Brian Manzella MIT Conference Review & Commentary
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Brian Manzella
Administrator
I recently attended the MIT-Hosted "Better Golf Through Technology" Summit in Cambridge.
Overall it was much better the the PGA run version, except for the first two ('88 Dallas and '90 Nashville).
I campaigned with the MIT Folks to speak at the next one, or the one after that, etc. and while I didn't get stuffed, I didn't get anywhere either.
At least 5 attendees told me, (paraphasing) "Your very good, one of the best, and your time will come. But for now, asking and commenting makes you look like—as Big Don always says—A STARVING DOG."
You know what? They are right!
From now on, I'm acting like I don't give a rat's hind, because, thanks to the internet, who needs 'em. If they want me, they'll ask. If not, so what—I'm not asking THEM to be on HERE either.
Here are my HONEST reviews of the presenters and their presentations:
DAY ONE:</u>
Laird Small:Baseline Data on the Professional Swing.
A presentation on data collected with a 'swing vest' of sensors. It showed some good data, some strange data, and some stuff I saw from BioVison in the early 90's.....B-
Jim Suttie: Jim Suttie: Critical Success Factor in Golf – Consistency.
He talked about what factors that good players do taht bad players don't. It was a fair video presentation on the grip 'matching' the swing, and what good players like Chip Beck and Grant Waite do in their swings. It also included a long driver who swung down PERFECTLY on the squared shoulder plane, which Jom didn't like but I thought was fine....B-
Joe Assell: Accurate Diagnosis of Body-Related Swing Flaws.
This is a Golf TEC dude who had some good stuff to show, but had a thesis that was unreal in its goofy-ness. They had 30 PGA pros try to identify 'flaws' to see if their eye was as good as a swing sensor vest real-time measurement device. It wasn't. No kidding....B-
Jimmy Ballard: The Forces of the Golf Swing and How They Accommodate the Natural Hinges of the Body
Jimmy B. @ MIT.
Really.
Jimmy came in like Elvis right on cue, did a great Jimmy Ballard talk about the backswing pivot and a HORRIBLE talk about the downswing. In the question segment, Bern Doyle asked if Jimmy would fix Annika's (not his student, but his model) left heel up at impact. He repliled "No, it's PERFECT!"...would have been a B- but the Annika answer moved him down to C+
Gerry James: Efficient Movement of the Correct Golf Swing.
A fitness guru and teacher. He really knew his fitness stuff, knew the swing a little and was very confident. Not bad, but too much strecthing and not enough hard core info.....B
Mike Adams: Effects of Initial Conditions on Performance.
Sounds really scientific. But here is my accurately-renamed title:
"How turning in the left foot helps hackers who slice."
Really? No kidding.
I asked him about how it also influnced axis tilt and he was exactly wrong in his answer. Correct answer—less foot flare, more tilt. Ask O'Grady.....B-
Panel: Technology's Impact upon the Teaching of Golf.
It really stunk. Everyone I talked to agreed. The speakers should have been on their own, they weren't bad per se, just poor as a group and a weak moderator....D
Rick Martino: Transferring Practice Skills to the Golf Course.
I really want to talk at a PGA Summit and Rick runs them. But...It really was a silly research project and so-so presentation, so....C+
David Edel: The Impact of Putter Fitting on Performance.
Dave did a great presentation on putter fitting. He was nervous, but did fine. he gave Ben Doyle a lot of credit, which he deserves, and then showed data on Putter fiitting's effect on making putts. It helps. A+ id he wasn't so nervous...A
Michael Hebron: The Science and Research Behind Reaching for Optimum Potential through Brain-Based Learning.
Mike a friend of mine, but I reeally don't agree 100% or even 80% with the thesis. "You can't teach anyone a new movement without there brain shutting down." Sometimes, Yes. Most of the time, though—if you can teach a lick—no. If his talk would have said something like "You all should try to incorporate SOME of this in your teaching," it would have scored much higher. But,.....B
DAY TWO</u>
Eric Alpenfels: Par without Pain Research for Injury Prevention and Performance Improvement.
Eric did a good job, and the thesis is basically dead-on. But, he just needs more real good how-the-swing-really-works info...B
Tom Cavicchi: The Effects of Stretching on Ball Speed and Distance.
In fairness to these two guys, they did a good job on a subject that was WAY OVERDONE at this summit...B
Ben Doyle: G.O.L.F.
Ben started slow. He seemed nervous. AT the 6 or 7 minute mark he really warmed up and was vintage Ben. The information is so good and it is delivered with such true sincerity, it is always can't miss. Funny, the crowd was reluctant to ask questions and first...A
James Leitz: Analysis of Face Angle and Ball Flight.
He was the Star of the show. He gave credit where it was due (Ben, Me, Rob Noel and Lynn), but didn't waste time with it. He gave TGM and Homer a big, deserving plug, and then gave a super straight-ball impact physics talk. He was prepared and he know the subject cold. It showed...A+
Chuck Cook - The Back Shoulder - A Master Chunker Cue
The "Pivot Swing Center Tripod" crowd wouldn't have approved, but Chuck gave and A+ presentation on Standard Shoulder Motion (Flat, then on plane). But he was light on the credit for Homer (It is HIS idea) and he told a silly, out-of-place joke about event organizer Evan Witt...A
Dan Goldstein: Analysis of Center of Gravity in Relation to Skill Level
Not bad. If he knew ANY of the why behind the data, it would be a grade higher...B
Panel: Educating, not just teaching, the golf student
Much better than the first panel. But, the moderator was misplaced (would be better on his own) and the real highlight were the questions and comments from the crowd (Like mine). They just didn't answer the questions THEY raised...B-
TJ Tomasi: The Role of Operant Conditioning in Improving Golf Performance
This was VERY weird, with a few good nuggets. This guy uses a clicker to train his students like dolphins. Which is funny, because TJ is a FLIPPER himself...B-- (becuae it was STILL better than Martino's)
Jim McLean: X Factor/Y Factor.
Jim was not there because of Dick Harmon's funeral.
He had an assistant read his talk, and WOW! he ran EVERYONE down, including Homer, and sounded like he thought he and Carl Welty were FAR, FAR in front of the pack. It's ok to think you are the best, but not enough FACTS to back it up...B
Overall it was much better the the PGA run version, except for the first two ('88 Dallas and '90 Nashville).
I campaigned with the MIT Folks to speak at the next one, or the one after that, etc. and while I didn't get stuffed, I didn't get anywhere either.
At least 5 attendees told me, (paraphasing) "Your very good, one of the best, and your time will come. But for now, asking and commenting makes you look like—as Big Don always says—A STARVING DOG."
You know what? They are right!
From now on, I'm acting like I don't give a rat's hind, because, thanks to the internet, who needs 'em. If they want me, they'll ask. If not, so what—I'm not asking THEM to be on HERE either.
Here are my HONEST reviews of the presenters and their presentations:
DAY ONE:</u>
Laird Small:Baseline Data on the Professional Swing.
A presentation on data collected with a 'swing vest' of sensors. It showed some good data, some strange data, and some stuff I saw from BioVison in the early 90's.....B-
Jim Suttie: Jim Suttie: Critical Success Factor in Golf – Consistency.
He talked about what factors that good players do taht bad players don't. It was a fair video presentation on the grip 'matching' the swing, and what good players like Chip Beck and Grant Waite do in their swings. It also included a long driver who swung down PERFECTLY on the squared shoulder plane, which Jom didn't like but I thought was fine....B-
Joe Assell: Accurate Diagnosis of Body-Related Swing Flaws.
This is a Golf TEC dude who had some good stuff to show, but had a thesis that was unreal in its goofy-ness. They had 30 PGA pros try to identify 'flaws' to see if their eye was as good as a swing sensor vest real-time measurement device. It wasn't. No kidding....B-
Jimmy Ballard: The Forces of the Golf Swing and How They Accommodate the Natural Hinges of the Body
Jimmy B. @ MIT.
Really.
Jimmy came in like Elvis right on cue, did a great Jimmy Ballard talk about the backswing pivot and a HORRIBLE talk about the downswing. In the question segment, Bern Doyle asked if Jimmy would fix Annika's (not his student, but his model) left heel up at impact. He repliled "No, it's PERFECT!"...would have been a B- but the Annika answer moved him down to C+
Gerry James: Efficient Movement of the Correct Golf Swing.
A fitness guru and teacher. He really knew his fitness stuff, knew the swing a little and was very confident. Not bad, but too much strecthing and not enough hard core info.....B
Mike Adams: Effects of Initial Conditions on Performance.
Sounds really scientific. But here is my accurately-renamed title:
"How turning in the left foot helps hackers who slice."
Really? No kidding.
I asked him about how it also influnced axis tilt and he was exactly wrong in his answer. Correct answer—less foot flare, more tilt. Ask O'Grady.....B-
Panel: Technology's Impact upon the Teaching of Golf.
It really stunk. Everyone I talked to agreed. The speakers should have been on their own, they weren't bad per se, just poor as a group and a weak moderator....D
Rick Martino: Transferring Practice Skills to the Golf Course.
I really want to talk at a PGA Summit and Rick runs them. But...It really was a silly research project and so-so presentation, so....C+
David Edel: The Impact of Putter Fitting on Performance.
Dave did a great presentation on putter fitting. He was nervous, but did fine. he gave Ben Doyle a lot of credit, which he deserves, and then showed data on Putter fiitting's effect on making putts. It helps. A+ id he wasn't so nervous...A
Michael Hebron: The Science and Research Behind Reaching for Optimum Potential through Brain-Based Learning.
Mike a friend of mine, but I reeally don't agree 100% or even 80% with the thesis. "You can't teach anyone a new movement without there brain shutting down." Sometimes, Yes. Most of the time, though—if you can teach a lick—no. If his talk would have said something like "You all should try to incorporate SOME of this in your teaching," it would have scored much higher. But,.....B
DAY TWO</u>
Eric Alpenfels: Par without Pain Research for Injury Prevention and Performance Improvement.
Eric did a good job, and the thesis is basically dead-on. But, he just needs more real good how-the-swing-really-works info...B
Tom Cavicchi: The Effects of Stretching on Ball Speed and Distance.
In fairness to these two guys, they did a good job on a subject that was WAY OVERDONE at this summit...B
Ben Doyle: G.O.L.F.
Ben started slow. He seemed nervous. AT the 6 or 7 minute mark he really warmed up and was vintage Ben. The information is so good and it is delivered with such true sincerity, it is always can't miss. Funny, the crowd was reluctant to ask questions and first...A
James Leitz: Analysis of Face Angle and Ball Flight.
He was the Star of the show. He gave credit where it was due (Ben, Me, Rob Noel and Lynn), but didn't waste time with it. He gave TGM and Homer a big, deserving plug, and then gave a super straight-ball impact physics talk. He was prepared and he know the subject cold. It showed...A+
Chuck Cook - The Back Shoulder - A Master Chunker Cue
The "Pivot Swing Center Tripod" crowd wouldn't have approved, but Chuck gave and A+ presentation on Standard Shoulder Motion (Flat, then on plane). But he was light on the credit for Homer (It is HIS idea) and he told a silly, out-of-place joke about event organizer Evan Witt...A
Dan Goldstein: Analysis of Center of Gravity in Relation to Skill Level
Not bad. If he knew ANY of the why behind the data, it would be a grade higher...B
Panel: Educating, not just teaching, the golf student
Much better than the first panel. But, the moderator was misplaced (would be better on his own) and the real highlight were the questions and comments from the crowd (Like mine). They just didn't answer the questions THEY raised...B-
TJ Tomasi: The Role of Operant Conditioning in Improving Golf Performance
This was VERY weird, with a few good nuggets. This guy uses a clicker to train his students like dolphins. Which is funny, because TJ is a FLIPPER himself...B-- (becuae it was STILL better than Martino's)
Jim McLean: X Factor/Y Factor.
Jim was not there because of Dick Harmon's funeral.
He had an assistant read his talk, and WOW! he ran EVERYONE down, including Homer, and sounded like he thought he and Carl Welty were FAR, FAR in front of the pack. It's ok to think you are the best, but not enough FACTS to back it up...B
Damon Lucas
Super Moderator
Ok Brian... How bout an expansion on what James Leitz said?
Details,details
Details,details
Brian Manzella
Administrator
The sweetspot moves down the plane and hits the ball on the inside-aft quadrant and deforms the ball and then the ball separates....
Right out of the book.
Right out of the book.
Damon Lucas
Super Moderator
So how does Robert Grober's work fit in?
How does it comply/not comply?
Can you expand on those revelations?
How does it comply/not comply?
Can you expand on those revelations?
Michael Finney
New
MJ....you get an F+ as a contrarian....
)
)Brian
Thank you so much for relaying this great info on your award winning website. By the way keep plugging away to get on the podium as your time is coming because everything you know you earned the old fashioned way by earning it in the trenches with the average player. Many Thanks.
Leozevo
Thank you so much for relaying this great info on your award winning website. By the way keep plugging away to get on the podium as your time is coming because everything you know you earned the old fashioned way by earning it in the trenches with the average player. Many Thanks.
Leozevo
Steve Khatib
Super Moderator
Mizuno Joe there should be less C grades and more D grades Brian is an easy grader. Some of the presenters were only there because of there false reputation.
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Trust me, guys....
There are PLENTY of people who think the grades are TOO TOUGH.
They ARE lenient, though Joe.
There are PLENTY of people who think the grades are TOO TOUGH.
They ARE lenient, though Joe.
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