Brian Manzella'a 3 Culprits of Poor Golf Instruction

[Brian Manzella]

Brian Manzella'a 3 Culprits of Teachers who will never be the very best.

1. Lack of physical golf ability.

If you can't go out to the range and make different kinds of swings to research other methods, and for your own research—you will always be way behind those who can.
​

2. Blind Allegiance to anything, or anyone.

If you think YOU are right, but you won't listen to others. If you won't self-evaluate everyday, if you think some BOOK, METHOS or TEACHER knows all—you have no chance, because you, they, or IT, will be proven wrong one day.
​

3. Not having students hitting it better and player better directly tied to you bottom line.

Most of time, if you are a decent teacher, you wind up with a decent positon, which affords you an UNLIMITED or near unlimited supply. This "lack of competition will doom you into thinking you are WAY BETTER than you are. It will also fool others, and you'll listen to the hype and you really believe it then.
​

 

[Brian Manzella]

Brian Manzella's 3 Culprits of Poor Debate about Methods.

1. Easiest thing in golf instruction is—making hackers better hackers.

"But all of my students are getting better."

No kidding. Really?

The average golfer who takes a lesson, can break 100 in a stroke play event from 6,500 yards on a decent course.

"Swing smoother" would help lots of those folks.
​

2. PGA Tour pros (and other high-level players) can try to do something that is absolutely wrong, and play well anyway. Maybe even play better anyway.

Like I have said before—tell Jack Nicklaus in his prime, to move his head forward at impact, and he might go win the Masters trying to.
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3. Junk Science.

"It says right here that if you swing way out to the right, the ball can go straight."

No it can't.

There are a million versions of this. Falls under the "Blind Allegiance to anything, or anyone" catogory. (See above)
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[Brian Manzella]

Brian Manzella's 3 Culprits of Poor Teaching.

1. Lack of (or poor) training in what to teach.

This includes lack of PLACES to go, BOOKS to read, VIDEOS to watch, that show a real "what to teach method" presented as such, or worth a lick.
​

2. Lack of (or poor) training in how to teach.

This includes lack of PLACES to go, BOOKS to read, VIDEOS to watch, that show a real "how to teach method" presented as such, or worth a lick.​

3. No clue of what a good lesson really is.

This includes lack of PLACES to go—or VIDEOS to watch—to SEE a top-level teacher alppy their craft. And the lack of the existance of those teachers.
​

 

[mandrin]

Brian,

Refreshing and candid your remarks. You will definitely need your continuous critical self appraisal as you will likely receive increasingly compliments form everywhere even when uttering some simple common place truth.

As soon as you will come around to crystallize your ideas on paper likely in book form you will have numerous zealots viewing and adhering to your ideas the same way it happened to the author of some yellow book.

But it is definitely great fun to see you story slowly unfolding, for all to see, especially in contrast to the closed shop operation in some corners yet also taking inspiration from a common source.

 

[langer]

1. Lack of (or poor) training in what to teach.

This includes lack of PLACES to go, BOOKS to read, VIDEOS to watch, that show a real "what to teach method" presented as such, or worth a lick.
​

2. Lack of (or poor) training in how to teach.

This includes lack of PLACES to go, BOOKS to read, VIDEOS to watch, that show a real "how to teach method" presented as such, or worth a lick.​

3. No clue of what a good lesson really is.

This includes lack of PLACES to go—or VIDEOS to watch—to SEE a top-level teacher alppy their craft. And the lack of the existance of those teachers.
​

Come on Brian, put pen to paper and kill the opposition

 

[Michael Jacobs]

Brian,

Refreshing and candid your remarks. You will definitely need your continuous critical self appraisal as you will likely receive increasingly compliments form everywhere even when uttering some simple common place truth.

As soon as you will come around to crystallize your ideas on paper likely in book form you will have numerous zealots viewing and adhering to your ideas the same way it happened to the author of some yellow book.

But it is definitely great fun to see you story slowly unfolding, for all to see, especially in contrast to the closed shop operation in some corners yet also taking inspiration from a common source.

Mandrin,
Great Post

 

[HowardK]

the train

GET READY BOYS AND GIRLS....."THE TRAIN IS LEAVING THE STATION"

 

[Steve Khatib]

Brian, Just said it like it is.
He could have been harsher and named names etc. but its not about that anymore(we are professionals).

 

[Kevin Shields]

Brian Manzella'a 3 Culprits of Teachers who will never be the very best.

1. Lack of physical golf ability.

If you can't go out to the range and make different kinds of swings to research other methods, and for your own research—you will always be way behind those who can.
​

2. Blind Allegiance to anything, or anyone.

If you think YOU are right, but you won't listen to others. If you won't self-evaluate everyday, if you think some BOOK, METHOS or TEACHER knows all—you have no chance, because you, they, or IT, will be proven wrong one day.
​

3. Not having students hitting it better and player better directly tied to you bottom line.

Most of time, if you are a decent teacher, you wind up with a decent positon, which affords you an UNLIMITED or near unlimited supply. This "lack of competition will doom you into thinking you are WAY BETTER than you are. It will also fool others, and you'll listen to the hype and you really believe it then.
​

I seem to be in the minority, but i think #1 is huge.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Vocal Minority

I seem to be in the minority, but i think #1 is huge.

That's why I made it #1.

There are lots of teachers teaching goofy stuff 'cause they can't test it themselves.

And a lot of 'em don't video themselves, and THINK they are doing something.

People ask me all the time how to tell a good teacher from a bad one...

I think that is another "3."

 

[Brian Manzella]

Brian Manzella's 3 ways to tell a poor teacher from a good one

1. Can't pose anything that looks like:

a. What you are doing.
b. What a top Tour player looks like.

It helps a bunch if they can demonstrate the above. But if they can't even pose it, how in the world are they going to get you to do it?
​

2. Can't teach groups to all look like they are learning something.

A good teacher can hold a group's attention, and get them to learn something "by remote control."

EVERY teacher should be able to put a student in a position they want the student to do, but if you really OWN the material, you can get multiple students to do it, without laying a hand on them.
​

3. Can't teach brand new juniors or ladies to make a decent swing in short order.

Young juniors aren't impressed by your facility, you title, your awards, Top 100 lists, or even line drawing programs. So, you have to get their attention by getting to their level, and making it fun. Plus, the AMOUNT of information is CRITICAL. Too much and they want to pick flowers, too little and they'll hurt somebody.

Ladies who haven't play any sports, or none for a long while, are a whole differnt animal. They aren't impressed easily either, but want loads of info. You have to dish it out in ways that SEEM like a lot, but are ONLY ENOUGH. They also have to be taught to make contact, and that is no easy feat.
​

You can fake a lot of thing in teaching, but these three are un-fakeable!

 

[Kevin Shields]

Brian, any advice on info to juniors (10 -13) as well as making it fun for them. I think i am lacking in this area.

 

[Steve Khatib]

So True Brian!
Sounds like my daily 'Blood Money.'

What did Michael Jacobs say: Us golf instructors deserve to earn more than the attorney's at NYC dury duty for what we do!(dont quote me exactly on that one)

I mean the multiple patterns and teaching tricks you require to help real golfers is amazing.