BLOG: Phase 5, the next step for Brian Manzella & BrianManzella.com

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Brian Manzella

Administrator
Brian Manzella's Golf Teaching Career:

December 1981
Phase 1 - From Scratch to "Absolute Golf"

Learning everything I could about the swing to teach myself becuase no one in my area had any answers...being "discovered" by Henry Thomas in March of 1983...starting with the City Park Junior program in June of 1983...teaching full-time starting in May 1984...finishing my unpublished manual "Absolute Golf" in January of 1985...going to see Ben Doyle in June of 1987 to become a TGM AI.

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June 1987
Phase 2 - Early Doyle years to Never Hook Again

Ben parrot stage...early follower of O'Grady through video tapes...lots of chip, pitch, punch, swing...attended 1st PGA Summit and started seeing the big names teach and explain...successes with Toms, Nakia Davis and Bartlett, less with Finney, some with others like Lesher, over teaching Perks...some local press...beginning of multiple patterns...learned that short-to-long isn't for everyone, and that you can overdo video...spent one season in Louisville in 1993 before returning to New Orleans.

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February 1994
Phase 3 - Multi-Pattern teaching to the Million Dollar lesson

I figured out the Never Hook Again pattern and instantly improved my teaching and playing...early Golftek research...multi-pattern approach evolving...moved back to Louisville full-time and built a brand new successful business from near scratch, utilizing a early version of Pattern Zero...started doing radio on 50,000 watt WHAS...moved back to New Orleans in 2002 but continued to teach primarily in Louisville...had great early successes with Howard Logan and Brett Gahm only to go backward in an attempt to "maximize"...started posting on internet sites...Gave David Toms the "Million Dollar Lesson."

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July 2003
Phase 4 - Early website years to Project 1.68

My website was an overnight success, over 1000 members very quickly...Won Kentucky PGA TEacher of the Year...early years of instructional videos...true multi-pattern teaching...TGM debate followed by audio tape and book literalism research...new Manzella instructors join the team...realizing real science was the only place to go...TrackMan and the D-Plane with the help of Casio ultra-high-speed video...The ANTI-SUMMIT...project 1.68 research trip.

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January 2011
Phase 5 - Mainstream voice of alternative information and application

New website....polished product...low key approach

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When I wrote the above, I never had any idea that the "phases" would all be about the same amount of time. There is probably something in a book about that symmetry.

I have done a lot of thinking in the past couple of days after our Project 1.68 research trip with Mike Jacobs, Mike Finney and Jon Hardesty (along with Kevin Shields at our latest stop).

The time has come to move on from golf swing debate.

Why?

Well, we have now spent a decent amount of time with 7 different golf scientists. And even though we will meet and talk with several more working on our project, there is a few things that we now know for sure.

One of them is that unless another methodology group would bring their stuff to this or a similar group of scientists for their opinion, talking about the scientific merits of their method's hypotheses with them is not only a waste of everyone's time, it isn't fair to them either.

Golf "Science" and Real Science are still a world apart folks. And that's a fact.

There is no manual in the world on the golf swing that is even close to being definitive, or comprehensive.

That's why we are working on Project 1.68. It will not be either definitive or comprehensive. But it will be closer to being correct than anything else in the marketplace, and will set a foundation to build further upon.

Every method I have ever studied has its merits. Scientific, pseudo-scientific, or nether, every swing concept may help some golfer strike and control their golf ball better.

We just believe we are out in front of the pack.

So, the long awaited BrianManzella.com site refresh is nearly complete, and the visual changes will come with a change in philosophy as well.

We expect all posters to act with respect to other people's ideas and beliefs. We will do the same.

Most of my posting will be on the blog side of the site, and my colleagues and good friends will man the brand new forum, the best place on the web to get answers about the golf swing.

Their will be a separate section of the forum to post your golf swing, with a video analysis by myself or one of the Manzella Academy Instructors available for a fee.

Many more announcements to come in the next few days.

Thanks,

Brian :)










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trickyric67

trickyric67

New
Wow!
I like were you were going until the part about you not participating in discussions. I really look forward to your insights and will miss them. I am totally ok with the idea, and even encourage you to charge for you swing analysis (however, I hope you will post video responses that people can see)it's time to make money in your buisiness!
good luck with your future development!
Ric
 
drewyallop

drewyallop

New
Good news Brian. I suspected something like this would have to happen after watching the anti-summit video. So much bad thinking about the golf swing simply collapsed under the weight of the findings presented there. No question in my mind that this is the only way to take your business to the next level.

Drew
 
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macduffer

New
Brian Manzella said:
Their will be a separate section of the forum to post your golf swing, with a video analysis by myself or one of the Manzella Academy Instructors available for a fee.
Click to expand...

This seems an interesting idea. Can I ask what form these analyses will take? (I could provide a link to another forum that does something v. similar but I'm sure it would be against the rules)

Good luck with the new ventures
 
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macduffer

New
And at the risk of saying something controversial (it's meant to be a compliment), it sounds like project 1.68 is going to be the new golf machine; ie a manual based on science. If so, that's a worthy endeavour.

But please publish quicker than Mac!
 
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wulsy

New
I think I understand where this is coming from Brian.

It is difficult to remain a thorn in the side of others in the same industry because they can gang up on you and make your life difficult. Also, at the end of the day, they are just doing their job in a similar way to yourself but have come to different conclusions by using different means, so maybe they don't deserve to be discredited.

I am personally disappointed at the direction you have chosen, because it represents to me an acceptance of current prevelant laws of free market economics within your industry. You are a truth seeker and have shown an incredible passion for teaching the game of golf for its own sake, whilst the establishment's agenda was clearly more associated with personal financial gain. But you have payed the price of all truth seekers - rejection by the establishment, whose agenda is self preservation, financial gain and definitely not the truth. Now it seems to me your agenda has been modified a little more in the direction of acceptance by the establishment. In a kind of "the empire strikes back" scenario, the thorn became too big and action had to be taken to remove it. This will possibly be to your advantage, but they will not have forgotten or forgiven their suffering on bman. com (perpetrated by the members, not necessarily by you personally) so they will not welcome you with open arms and if they do, watch out for the knives hidden behind their backs.

If your internet swing analysis business is successful it will surely be a first. Many have tried this without success. Golf instruction is an business, like any other, and you are more than entitled to make it work for you financially. But the secret of your success is based on what you've been doing up till now so by changing this I'm not so sure whether you're killing the goose that layed the golden egg and becoming one of "them".

Just my 2 cents, and I'm a nobody. But I hope it helps, this was my intention.
 
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Brian Manzella

Administrator
By no means am I going to stay away from the forum, or the discussions,

By no means am I not going to offer my opinions. And be as truthful as I can be in them.

I am simply ready to put some polish on the whole program, and add some decorum.

I am also going to try to make the blog side the most popular of its kind.
 
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Brian Manzella

Administrator
teacherfitter said:
I have been a follower of this forum for some time and have enjoyed a lot of the golf swing discussions. It seems more and more that this forum has become a play ground for malcontents, trouble makers, personal agendas and profanity laced tirades. It is my hope that a more professional administration of the threads would keep threads on topic and without the hate filled responses that have been appearing lately.
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You are very correct, sir.

We intend to keep everyone much more in-line. It might take a bit for everyone to get used to the new level of discourse, but when the regulars do, they will help me keep order.

We aren't going soft, just more polite.

mjstrong said:
I think that a lot of work goes into moderating and maintaining a forum like this one.

While I agree with your sentiment, I think that some of the responsibility can fall on us as readers and posters, and not encourage the malcontents by responding to them in their own manner, and by ignoring them instead.

Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

I plan on getting lots of help. ;)

jimmyt said:
It does seem that of late the inmates are running the institution
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The hardest thing is when I am totally out-of-pocket for a couple of days. I used to have to have to hide my trips, because the "wolves" would come out.

We have a new plan for my trips.

Steve Khatib said:
Hard to keep it on track. The guys are busy with their research project.
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We were very busy.

And it was VERY productive.

We go to great lengths to learn the best information so we can provide this website's visitor with the very best analysis of everything golf.

drewyallop said:
Good news Brian. I suspected something like this would have to happen after watching the anti-summit video. So much bad thinking about the golf swing simply collapsed under the weight of the findings presented there. No question in my mind that this is the only way to take your business to the next level.

Drew
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Well put.

The last three scientists we have consulted with, along with our relationships with the Anti-Summit's all-star team, have made that "weight" even heavier. :cool:

macduffer said:
This seems an interesting idea. Can I ask what form these analyses will take?

Good luck with the new ventures
Click to expand...

There will be several levels of analysis, and some of those will be viewable by all.

wulsy said:
I think I understand where this is coming from Brian.

It is difficult to remain a thorn in the side of others in the same industry because they can gang up on you and make your life difficult. Also, at the end of the day, they are just doing their job in a similar way to yourself but have come to different conclusions by using different means, so maybe they don't deserve to be discredited.
Click to expand...

All we have ever done is seek the truth.

Lots of folks just market what we they have, and throw haymakers at us. We have always taken the bait and swing back hard.

You won't see any of that from me anymore. Mark it down.

Science has made the disagreements seem silly.

wulsy said:
I am personally disappointed at the direction you have chosen, because it represents to me an acceptance of current prevalent laws of free market economics within your industry. You are a truth seeker and have shown an incredible passion for teaching the game of golf for its own sake, whilst the establishment's agenda was clearly more associated with personal financial gain. But you have payed the price of all truth seekers - rejection by the establishment, whose agenda is self preservation, financial gain and definitely not the truth.
Click to expand...

The golf world is DYING for answers. I have a lot of them.

I am simply going to spend more time PROVIDING and less time doing everything else.

Only so much time....

wulsy said:
Now it seems to me your agenda has been modified a little more in the direction of acceptance by the establishment. In a kind of "the empire strikes back" scenario, the thorn became too big and action had to be taken to remove it. This will possibly be to your advantage, but they will not have forgotten or forgiven their suffering on bman. com (perpetrated by the members, not necessarily by you personally) so they will not welcome you with open arms and if they do, watch out for the knives hidden behind their backs.
Click to expand...

Hey, it's a business. And it's human beings like me with all their inherent flaws.

But as I travel around the country doing seminars for pros, I realize that the amount of other teachers who are big fans, outweigh the folks who aren't. It is VERY humbling.

Plus, the more folks I meet, who have never met me in person, almost always have a different perspective of me in person.

So the whole "Real Brian" vs. "Internet Brian" thing has to be leveled off. I simply need to portray myself more accurately.

I am every bit as passionate in person, just twice as charming. :D


teacherfitter said:
I'm not so sure whether you're killing the goose that layed the golden egg and becoming one of "them".

Just my 2 cents, and I'm a nobody. But I hope it helps, this was my intention.
Click to expand...

The goose is always VERY IMPORTANT to me.

The reasons why folks have found me to the tune of 25,000 unique folks a month and 4.5 million hits are going nowhere. Just grinding off the rough edges.


Thanks for all the kind words and well-wishes folks!
 
pokerlife

pokerlife

New
He who stops learning and growing might as well jump in a hole 6 feet under!
Big step your taking Brian! Proud of you sir! Has got to be exciting and a little scary for you and your staff.

Good luck, when can we expect the new site? is it going to have a whole new look?
 
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birly-shirly

New
This to me is good news - and no reservations.

Mainstream doesn't mean a sell-out - it means that more people are going to be engaged and hopefully a better quality dialogue with other parts of the golf world. Niches are cool - but I'm not sure I'd want to work in one.

The more commercial drift of the website is good as well. The help given for free on here has been great - but if the price is right, I don't see the problem in paying to get some more individualised attention. I think there's a limit to the help you can expect posting your swing up on an open thread - so the more options the better, I reckon.
 
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peterjthomps

New
Good luck on the new website. I for one am looking forward to the option of having a personal review of swings via video. Sometimes posting a swing to the forum, especially one as ugly as mine can seem daunting.
 
Dariusz J.

Dariusz J.

New member
If only the real science and knowledge (not only physics, but also anatomy - which is very important) are the only objective rulers here I believe this site can have a great success in the golf world taking into account its popularity.
I like the destination you've started to head on, Brian.
One thing more, but important - think about the language that should be used here. I know something about the bio-lingo and how it is difficult for some folks. Same, to lesser degree, with Newtonian physics lingo.

Cheers
 
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