Where in the World is Brian Manzella? How about this five months!

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Brian Manzella

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The hard to believe, but harder yet to achieve, travels of Brian Manzella, teacher of golf, and lover of fun...

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Saturday, May 30th
Kenny Chesney/Brooks & Dunn Concert, Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I went with my sweetie Lisa, and my brother and sister-in law. It was a —thankfully—unusually mild day in Tiger Stadium, overcast and almost cool. Could have just as easily been 100°

The Concert was very good, and we had a blast.

Am I a county music fan? Yup. Along with Lady Ga-Ga, Sinatra, The Meters, Journey, Ice Cube, The Four Seasons, Elvis, Maroon 5, The Jackson 5, and Michael Buble' :cool:


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Thursday, June 3rd
New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles, Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York
Me & Lisa went to Manhattan together for the first time last year. We had such a good time, we vowed to do it at least once year.

So, right off the plane, we subwayed it to the Bronx, and "new" Yankee Stadium for our first visit there. It was BRUTALLY hot.

It is a great stadium, and we got to see A-Rod hit #591. I bought a $40 dollar T-Shirt, and Lisa had a $20 Mojito at the Tommy Bahama Bar.
:D

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Sunday, June 6th
Long Island Railroad Train Station, Jamaica Queens, New York
After putting Lisa on a plane at JFK, I turned down the chance to have a $75 Town Car ride to Manorville, and decided to take a shot at the Long Island Railroad.

I almost didn't make it out of JFK without getting lost, but like always, I luck into a "Tour Guide," this time it was wheelchair basketball star Champ Hallet. We talked for the the two hours it took to get to his stop, and then he told me when to get off.

I never make it to the Speonk Station without him.

I learned a lot about wheelchair basketball, and that when the driver says $75 to the east side of Long Island, you say "yes"!! ;)

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Monday, June 7th
Rock Hill Golf Club, Manorville, Long Island, New York
At least once a year, and this year twice, I visit my great pal and cohort Mike Jacobs at his golf course, on Long Island.

On this one day "Tour Stop," I gave 8 hours of Private Lessons on a perfect 75° day.


We had a great visit, as always, and as always, have a least one meal at Prima Stella, and one desert at Carvel.

I love Ice Cream. Can't you tell? :D

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Wednesday, June 9th
Different Strokes Golf Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Here I am at my old stompin' grounds off of I-265 in the East End of Looavul. I opened the place in 1999, and have had a great time improving my craft there. Great location, plenty of teaching space, and usually great grass.

Here I stand worn-out & shirt-out after a day and a half solid of fun, challenging, productive golf lessons.


Grow up ten years the youngest sibling with three older brothers, with a talkative Mom & Dad, and teach next to an Interstate for 13 years, and one day you might talk as loud as me. ;)

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Thursday, June 10th

Kansas City Royals vs. Minneapolis Twins, Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota
After a 4am wake-up call at the Microtel, and a Delta Airlines flight from Louisville, followed by a stack of great pancakes and six hours of lessons at Halla Greens in the drizzle, I attended a Twins game with Tour Stop host and pal Brad Pluth sitting in row 5.

I am one happy, but tired Italian (note: Brad is not the mascot, T.C. is ;))
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This stadium cost a lot less than Yankee Stadium, but it was pretty much just as nice.

You have to pay attention to the action in row 5. :eek:

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Friday, June 11th
Halla Greens Golf Center, Chanhassen, Minnesota
Here I am with "Tour Stop" host Brad Pluth, who is now the holder of the long drive record on my little orange friend. 317 yards!

I dodged rain on this whole three-city adventure, and this day was no different. But, as always, I got to meet lots of great folks, and help them with their golf games.

The towel is a customized Italian Stallion/Manzella Matrix one, which forum member and student Jon William. Cool. :cool:

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Saturday, June 19th
English Turn Golf & Country Club, West Bank, New Orleans, Louisiana
This a screenshot from a video review I did for the Moore's, a very nice couple down from St. Louis to work on their games, eat world-class food, and experience what 110° heat index feels like in the horseshoe of the Mighty Mississippi.

English Turn is the nice facility I have ever worked out of, and it is a great place to work on your game.


I never thought I'd wear a bucket hat every day. But covering the ears is a necessity at this point in my career. :)

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Sunday, June 30th

Troon North, Monument Course, Scottsdale, Arizona
On a trip with student and pal Mark Heller to get him fit up, and geared up at Cool Clubs.

We played a round at Troon North, and stayed at a great resort—The Princess.

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
:cool:

By the way, the even bigger bucket cap, cost me a cool $55 at the Troon North Pro shop. Yikes! :eek:

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Monday, June 21st
Cool Clubs Headquarters, Scottsdale, Arizona
Cool Clubs does a great job with fitting, even with putters.

Here I am in their Ultra-Cool putting studio, where multiple cameras capture your stroke, and four different putter bending machines get the implement ready for play.

I got my loft and lie perfect on an old Spalding TPM I, which I turned over to Cool Clubs for a high-end refinish, which will rock. Trust me. ;)


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Wednesday, June 30th

Oil Free Gulf Water, Panama City Beach, Florida
The Italian Stallion looks forward to our family Gulf vacation every year.

We went to Panama City to try to avoid the oil, and we were successful. The water was great, the company a blast, and I got to throw the Frisbee (Actually an Aerobie® Superdisc™—the very best) for about 12 hours in 5 days.

We also visited our favorite restaurant on the Gulf, Schooner's.


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Friday, July 2nd
8th Tee "Beat the Pro," Chris Paul Foundation Tournament, English Turn Golf & Country Club, NOLA
I was the pro in the par 3 "Beat the Pro" on the 140-yard 8th hole.

I beat 100+ and lost to 11. I hit four shots inside 5 feet, but missed the green three times out of 20+. I beat everyone in the first 12 groups, including beating a 4 foot 9 inch shot while Chauncey Billups asked Chris Paul whether I would knock it inside the really good shot before me.

Chris said, "Man, that guy can do anything he wants with the ball." Of course, I stone cold stiffed it.

I need him to caddie for me.

The guy in the picture with me is ex-LSU star, and current Orlando Magic forward, Brandon Bass.

He can dunk on me pretty easy. :D


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Monday, July 12th
Burger King, Johnston Street, Lafayette, Louisiana
After playing in my first individual stroke play golf tournament in eight years, and shooting a 78, me and my long-time caddy and great friend Todd Nunez ate lunch and told stories at Burger King, just minutes from Les Vieux Chenes Golf Course in Youngsville, Louisiana, where our "comeback" had it moments, but wound up at Burger King.

If we shoot 72 we eat at Outback.


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Tuesday, July 20th
Cockpit of a Hawker 800XP, 38,000 feet, Somewhere over Colorado
My first time in the cockpit of any plane.

Pilot Johnny Nash gave me the run down of all the instruments, and after, I was so glad there was two pilots, and they both had 25+ years of experience.

For a veteran of the pre-TSA, and TSA days of commercial flying, the experience and convenience of flying private jets are beyond compare.

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Tuesday, July 20th
Pacific Dunes Course, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon
Absolutely the finest golf course I have ever played. No contest.
With amazing views, and a masterful design by Tom Doak, it makes you golf your ball, and think about every shot.

We left New Orleans on a private jet at 8:45am, flew to North Bend, Oregon, took a limo bus to Bandon, played 18 holes, ate, showered, and it is still light on the Pacific coast at 8:09pm.

What a country!

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Wednesday, July 21th
Punch Bowl Style 18th Green, Old MacDonald Course, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon
Links golf—not so pure or simple.

Doak's homage to C.B. MacDonald is much more contrived then Pacific Dunes, but just as fun to play. There is a Road Hole, The Alps, and this Punch Bowl green.

Bandon is a wonderful place to play, stay, and soak up some real golf.

Like I always say, the ball is round and it is supposed to roll. At Old Mac, it does just that.


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Thursday, July 22nd
16th Fairway, Bandon Dunes Course, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon
A 350 yard par 4 over the ravine behind me, the hole played 40 mph down wind, and after a triple-bogey 6—without hitting one bad shot—I was running hot enough to drive the green. I didn't, but was hole high 10 yards left of the green, and chipped up a little 20° hybrid to 5 feet. The wind made a monkey of my narrow putting stance all week, and this was no different. I had to settle for a par at one of the most scenic holes in the game.

I managed a 79 at Bandon, which included a 4-putt, two 3-putts, and the aforementioned triple.

This completed the three-day corporate outing I did for Tecala, a major Taco Bell franchisee.

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Friday, July 23rd
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres, PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Nobody ever did more to attend a 34-62 team's baseball game.

I got on a turbo-prop in North Bend, Oregon at 5 pm on Thursday. Took the red-eye out of Portland to JFK. Five and half hours on the plane but only one and half hours of sleep. Arrived in New York at 5:30 am, and found out my 8 am flight to Pittsburgh, the one that would have me picked up by Kevin Shields and taken to our tee time at the pristine Laurel Valley Country Club, was moved back to noon.

Kevin moves heaven and earth to get the tee time, caddies, and two fellow pros who would round out our foursome, pushed back to 4pm.

Delta, those idiots, canceled the flight, leaving me with no chance to make my tee time, and potentially being stuck in JFK all day.

So they put me in a taxi to LaGuardia airport across town, where it took me an hour to get my boarding pass because they spelled my name wrong.

Kevin played with the other two, and I arrived in Steel Town with no place to go. So I went to the downtown Hilton, fibbed and told them I needed to have them hold my bags until I found out when I was supposed to check in, and ate a rotten overpriced dinner at their restaurant.

Lucky for me, student and pal Chad Kosanovic met me at the Hilton, where we waited for Kevin. While we waited we saw Ernest Borgnine, who I didn't even know was still "with us." He looked great at 93, got in a cab dressed liked a million dollars, and was on his way.

The Pirates aren't any good, and neither was the Cracker Jack, but PNC Park is nice. Just don't travel 24 hours on two hours sleep to go to a game there.

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Saturday, July 24th
Sarris Ice Cream Parlor, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
A can't miss place in the Pittsburgh area, and a must after a full day of lessons at Sewickley Heights Country Club, home of our own Kevin Shields.


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Monday, July 26th
Baltimore Country Club, Five Farms, Lutherville, Maryland
Here I am on the bench with great pal, student, and Manzella Instructor Apprentice Phil Rosenbaum, after a fun match on the Albert Warren Tillinghast designed East Course, pitting Phil and Damon Lucas against myself and Phil's fiance, Tara.

Tara got nine shots on the card, and the team got a half-shot every three hole match at our choosing before anyone hit on that hole.

We started slow, but mowed them down. :D

Don't I look dashing in my Tilley after playing a Tille?

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Thursday, July 29th
9th tee, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia
I didn't hit the best shot on this 200 yard par 3, but it wasn't for lack of practice. I had 202 yards to at least 7 other holes. :(
A wonderfully executed facility, but to me, just another Robert Trent Jones design.
Sort of like, "The Alabama Golf Trail" on steroids.


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Sunday, August 1st
Driving Range, Lake Presidential Golf Club, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Me and Damon Lucas after another successful school in a Ben Doyle-style mutli-person swing sequence.

Just for kicks, I give it the stack & tilt finish.

Long-Time forum member "Erik K" is third from left.

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Friday, August 13th
Clubhouse Deck, Rock Hill Country Club, Manorville, Long Island, New York
Fireworks and a dance band after a big outing, with all-you-can-eat lobster and twenty different desserts.

I had the lobster, and skipped the dessert.

Then I walked 79 yards to Michael Jacobs' house and went to sleep on the couch with Vegas, the X Golf School mascot.



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Tuesday, August 17th
Different Strokes Golf Center, Louisville, Kentucky
With my two Louisville Scared Heart Academy pupils, who took many a lesson on English Station Way.

Lindsay Gahm, on the left, who I've worked with since 2000, and MacKenzie Moir who I've worked with going on three years.


Lindsay wads about to leave to go away to school to play on scholarship at Indiana, and Mac just received her scholarship to the University of Cincinnati.


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Saturday, August 21st
Champion's Square, East Side of the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
They tore down part of an old mall, and build out a wonderful gathering area right night to the dome, readying for the 2013 Super Bowl, and honoring our World Champion New Orleans Saints.

This was the night they raised the World Champion banner, and beat the Texans 38-20 in the home preseason opener.



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Saturday, September 4th
$50 Parking lot, next to the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
I hate parking my SUV in a bad lot, and I'm not found of walking in the dark a long distance, so I forked over a Ulysses S. Grant and parked 100 yards from my gate at the Georgia Dome.

As luck would have it, I parked right next to my high-school receivers coach, Mike Presley.


We talked about the old times, and had a bunch of great laughs.



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Tuesday, September 14th
1st Tee, Owl Creek Country Club, Anchorage, Kentucky
Got to give a 5 minute lesson to Hunter Morgan, Mike Finney's son, and spend some time with the guys at "the Creek."

Hunter is a fast developing High-School golfer who is growing fast, and hitting the ball better everyday.


That's our Michael on the left, rocking the "OC" logo I wish I had never designed.



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Wednesday, September 15th
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
The Willis Tower (formers the Sears Tower), Chicago, Illinois
U.S. Cellular Field (New Comiskey Park), Chicago, Illinois
When I go on the road, there are basically three kinds of "tour stops."

One, I travel and teach alone and stay in a motel. Two, I stay at a nicer hotel, and have some company at the facility. And three, I stay at a great friend's house, and get the royal treatment.

This royal treatment, courtesy of Mike Daley, pal, student, and official Manzella Academy Attorney, included trips to two ball parks, and a look straight down from 110 floors.

What a day!




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Monday, September 27th
3rd Annual AMF Teaching Summit, Four Seasons Resort & Club,Irving, Texas
I've been to lots of National Summits in the last 23 years, but this was the first time my picture and name appeared on the screen.

You can't miss me, I have the biggest head.

Don't laugh, even if it's true. ;)



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Wednesday, October 6th
Brian and Lisa's back porch, Lakeview, New Orleans, Louisiana
The master of her domain, and queen of 32nd Street, Bailey Boo the wonder pup, surveys the north side of her corner of the world.

Wow, I was home in early October?



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Tuesday, October 12th
Driving Range, Desert Mountain Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona
For those of you who have never played desert golf, it is quite the different sport than parkland golf, or links golf.

This was a wonderful backdrop to hit balls to, and as you can see here I was "on plane" and ready to go.

Me and Mike Jacobs, undefeated as a team, remained so with a 1up victory over Damon Lucas and Phil Rosenbaum.


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Wednesday, October 13th
Quail Lodge Golf Club, Carmel, California
We flew to Monterey on Tuesday night, and came out the "the club" to visit Ben.

One of my favorite pictures ever, too bad I didn't have anything but my iPhone to take it with.

Time and Ben Doyle.

'Nuff said.


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Wednesday, October 13th
Shore Course, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Pebble Beach, California
Golf Course Designer Mike Strantz's last work, the shore course is nothing like the previous incarnation that I played a few times in the late 80's and early 90's.

This was one of the five best courses I have ever played. Simply spectacular!

Mike Jacobs, myself, and the Cat in the Hat, Steve Khatib had a blast. Mike was low man.

A rare "double point" pic, highlighting two unforgettable images. ;)

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Wednesday, October 13th
Edgar's, Quail Lodge Golf Club, Carmel, California
The real reason we flew out to California—to have dinner and visit with Ben and Joanne Doyle.

The dinner and the company were wonderful.

The boys had a tear in their eye walking to the car.

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Thursday, October 14th
San Francisco Golf Club, San Francisco, California
Mike Jacobs asked me at dinner the night before with Ben, if we "had to" get up at 4am to drive up to play this course.

Ben suggested to Mike that it was worth the trouble.

When Michael stood on the first tee, he looked around and without hitting a shot said:

"Thank you so much for getting me to play this course."

I knew, from my extremely fortunate experience over nine or so rounds around Tillinghast's treasure.

#2 on the Manzella's best ever played list.
 

eoscar

New member
I saw Bass dunk an oop thrown to him in Starkville. When the guard threw the pass I would have bet my life it was going into about the fifth row of the stands. Bass can absolutely fly.
 

ZAP

New
The guy is everywhere. I don't know how you do it. I do not like travel that much.
The ocean looks like your favorite stop.
 
Brian,
So if you were going to put in a putting studio would you copy what Cool Clubs have or would you do something different? Someone told me Cool Clubs charges 100,000 to install a putting studio at your location.
 

Brian Manzella

Administrator
The Coast-to-Coast, 4 City, Manzella Super Stop begins...

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Tuesday, July 20th

Pacific Dunes Course, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon
Absolutely the finest golf course I have ever played. No contest.
With amazing views, and a masterful design by Tom Doak, it makes you golf your ball, and think about every shot.

We left New Orleans on a private jet at 8:45am, flew to North Bend, Oregon, took a limo bus to Bandon, played 18 holes, ate, showered, and it is still light on the Pacific coast at 8:09pm.


What a country!
 
Awesome Brian, keep the updates coming. Although you've done some traveling, you need to get to Ireland and Scotland and post on some of the courses there. Lahinch, Ballybunion, Kingsbarnes and Muirfield are awesome as well and you would enjoy playing them.
 
Awesome Brian, keep the updates coming. Although you've done some traveling, you need to get to Ireland and Scotland and post on some of the courses there. Lahinch, Ballybunion, Kingsbarnes and Muirfield are awesome as well and you would enjoy playing them.

I've played Lahinch every year for the past 5-6 years but IMO the more spectacular course is Doonbeg, that said playing any of them is a treat but Doonbeg is the most impressive setting for any course I've ever seen.
 

Brian Manzella

Administrator
oops! I forgot one.

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Tuesday, July 20th
Cockpit of a Hawker 800XP, 38,000 feet, Somewhere over Colorado
My first time in the cockpit of any plane.

Pilot Johnny Nash gave me the run down of all the instruments, and after, I was so glad there was two pilots, and they both had 25+ years of experience.

For a veteran of the pre-TSA, and TSA days of commercial flying, the experience and convenience of flying private jets are beyond compare.

 
I guess the oil spill has helped your business as you must be teaching all the big execs at BP. Private jets - Bandon Dunes!!!
 
With amazing views, and a masterful design by Tom Doak, it makes you golf your ball, and think about every shot.

Brian you must have played a lot of courses by now...Pebble Beach, I think Cyress Point, who knows what else.

I had no idea Bandon Dunes was so good...

Poking around on their site, it sounds and looks pretty neat...
 
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