From: Dave Lee on
I just bought and viewed a copy of Brian Manzella's "Confessions of a
Flipper". For the online version the cost was $9.95. You can either stream
it off a website or download a 400MB .wmv file. The DVD is more expensive.
See ...

http://www.brianmanzella.com

I'm going to try to give it a useful review without giving away Brian's
product. For the record I've never met Brian Manzella, have no business
interests related to him, and don't even have an ID on his forum (although
that will probably change soon).

This is for the most part just a simple, low-tech video of Brian
talking/demonstrating in a practice area. But the darn thing only costs 10
bucks and gets the job done.

The entire video runs about 40 minutes and is a combination of Brian's own
experience in getting rid of his own 'flip' and demonstration of a number of
drills. Brian does have this somewhat irritating "I'm smart, 'they' aren't"
attitude that pops up occasionally, but he clearly has a wealth of
experience teaching a broad range of students (from David Toms down to pure
beginners). IMHO he is not 'a quack' or some 'fringe normal' golf
instruction type. He is a TGM devotee and TGM certified, although being TGM
literate is not required to understand what Brian is teaching on this video.

The heart and soul of the video is a number of drills. Some are kind of
normal/fundamental/obvious and some are pretty unique (like the fiddle drill
and the Coke Machine drill). I really like the concept of the Coke Machine
drill, BTW although it will take a prop of some kind (smaller than a Coke
Machine) to implement it.

Brian's drills tend to come at the problem from the less than full swing,
punch shot angle. This is different than what my teaching pro had me doing
(pump drills - full swing angle). I'll probably be augmenting with a bit of
Brian's stuff if this damned iliotibial thing ever clears up.

Along these lines it is interesting that I am already able to hit a punch
shot with a very firm left wrist (learned out of necessity from having to
hit too many shots under tree branches). I've never been able to apply this
to my full swing. But I'm not dead yet, so there is still hope :-)

All-in-all I consider this to be $10 well spent.

FWIW.

dave


From: Dene on

Dave Lee wrote:
> I just bought and viewed a copy of Brian Manzella's "Confessions of a
> Flipper". For the online version the cost was $9.95. You can either stream
> it off a website or download a 400MB .wmv file. The DVD is more expensive.
> See ...
>
> http://www.brianmanzella.com
>
> I'm going to try to give it a useful review without giving away Brian's
> product. For the record I've never met Brian Manzella, have no business
> interests related to him, and don't even have an ID on his forum (although
> that will probably change soon).
>
> This is for the most part just a simple, low-tech video of Brian
> talking/demonstrating in a practice area. But the darn thing only costs 10
> bucks and gets the job done.
>
> The entire video runs about 40 minutes and is a combination of Brian's own
> experience in getting rid of his own 'flip' and demonstration of a number of
> drills. Brian does have this somewhat irritating "I'm smart, 'they' aren't"
> attitude that pops up occasionally, but he clearly has a wealth of
> experience teaching a broad range of students (from David Toms down to pure
> beginners). IMHO he is not 'a quack' or some 'fringe normal' golf
> instruction type. He is a TGM devotee and TGM certified, although being TGM
> literate is not required to understand what Brian is teaching on this video.
>
> The heart and soul of the video is a number of drills. Some are kind of
> normal/fundamental/obvious and some are pretty unique (like the fiddle drill
> and the Coke Machine drill). I really like the concept of the Coke Machine
> drill, BTW although it will take a prop of some kind (smaller than a Coke
> Machine) to implement it.
>
> Brian's drills tend to come at the problem from the less than full swing,
> punch shot angle. This is different than what my teaching pro had me doing
> (pump drills - full swing angle). I'll probably be augmenting with a bit of
> Brian's stuff if this damned iliotibial thing ever clears up.
>
> Along these lines it is interesting that I am already able to hit a punch
> shot with a very firm left wrist (learned out of necessity from having to
> hit too many shots under tree branches). I've never been able to apply this
> to my full swing. But I'm not dead yet, so there is still hope :-)
>
> All-in-all I consider this to be $10 well spent.
>
> FWIW.
>
> dave

There are two RSG'ers who have had direct contact with Manzella. Both
are quite knowledgeable about swing theory, having improved their own
golf swing dramatically as a result.

Neither are impressed with Brian. One of them took a lesson.

Nonethess, I hope he helps you.

-Greg

From: Dave Lee on

"Dene" <gdstrue(a)aol.com> wrote in message
news:1167546857.855706.238330(a)48g2000cwx.googlegroups.com...
>
> Dave Lee wrote:
> > I just bought and viewed a copy of Brian Manzella's "Confessions of a
> > Flipper". For the online version the cost was $9.95. You can either
stream
> > it off a website or download a 400MB .wmv file. The DVD is more
expensive.
> > See ...
> >
> > http://www.brianmanzella.com
> >
> > snip

> > dave
>
> There are two RSG'ers who have had direct contact with Manzella. Both
> are quite knowledgeable about swing theory, having improved their own
> golf swing dramatically as a result.
>
> Neither are impressed with Brian. One of them took a lesson.
>
> Nonethess, I hope he helps you.
>
> -Greg
>

Somebody on RSG says that somebody on RSG says that Manzella is not
impressive.

Now THAT is certainly a golf career ending indictment :-)

dave


From: Dene on

Dave Lee wrote:
> "Dene" <gdstrue(a)aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1167546857.855706.238330(a)48g2000cwx.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > Dave Lee wrote:
> > > I just bought and viewed a copy of Brian Manzella's "Confessions of a
> > > Flipper". For the online version the cost was $9.95. You can either
> stream
> > > it off a website or download a 400MB .wmv file. The DVD is more
> expensive.
> > > See ...
> > >
> > > http://www.brianmanzella.com
> > >
> > > snip
>
> > > dave
> >
> > There are two RSG'ers who have had direct contact with Manzella. Both
> > are quite knowledgeable about swing theory, having improved their own
> > golf swing dramatically as a result.
> >
> > Neither are impressed with Brian. One of them took a lesson.
> >
> > Nonethess, I hope he helps you.
> >
> > -Greg
> >
>
> Somebody on RSG says that somebody on RSG says that Manzella is not
> impressive.
>
> Now THAT is certainly a golf career ending indictment :-)
>
> dave

I was wrong. I can name three, and I'm not one of them. I use to
belong to his forum and drifted away, impressed with how large his ego
is.

But.....he has a flourishing career and probably has helped lots of
folks.

So has George Hibbard. ;>

-Greg

From: david s-a on
Dave Lee wrote:
> I just bought and viewed a copy of Brian Manzella's "Confessions of a
> Flipper". For the online version the cost was $9.95. You can either stream
> it off a website or download a 400MB .wmv file. The DVD is more expensive.
> See ...
>
> http://www.brianmanzella.com
>


Go to YouTube.com and search on 'Brian Manzella'. There are three
reasonably good videos there...typically 15-25 minutes long....in which
he rambles on a fair bit. An appealing style and easy to watch, and they
are 'free'! He offers a few good points/tips with faults and fixes...I
particularly picked up on his comments about addressing the ball with
the club face slightly open. I followed this up at the range and found
the ideas useful.

cheers
david