A New Take on Mac O'Grady

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Brian Manzella

Administrator
Unlike some people, I will admit when I was wrong.

I was wrong.

I was wrong about Mac O'Grady.

I still believe that unless you have had to "teach to eat" and had to do it with "no supply," you will never ever reach your full potential as an Instructor.

Need to, trumps all.

Mac O'Grady was given "world-class" teacher status by the golf media without ever having to get Mrs. Haversham a GOOD lesson so he could pay his car note becuase she came back.

Nevertheless, Mac obviously is a good teacher, and has a lot of good ideas about the swing. I am not taking back my C+ I gave him in a review either, until I see him teach a hacker not to hack, and until he comes up with SOMETHING to help golf besides low hands and a new classification system.

That's NOT what I am talking about here. What I am talking about, is how Mac went his own way (away from The Golfing Machine), and how he doesn't talk to some people anymore.

I get it.

The Golfing Machine as a book is a work of a genius, and as a system that explains all methods is brilliant. As a community of Instructors it is a wonderful thing, with the exception of a half-dozen people out of 200+.

But, it is also an anchor around your waist. It is a thing that other pros can scoff at, and people can use against you in different ways.

Of course the scoffers are dead wrong and the "against you's" are misguided at best, but it IS harder, simply because you have to win two battles—your teaching and The "Machine."

Trust me, being part of three camps that are always shot at can get old, and I am sure it did for Mac. He had enough and just bolted. MORAD was—if nothing else—marketing genius. It doesn't make what he did—denouce the Book—right, I just understand it better now, that's all.

As far as my association with The Golfing Machine, and The Golfing Machine, LLC, it is as strong as ever. I can't wait for the TGM Summit, because for three days, we will have strength in numbers. Great guys this group. Maybe Mac will rejoin the fold one day. You never know.

Mac is very easily "put-off" and plays the "I can not talk to you anymore" game a bit too much for anyone's taste. I'll talk to anyone, and will continue to, but, at least I do understand WHY Mac does it.

He has been burned—a lot.

So here goes:

"Mac, please accept my apologies for not understanding your position on things. I just needed to get it right in my coconut. Hope to attend one of your seminars in the future. I am sure I can learn a lot from you. Maybe one day, you can present at the TGM Summit"

—Brian Manzella
 
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Where's Mac?

Nice post, Brian.

I had the pleasure to meet Mac and watch him play serious golf and it was very enjoyable to hear him talk about his escapades and his ideas on the golf swing. I've always thought that Mac could have contributed much more as a teacher and really made a name for himself with the general golfing public. After putting in so much time and effort into anaylyzing the golf swing, it's a shame that he hasn't done more to pass on the info to others. It's seems to me to be such a waste. Too bad he's not more like you! ;)
 
just a quick thought mac doesnt teach low hands he wants your hands uncoclked at address. He used to have low hands in the 80's and early 90's along with a compensation. Now he has moved on passed that
 

Brian Manzella

Administrator
Three Battles — Everyday.

1. THE PUBLIC and OTHER PROS: That I—Brian Manzella—know what I am talking about and can help people through this site, videos and lessons, and am as good as I say I am.

2. THE PUBLIC and OTHER PROS: That "The Golfing Machine" has the answers to how the swing works and can be a positive in anyones game, when the concepts of the book are taught to the student by an AI (or someone who knows the book) in a way that benifits the student.

3. THE BOOK POLICE: That I teach "The Golfing Machine" correctly—or more importantly—or to properly suit them.

Mac O'Grady, David Leadbetter, Jim McClean, Rick Smith, Butch Harmon, Hank Haney, Jim Hardy....

Only have to deal with battle #1....
 
Wikipedia confusion?

Brian,

I came across this page on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Golf_instructors (which is obviously missing a few good names), and followed the link to Mac O'Grady http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_O'Grady and was confused by the recent anonymous edit that includes your name: "Phillip McClelland "Mac" O'Grady (born April 26, 1951) is an American professional golfer and golf teaching professional who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s and 1980s, after learning from Brian Manzella."

BTW, you can create your own page by searching for your name, which won't be found, then click the link to start editing your own bio. At the bottom of the page add [[Category:Golf instructors|Manzella, Brian]]

--Peter
 
Unlike some people, I will admit when I was wrong.

I was wrong.

I was wrong about Mac O'Grady.

I still believe that unless you have had to "teach to eat" and had to do it with "no supply," you will never ever reach your full potential as an Instructor.

Need to, trumps all.

Mac O'Grady was given "world-class" teacher status by the golf media without ever having to get Mrs. Haversham a GOOD lesson so he could pay his car note becuase she came back.

Nevertheless, Mac obviously is a good teacher, and has a lot of good ideas about the swing. I am not taking back my C+ I gave him in a review either, until I see him teach a hacker not to hack, and until he comes up with SOMETHING to help golf besides low hands and a new classification system.

That's NOT what I am talking about here. What I am talking about, is how Mac went his own way (away from The Golfing Machine), and how he doesn't talk to some people anymore.

I get it.

The Golfing Machine as a book is a work of a genius, and as a system that explains all methods is brilliant. As a community of Instructors it is a wonderful thing, with the exception of a half-dozen people out of 200+.

But, it is also an anchor around your waist. It is a thing that other pros can scoff at, and people can use against you in different ways.

Of course the scoffers are dead wrong and the "against you's" are misguided at best, but it IS harder, simply because you have to win two battles—your teaching and The "Machine."

Trust me, being part of three camps that are always shot at can get old, and I am sure it did for Mac. He had enough and just bolted. MORAD was—if nothing else—marketing genius. It doesn't make what he did—denouce the Book—right, I just understand it better now, that's all.

As far as my association with The Golfing Machine, and The Golfing Machine, LLC, it is as strong as ever. I can't wait for the TGM Summit, because for three days, we will have strength in numbers. Great guys this group. Maybe Mac will rejoin the fold one day. You never know.

Mac is very easily "put-off" and plays the "I can not talk to you anymore" game a bit too much for anyone's taste. I'll talk to anyone, and will continue to, but, at least I do understand WHY Mac does it.

He has been burned—a lot.

So here goes:

"Mac, please accept my apologies for not understanding your position on things. I just needed to get it right in my coconut. Hope to attend one of your seminars in the future. I am sure I can learn a lot from you. Maybe one day, you can present at the TGM Summit"

—Brian Manzella
I would like to say however he was the only guy to take a bunch of kids out on the range at the Queen Mary Open and give them a clinic after the tournament. It was not scheduled, he just saw some kids hitting balls all about 10 to 13 years of age. So he went to help them.
We all have our ways and routes to the cycle of life, I am in hope no ones taking much account on how I get there.
 
Well...will Mac accept being challenged? Will he tolerate polite challenge to his ideas? Does he still teach a bunch of mumbo jumbo stuff or does he focus these days on clear exposition of swing mechanics?

IMO, Occam's Razjor is ever sharp...it doesn't take genius to understand any swing. Only clarity and essential truths can reveal the genie-in-us.

And that is our common shared hope, right? That somehow, "we are not this stinkin' bad, afterall"!

(You're not! Trust me)...
 
Well...will Mac accept being challenged? Will he tolerate polite challenge to his ideas? Does he still teach a bunch of mumbo jumbo stuff or does he focus these days on clear exposition of swing mechanics?

IMO, Occam's Razjor is ever sharp...it doesn't take genius to understand any swing. Only clarity and essential truths can reveal the genie-in-us.

And that is our common shared hope, right? That somehow, "we are not this stinkin' bad, afterall"!

(You're not! Trust me)...
Mac's needs are to get the information to the university level conclusion stages. He really does not care about being a golf guru.
If you ask him he thinks Homer could had gone that route.
Golf swing theory does not give room for golf swing laws unless they are science based conclusions
 
I doubt that Mac suffers fools well.
And everyone is a fool to him and anyone else who has attained complete enlightenment. He told a group of us that he has no more questions.
What "mumbo jumbo" did Mac teach?
I just find it hard of some peoples stature to put people life ambitions and hard work down for any reason. Its golf and Mac has done a great job in the promotion and study of it. Why would anyone go to any stride to say otherwise.
 
When I was around Mac, he was talking about the "third eye", which I would put in the category of "mumbo jumbo". I don't think that helps anyone hit a golf ball better. I would suppose he has some specific techniques.

I consider him to be talented, and would like to see some recent swings.
 
Dana, btw, I don't have very many remaining questions either, but I don't consider any question to be stupid.

It's very easy for highly intelligent people to have misconceptions and erroneous information about the golf swing.

I believe one of the reasons golf instructors and golf swing researchers in general to be HIGHLY defensive of their views is because whatever they know, it probably was "hard won". So many slipperly slopes...
 
Dana, btw, I don't have very many remaining questions either, but I don't consider any question to be stupid.

It's very easy for highly intelligent people to have misconceptions and erroneous information about the golf swing.

I believe one of the reasons golf instructors and golf swing researchers in general to be HIGHLY defensive of their views is because whatever they know, it probably was "hard won". So many slipperly slopes...

I understand, i just try to defend peoples work as much as I can. Medical,business, and golf. I figure were are here for such a short time that energy could be spent on positive movement forward in our world.
 
When I was around Mac, he was talking about the "third eye", which I would put in the category of "mumbo jumbo". I don't think that helps anyone hit a golf ball better. I would suppose he has some specific techniques.

I consider him to be talented, and would like to see some recent swings.

David, you can find a few pics of Mac from earlier this year at my putfile site.
I took the pics at Tucson and Phoenix where he was trying to Monday qualify.

http://www.putfile.com/powerpro
 
When I was around Mac, he was talking about the "third eye", which I would put in the category of "mumbo jumbo". I don't think that helps anyone hit a golf ball better. I would suppose he has some specific techniques.

I consider him to be talented, and would like to see some recent swings.
Funny you say this, I get the same reaction listening to sports head doc's ( physiologists ) Most of the best golfers are just plan committed to their games and shots.
"third eye", has its place in an intangibles category for most and would take a golfer at a high level to find. I walk in and out of the zone effect
 
I figure were are here for such a short time that energy could be spent on positive movement forward in our world.

Don't wanna be a dink....buttin in on u guys here....and positive is all well and good....can u always be "positive" and go along with things tho?

...

What is "third eye" anyway?

...

And....about "committing to your shot".....ppl say this a lot.....what does it mean tho? Making the right decision and being confident in it? Or is it something else.....

Just "making up your mind" that you're gonna hit it at your target?

....I dunno.........is it that easy?...is that all u can do? (or do I have u wrong)
 
As far as I know the third eye is physically located between the eyes, above the brow bone and below the middle of the forehead.
 
Don't wanna be a dink....buttin in on u guys here....and positive is all well and good....can u always be "positive" and go along with things tho?

...

What is "third eye" anyway?

...

And....about "committing to your shot".....ppl say this a lot.....what does it mean tho? Making the right decision and being confident in it? Or is it something else.....

Just "making up your mind" that you're gonna hit it at your target?

....I dunno.........is it that easy?...is that all u can do? (or do I have u wrong)
The real "committing to your shot".....aspect is really a mind set of staying out of your own way to allow yourself to peak in all area's. As an example, if your at the gym and you want to put up an amount of weight on the bench. You would hit a point at which you can't lift anymore. Every time you go in you would hit that same point. So what really works is cheating your mind into thinking you can lift more. Same hold true in golf, focus on really making the change and making the stride to really do something and expecting yourself to do it. That makes the difference of the person who really wants to change or the one who just buys the best equipment every time it comes out.
 
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