"The Release" comes to life.....

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Brian Manzella

Administrator
I attended the annual GBN (nee AMF) Summit this past Sunday-Wednesday.

I was happy to see many of the teachers tell me they have seen the release thread.

One of them (only half) joked that "I see y'all are teach a "flip" now.

I spent my usual few hours explaining the newest stuff to many pros.



We do not teach a flip.


We do not teach throwaway.


We do not teach folks "the release" in every lesson.



But, I digress....



Here are the swings of two long time forum members, Mike Granato and one of our moderators, Jared Willerson.

They got similar lessons from me yesterday outside Atlanta that they could explain in child-like terms better than me.

The two swings below were both PGA Tour quality shots with near perfect TrackMan numbers.


<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/30172400?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="700" height="394" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
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birly-shirly

New
Nice. Looks like very deliberate "carry" in both. Was that part of the lesson - or just what both players brought with them?

It's hard to see, was Jared hitting from a tee? If so, is that part of the early learning process?
 
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Keefer

New
Never was a handle dragger so the release looks like something I've always done. However, the more I look at good player's swings the more I'm convinced that a majority play with a closed (much less open on the backswing) clubface. The second guy with the iron has the clubface at least at a 30* closed face at the parallel half way back point and the face looks more closed at the top.

Even Brian Manzella's swing is a closed face swing (much less open) IMO. When I say closed I mean the face is much less than 90* opened up (toe up) at the parallel to the ground point in the backswing.

What keeps these closed face players from hooking the ball? I would think this new flick release would aid in a hook even more. I've incorporated a less forearm rotation takeaway (more closed face) myself recently and find I have a more consistent strike. It must put your wrists in a better position I assume.
 
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Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
birly-shirly said:
Nice. Looks like very deliberate "carry" in both. Was that part of the lesson - or just what both players brought with them?

It's hard to see, was Jared hitting from a tee? If so, is that part of the early learning process?
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We both brought a bit of carry with us. I was not hitting from a tee.
 
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Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
Yesterday was a blast. It was fun to meet other forum members and learn a lot about "The Release"

I was such a handle dragger that the regular "toss" didn't even get me there. I had to "up toss". It made all the difference.

The stories, the knowledge, the good golf swings...I slept well last night.
 
mgranato

mgranato

New
What does an 8' step ladder, an egg crate, a basketball shot, a tall fat guy holding a club pretending he's a basketball hoop, a Casio, a Trackman, an Italian, a Willerson, and 2 Granatos equal? The best, funnest, learningest 4 hours I've had with the game!

There is a serious level of addiction during and post lesson that's hard to describe if you haven't experienced it for yourself. When the shots are pure, the numbers are improving, and the little light bulb over your head is burning bright - you don't want to put the clubs back in the car.

The 3 lessons I saw just happen to be pretty similar in content. I don't recall any talk about the backswing, or about face angles in the backswing. The 4 hours consisted of genius ways to get each player to feel (in different ways) what part of the "new release" they were missing. It was almost too simple. It seemed the hardest part was convincing our brains to remove some of the unnecessary movement starting down.

Nothing at all about what I was feeling looked anything like the swing captured by the camera. For years, a big part of my training in basketball was to develop a quick fire release and take the shot as soon as it came open (the latter part usually being optional). The problem was, that’s kinda how I treated the transition. Getting a sense of the “body/chest” doing nothing while the clubhead got a head start was HUGE in my lesson. MJ told me that's what needed to happen, but what I felt was right prior to yesterday was not even close to what was actually the right feel. It was the first time I think I’ve ever felt speed at the bottom without a lot of force from the top.

Don’t even get me started on the wedge shots and “into heavy wind” shots!:):):)
 
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niblick1

New
mgranato said:
What does an 8' step ladder, an egg crate, a basketball shot, a tall fat guy holding a club pretending he's a basketball hoop, a Casio, a Trackman, an Italian, a Willerson, and 2 Granatos equal? The best, funnest, learningest 4 hours I've had with the game!

There is a serious level of addiction during and post lesson that's hard to describe if you haven't experienced it for yourself. When the shots are pure, the numbers are improving, and the little light bulb over your head is burning bright - you don't want to put the clubs back in the car.

The 3 lessons I saw just happen to be pretty similar in content. I don't recall any talk about the backswing, or about face angles in the backswing. The 4 hours consisted of genius ways to get each player to feel (in different ways) what part of the "new release" they were missing. It was almost too simple. It seemed the hardest part was convincing our brains to remove some of the unnecessary movement starting down.

Nothing at all about what I was feeling looked anything like the swing captured by the camera. For years, a big part of my training in basketball was to develop a quick fire release and take the shot as soon as it came open (the latter part usually being optional). The problem was, that’s kinda how I treated the transition. Getting a sense of the “body/chest” doing nothing while the clubhead got a head start was HUGE in my lesson. MJ told me that's what needed to happen, but what I felt was right prior to yesterday was not even close to what was actually the right feel. It was the first time I think I’ve ever felt speed at the bottom without a lot of force from the top.

Don’t even get me started on the wedge shots and “into heavy wind” shots!:):):)
Click to expand...

I was in the early shift yesterday, and it was great fun, with lightbulbs going off the entire lesson for me. And the italian guy running around between the little orange friend, a plane board, a camera, and at one point having to grab me to stop my pivot from ruining my pitch shots. I have been making huge progress from being a handle-dragging, force across the shaft, pivot overpowering the swing guy ever since The Thread started, but yesterday rocketed me forward. The little orange friend doesn't lie!

My calves haven't hurt so much (from working on my jump in my swing) since playing the days of playing hoops on the blacktop 35 years ago (sadly my vertical leap is down from about 8 inches to 3 inches...). Mgranato - sorry you missed out on lunch; Jared - nice to meet you in person.

And a very big thanks to Brian.
 
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carland

New
mgranato said:
It seemed the hardest part was convincing our brains to remove some of the unnecessary movement starting down . . . Getting a sense of the “body/chest” doing nothing while the clubhead got a head start was HUGE in my lesson. MJ told me that's what needed to happen, but what I felt was right prior to yesterday was not even close to what was actually the right feel.
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Thanks for the explanation. The more suggestions for performing the "release" the right way the better.
 
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joec

New
i think mgranato made a key statement about his lesson. the real feel was not at all like he had thought, and i think he knows alot about the golf swing. we on the net think we understand, but it is a high possibility that we do not. go see someone who can see you in person, and explain in full how you should perform the release. i do not think brian is going to tell you everything he knows. why should he? he has spent his time and money gaining the knowledge. now it is our turn to pay the fiddler.
 
mgranato

mgranato

New
niblick1 said:
I was in the early shift yesterday, and it was great fun, with lightbulbs going off the entire lesson for me. And the italian guy running around between the little orange friend, a plane board, a camera, and at one point having to grab me to stop my pivot from ruining my pitch shots. I have been making huge progress from being a handle-dragging, force across the shaft, pivot overpowering the swing guy ever since The Thread started, but yesterday rocketed me forward. The little orange friend doesn't lie!

My calves haven't hurt so much (from working on my jump in my swing) since playing the days of playing hoops on the blacktop 35 years ago (sadly my vertical leap is down from about 8 inches to 3 inches...). Mgranato - sorry you missed out on lunch; Jared - nice to meet you in person.

And a very big thanks to Brian.
Click to expand...

WAIT, WHAT?! There was a lunch????:mad::)
 
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bjfox10

New
willgolfer said:
There are videos in the release thread, on Michael Jacobs youtube page, and Brian's Vimeo page.
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Yes, and those have been helpful but thought Brian and Mike had said that the videos to learn/teach this info would be put in videos to purchase. Maybe I am mistaken.
 
faux_maestro

faux_maestro

New
bjfox10 said:
Yes, and those have been helpful but thought Brian and Mike had said that the videos to learn/teach this info would be put in videos to purchase. Maybe I am mistaken.
Click to expand...

I think they are working on updating the videos. I'm sure this is a busy time still, Brian mentioned being at a conference last week, tour stops and regular lessons. Not enough time in the day right now I bet.
 
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jeffreycharris

New
I had a great experience with my lesson today, amid the fun I might even have hit a good shot or two. I never realized what a handle dragger I was, although I had bigger fish to fry. The lesson was eye opening and hopefully I can remember what to work on. For the record, in case anyone is interested in raising their vertical swing plane numbers (which you shouldn't be) I could give you a hand:)
Thanks for a good lesson, Brian.
 
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