Hitting better without the pivot...help?

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Matt10

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As the title states, I'm striking the ball better and more accurate without using the pivot. All I have been focusing on was maintaining the twistaway and 'throwing' the javelin (sp?) or pretending there is that plane board on my downswing that I have to miss. (from Confessions video).

My problem is that I feel I'm losing alot of distance when I don't use the pivot - but when I try to do the pivot, my shots are erratic...from fat shots, to thin to shanks - just ugly.

Can someone please post a quick step by step or reference on how to pivot correctly?
 
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Brian Manzella

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Theory.....and fact.

"If you tell some folks to just 'take their hands to spot A on the backswing, and aim it at spot X on the ground and finish at spot B,' they will pivot perfectly."

That's what some teachers—and their followers—think.

Well, I have taught golf to thousands and thousands of students, and I can tell you, the percentage of golfers who would pivot perfectly thinking just hands is VERY, VERY, VERY small.

I'd venture a guess at about 5-10% of golfers.

Whoa! That's not good enough on my lesson tee.

I watched TWO DIFFERENT guys who are well known "just do the hands and they'll pivot perfectly" teachers, give lessons to two separtate inflexible novice golfers.

It was PURE-D junk!

Now, if you told Tiger to do it, I am sure he would STILL PIVOT!!!

I am soooooo tired of this NON-arguement.

There is a TGM Summit every year. If you think you can out teach me with that crap, bring your money and we'll have a teach off with some "regular golfers" for all the cash, and have the attendees judge.

I'll bury you—and the goofy idea that that will work for all golfers—right then and there.
 
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Brian Manzella

Administrator
No problem.

Matt10 said:
...please post a quick step by step or reference on how to pivot correctly?
Click to expand...

At address, bend over from the hips enough so you can reach the ball with little or no knee bend, and still can reach past your shirt seam with your left hand (not with a club).

With the butt of the club pointing as near to your belt buckle as you can, use your stomach muscles to move the grip end of the club in the takeaway, as if the head and was stuck in the ground. Use your hands to reach for the spot you want to hit at the the top, pulling all the slack out of your body, all the way down to your left foot.

From the top, start down by using the ground to stretch all the pinch-able fat and skin from the left side of your torso. Make a motion that would throw your arms right off off your body if you had detachable arms like a Mannequin. These arms should hit the ground near the target line just ahead of the ball. RESIST moving the "bowtie" area forward. Stay as bent over as you can and finish with your hands as far from your left ear as you can.

:cool:
 
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djm

New
I'm not sure what "start down by using the ground to stretch all the pinch-able fat and skin from the left side of your torso" means, but other than that, I think you've just summarized about 80% of the golf swing in three short paragraphs. Well said.
 
tongzilla

tongzilla

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djm said:
I'm not sure what "start down by using the ground to stretch all the pinch-able fat and skin from the left side of your torso"
Click to expand...
In order to stretch the left side you must get your right shoulder down and left shoulder up. If you stand straight up with feet shoulder width apart and hands by your sides, then slide your right hand down your right thigh so it gets closer to your right foot, that would produce the above description.
 
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Wolfman

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Money, money and more

"At address, bend over from the hips enough so you can reach the ball with little or no knee bend, and still can reach past your shirt seam with your left hand (not with a club)."

For me, this eliminates fat AND toe hits. I had forgotten this and was really struggling with those 2 problems for weeks.

"Make a motion that would throw your arms right off off your body if you had detachable arms like a Mannequin. These arms should hit the ground near the target line just ahead of the ball."

You will hit your driver 20 yards farther with this move, AND you won't have to swing as hard.

It really is as simple as the MAN says it is. Your coconut just has to digest it first.
 
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Matt10

New
Thanks for the response guys.

I'll have to work on the steps - it makes a lot more sense at the moment, but I'll have to hit some balls first.

You know what would be great - if someone could post what would be the bad shots if I performed the step by step above incorrectly? Like, if I hit a fat shot - it could be because I was using too much arms or something...

Would be a great checklist when I hit the range.

btw...anyone wanna post pictures? that'dbe great too :)
 
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Michael Jacobs

Michael Jacobs

Super Moderator
How about a YouTube Manzella Academy video --- On Long Island, Starring Brian Manzella and Michael Jacobs -- discussing how to pivot - why the pivot - what the hands do and what they control --- a video that defines it all!!!!!!! Oh and yeah, how about a guest apperance from Ben Doyle
 
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Leek

New
Brian Manzella said:
At address, bend over from the hips enough so you can reach the ball with little or no knee bend, and still can reach past your shirt seam with your left hand (not with a club).

With the butt of the club pointing as near to your belt buckle as you can, use your stomach muscles to move the grip end of the club in the takeaway, as if the head and was stuck in the ground. Use your hands to reach for the spot you want to hit at the the top, pulling all the slack out of your body, all the way down to your left foot.

From the top, start down by using the ground to stretch all the pinch-able fat and skin from the left side of your torso. Make a motion that would throw your arms right off off your body if you had detachable arms like a Mannequin. These arms should hit the ground near the target line just ahead of the ball. RESIST moving the "bowtie" area forward. Stay as bent over as you can and finish with your hands as far from your left ear as you can.

:cool:
Click to expand...

Hey Brian, when I do this, I leave the ball way right (open clubface!), and hit a deadly push. Does this mean still too much axis tilt?
 
tbarbertab

tbarbertab

New
xplosivegolf said:
How about a YouTube Manzella Academy video --- On Long Island, Starring Brian Manzella and Michael Jacobs -- discussing how to pivot - why the pivot - what the hands do and what they control --- a video that defines it all!!!!!!! Oh and yeah, how about a guest apperance from Ben Doyle
Click to expand...

Now that's a great idea!!
 
tongzilla

tongzilla

New
Hmmm...

Brian Manzella said:
Believe it or not, the more DYNAMIC your pivot, the MORE twistwaway on the downswing you need!
Click to expand...

Let me try to guess why. The more dynamic your pivot, the more you tend to float load the shaft which tends to get you under the sweetspot and bend your left wrist.

But I have to see there are some very good players who have the ability to somehow square the face up and get back on the sweetspot during release.
 
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daniell

New
Hi Brian,

When you said 'stretch all the pinch-able fat and skin from the left side of your torso', this probably gives a maximum axis tilt.

Is it possible to have too much axis tilt? How do we know how much axis tilt is too much for each club and intended ball flight? Is Axis Tilt and ball flight corelated?

Apologise if I am asking too many questions.

thanks,

daniel
 
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