Customer Reviews

Understanding the Golf Swing

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I was introduced to the Ernest Jones/Manuel de la Torre swing concept years ago after suffering through the "paralysis by analysis" induced by conventional golf instruction. The brilliance of this concept lies in its very simplicity. Jones took the emphasis off the use of body parts and positions and placed it on what really matters - creating a swinging motion with the golf club. Manuel, having grown up under the tutelage of his father Angel and Mr. Jones, absorbed these concepts as a youth and modified the Swing the Clubhead philosophy slightly. Instead of swinging the clubhead with the hands in the backward and forward direction as Jones asserted, Manuel asked his students to use the hands in the backswing, but to "swing the whole club (head and handle) with the arms in the direction of the target" in the forward swing. This concept teaches the golfer to do essentially one thing: swing the club and allow the body to respond to the swinging motion. After all, how many things can one think about in the 2.5 seconds it takes to swing a golf club?

In Understanding the Golf Swing, Manuel expands on this basic philosophy, and guides the reader in creating a simple swing concept that will create a consistent, repeatible swing motion with all clubs. For anyone who has been taught to turn the shoulders, keep the head still, transfer weight, use the legs, use the hips, keep the left arm straight etc., this book will be liberating, and well worth the investment. By all accounts, Manuel de la Torre is a brilliant, kind, and gracious man; I hope this book helps golfers everywhere and gets Manuel the recognition he truly deserves.

KISS... Keep It Simple Stupid. If you filled the heads of tour pros with as much information as many of the top instructors fill ours and then had them contort every part of their body into uncomfortable positions, they would struggle to hit the ball well, too. Then, those same top instructors wonder why players try to play with dozens of swing thoughts. Umm, maybe because you filled their heads with them. I have read hundreds of golf books and the information always sounds like it will help. Then, I have experimented with many of them but time and time again they ask me to do things that I am simply unable to do or I end up over-cooking the good thing and end up with another problem. I was fortunate enough to work with Manuel de la Torre and he is a man who understands just how much the average human can handle and understands their physical limitations. Most of us don't have the strength, flexibility, hand-eye coordination, and time to do as the pros do. In addition, many of the moves the pros make are not necessary, helpful actions, but rather quirks that only work for them because they are world-class athletes. Manuel understands this and provides a simple, but profound, method to help all players enjoy this otherwise brutal game we love so much.

I must own easily 20-30 golf instruction books. Everything from The Little Red Book by Harvey Penick to Butch Harmon's Playing Lessons. This was by far the easiest to put into practice. His simple concept of swinging the club back with the hands and forward with the arms is a master stroke (pardon the pun). When using his method your mind becomes uncluterred and your body is free to just swing the club. I received this book about 3 days ago read it cover to cover and the re-read the "swing" section. Without having hit one ball on the range I went out and shot an 85 with a triple bogey on the last hole. (I'm a 16 handicap) Never have I felt so relaxed and confident on the course. Anyone who buys this book will improve his/her game. Good luck.

Am an avid golfer and over the past 30 years, have enjoyed reading every golf instruction book possibly ever written, and tested each theory in the process. This book encompasses all instruction ever written, in that it shows why each theory is correct, but only for the author. In other words, de la Torre shows and proves that moving a golf club in a positive manner using a swinging motion, will create different idiosyncracies for each person moving the club. Hogan moved it differently than Nicklaus, who moved it differently than Tiger, etc etc. However, the common denominator in all is that each of their bodies responded to the swinging motion of the clubhead, in order to produce the intended result: that of moving the club in a centrifugal motion toward the target.

De la Torre's golf theory comes from his father Angel and from the seminal voice of Ernest Jones, father of the Swing the Clubhead theory. De la Torre differs from Jones in his explanation for swinging the clubhead in a simple yet I believe correct way. Instead of the hands swinging the clubhead all the way through the swing, de la Torre believes that on the downswing, the golfer swings the entire club (not just the clubhead) using the arms (that part of the arm from the shoulder to the elbow) toward the target, and that the body responds to the movement of the clubhead while using the arms. After all, centrifugal force starts at the center of the circle, the radius point, and that in a golf swing is between the shoulders - this is precisely why he says swing with the arms on the downswing. His teaching revealed to him that the language of swing the clubhead only on the downswing made golfers too handsy, as the golfer's hands should instead be sensing and reacting to the outward pull of the clubhead.

De la Torre's approach is simple yet powerful. What did I do wrong, a phrase that every teacher hears and responds to, is replaced with "you did not do what you should." In other words, corrective or negative focus is replaced with a positive focus. As de la Torre says, when we drive home, do we think of all the places we do not want to travel? His simplicity has as its cornerstone of moving the club in a centrifugal and positive manner. The swing is an arc, and in any given arc, centrifugal motion creates the greatest amount of speed and accuracy possible. His backswing consists of only using the hands to move the clubhead in a centrifugal motion over the right shoulder, while the relaxed body responds to the movement. And the downswing is nothing more than moving the entire club using the upper arms only, again, as the body responds to the movement of the club. Watch Tiger really hit one hard - he doesn't think of whipping his hips more quickly, he only thinks of moving his arms quicker, and his body will move naturally to support that motion.

The golf swing is nothing more than moving the club in a centrifugal manner towards the target - the body does nothing but respond to that movement. That is the essense of de la Torre's teaching - absolutely perfect and will be unequaled as long as golf is played.

I worked for Manuel at MCC in 1996, which was my second season as a PGA Apprentice. Prior to that, I had heard mixed reviews about his concept. I asked him to help me with my swing, a sorry 6 HCP at the time, so that I could pass the Player Ability Test, PAT, and move forward in the program. He graciously allowed me to take lessons from him on his "sacred" practice tee. And he allowed me to observe him working with students from beginners to Tour professionals. I have never witnessed anything more awesome in golf instruction than his ability to diagnose and prescribe and then communicate. He possesses a style and skill like no other person I have met. We asked Manuel to write a book like so many before me had asked. He told us how difficult it was to organize and present the concept in a way that would be effective and entertaining enough for people to want to buy. He was working on it at age 75 in his mind. He finally finished it and we should all thank him like we all have thanked Harvey Penick, Ernest Jones, Percy Boomer, and Tommy Armour. This is a book for ALL players. It will take you into a new and powerful "zone" mentally. And free you from the mechanical thoughts so many of us are trapped in. After working with his concept for one summer, usually at night after a 14 hour day, I was able to experience a repeating swing and shotmaking ability that allowed me to come within one shot of obtaining my PAT during that one year. I only want to say that all of us should read and study this concept. "Thank You" to Manuel for his tremendous work. I think it is a masterpiece as do many who have learned from him including Tommy Aaron, Carol Mann, Bobby Brue, Martha Nause, Patricia Kimball, Sherri Steinhauer, and my fellow assistants Bob Pudlock, Mike and Kris. I pray that Manuel will be selected to the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame in the next few years for all of our sakes.

great book. boils the swing into an easy-to-understand approach that's also easy to perform. after reading book a few days ago, I hit the ball more solidly (farther) than I ever have. will have to reasses how far I hit each club, but that's a good problem to have. highly recommend this book.

I think this book is a classic and I recommend also getting the companion DVD; however it does belong to the small muscle swing theory school - an approach that some disagree with. The small muscle school emphasizes the swing through the smaller muscles of the hand and arms rather than the large muscles of the legs, back, hips and trunk.

De La Torre's swing thought is that you swing back the club with your hands over your right shoulder (you DON'T lift the club as another reviewer erroneously remarked) and then swing forward with the upper arms (the portion of the arm between the shoulder and elbow). The rest of the body should move in response to that action. For example, you don't concern yourself with the weight shift. If you swing properly (as De La Torre defines it) and your body is responsive then you will shift your weight naturally and in proper rhythem.

I found this to be a great help because it removes the complication of trying to time the weight shift to the actions of the swing - and it works.

For me.

But I have noticed that just about every golf instruction book works for someone for some length of time. In the end the secret of the golf swing is to learn the proper feel of the true swinging action and to be able to replicate that feel with consistency. Everyone's path to learning that feel will differ because we are all individuals.

Still, De La Torre's work follows in the footsteps of one of the pioneers of swing theory - Ernest Jones. This book and the companion DVD is a great followup to his original theory and anyone who is interested in learning the swing should definitely study this book.

This is one of, if not the best golf book I have ever read. It is easy to read, simple to follow and the order in which everything is covered is fantastic. I have never seen a book which not only covers the swing (which is finally made very simple to produce) but every aspect of the swing, i.e., swing, errors/fixes, shot making, mental golf. I would suggest that every golfer, who would like to know what the golf swing is really about, read this book. It is priceless. Thank you Manuel de la Torre.

I came upon Manuel's website about three years ago. As someone who has read Ernest Jones "Swing the Clubhead" several times I knew firsthand that Mr. Jones was definitely "on to something" because I played some of the best rounds of golf of my life while putting his methods into practice. However, I was also frustrated by what I felt was the major flaw in Jone's method, that being the fact that when swinging the clubhead with the hands I would always wind up "throwing" the clubhead at the ball before too long. At that point I would always revert to "big muscle" swing mechanics (ala Hogan's Five Lessons etal) which would also work well for awhile until I would begin to overdo various aspects of those methods and lose sight of the fact that I was swinging a club in order to propel a ball.

So, throughout my golfing life I was stuck in a cycle of "swinging the clubhead" and playing well, overdoing that and suddenly playing terribly (often at the most inopportune times), reverting to "swing mechanics" and subsequently playing well, overdoing that and suddenly playing terribly (again often when I most wanted to perform well), and then starting the cycle all over again. As time went by my handicap range did fall to the point when I discovered MDT's method I would play to about a 5 when I was playing well and shoot up to about a 10 when I was once again "lost". I attribute the overall downward trend to experience and improvement in the short game. Still I always felt that my inability to settle on some conception of the swing that would work for all clubs, all shots, for the rest of my golfing days was limiting my progress.

Enter Manuel de la Torre. I read on his website of his simple modification to Jone's method and his reasoning behind it and I immediately knew this was the answer for me! Before even obtaining the book I began to employ the concept of swing the entire club towards the target in one uninterrupted motion using the "arms" (ie. the shoulder joints to the elbows) with remarkable results. As soon as Manuel's book arrived I devoured it and reread it in it's entirety since as well as referring to sections of it constantly. Of course I soon had a copy of the companion DVD which to me is indispensable. Shortly thereafter I began to take lessons from Manuel at Milwaukee CC several times a year. Each time I visit him I come away with a clearer understanding of the golf swing and how natural and simple it can be. Of course, I have spent countless hours reading and rereading his words, ruminating on them along with my own experience and theories, and more countless hours practicing this method to the exclusion of all others.

So, I can tell you that his method is not a "quick fix", perhaps his book is not a "great read" with lots of the color pictures of swing sequences and step 1- step 2 diagrams, and his DVD certainly could have better sound quality and be more elaborate. When I read the reviews that say Manuel doesn't understand Ernest Jone's method I have to laugh. He grew up listening to Mr. Jones and his father Angel discussing the golf swing in his own living room! If Jone's method works for you that's great, stick with it and ignore de la Torre. But I can tell you from personal experience that Manuel's modification to Jone's method is the key that has allowed me to continue to employ the Ernest Jones/Manuel de la Torre method to the exclusion of all others for over three years now with very positive results. I have been winning tournaments and my handicap is hovering around scratch within a much tighter, more consistent, range. Also, I have seen improvement in several of my golfing friends who I have introduced to Manuel's teachings.

Mr. de la Torre brings to us his many years as a golfer and as an instructor and presents his ideas in a very simple and readable way. I believe that this golf master's book will be read many times over by many golfers (golfers to be, amateurs and pros). He reminds us that the hands work actively in the backwards swing and remain passive in the forward portion of the golf swing. Don Manuel's practice exercises are simply simple! This book has to be the master book in playing golf by feel.

Great job, Don Manuel!!

P. Mendez Jr. Chesapeake, VA