"School of Golf" with Martin Hall

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtsalmela80 

Anyone watch this show this past week? What do you think?

 

I heard some of the things he was talking about are in total contradiction to what Michael Breed was teaching on the Golf Fix (spine angle, etc).

I'm pre-disposed to liking Martin Hall much more than Breed because Hall knows the ball flight laws (and seems to apply them - Breed "knows" them but seems to apply the "old" ones).

I just recorded (I missed the initial episode in its first run) the "spine angle" and "tilt" segment and will post it to YouTube later tonight. It's very good. I'll post the video here and in another thread, perhaps.

Martin has been around for a while, his style is not for everyone but he has lots substance. I hope the show sticks around, but they allow the format to expand a bit so he is spending more time on one subject and not just doing fast tips like Breed.

By the way Eric - I was thing attending this golf school http://www.ussog.com/aboutus/mr_teach_com/lessons/ball-flight-laws.asp

Although I like Breed, I like that Martin isn't zooming through subjects as fast as Breed. I did notice in the last episode, he said you had to get your weight stacked on your forward leg. I like his teaching, but man I wonder if he feels as awkward as he looks in front of the camera. It must be nerves.

Some of the grip stuff was interesting this evening. Made me want to pick up the Steve Elkington stuff he referenced.

C'Mon folks, you know that, Martin Hall, Breed, Ledbetter, Harmon, Haney, Flick, etc.. if asked the same golf question will explain it totally differently and appear to contradict one another. Us amateurs must pick the advice that works best for us through trial and error. Our different amateur swing styles and different levels of play will cater to more than one instructor but never to all of them. Ledbetter's advice doesn't work for me. Martin/Paxson works for my iron swing, Gary Player works for my sand game, Harmon works for my driver swing and alignment, Pelz works for my putter, and Azinger/Mickelson works for my chip/pitch shots. You are bound to find contradictions that aren't really contradictions if you consider the array of amateurs receiving the advice. 4 amateurs golfers in the same foursome don't swing the club the same way. They "contradict"  each other. Expert swing advice given to golfer 1 probably doesn't work for 1 or more of the other 3 in the group. So 1 or more of the other 3 may respond better to expert advice that seems to contradict what golfer 1 was told. Just that simple.  

That's what made the early Golf Channel so great.  They had a wide variety of teachers come in studio and spend an hour talking about their ideas.  I can remember Butch Harmon (with Tiger), Jim Hardy (with Peter Jacobsen), Jim Flick, Jimmy Ballard, all the big names.  Then there were the half hour taped shows with folks like Pelz, Leadbetter and Reinmuth.  It really gave us an opportunity to "sample" various methods and pick what worked.  And, perhaps even more importantly, what didn't work.  I still miss those days.

Much easier for me to watch Hall as opposed to Breed. I have never really taken golf instruction via video or tv seriously and rarely implement any of their ideas, but its still golf and i would rather watch that than most other programs on tv.

To me, Michael Breed is the Jim Cramer of golf instruction. Much more fast paced and covers a lot of ground in a short period of time. Martin Hall is more methodical and likes to dive a bit deeper into each subject, a la Larry King Live (perhaps a bad analogy). As in any learning environment, people learn different ways, and I'm glad The Golf Channel is giving us some good options.

The show is pretty good he has some good teaching points... It's nice to have  a change from Micheal Breed jumping around the set!  I think he is still getting adjusted to the whole tv element though... breed understands how to work the camera angles and his 'tv pesonality' is better.  Good show though overall, Hall brings new outlooks and teaching style different from all the reguritated stuff other Pros seem to say.

I do agree with Martin, It is every bit of instruction I received from my instructors 18 years ago and still is effective in creating 1 putt possibilities.

don't hate the player, hate the game

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnthejoiner 

don't hate the player, hate the game

How about this: hate it when someone who should know better (he's got a Trackman now!) gives out incorrect information?

Martin's wrong in that clip. Was discussed elsewhere on this site, Facebook, etc.

Watching School of Golf last night with Martin and the question was asked about how to hit a draw. His response was basically to aim a little right of the target, swing along that line and roll your hands so that your left knuckles are facing down after impact.

To think... I used to believe that.

Wish TGC would actually get an instructor who not only knows why a ball does what it does, but also can correctly demonstrate and instruct someone on how to go about working on it in their own game.

Really the only reason to watch any of these shows is to have a laugh at all the BS they're spewing. It's sad that people watch and hang on every word simply because these guys are on TV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deronsizemore 

Watching School of Golf last night with Martin and the question was asked about how to hit a draw. His response was basically to aim a little right of the target, swing along that line and roll your hands so that your left knuckles are facing down after impact.

 

To think... I just to believe that.

 

I saw this segment as well.  There have been several instances where Martin Hall instructs to aggressively roll the wrists through impact.  

While this is one way to hit a draw, it's certainly not what I'd advocate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by delav 

 

While this is one way to hit a draw, it's certainly not what I'd advocate.

 

Yeah, you can definitely hit a draw with it... or a roping hook, pull-hook or maybe even a big push out to the right if you don't roll your wrists soon enough. 

I'm not a big fan of the show but I watched this weeks episode with Tom Watson and Toms little homemade training aid has had me very excited about my game all week. Did anyone else see the coat hanger in the ground with a little halo at the top to see the ball? Simply brilliant! I always struggle to keep my head centered and not sway. It's the one swing thought always in my head. Now with this little device planted a foot above the ball I can know for sure I am centered, balanced, head still and can make a proper pivot. Ironically, I have been able to (for now) put away all other swing thoughts and just focus on turning while peering through the little coat hanger at my ball and my ballstriking is the best it's been all year.