OK- I'm a tinkerer. I'm old, hit the ball pretty short and I'm oftentimes confused. I started reading this board a few years ago, and it even fed my tinkering more. I love to think about the golf swing, develop a hypothesis, then test it out. I have a million ways to swing a club!
A little back story. I picked up golf in my 30s. I was athletic, so I could hit the ball a long way. I had terrible mechanics, so some of those long drives ended up in the wrong zip code
I played every day and developed a pretty good short game and got my handicap down to a range of 5 to 7. Then I stopped playing, due to life circumstances.
About 7 years ago, I started again. I had a hard time breaking 90. I lost a lot of distance and my short game was pretty bad. I worked at it but didn't get very far. Got my handicap to about a 12-14 range. My goal was to just play respectably and make a "Ryder Cuppish" tournament at my club. It is an end of year event for the top 16 players in tournaments over the summer. My club is a pretty good players club. We have a guy who was a two time Div 1 All-American, the current Mid am champ, a bunch of ex-college players and a lot of very athletes who were college players in a number of sports. It ain't easy to win a slot in this event.
This year I took the plunge and started a series of lessons with Brian Manzella. First lesson, was basically NSA. Second sort of NHA with some of the beginning of my own pattern, based on what I call crowding the ball. At this point my game started to come together. Every once in a while, I would call Brian with a few questions and he would help me understand a few things. As the season wore on, my swing began to come together. I started to win a tounament now and then. I got some confidence and my short game improved. My scores kept dropping, my handicap was dropping, and I was getting in my buddies pockets Next thing I know, it's my club championship tournament. I get a low seed in the 5-10 hdcp flight. First round, a guy who has succeeded often, I win 4&2. Next, a guy who I've played with and had a hard time staying with on the scorecard, another win 3&2, next a guy on a very hot streak for a 5, 6&5! Finally, a dude who I've played and competed with in the last 5 years. He ALWAYS mopped the floor up with me. I watched him play a few times, shook my head and told myself, "He's just a much better player than I am." I win 4&2 and my flight championship! I then come in second in a medal play event and look at the standings for this end of season shootout. I'm the overall leader in the final standings.
Last week I had a clubfitting session. After a season like this, I deserve some new clubs as a reward! During the session, I asked the pro who was fitting me if I could develop more clubhead speed and he shook his head and said no. What a challenge...I had a lesson with Mr. Manzella this week. As he said in another thread, he pretty much de-tinkered me (for now). We worked pretty hard and by the end of the session, Brian found more clubhead speed for me, straighter shots and much more clubface control. NEVER TELL BRIAN OR ME IT CAN'T BE DONE! I have lots left to work on. I still get under the plane and need to learn to create more space between my right arm and my body at the top. I need to get my right shoulder lower through impact to improve my alignments. Poor Brian is going to have his hands full with my tinkering and crazy ideas for a while longer.
I'd guess he shot down about 60-70% of my tinkering thoughts and ideas. That also means he approved about 30-40%! I even showed Brian a drill I use for practicing getting the right shoulder down the straight line plane and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of his students get this drill in a future lesson.
Look, I know I will never be good enough to play in any kind of "player" events. It doesn't mean I can't work hard and get as good as my limited talent allows. I'm now down to a 5 handicap and working hard to shave those last few shots. My current goal is a 2 handicap. I believe if I practice my new pattern, improve my thinking and keep working over the winter, coupled with some lessons in Louisiana, I'll get there.
I feel as if this site, while Brian's place of business is like a family or fraternity. We argue, fight, debate and disagree. We make fun of each other, but in the end, aren't we all like brothers? I am so excited and happy about this journey, I wanted to share this with my internet brianmanzella.com brothers.
I hope you all get the chance for a magical journey like this one. It's a bumpy ride, but what a rush!
A little back story. I picked up golf in my 30s. I was athletic, so I could hit the ball a long way. I had terrible mechanics, so some of those long drives ended up in the wrong zip code
I played every day and developed a pretty good short game and got my handicap down to a range of 5 to 7. Then I stopped playing, due to life circumstances.About 7 years ago, I started again. I had a hard time breaking 90. I lost a lot of distance and my short game was pretty bad. I worked at it but didn't get very far. Got my handicap to about a 12-14 range. My goal was to just play respectably and make a "Ryder Cuppish" tournament at my club. It is an end of year event for the top 16 players in tournaments over the summer. My club is a pretty good players club. We have a guy who was a two time Div 1 All-American, the current Mid am champ, a bunch of ex-college players and a lot of very athletes who were college players in a number of sports. It ain't easy to win a slot in this event.
This year I took the plunge and started a series of lessons with Brian Manzella. First lesson, was basically NSA. Second sort of NHA with some of the beginning of my own pattern, based on what I call crowding the ball. At this point my game started to come together. Every once in a while, I would call Brian with a few questions and he would help me understand a few things. As the season wore on, my swing began to come together. I started to win a tounament now and then. I got some confidence and my short game improved. My scores kept dropping, my handicap was dropping, and I was getting in my buddies pockets
Next thing I know, it's my club championship tournament. I get a low seed in the 5-10 hdcp flight. First round, a guy who has succeeded often, I win 4&2. Next, a guy who I've played with and had a hard time staying with on the scorecard, another win 3&2, next a guy on a very hot streak for a 5, 6&5! Finally, a dude who I've played and competed with in the last 5 years. He ALWAYS mopped the floor up with me. I watched him play a few times, shook my head and told myself, "He's just a much better player than I am." I win 4&2 and my flight championship! I then come in second in a medal play event and look at the standings for this end of season shootout. I'm the overall leader in the final standings.Last week I had a clubfitting session. After a season like this, I deserve some new clubs as a reward! During the session, I asked the pro who was fitting me if I could develop more clubhead speed and he shook his head and said no. What a challenge...I had a lesson with Mr. Manzella this week. As he said in another thread, he pretty much de-tinkered me (for now). We worked pretty hard and by the end of the session, Brian found more clubhead speed for me, straighter shots and much more clubface control. NEVER TELL BRIAN OR ME IT CAN'T BE DONE! I have lots left to work on. I still get under the plane and need to learn to create more space between my right arm and my body at the top. I need to get my right shoulder lower through impact to improve my alignments. Poor Brian is going to have his hands full with my tinkering and crazy ideas for a while longer.
I'd guess he shot down about 60-70% of my tinkering thoughts and ideas. That also means he approved about 30-40%! I even showed Brian a drill I use for practicing getting the right shoulder down the straight line plane and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of his students get this drill in a future lesson.
Look, I know I will never be good enough to play in any kind of "player" events. It doesn't mean I can't work hard and get as good as my limited talent allows. I'm now down to a 5 handicap and working hard to shave those last few shots. My current goal is a 2 handicap. I believe if I practice my new pattern, improve my thinking and keep working over the winter, coupled with some lessons in Louisiana, I'll get there.
I feel as if this site, while Brian's place of business is like a family or fraternity. We argue, fight, debate and disagree. We make fun of each other, but in the end, aren't we all like brothers? I am so excited and happy about this journey, I wanted to share this with my internet brianmanzella.com brothers.
I hope you all get the chance for a magical journey like this one. It's a bumpy ride, but what a rush!
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