DVD & Web Video:The Soft Draw Pattern 1.0 -w/Reviews
- Thread starter Brian Manzella
- Start date
- Status
Brian,
A great video! More of an old school swing. It looks like you have a lot of Jimmy Ballard stuff in there. Steeper shoulders, right arm above left, toss the club at the target. Even the pivot is somewhat similar. Am I analyzing that correctly? I grew up using the Ballard model, but have switched more to a hitting pattern. My old swing used to look more like your soft draw, but for me, it became a hook pattern. I went to the range today and used the soft draw pattern. Man, was it easy to get that draw and it was effortless. With my hitting swing, I can't draw it at all (that was why I switched). However, with your adjustments, I was hitting that perfect soft draw with even the short irons. Great feeling- I may have to go back! Thank you!
Mike
A great video! More of an old school swing. It looks like you have a lot of Jimmy Ballard stuff in there. Steeper shoulders, right arm above left, toss the club at the target. Even the pivot is somewhat similar. Am I analyzing that correctly? I grew up using the Ballard model, but have switched more to a hitting pattern. My old swing used to look more like your soft draw, but for me, it became a hook pattern. I went to the range today and used the soft draw pattern. Man, was it easy to get that draw and it was effortless. With my hitting swing, I can't draw it at all (that was why I switched). However, with your adjustments, I was hitting that perfect soft draw with even the short irons. Great feeling- I may have to go back! Thank you!
Mike
self-mastery
New
I suspected that it would look like this. I can't wait to take a look for myself! I've been tinkering with a lot of JB ideas for the last few months... I have a blog bookmark where a JB disciple claims that Jack Grout originally taught Jack N a similar pattern.
Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
The big difference is that Ballard wants ALL of your weight on the right side at the end of the backswing, he believes you should be able to lift your left leg and hold it there. Brian doesn't think that in a proper pivot your left foot should stay up.
Also, Ballard likes a big outside takeaway...or a lot of "popout". Brian wants it more inside.
There is a bit of a difference in the "toss" as well. Ballard wanted a "hit from the top". Brian still wants you to get into a nice pitch position. Ballard also wanted dead level shoulders at impact. Brian wants the left shoulder much higher at impact.
I really don't see a whole lot of Ballard in this pattern. Maybe some setup influences, but that would be about it.
Also, Ballard likes a big outside takeaway...or a lot of "popout". Brian wants it more inside.
There is a bit of a difference in the "toss" as well. Ballard wanted a "hit from the top". Brian still wants you to get into a nice pitch position. Ballard also wanted dead level shoulders at impact. Brian wants the left shoulder much higher at impact.
I really don't see a whole lot of Ballard in this pattern. Maybe some setup influences, but that would be about it.
self-mastery
New
After watching it, I don't see much Ballard in it.
Brilliant video Brian.
I see several elements that I have used in there, and some fixes that might help me.
LO CHO had a soft draw pattern that she altered to play a fade. Spot on about Nicklaus.
4 stars- You move on to the semi-finals.
Brilliant video Brian.
I see several elements that I have used in there, and some fixes that might help me.
LO CHO had a soft draw pattern that she altered to play a fade. Spot on about Nicklaus.
4 stars- You move on to the semi-finals.
Was watching Lorena on the golf channel and she does looks like she uses some of this pattern. After watching soft draw again, the only Ballard stuff would be the toss and the steeper shoulder turn. Ballard does talk about the right arm being above the left in the takeaway, but Brian's pattern is more of an inside take away. The finish and "one more point" is similar to Ballard's elbows down.
I think Brian's pattern is much better- more power , better pivot, and better impact position. I grew up learning Ballard's method and could never get much power on shots. With Brain's pattern, the shots are long and powerful.
Brain- were you influenced by Ballard at all with this pattern?
Mike
I think Brian's pattern is much better- more power , better pivot, and better impact position. I grew up learning Ballard's method and could never get much power on shots. With Brain's pattern, the shots are long and powerful.
Brain- were you influenced by Ballard at all with this pattern?
Mike
Michael Jacobs
Super Moderator
World Class Video
Brian,
Great job on the Soft Draw video....
Your videos are getting better and better - the information appears to be simplier and simplier yet we all know it comes from complex research and experience.
Forum members - this video is a must see --- the sequence chapter with the back and forth swings and the foot action is so important to get a clear understanding of ---
Great Video!
Your Pal,
MJ
Brian,
Great job on the Soft Draw video....
Your videos are getting better and better - the information appears to be simplier and simplier yet we all know it comes from complex research and experience.
Forum members - this video is a must see --- the sequence chapter with the back and forth swings and the foot action is so important to get a clear understanding of ---
Great Video!
Your Pal,
MJ
birdie_man
New
I've tried to swing like this in the past and hit way too many shanks for some reason.
Remove across the line and bent left wrist and I am fine.
This swing I don't think is for me but as usual the video is very well done, explained well and understandable, etc.
It helped me understand the Goosens, Ochoas.....
...Carlos Francos?
...
BTW Daly is similar but with a flatter shoulder turn right?
Remove across the line and bent left wrist and I am fine.
This swing I don't think is for me but as usual the video is very well done, explained well and understandable, etc.
It helped me understand the Goosens, Ochoas.....
...Carlos Francos?
...
BTW Daly is similar but with a flatter shoulder turn right?
Last edited:
ColinMB
New
This video just didn't work for me. I can't tell you why, it simply didn't. I had to go back to my swing style for fear of implanting this slicing action the video caused me.
Don't get me wrong, I am -sincerely- glad you guys got something out of it. I just wanted to be honest in my appraisal.
I managed to shake my slice and put on a more normal draw action when I simply keep my back to the target longer. It was scary for bit though.
Don't get me wrong, I am -sincerely- glad you guys got something out of it. I just wanted to be honest in my appraisal.
I managed to shake my slice and put on a more normal draw action when I simply keep my back to the target longer. It was scary for bit though.
birdie_man
New
Also...
You are advocating to play the ball just forward of middle because you can't swing as left from there (your body gets in the way, per-se?).....?????
.....eeek.......correct???
You are advocating to play the ball just forward of middle because you can't swing as left from there (your body gets in the way, per-se?).....?????
.....eeek.......correct???
Last edited:
Colin, given your previous posts here, and then these comments, I wonder if perhaps you haven't yet completely 'fixed the clubface'. You therefore need to swing a bit left to get the clubface closed. SD 1.0 will make you swing to the right - for many, probably more than they ever have in their life, and if you do that with an open clubface, you'll definitely slice it.
I'd say keeping working on clubface control (through NSA and flipper etc.) and after a time you may find you want to come back to SD 1.0.
Thoughts on SD 1.0 vis-a-vis NSA 2.0
Now that I've seen the video 3 times and played two rounds (and read the threads here), I had a few thoughts to share as someone coming from 'the left side of the matrix'. My main conclusions are this:
What I mean by this last point is the following.
If you're one of those 85% of golfers who is some form of slicer, then NSA teaches you some somewhat unorthodox ways to fix the clubface. Learning clubface control is a revelation for the slicer, and let's you control the ball and compress it like you never have before. It also lets you hit the ball left (even way left) for the first time in your life (just do a full twistaway and a full roll to wedding ring up and you can hit it WAY left).
But NSA doesn't worry much about path. SD 1.0 on the other hand isn't trying to teach you how to hit it LEFT - you can do that with NSA - but how to hit a repeatable, nice, soft little draw. But to do this it teaches you how to change your path, to shift your plane and swing just a little bit right. (And the brilliance is that Brian teaches you this without ever talking about path and plane; the backswing + javelin + toss do this for you.)
For folks who hook the ball, this will seem like falling off a log, but for someone coming from the left side of the matrix it's actually very radical to swing right for the first time in your life. And it's hard to commit to swing that far right. ColinMB mentions slicing the ball, and birdie_man mentions shanking it, both with this pattern. And I understand what they are talking about: if you swing right and don't commit to adding the right hand necessary to complete the toss, you can do both of these.
But if you CAN control the clubface, then learning to swing a bit right is a bit revolutionary. I hit a few of the best shots of my life today: strong, penetrating, powerful draws. My own problematic issues with the patter involve the need to commit to swinging right. With the driver I have a tendency to NOT keep the right elbow above the left and then getting underplane; from there I can either leave it right, or use a lot of right hand to square the clubface and hook it badly (these two options mean I can really spray the driver - since the first miss is 15 yards right and the second is 25 yards left!). With irons I find it important to keep proper distance from the ball (not get too close) and proper ball position (not up to far); if I don't do those things I can get myself in a position where I flip it (and hit it fat) in order NOT to *ha#k it.
But I'm more than willing to work on these things, because the results are so impressive. To ingrain this pattern will take some time - as I've only been swinging left for 25 years! - but I think it will be well worth it.
So, to finally shut up, I think SD 1.0 is the pattern for me, and I think it's a brilliant pattern overall and for many people. Great work Brian!!! But I also think it's important to stress that the move from NSA to SD is not completely simple or straightforward - some former slicers may need to keep working on the clubface control of NSA before they try to move toward the centre of the matrix. And, obviously, the folks who are already resident on the right side of the matrix should keep up the pressure on Brian to shoot Soft Fade 1.0 (that's my vote as well!).
Thanks again, Brian!
Now that I've seen the video 3 times and played two rounds (and read the threads here), I had a few thoughts to share as someone coming from 'the left side of the matrix'. My main conclusions are this:
- SD 1.0 is a brilliant pattern, and Brian teaches it with even more clarity and simplicity
- SD 1.0 is also, as Brian says, a more orthodox, center of the matrix pattern, that will have you making beautiful swings
- The pattern produces a very powerful, high, soft draw ballflight
- Nonetheless, despite being more 'orthodox' in almost all respects, for someone moving from NSA to SD, the SD 1.0 pattern actually involves some more radical swing changes.
What I mean by this last point is the following.
If you're one of those 85% of golfers who is some form of slicer, then NSA teaches you some somewhat unorthodox ways to fix the clubface. Learning clubface control is a revelation for the slicer, and let's you control the ball and compress it like you never have before. It also lets you hit the ball left (even way left) for the first time in your life (just do a full twistaway and a full roll to wedding ring up and you can hit it WAY left).
But NSA doesn't worry much about path. SD 1.0 on the other hand isn't trying to teach you how to hit it LEFT - you can do that with NSA - but how to hit a repeatable, nice, soft little draw. But to do this it teaches you how to change your path, to shift your plane and swing just a little bit right. (And the brilliance is that Brian teaches you this without ever talking about path and plane; the backswing + javelin + toss do this for you.)
For folks who hook the ball, this will seem like falling off a log, but for someone coming from the left side of the matrix it's actually very radical to swing right for the first time in your life. And it's hard to commit to swing that far right. ColinMB mentions slicing the ball, and birdie_man mentions shanking it, both with this pattern. And I understand what they are talking about: if you swing right and don't commit to adding the right hand necessary to complete the toss, you can do both of these.
But if you CAN control the clubface, then learning to swing a bit right is a bit revolutionary. I hit a few of the best shots of my life today: strong, penetrating, powerful draws. My own problematic issues with the patter involve the need to commit to swinging right. With the driver I have a tendency to NOT keep the right elbow above the left and then getting underplane; from there I can either leave it right, or use a lot of right hand to square the clubface and hook it badly (these two options mean I can really spray the driver - since the first miss is 15 yards right and the second is 25 yards left!). With irons I find it important to keep proper distance from the ball (not get too close) and proper ball position (not up to far); if I don't do those things I can get myself in a position where I flip it (and hit it fat) in order NOT to *ha#k it.
But I'm more than willing to work on these things, because the results are so impressive. To ingrain this pattern will take some time - as I've only been swinging left for 25 years! - but I think it will be well worth it.
So, to finally shut up, I think SD 1.0 is the pattern for me, and I think it's a brilliant pattern overall and for many people. Great work Brian!!! But I also think it's important to stress that the move from NSA to SD is not completely simple or straightforward - some former slicers may need to keep working on the clubface control of NSA before they try to move toward the centre of the matrix. And, obviously, the folks who are already resident on the right side of the matrix should keep up the pressure on Brian to shoot Soft Fade 1.0 (that's my vote as well!).
Thanks again, Brian!
mew09golfer
New
SOFT DRAW
I am getting alot out of this video.
Specifically, for me the video gives specific information on what to do with the right arm.
The circular routing of the take-away with the hands remaining a fixed distance from my belt is key. Moreover, the right elbow above left elbow fixes my take-away path. Together, these help me getting the hands in the right position at the top. Lastly, the toss (without too much right hand under) utilizing the underhand javelin toss is very helpful in getting to impact with my hands in front of the ball.
Many thanks to Brian.
I am getting alot out of this video.
Specifically, for me the video gives specific information on what to do with the right arm.
The circular routing of the take-away with the hands remaining a fixed distance from my belt is key. Moreover, the right elbow above left elbow fixes my take-away path. Together, these help me getting the hands in the right position at the top. Lastly, the toss (without too much right hand under) utilizing the underhand javelin toss is very helpful in getting to impact with my hands in front of the ball.
Many thanks to Brian.
ColinMB
New
You know I have asked the question a few times on ball flight. The question I ask is: -If the ball starts straight (driver/irons, but more pronounced with driver) and THEN goes right about a third, to halfway through ball flight.... Is that a result of an open face, or over the top?
My ball flight with the SD pattern starts straight, and fades in the manner I describe above.
At any rate, yes I agree I am going back to NSA and putting SD away for a while.
My ball flight with the SD pattern starts straight, and fades in the manner I describe above.
At any rate, yes I agree I am going back to NSA and putting SD away for a while.
Lisa Manzella
Manzella Golf Academy BrianManzella.com Administra
If you've ordered the video, but have not received the download instructions ....
If you haven't received your download instructions within 24 hours, please send us an email at brianmanzella@mac.com. We are experiencing some issues with PayPal not notifying us of purchases. Typically, once an order is placed, expect to receive an email within a few hours, if we receive PayPal notification.
If you haven't received your download instructions within 24 hours, please send us an email at brianmanzella@mac.com. We are experiencing some issues with PayPal not notifying us of purchases. Typically, once an order is placed, expect to receive an email within a few hours, if we receive PayPal notification.
lookingtolearn
New
A ball that starts straight and curves right means that the clubface was "straight" at separation but the path was left of that.
- Status