Brian Manzella, Face-On Driver Swing, big fade, on Pebble Beach's #14

[Brian Manzella]

[media]http://homepage.mac.com/brianmanzella/.Movies/bmanzfadefaceon.mov[/media]

This swing isn't the best representation of my current "stock" pattern, but it is a good view of some very important things.

Pebble Beach's 14th hole is a famous, sweeping dogleg right par-5. You must not hit it left, or you may take 4 to get home.

This ball, for the type of shot it was—a hold fade that moved about 15 yards left-to-right—went very far. About 275 dead middle of the fairway, with very little roll. I was up with my student Adam, a young college player, and past the two young Pebble pros we were playing with.

It may be the best example of pretty vs. function I have seen. The swing has SEVERAL very important PIVOT elements, and other details that will be obviously good. It is a stocky Italian, who is very inflexible, so it sure don't look like Mike Finney. But, trust me folks, I drove it better that week than 99.9% of the world's golfers could have, so something must be right.

 

[Chris Sturgess]

That is a high quality video camera you got there. Pebble looks so real.

 

[self-mastery]

I'm all for form over function. There are plenty of pretty swings that can't break 80/70. It looks like you just dump the clubface on the ball I once played with an old man that ate my lunch with a similar pattern.

 

[Kevin Shields]

If you stop the video right at your sit down move, that ball is never going left. Nice.

 

[Rick Dandy]

Before your hands arrive to mid-right thigh, the sweet spot is locked and loaded. The ball got hell knocked out of it. Best move away in da' bizness.

"A working class hero is something to see..." ~ John Lennon

Stallion strikes!

 

[Jared Willerson]

tick-tick-tick-boom.

Pebble looks beautiful, that is some very nice footage.

 

[James Marshall (Hogan1953)]

Left ear movement

Brian,

Thanks for posting the swing. It's interesting to note the lateral movement of the left ear in the backswing and transition. It moves maybe three balls away from the target at start-up and then goes back towards the target as the backswing is completing and in fact finishes in virtually the same spot as in the starting position, it then moves a fraction closer to the target in the transition phase. Was it something you were consciously trying to do? You look pretty "stacked" at the top of the backswing as a consequence with relatively little angle between the left hip and the slant of the trunk. Look fwd to your comments.

James

 

[tongzilla]

hurrah! you've got the club up the right arm well into the follow through like me!

http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9570

 

[tourdeep]

why i can never forget!

I'm all for form over function. There are plenty of pretty swings that can't break 80/70. It looks like you just dump the clubface on the ball I once played with an old man that ate my lunch with a similar pattern.

More than a few years ago, my partner and I hooked with with a couple "old farts", one was 70, the other 71. They were long time golfing friends and each had their own cart because of physical limitations. They were introduced to us, one named Ed and the other Dick.

Hmmm, Ed, Dick? Ed, Dick?,,, Dick, Ed? Dick Ed? Well, had to rib the dudes on the names and obviously, it wasn't the first time they were told of this coincidence!

It was a slightly ez course we played, still had a couple holes 410+ par 4's, and a par three at 240, but these dudes just played absolutely boring golf. They just bunted their shots down the middle and both had decent putters. At the end of the day, they both shot 72, +1.

I'll never forget these guys, maybe because of their names, but because I learned quickly that dynamite comes in all packages.

I've always wanted to play with Ed and Dick since, but doubt that day will ever come. But I've met my share of DickEds since...

bot a bing!!!!

 

[cmartingolf]

Love the sustained LOC. Lots of control there..... I'm jealous, but I see a fun Nassau in our future somewhere

 

[mandrin]

Brian, you have an interesting upper body motion during the transition. Rather contrasting with conventional instruction of lead knee/hip first, there is first a gentle toppling over of upper body towards the target, a settling down of weight on lead foot, thereafter followed by unwinding of hip/shoulders/arms. Hence the down swing seems to be initiated from the ‘top’ rather than from the ‘bottom’.

 

[LiftOff]

Brian, you have an interesting upper body motion during the transition. Rather contrasting with conventional instruction of lead knee/hip first, there is first a gentle toppling over of upper body towards the target, a settling down of weight on lead foot, thereafter followed by unwinding of hip/shoulders/arms. Hence the down swing seems to be initiated from the ‘top’ rather than from the ‘bottom’.

LOL............You're one of the few, if any, who can get away with that!

 

[Eagle59]

score?

Did you par the hole??

 

[tank]

Good swing

Brian, you have an interesting upper body motion during the transition. Rather contrasting with conventional instruction of lead knee/hip first, there is first a gentle toppling over of upper body towards the target, a settling down of weight on lead foot, thereafter followed by unwinding of hip/shoulders/arms. Hence the down swing seems to be initiated from the ‘top’ rather than from the ‘bottom’.

I think Brian lifts out of his spine angle at the top of the backswing, but I don't see the "toppling over of upper body towards the target". He then slides the hips left before rotating them pretty dynamicly for an inflexible dude, and with plenty of axis tilt at impact. Looks kinda nice to me.

 

[JonWil]

FREDDIE Manzella!!!!!!

 

[Kevin Shields]

Brian, you have an interesting upper body motion during the transition. Rather contrasting with conventional instruction of lead knee/hip first, there is first a gentle toppling over of upper body towards the target, a settling down of weight on lead foot, thereafter followed by unwinding of hip/shoulders/arms. Hence the down swing seems to be initiated from the ‘top’ rather than from the ‘bottom’.

Pure Never Hook Again.

 

[goley]

Brian

You get more lag in the takeaway than most people have in their downswings...

As mentioned earlier the quality of the video is awesome. 1. what kind of camera is it that you are using 2. what was the shutter speed

thanx man

 

[matt kluck]

Good Move

The change of direction and storage of rotation is very good! The circular motion of the swing is uninterupted during the forward swing. I want you on my team!

If you stop the video right at your sit down move, that ball is never going left. Nice.

 

[Matt 4-L]

Brian, how do you deal with inconsistency from coming out of your posture? I ask because I have been working on maintaining my "levels" through out my swing this winter, if I start raising up at the top of my swing my ball striking becomes a timing thing and gets out of whack pretty easy. I am doing lots of mirror work making sure I don't raise up at the top. Thanks, Matt

 

[Brian Manzella]

Love it!

Brian, how do you deal with inconsistency from coming out of your posture?

I was waiting for this one...

IT DOESN'T MATTER A LICK!

TIGER is perfectly level going back and dips a bunch going down. So does Paula, and about 100 of the top 125.

Why does anyone think that would lead to inconsistency?

The ball has no idea.

Listen, I have two choices:

1. I could stay perfectly level, make about a 60% length backswing, and hit it 50 yards shorter.

or

2. I could do what I do, and actually hit it quite well, and plenty far.