtube channel, the advice and the quality of golf that Brendon plays when working with Mike is impressive.
The two major moves or thoughts that Mike promotes is to now referred to the “Malaska Move” which helps prevent a golfer from getting stuck and being forced to flip it over. It is more of a feeling than something that happens in the golf swing.
Another key, that has helped my game significantly, is Mike promotes the golf swing as “direction the momentum.” For years people have tried to get into certain positions and as a result lost the natural motion of directing the momentum that is the club head. When the body stays relaxed and you simply directed the momentum, the results can be impressive.
Related: Mike Malaska Complete Review
My Experience: Mike Malaska has helped my game the most by this swing thought of directing the momentum. He has also spent time talking about the mindset and how you walk into every shot and then what to do post golf shot to improve for the next one. Having access to this knowledge and this type of resource though a source like youtube is truly incredible and mind boggling on what any golf now has accessed to compared to 20 years ago.
3 – Monte Scheinblum
Who He Can Help the Most: Low Handicapper to Mid Handicappers who are fed up with traditional golf instruction and want a different explanation on the swing.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Combination, but more movement based as he creates drills that are help you develop your motion.
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Membership Site Cost: Sells different videos such as Driving 4 Dough and Use the Bounce 2.0 on his site rebelliongolf.com
- Location: California – Provides Golf Clinics throughout the US.
- Greatest Strengths: Great communicator who has found a better way to explain the swing and challenges many of the traditional golf speak.
Former long drive champion, quality golf coach and a true golf rebellion when it comes to the traditional instruction that has taken place and probably ruined many of our swings at one point. Monte is the person to follow if you have reached the point of frustration with many of the traditional teachings within the golf industry. He has over 18,000 followers on youtube and built up his fame through posting videos in his cargo shorts and showing his passion for the simple way to explain the golf swing. He wouldn’t hesitate to jump on a golf message board and help out readers and answer questions. He was able to build up quite the following through this approach.
Some of this ideas he has challenged include that lag is a result – not something you do, the truth about casting, and hip speed vs. clubhead speed. He shows the power he can create hitting from the ground.
One of my favorite drills that he promotes that show his genius is the no turn, cast drill. In this drill he has you feel like you take very little turn and then cast the club. The actual results is making a pretty good looking swing. He proves the point that what you are trying to do doesn’t always happen. That sometimes the feelings of what is taking place is totally different. He spends a good amount of time showing some of the common issues with swings and how to make a simple fix and that it is oftentimes the result of something else taking place in your swing, such as early extension.
His Broomforce instructional video is top notch and worth checking out!
Related: 10 Things We Love About Monte!
My Experience: He has also been willing to put himself out there on youtube videos. He played in a tournament on the Be Better Golf youtube channel and also a one on one match versus another quality golfer, where they were playing for money. It is great to see your teacher play golf and what results they produce. You quickly learn that we all have struggles with a variety of things in our swing and games.
4 – George Gankas
- Who He Can Help the Most: Youth golfer or anyone with a true desire to get better and willing to be different.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Combination, will talk about positions, but uses as check points and promotes certain movements such as the squat.
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Greatest Strengths: A revolutionary who has thought outside the box and is all about matchups.
Here is a golf instructor who is completely non traditional in his approach and interactions with his students. He is a man who played at a high level and studied many of the great swings of the past to get to where he is today. You can tell that he lives to help others get better and thinks about golf 24/7 365 days a week.
From the studying of the different great swings of all time he has produced a system that has produced some great results in the many youth golfers that he is currently teaching. His most famous student right now is Matt Wolff who has one of the most unique swings since Jim Furyk. Check out his Instagram to see the many youth golfers he is working with and you see powerful, unique swings that use the lower body to create a great amount of power and distance.
There are youtube videos of George Gankas giving lessons to people. You will quickly notice that he uses a launch monitor and video to track his students and see where the current matchups are. I think one of the potential downfalls of learning the Gankas approach online is that you will need support through your journey, but you can still consider his approach to the golf swing and apply elements to your game.
He uses a great amount of drills with many alignment sticks and talks in details about match up, the setup he wants, and how he can work to put a person in the right position to be successful. He is willing to put his swing out there and many times you will see him competing with some of his young golfers on hitting the farthest driver. He is hip and somewhat refreshing as he will give lessons in golf sandals with his shirt untucked. He is the opposite of a David Leadbetter style and connects with many of the top youth golfers in California.
Related: George Gankas Complete Overview
My Experience: I signed up for his membership site and followed along closely for 6 months. His full rotational swing and matchup approach is great for the youthful golfer, but can be limiting for the person with some physical limitations.
Looking to read more about online golf instruction? We have plenty of articles for you to enjoy and hopefully improve your game.
5 – Kyle Morris
- Who He Can Help the Most: Any golfer that wants to hit a draw for a stock shot and hit it consistently!
- Positional Or Movement Based: Positional approach taught by avoiding certain obstacles during drills.
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Membership Site Cost: Offers Remote Lessons
- Location: Dublin, Ohio
- Greatest Strengths: His approach is systems based and built on many of the same philosophies of Mike Bender.
Kyle Morris is geniune and has a system he truly believes in. The stock shot approach caught my attention several years ago and I pride myself on hitting my stock draw over 80% of the time. His approach is easy to understand and easy to practice at home with the right swing aides.
Here is some greater insight on Kyle from his website:
“Kyle brings to life the art and science of the swing through mentorship by Mike Bender, Stan Utley, Pia Nilsson, Lynn Marriott, and James Siekmann (All top 25 Golf Digest Instructors). As a player, Kyle understands that there is more to golf than just the swing and that it takes a full coaching philosophy.
Kyle will emphasize the individual’s unique set of skills by taking time to understand each student’s goals, commitment level, and physical issues, so that he can provide a customized plan that will maximize the golfers’ opportunity to improve. He accomplishes this by creating an individualized practice plan using the most accurate assessments and the most effective drills and training aids to efficiently turn your weaknesses into strengths.
The end goal for each student is to develop maximum consistency that creates solid shots and a lifetime of enjoyment from this great game.”
The Golf Room Everywhere Website
I have been able to build a stock shot through this stock shot drill.
Here is a wonderful drill you can use to build a stock shot:
- At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
- If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
- The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
Related: Kyle Morris and the Golf Room Everywhere
My Experience: I find his stock shot approach spot on and helpful. The mindset of hitting a stock shot and how to develop puts him in our top 5. I love his Mike Bender like approach to the game and the reliance on the hands and arm to produce quality speed.
Here is the drill being explained by Kyle Morris:
6 – Milo Lines
- Who He Can Help the Most: Former baseball players that are athletic and are lookingn for a strong and powerful swing. He produces a significant amount of swing speed in his own swing and can help a golfer reach new levels.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Movement Based
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: Arizona
- Greatest Strengths: Former baseball player that can translate baseball movements and overall athletic movements to the golf swing
Milo Lines is an up and coming instructor that I find to be very good at what he teachers. He is more along the lines of a George Gankas, rotational based swing that uses many of the same elemtns found in a baseball swing.
I find a great deal of his instruction spot on and helpful, especially for the youthful golfer. If I was 18 years old again and looking for a teacher George Gankas and Milo Lines would be my top 2. A lot of the decision comes down to your age and your physical restrictions.
Related: Milo Lines: Can he help my game?
My Experience: I have tried the Milo Line swings and love the speed I get from the rotation and opening up at impact. As someone that was taught hit to “right field” it is going to take me time to feel that comfortable being that wide open at impact and just letting it go.
7 – Top Speed Golf
- Who He Can Help the Most: Traditionalist that new extra speed. He promotes a fundamentally sound golf swing built off of how the pros thing. He has an analytics approach that provides the golf with drills and a system
- Positional Or Movement Based: Combination of both – extremely thorough
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: Florida
- Greatest Strengths: Provides every detail and the drills needed to improve. Has done a deep dive into what he believes works and provides that information and a system for the golfer.
An endless amount of content is provided and a system is presented to help you improve in the areas and the elements that are must often found in the best golfers on the planet.
His communication skills are top notch and a golfer, if they follow the system, can increase their swing speed and the overall distance.
Related: Top Speed Golf Review
My Experience: While I spend limited time, I did explore his paid membership site and believe what he is doing is fundamentally sound and can work for a high percentage of golfers.
8 – Bobby Lopez
- Who He Can Help the Most: Any golfer that wants a simple approach to the game. Find the problem, provide a solution through a drill is the approach. Bobby is a former professional golfer who tries to keep the solutions simple and will coach you through the drills.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Positional Based
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: South Carolina
- Greatest Strengths: Former professional golfer that believes in staying “onsides” or behind the ball. Also has many elements of the traditional swing. Attempts to keep the swing simple and drill based.
I first learned of Bobby Lopez through his time spend with Be Better Golf on the youtube channel. I loved watching him play and striking the ball solid with authority. He can truly simplify the swing and help golfers out.
His approach is to analyze your swing, compare it to some model swings and then give your drills to get in better positions.
Related: Bobby Lopez: Can he help your game?
My Experience: He provides quality advice and the drills do work. He does believe heavily in getting onto your back leg in the backswing, which i struggle with and am more of a front foot pivot golfer. He can help all rangers of golfers and is relatively inexpensive for his membership.
9 – John Erickson
- Who He Can Help the Most: The golfer that wants a strong, powerful hit in their motion vs a smooth golf swing that relies on timing. Built his approach based on the experiences he had watching the best in the world play and the “hit” they had at the ball.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Movement Based
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: California
- Greatest Strengths: Very detailed and has studied the swings of the greatest at great length. Truly understands the swing and his approach is based on many years of studying the swing, espeically the swing of Ben Hogan
Unique and intriguing are the best two works for John. I also learned about him through the Be Better Golf youtube channel and I really respect his approach. I believe he is more for the advance golfer and can help the advance golfer become the ball striker they have always wanted to be.
His in-depth study of the golf swing is respected and he has been proven to be right on many of his ideas.
My Experience: I believe my swing has become more “hit” than “swing” from watching his videos and understanding the concepts. The freedom of striking the ball vs swinging at the ball is something that matches my personality.
10 – Jim Venetos
- Who He Can Help the Most: The golfer that has tried everything, but desires something different or alternative to the ever day golf swing.
- Positional Or Movement Based: Pre Loading of a set position prior to start of swing.
- Free Content: Yes through Youtube
- Location: Western portion of US
- Greatest Strengths: The swing is different, yet simple and relies on a very little thought about trying to hit certain positions or movements.
Alternative is the best word to describe Jim. Out in the desert, Jim provides his positional based golf swing approach and makes it sound simple. He is soft spoken and appears to be highly intelligent. He had his own struggles and limitations with traditional golf instruction and is now trying to help as many as possible.
Related: Jim Venetos: Complete Overview
My Experience: I attempted his swing for a period of time and had some great success with the irons, but struggled with the driver. I do believe if you have body issues that prevent you from making certain golf movements or simply need something alternative, Jim Venetos can help your game!
Summary
You can’t go wrong with any of the online golf instructors recommended above. I would recommend watching several videos of each and see what philosophy and personality you best match up with. Also, take into consideration what further support they have and where you currently are with your budget and your time.
The one thing they all have in common is the simplicity and their ability to communicate with their students. When online golf instruction is a main source, it is essential that the instructor is a great communicator and can make it simple.
What’s Next? – Monitor Your Progress
Two ways to monitor your progress are through your own launch monitor such as the SkyTrak or a Foresight product and through utilizing video from your SmartPhone. Both options, while one more expensive, are tools that pros are utilizing on a daily basis. When you can combine instruction, data, and video monitoring of your swing you are in a position to get better and enjoy the game even more.
Looking for something different? Have you consider SwingMan Golf – They promise 30-40 hards in 30 days!
Related Questions
What other golf personalities or youtube channels would you recommend?
One my favorite youtube channels that I make sure to check out frequently is the Be Better Golf channel by Brendon DeVore. He is a single digit handicap player who reached a plateau in his efforts to improve his game. He has meet with many of the instructors listed above and has produced videos on the instruction he has received and playing vlogs with both Malaska and Scheinblum. He shares his golf journey and his daily efforts to get better and enjoy the game.
One other recommendation is Brodie Smith Golf. He was a professional ultimatel frisbee player now converted golfer who is striving to reach his maximium potential nad has started to play tournaments and provide recap. He is a spectacular athlete with good size and all of the resources to get better. Follow along on his journey. I enjoyed his round with Jon Rahm, where Rahm put on quite the display. It was a great comparison of a quality amateur vs. a top 10 golfer in the world.