DVD & Web Video:The Soft Draw Pattern 1.0 -w/Reviews

[Dustin]

Great video Brian...Looks like a very easy pattern to take to the range and work on. I have used a very similar take away action before with a lot of success, but always wondered if it was ok having my right side that much higher than left. Looking foward to more Manzella Matrix videos. Is a SHORT GAME specific video in the works?

Thanks! ~Dustin

 

[ColinMB]

Brian, thanks for the quick response.

Taking notes and watching the video a few times lead me to one (almost) immediate realization. I have been fighting taking away to the inside, and trying to stand taller to emulate a more... 2 plane position (Is that a swear word here?)

In your video it becomes apparent that your setup requires a more bent over position that actually fits me more naturally, and I have been actually fighting -against- for a year. In relation to shoulders, I have also fought to keep them more parallel to the ground than is apparently necessary to pull of the Soft Draw pattern.

That positioning is something that just struck me as I watched. Probably nothing that most people really bother with, but it was a very enlightening moment for me.

 

[HOT CHILLI]

Another Classic...

Thank you Brian Manzella!

 

[Brian Manzella]

Brian,

Aim one yard to the right...what is the prefered ball position.

Good Question.

I wanted to slightly vague on the ball position in the video, because most people can't aim one yard to the right and get their ball position correct as well.

But...

It should be JUST LEFT OF MIDDLE for the 5-iron down, slightly inside the left heel for the driver, and in between those for long irons, hybrid and fairway woods down to 15°. A 13° 3-wood needs to be slightly lefter.

THIS IS FOR THE SOFT DRAW PATTERN!!!

 

[tongzilla]

Good Question.

I wanted to slightly vague on the ball position in the video, because most people can't aim one yard to the right and get their ball position correct as well.

But...

It should be JUST LEFT OF MIDDLE for the 5-iron down, slightly inside the left heel for the driver, and in between those for long irons, hybrid and fairway woods down to 15°. A 13° 3-wood needs to be slightly lefter.

THIS IS FOR THE SOFT DRAW PATTERN!!!

wow, just left of middle for a 5 iron. I will be hitting it pretty low, unless my stance is really wide. If you put it just left of middle for a 5 iron, that implies short irons will be in the middle, something that I never do.

 

[curtisj76]

YIKES!!!!!!!! I was still playing almost every ball just an inch or so off my left heel today. Is that why I pulled some balls today with my mid/short irons?????????? Thanks

 

[Brian Manzella]

wow, just left of middle for a 5 iron. I will be hitting it pretty low, unless my stance is really wide. If you put it just left of middle for a 5 iron, that implies short irons will be in the middle, something that I never do.

Leo...I never said that, and never will.

I said LEFT OF MIDDLE for 5-iron DOWN (meaning 6,7,8,9,P,G,S,L)

I get it.

You want exact.

Ok.

I want the ball further back than you would for a straight ball.

Why?

Because I am MANIPULATING THE D PLANE with the ball position.

You could do the same with a MORE FORWARD ball position and a more right -ward aim.

Get it?

 

[BurnItUp]

At what stage in the backswing does the butt of the club leave the original shaft plane line?

 

[Brian Manzella]

At what stage in the backswing does the butt of the club leave the original shaft plane line?

Pretty darn early if you turn early.

 

[Bigwill]

Leo...I never said that, and never will.

I said LEFT OF MIDDLE for 5-iron DOWN (meaning 6,7,8,9,P,G,S,L)

I get it.

You want exact.

Ok.

I want the ball further back than you would for a straight ball.

Why?

Because I am MANIPULATING THE D PLANE with the ball position.

You could do the same with a MORE FORWARD ball position and a more right -ward aim.

Get it?

What's the D plane?

(If you explain it in the Soft Draw vid, then I can wait 'til I get it)

 

[Brian Manzella]

What's the D plane?

(If you explain it in the Soft Draw vid, then I can wait 'til I get it)

I am working on a D plane project...top secret.

Until then, it is simply the plane formed by these three points:

1. The ball

2. Where in space the clubface points (like a laser coming out of a lie angle tool)

3. Where in space the TRUE PATH of the clubhead points (this includes the downward or upward & the outward, targetward, or inward amounts)

 

[BurnItUp]

I thought you said that you want to keep the butt of the club the same distance from the body during the early stages of the backswing to avoid pop out later on in the swing?

I am trying to keep the entire shaft on the original shaft plane line until it reaches the first parallel, is this a good idea?

 

[lookingtolearn]

I thought you said that you want to keep the butt of the club the same distance from the body during the early stages of the backswing to avoid pop out later on in the swing?

I am trying to keep the entire shaft on the original shaft plane line until it reaches the first parallel, is this a good idea?

I wouldn't worry about the original shaft plane line, but maybe that's just me.
All you really want to do is keep the butt of the club the same distance from your belt to avoid the pop out.
Since you turn your hips, this will "pull the club in" and will actually be below the plane you want to come down on (since your hips will be more open at that point), and the club will point out to the right more. The earlier you turn, the more the club will point out to the right because the club is basically following your hips.

 

[bbftx]

I am working on a D plane project...top secret.

Until then, it is simply the plane formed by these three points:

1. The ball

2. Where in space the clubface points (like a laser coming out of a lie angle tool)

3. Where in space the TRUE PATH of the clubhead points (this includes the downward or upward & the outward, targetward, or inward amounts)

Bigwill,
The D-Plane idea is described by Ted Jorgenson in the Physics of Golf. So, if you have access to that book, you can read a little more about what Brian is describing. There's an interesting follow-up paper by Sato and Miura in the Proceedings of the 1998 World Scientific Congress of Golf regarding of the "initial trajectory plane after ball impact." I'm guessing Brian may be expanding or extending on this concept (and making it somewhat more practical to using a golf club than the scientific papers, which are full of greek letters and trig functions.)

 

[earlymann]

Brian, the chapter on toss brought back memories of my junior college baseball playing days at short. That sidearm toss/release when turning two...best feeling in the world.

 

[fronesis]

Could someone help a newer mac user with downloading the video (mac/quicktime version). I paid, got the email, can stream it, but when I ctrl click (right click) there are no options to save unless I have bought quicktime pro (do I need to have pro to save to my harddrive?). I'm probably missing something, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Lefty, did you get this sorted?

2 options:

1. Jim was correct: if you are using Apple's Mail, you can right-click in the message and download it directly.

2. Load the streaming clip in a browser that is NOT safari; you should be able to do a save as from the file menu. (Safari won't let you.)

3. Quicktime Pro is also an option, but it is DEFINITELY NOT necessary at all.

 

[KOC]

Good Question.

I wanted to slightly vague on the ball position in the video, because most people can't aim one yard to the right and get their ball position correct as well.

But...

It should be JUST LEFT OF MIDDLE for the 5-iron down, slightly inside the left heel for the driver, and in between those for long irons, hybrid and fairway woods down to 15°. A 13° 3-wood needs to be slightly lefter.

THIS IS FOR THE SOFT DRAW PATTERN!!!

Thanks for the reply. Not easy to hit with mid-iron in this SOFT DRAW PATTERN if the ball just placed inside the left heel.

 

[tongzilla]

Leo...I never said that, and never will.

I said LEFT OF MIDDLE for 5-iron DOWN (meaning 6,7,8,9,P,G,S,L)

I get it.

You want exact.

Ok.

I want the ball further back than you would for a straight ball.

Why?

Because I am MANIPULATING THE D PLANE with the ball position.

You could do the same with a MORE FORWARD ball position and a more right -ward aim.

Get it?

yes get it get it! Sorry, I missed the "down" bit reading in a rush. Thanks again Brian

 

[self-mastery]

I suppose I should buy this video just for the heck of it? I can hit a draw all day long.

 

[fronesis]

I suppose I should buy this video just for the heck of it? I can hit a draw all day long.

I would say this: the 'soft' draw is not baloney or marketing hype. I can hit a draw all day long also (well, sometimes not with the driver, but with every other club in my bag), but this pattern creates a ball flight that's different from the draws I usually hit. Rather than turning left (and sometimes turning left hard) from the way I usually draw it, in the SD 1.0 pattern the ball turns over...softly. Slightly higher ball flight as well.