Brian Manzella
Administrator
I have often been asked to list the things I believe are scientifically incorrect concepts in Homer Kelley's The Golfing Machine. I have done my best to list and discuss them from time to time on this site, and at other venues.
Why would I do that?
As an "Authorized Instructor" of The Golfing Machine at the highest level—G.S.E.D.—don't I "believe the book??"
Well, I believe in God, I love my wife, family and friends, and I am a huge fan and season ticket holder of the Saints and LSU Tigers, but everything else gets questioned everyday.
I lead the nation in Why? and Why Not?, and I am in the top ten in What If? and Prove it To Me.
I have NEVER listened to anyone's word as gospel my whole life.
I questioned the living hell out of everyone and everything from the time I was in a crib.
I never thought too much of golf instructors growing up. The ones I knew locally in New Orleans absolutely stunk at their job, and never gave a straight answer when questioned. The ones who opined in the magazines presented information that was often worse than useless. For crying out loud, they couldn't even fix a slice. They still can't.
I drove every school teacher I ever had totally nuts, and even though I was one of the best offensive football players you ever saw, they made me play free safety because it was the only position on the field they could find for me where the coaches and I didn't disagree.
Don't let the ball fly over your head and have anyone but you catch it. If someone breaks through the D-Line and the linebackers, tackle him anyway you wish as long as he doesn't score.
It never did, and they never did.
When I became a golf teacher by accident, I did so with one goal—to be the best ever. To do that in any line of work you have to find ALL the best information, sift through it, and use it. Then you have to question your choices and results everyday, and repeat the process over and over again.
That's what led me to The Golfing Machine, and to Ben Doyle.
After buying the book in 1982, I read it everyday until I went to see Ben in 1987. I read it even more after.
Interestingly, Ben didn't hide the fact he was teaching me his "version" of the book. For example, Ben didn't think the hips should slide, but Homer did.
Ben called his teaching "The Practical Application of The Golfing Machine."
For the most part, it was.
When I got back to New Orleans, I was basically a parrot for a couple of years. I even started to stutter a little, just like Ben.
It took me a couple of years to finish my take-home Authorized Instructor test. 600 questions, 52 pages.
As time went on, I started to find things about the book that seemed a little bit off. I also found my own version of what I thought "Practical Application" was.
But, even with a boatload of new information over the next 15 or so years, I still believed that ALL of science in the book was as correct as anything Albert Einstein ever wrote.
It's all physics and geometry, right?
Ah....not quite.
The Golfing Machine only tries to be about 50% science. The classification system—what is a component, what is not, etc.— is totally arbitrary.
Some of the GREAT one liners, like "the elbow plane is almost always subconsciously used" and "Let Mechanics produce and Feel reproduce," are just one man's observations. Concepts like "the right forearm takeaway" or the "tripod" or "Hinge Action," are totally his opinion, and I doubt even Homer would claim them as "scientific."
To make matters worse, The Golfing Machine is almost completely un-understandable for anyone who picks up the book and starts reading it from page one, or using the list Homer provides.
Even engineers and physicists that read the book are just baffled at some of the "explanations."
But, The Golfing Machine is loaded—absolutely LOADED—with great information.
Often people who defend the book, do so using some of Homer's brilliant ideas.
But almost never using the "scientific" ones.
I had doubted so much of the science concepts for many years, but I didn't know where to look for the real answers.
Making matters worse, I was being ridiculed by some for not having listened to the infamous Homer Audio that was floating around out there.
"You just don't know anything unless you hear the audio."
So, I went to the chief priest of the TGM book literalists, and got his take on all things Homer, and everything in the book that I had avoided, overlooked, or supposedly misinterpreted. It wasn't that many things—about a half dozen or so—but they were very different than anything I ever taught.
It was "literally"— to use a pun on purpose—the worst bunch of complete crap I ever tried to teach.
Plus, the audio was so underwhelming it was almost comical.
Now I was really doubting the science as well as the opinions in the book.
Lucky for me, and for golfers everywhere, so were the science-minded, as well as the actual physicists with PHD's.
Mandrin, Dr. Aaron Zick, and Dr. Robert Grober started finding more holes in the science than swiss-cheese.
I'll never forget the night at the 2nd TGM Summit where we were all arguing about where the location of the top of the stationary post was. Dr. Zick weighed in with this classic line:
"You guys have bigger problems than that."
He was right of course.
Helping to expose some of these "mistakes" or "errors" or whateveryouwhattocallems, has made me a hated man in some circles.
"The Caesar," they call me.
I don't really care what they call me, I just want MY information to be correct.
The Golfing Machine has always been a source of information for me. A great source. But, that is all it ever was or ever will be. Becoming a G.S.E.D. was a goal for me and I am proud of it.
Ben Doyle has been a mentor for many years, he is a great friend and a super person. His teaching has been another great resource for me.
So is every seminar I have ever been to, every swing I ever looked it in slow-motion, every lesson I ever gave, every ball I ever hit, etc., etc.
I didn't love my Dad any less when I found out he wasn't perfect. I don't love Ben any less because I don't teach the maximum participation pattern anymore 99% of the time either.
I love The Golfing Machine.
But I love cheesecake too, and too much will clog your arteries and make your belly too big.
So folks, in this thread, the shoe is on the other foot.
Let's come up with a comprehensive list of every at least 95% correct, scientific concept in The Golfing Machine. Not any comments about Homer's OPINIONs, just a list of the good science.
It is a little harder than you think.
For example, one of my favorite concepts is how plane line is not dependent on plane angle.
True enough, but...
On a steeper angle, the "resultant TRUE clubhead path" is less inside-out to the plane line, than a flatter one.
That makes the 95% kinda dicey.
Good concept, somewhat incomplete.
Clubhead Lag pressure is another one. Because the release has been proven to be very complex—there is always a change in where and when the pressure is loaded—and the clubhead virtually disconnects from the golfers control pre-impact, is Clubhead Lag pressure 95% scientifically correct?
It is certainly worth discussing, and that is the purpose of this thread.
Discussing an important topic on the only place on earth that it can occur without bias.
Let's all learn together.
Why would I do that?
As an "Authorized Instructor" of The Golfing Machine at the highest level—G.S.E.D.—don't I "believe the book??"
Well, I believe in God, I love my wife, family and friends, and I am a huge fan and season ticket holder of the Saints and LSU Tigers, but everything else gets questioned everyday.
I lead the nation in Why? and Why Not?, and I am in the top ten in What If? and Prove it To Me.
I have NEVER listened to anyone's word as gospel my whole life.
I questioned the living hell out of everyone and everything from the time I was in a crib.
I never thought too much of golf instructors growing up. The ones I knew locally in New Orleans absolutely stunk at their job, and never gave a straight answer when questioned. The ones who opined in the magazines presented information that was often worse than useless. For crying out loud, they couldn't even fix a slice. They still can't.
I drove every school teacher I ever had totally nuts, and even though I was one of the best offensive football players you ever saw, they made me play free safety because it was the only position on the field they could find for me where the coaches and I didn't disagree.
Don't let the ball fly over your head and have anyone but you catch it. If someone breaks through the D-Line and the linebackers, tackle him anyway you wish as long as he doesn't score.
It never did, and they never did.
When I became a golf teacher by accident, I did so with one goal—to be the best ever. To do that in any line of work you have to find ALL the best information, sift through it, and use it. Then you have to question your choices and results everyday, and repeat the process over and over again.
That's what led me to The Golfing Machine, and to Ben Doyle.
After buying the book in 1982, I read it everyday until I went to see Ben in 1987. I read it even more after.
Interestingly, Ben didn't hide the fact he was teaching me his "version" of the book. For example, Ben didn't think the hips should slide, but Homer did.
Ben called his teaching "The Practical Application of The Golfing Machine."
For the most part, it was.
When I got back to New Orleans, I was basically a parrot for a couple of years. I even started to stutter a little, just like Ben.
It took me a couple of years to finish my take-home Authorized Instructor test. 600 questions, 52 pages.
As time went on, I started to find things about the book that seemed a little bit off. I also found my own version of what I thought "Practical Application" was.
But, even with a boatload of new information over the next 15 or so years, I still believed that ALL of science in the book was as correct as anything Albert Einstein ever wrote.
It's all physics and geometry, right?
Ah....not quite.
The Golfing Machine only tries to be about 50% science. The classification system—what is a component, what is not, etc.— is totally arbitrary.
Some of the GREAT one liners, like "the elbow plane is almost always subconsciously used" and "Let Mechanics produce and Feel reproduce," are just one man's observations. Concepts like "the right forearm takeaway" or the "tripod" or "Hinge Action," are totally his opinion, and I doubt even Homer would claim them as "scientific."
To make matters worse, The Golfing Machine is almost completely un-understandable for anyone who picks up the book and starts reading it from page one, or using the list Homer provides.
Even engineers and physicists that read the book are just baffled at some of the "explanations."
But, The Golfing Machine is loaded—absolutely LOADED—with great information.
Often people who defend the book, do so using some of Homer's brilliant ideas.
But almost never using the "scientific" ones.
I had doubted so much of the science concepts for many years, but I didn't know where to look for the real answers.
Making matters worse, I was being ridiculed by some for not having listened to the infamous Homer Audio that was floating around out there.
"You just don't know anything unless you hear the audio."
So, I went to the chief priest of the TGM book literalists, and got his take on all things Homer, and everything in the book that I had avoided, overlooked, or supposedly misinterpreted. It wasn't that many things—about a half dozen or so—but they were very different than anything I ever taught.
It was "literally"— to use a pun on purpose—the worst bunch of complete crap I ever tried to teach.
Plus, the audio was so underwhelming it was almost comical.
Now I was really doubting the science as well as the opinions in the book.
Lucky for me, and for golfers everywhere, so were the science-minded, as well as the actual physicists with PHD's.
Mandrin, Dr. Aaron Zick, and Dr. Robert Grober started finding more holes in the science than swiss-cheese.
I'll never forget the night at the 2nd TGM Summit where we were all arguing about where the location of the top of the stationary post was. Dr. Zick weighed in with this classic line:
"You guys have bigger problems than that."
He was right of course.
Helping to expose some of these "mistakes" or "errors" or whateveryouwhattocallems, has made me a hated man in some circles.
"The Caesar," they call me.
I don't really care what they call me, I just want MY information to be correct.
The Golfing Machine has always been a source of information for me. A great source. But, that is all it ever was or ever will be. Becoming a G.S.E.D. was a goal for me and I am proud of it.
Ben Doyle has been a mentor for many years, he is a great friend and a super person. His teaching has been another great resource for me.
So is every seminar I have ever been to, every swing I ever looked it in slow-motion, every lesson I ever gave, every ball I ever hit, etc., etc.
I didn't love my Dad any less when I found out he wasn't perfect. I don't love Ben any less because I don't teach the maximum participation pattern anymore 99% of the time either.
I love The Golfing Machine.
But I love cheesecake too, and too much will clog your arteries and make your belly too big.
So folks, in this thread, the shoe is on the other foot.
Let's come up with a comprehensive list of every at least 95% correct, scientific concept in The Golfing Machine. Not any comments about Homer's OPINIONs, just a list of the good science.
It is a little harder than you think.
For example, one of my favorite concepts is how plane line is not dependent on plane angle.
True enough, but...
On a steeper angle, the "resultant TRUE clubhead path" is less inside-out to the plane line, than a flatter one.
That makes the 95% kinda dicey.
Good concept, somewhat incomplete.
Clubhead Lag pressure is another one. Because the release has been proven to be very complex—there is always a change in where and when the pressure is loaded—and the clubhead virtually disconnects from the golfers control pre-impact, is Clubhead Lag pressure 95% scientifically correct?
It is certainly worth discussing, and that is the purpose of this thread.
Discussing an important topic on the only place on earth that it can occur without bias.
Let's all learn together.
