What a good pivot looks like...and doesn't

Brian Manzella · 09-19-2006, 10:43 PM

Once apon a time in a land (that seems so) far away, there was a little community of teachers. They all had at least two things in common, and they all also could make nice looking swings.

They knew what a good pivot looked like and they knew what didn't.

Anyhoo, enough dreaming....

This is a young (11 yrs. old) student of mine.

He takes about 8-10 half-hour lessons a year, this year and last.

Last year he was basically a raw beginner. He doesn't practice much, and plays very little. He isn't big or strong. He does have a great attitude and is progressing nicely. He has great parents and as long as he sticks around, he'll be fine.

These are pictures from video that I took to answer a thread on "how to move the head" that I shot showing me teach this young man.

I haven't decided on whether I'll post it. But here are some stills.

The bottom picture that looks "pasted in," is what he does if I don't keep him "in line" —so to speak.

BTW, the good top of the backswing picture, is EXACTLY what:

"I think a Pivot Should Look Like."

In a perfect world, of course.

Toolish · 09-20-2006, 04:49 AM

Brian..."how do you keep him in line", to get the pivot shown here rather than the pasted in one?

glcoach · 09-20-2006, 07:16 AM

Nice pivot, does not look forced or contrived as opposed to the pasted picture.

It's bad when you have "pivot envy" of an 11 yr. old.

Brian Manzella · 09-20-2006, 07:57 AM

These are stills from REAL swings. These are not posed.

shootin4par · 09-20-2006, 08:05 AM

the pasted in pic is what my pivot looked like 3 days ago and I believe that is why I lunged my head past the ball on the downswing. Have been working on making it look more like the second pic and I can really feel the stretch in my back. at one point I had thought all this pivot talk was redundant, but Brian you know better then I and through the "redundant" discussions on pivot I finally understand what was wrong with my imperfect pivot. I can tell you this, on a practice back swing I now have close to a perfect pivot, thanks brian you have been a big help with your website and I believe this better pivot will lead to better swings.

a request, could you elaborate on what isssues his pasted pic would pose in a full swing?

ChrisNZ · 09-20-2006, 03:52 PM

Brian,

Interesting pics. I know I've strayed into the imperfect pivot position (a lot more frequently than I'd like). Would you say losing your upper spine angle (the 'curved' upper back look you see in may good golfers that aren't Adam Scott) is part of the problem with the 'bad' pivot?

Chris

DOCW3 · 09-20-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Manzella

These are stills from REAL swings. These are not posed.

So, what can you tell us about his shoulder turn?

DRW

The Return of NAT · 09-20-2006, 08:10 PM

Looks like a young Bobby Clampett

Brian Manzella · 09-20-2006, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootin4par

the pasted in pic is what my pivot looked like 3 days ago and I believe that is why I lunged my head past the ball on the downswing. Have been working on making it look more like the second pic and I can really feel the stretch in my back. at one point I had thought all this pivot talk was redundant, but Brian you know better then I and through the "redundant" discussions on pivot I finally understand what was wrong with my imperfect pivot. I can tell you this, on a practice back swing I now have close to a perfect pivot, thanks brian you have been a big help with your website and I believe this better pivot will lead to better swings.

a request, could you elaborate on what isssues his pasted pic would pose in a full swing?

I don't understand.

Are you saying you ARE hitting it better with the "Manzella preferred" pivot?

shootin4par · 09-20-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Manzella

I don't understand.

Are you saying you ARE hitting it better with the "Manzella preferred" pivot?

yes sir, the pivot you prefer is now the pivot I prefer. Three range sessions in a row and each one with the new "perfect pivot" is better then the one before. My head used to be dead still on the back swing, this feels much better as I am able to get BEHIND the ball. Still some issues but I am changing my WHOLE pivot. I am doing 100 or more practice "perfect pivot" backswings a day at home since sunday. Another thing I have noticed is some of the things you prefer dont work, for me anyways, unless the "perfect pivot" is part of the pattern. I could never really use extensor action before with good results, now I can. today I got a little confident and went high, low, high, low, something I am not normally very good at but did well today.. In a couple weeks I will hopefully start shaping it as well. I was not 100% sold on you before, I am now

09-19-2006, 10:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brian Manzella Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA. Posts: 10,420	What a good pivot looks like...and doesn't Once apon a time in a land (that seems so) far away, there was a little community of teachers. They all had at least two things in common, and they all also could make nice looking swings. They knew what a good pivot looked like and they knew what didn't. Anyhoo, enough dreaming.... This is a young (11 yrs. old) student of mine. He takes about 8-10 half-hour lessons a year, this year and last. Last year he was basically a raw beginner. He doesn't practice much, and plays very little. He isn't big or strong. He does have a great attitude and is progressing nicely. He has great parents and as long as he sticks around, he'll be fine. These are pictures from video that I took to answer a thread on "how to move the head" that I shot showing me teach this young man. I haven't decided on whether I'll post it. But here are some stills. The bottom picture that looks "pasted in," is what he does if I don't keep him "in line" —so to speak. BTW, the good top of the backswing picture, is EXACTLY what: "I think a Pivot Should Look Like." In a perfect world, of course. __________________ Use your Pivot to snap your Kinetic Chain, and to assist your arms, hands and club with creating the proper "D" Plane for the selected shot. Everything else is show biz! Brian Manzella is a PGA Teaching Professional and Authorized Doctor of Golf Stroke Engineering (Instructor) of The Golfing Machine who teaches out of English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, Louisiana

09-20-2006, 07:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
glcoach Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: GA Posts: 1,109	Nice pivot, does not look forced or contrived as opposed to the pasted picture. It's bad when you have "pivot envy" of an 11 yr. old. __________________ "Learn to wallop the ball with your pivot" - Manzella

09-20-2006, 07:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
Brian Manzella Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA. Posts: 10,420	Oh and btw, These are stills from REAL swings. These are not posed. __________________ Use your Pivot to snap your Kinetic Chain, and to assist your arms, hands and club with creating the proper "D" Plane for the selected shot. Everything else is show biz! Brian Manzella is a PGA Teaching Professional and Authorized Doctor of Golf Stroke Engineering (Instructor) of The Golfing Machine who teaches out of English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, Louisiana

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09-20-2006, 04:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Toolish Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: . Posts: 104	Brian..."how do you keep him in line", to get the pivot shown here rather than the pasted in one?

09-20-2006, 08:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
shootin4par Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: . Posts: 916	the pasted in pic is what my pivot looked like 3 days ago and I believe that is why I lunged my head past the ball on the downswing. Have been working on making it look more like the second pic and I can really feel the stretch in my back. at one point I had thought all this pivot talk was redundant, but Brian you know better then I and through the "redundant" discussions on pivot I finally understand what was wrong with my imperfect pivot. I can tell you this, on a practice back swing I now have close to a perfect pivot, thanks brian you have been a big help with your website and I believe this better pivot will lead to better swings. a request, could you elaborate on what isssues his pasted pic would pose in a full swing?

09-20-2006, 03:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
ChrisNZ Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: New Zealand. Posts: 14	Brian, Interesting pics. I know I've strayed into the imperfect pivot position (a lot more frequently than I'd like). Would you say losing your upper spine angle (the 'curved' upper back look you see in may good golfers that aren't Adam Scott) is part of the problem with the 'bad' pivot? Chris

09-20-2006, 08:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
The Return of NAT Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 128	Looks like a young Bobby Clampett

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