On the Mark Golf Podcast

Brian Manzella is a perennial member of Golf Digest magazine's 50 Best Teachers in America List. He is also a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher in America. His 40-year+ teaching career includes a long tutelage under the late Ben Doyle, and a lengthy relationship with PGA Champion, and multiple PGA TOUR winner David Toms. Brian joins #OntheMark to illustrate the Alpha, Beta and Gamma Axes and how the golf-club performs in relation to them throughout the golfswing. His insights are a function of the 3D Golf-swing Research done by the Michael Jacobs team. Using the "Jacobs' 3D Airplane he describes and illustrates the 3 Dimensional Kinetics the club undergoes during the golfswing.  He shows how and when the club is 'pushed or pulled' and when it is torqued.  Very importantly he illustrates how research on over three thousand golf-swings has proved that a good ball-striker makes the sum of the 'Moments Alpha' or 'Rotaters' positive in the transition into the downswing.  Brian illustrates the importance of this move in order to allay misunderstandings about shallowing the club in the downswing.  He shows drills and PGA TOUR examples, like Rory McIlroy and Lee Trevino to galvanize his points and insights. He also explains how Sergio Garcia strikes the golf ball so well by describing how various hand-paths results in different Alpha, Beta and Gamma Forces and Torques. It may sound complicated but it is really easy to learn to 'tumble' and not 'flop' the shaft angle in the downswing to strike the ball more powerfully and crisply. Go to youtube.com/@markimmelman and subscribe to watch the lesson.

Dr. Robert K. Winters is an internationally renowned Sports Psychologist, Author, and Professional Speaker. He holds Bachelor (B.S) and Master’s (M.A.) degrees from Ball State University and earned his Ph.D. doctorate in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia. Dr. Winters has spent the past 35 years investigating how one’s thoughts and attitudes affect one’s ability to perform to their optimal talent level. He has helped all types of athletes get into the winner’s circle and he joins #OntheMark to help you play great golf. Dr. Bob delves into "Possibility Thinking and Purposeful Doing" as elaborates on the following keys to consistently great play: 1. I play my game 2. Beat the course 3. Make clear purposeful plans on every shot 4. The 80% Rule (Only hit the shot you can) 5. Get to a green light 6. Play one at a time 7. Accept the shot Bob shares other tips and exercises that can help in achieving each of these 7 nuggets - tips he believes are the most important insights he has taught throughout his career. Download and learn or watch on YouTube.

David Woods has been a  PGA of America member since 1999. Prior to that he was a member in good standing of the Canadian PGA. David is the Director of Golf at The Vintage Club (Indian Wells CA) and is the former coach of 2003 Masters champion, Mike Weir. David joins #OntheMark to demonstrate his (in partnership with Sean Foley) new training aid, the ProSendr, which teaches the proper, and functional, wrist alignments in the golf swing. David believes the hands and wrists are the GPS of the golf-swing and understanding their important role and how they move to control clubface alignments and loft is paramount to good ball-striking. While he demonstrates the ProSendr he discusses important elements to quality golf shots such as: Clubface Alignment and Loft Control, Wrist Flexibility, Body Rotation and Wrist Relationships, the Timing of the Wrist-set in the Backswing, the Forces and Torques on the Wrists during the Swing, how the Clubface trails the Hand-path in the Downswing, and Wrist Alignments for Draws and Fades. He also illustrates how the ProSendr can be used for the Long Game, the Short Game and Putting improvement. This podcast is also available on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Kristi Barker, MPT is a Canadian Physical Therapist who believes in  the importance of treating every individual as an athlete.  No matter your skill, mobility and/or strength she believes in instilling you with the tools to take charge of your own health, and she joins #OntheMark to guide you to your personal best.  Kristi shares five exercises (including a few bonus moves) that will help you improve your overall health, movement and by extension your golf swing: Single Leg Hip Marches / CARS (Controlled Articular Rotations) Half-Kneeling Rotations Divers to Chest Openers Standing Pelvic Tilts Back Extensions Kristi also adds and demonstrates a few Core strengthening moves like the Farmer's or Suitcase Carry, the Landmine Press, and Kneeling Med-Ball Slams and Rotations Get strong, get mobile, get healthy. Improve your body to improve your swing. Download and learn or watch it on YouTube at Mark Immelman's YouTube page.

Todd Kolb is a PGA Professional and has been teaching golf for over 25 years. He has been named the Minnesota PGA Teacher of the Year and has coached golfers of all skills levels from Major Championship winning players, to LPGA winners, to elite Collegiate and Amateur golfers, to club level players. Todd recently authored a book titled: The Bad Lie - Why Traditional Golf Instruction is Failing You (And What to Do)  He joins #OntheMark to discuss the book and share some excerpts and insights to help you to a better understanding of what is actually required to improve your game and your scores. Among various insights, Todd elaborates on "3 Things to Think Differently About" - The X-Factor, Flat Backswings with Deep Hands, and Distance vs Control. He also talks about 3 Skills to Transform Your Game - Strategic Aim, Lag Putting (with a practice drill), and Chipping and Pitching (with a drill.) As Todd says:  "You can hit a solid draw off the tee. You can hit a high, soft flop shot. You can break 80 and you can love this game into your retirement years. You just need instruction that was made for you." Download this podcast or watch it on https://www.youtube.com/@MarkImmelman

Jim Waldron is one of the great minds in golf instruction. Respected by all and sundry, his primary goal is to give students the insights and information that will enable them to breakthrough to extraordinary golf. His teaching method is a blend of biomechanics and mindfulness practice, covering both the "what to do" with your body and club, and the "how to do it" with your mental approach to learning, training and performing in golf. Jim joins #OntheMark to discuss his holistic approach to golf instruction and to teach you how to develop and accentuate the connection between your mind and body. He illustrates the Three Sensory Channels - the Sense of Vision, Hearing and Feeling - and how they communicate with the Brain and whether you are focussing on the External World or your private Psychological Space. He further teaches you, with exercises, how it is possible to direct your attention and your awareness on command, at any given moment, with any one of those sensory channels.  His approach is essentially the unification of Western Scientific Principles and Eastern Psychological Insights and is the starting point of Mindfulness. He also delves into the concept of "Meta Awareness" as a way of learning, and focussing attention at any moment, without any internal psychological reactions to what you are paying attention to. Meta Awareness will help you become less reactive in stressful environments like the golf course and/or tournament pressure. Jim illustrates his points with  examples such as Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan. Improve your focus, channel your awareness and develop your game and your skills more efficiently and completely. Download this podcast and view it on Mark Immelman's YouTube Channel.

Dr. Mike Grevlos is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He currently focuses his teaching in the areas of motivation and emotion, sport and exercise psychology.  Dr. Grevlos serves as a consultant to mental coaches and to PING GOLF. He is also the author of The Motivation Game: A Course on the Psychology of Golf Improvement. Mike joins #OntheMark to discuss the concept of Practice, the Motivation to Practice and the Mindset Required to make it productive. He specifically delves into the following areas: Maintaining unified goals on course and in practice, Avoiding goal conflict, Self-awareness to be mentally attune to goal-setting, Viewing Trouble with a neutral mindset for success. He also describes the goals required to make practice productive. He elaborates on the concept of the "Need for Competence" as an intrinsic human desire and its effect on performance, the principle of "Optimal Challenge" and the Gold Standard of Practice. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on youtube. Subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@MarkImmelman

Dan Orlovsky is a Football Analyst for ESPN and a former National Football League (NFL) quarterback. After playing College Ball at The University of Connecticut (UConn), he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2005 NFL Draft. Orlovsky played for 12 seasons in The NFL.  Dan joins Mark Immelman on #OntheMark to talk about his career and experiences and lessons from his time in The NFL. He also shares his thoughts on the make-up and mind-set of great champions, both on the Football field and on the Golf Course. Orlovsky addresses: Being Comfortable in Uncomfortable Situations, Having the Courage of Your Convictions to Take a Tough Stance, "Painting" Positive Pictures in Your Mind and Attacking Your Weaknesses, Prioritizing Improvement and Being a Sponge to Become Better, Handling the Pressure of Being Alone, Being Present, and Realizing there is No Entitlement in Sports and Golf. He also shares his acronym for what it is to be a real competitor and a "REAL" Man.  Dan also uses NFL examples of great champions incl. illustrations from NFL legend, Tom Brady. This podcast is also available on YouTube.

Andy North is a 3-time winner on the PGA TOUR, a 2-time US Open Champion (1978 and 1985), and a winner on the PGA TOUR Champions. After his playing career Andy successfully turned to golf announcing and enjoyed a long On-course Announcing career for ABC. In 2003 Andy transitioned to Lead Analyst for ESPN and their Major Championship Golf Coverage. North joins Mark Immelman to discuss his playing career and his two US Open victories. In reminiscing over the victories Andy shares insights on how to play well in tough and challenging conditions. He talks about Understanding Yourself and What You Need to do for Success, Being Tournament-tough, Handling Pressure, and Patience in Decision-making and Play. He also shares anecdotes and insights from great "Tough Conditions" players like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Andy also revisits the 2023 Masters and shares his take on the tournament, the contenders, and what you can learn from Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.

Reeves Weedon is a Fellow of the PGA, a published author and researcher. He’s also an authorized Master of the Golfing Machine, a TPI Certified coach and a presenter for the Nick Faldo series of golf.  Reeves specialises in Biomechanics and the Prevention of Lower Back Injuries in golf. Recently his three-year research project (on prevention of lower back injuries - conducted at Michigan State University) was presented to the 37th International Society of Biomechanics in Sports Conference. Reeves joins #OntheMark to discuss "Weedon's Way" - his method of swinging a golf club.  His "Lower Body Swing" is based on a fundamental fact of physics - all power ultimately comes from Ground Force and from pushing on the ground. His golf swing involves a whole body motion, powered by the appropriate use of the legs, hat does not require any compensatory moves to get the club on plane, or preserve loft, or create lag.  Weedon's approach to using the legs to initiate the correct Kinematic Sequence promotes maximum clubhead speed for minimum effort by way of an efficient, timely transmission of force to the club.  Unlike other golf swing methods, Weedon's "Lower Body Swing" directs the golfer’s attention to the movements that Physics prove powers the golf shot. This approach to swinging the golf-club makes use of two of the three largest muscles sets in the body - the Gluteus Maximus and the Quadriceps.  Activating these muscles when swinging the club enhances power, consistency and most importantly reduces back injury and pain by enhancing the pivot and reducing tilts.   Play with less pain and more power. Download this podcast or watch it on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@MarkImmelman