Understanding the Golf Swing: The DVD

I purchased the DVD after I read Mr. de la torre's excellent book. I found it to be a very acceptable companion to his writings, although I often found myself wanting to change places with the host, so I could ask Mr. de la Torre more clarifying questions. I agree with another customer's review who suggested that I simply travel to Milwaukee and take a lesson from him personally, which I am planning to do.I would strongly recommend that you read his book at least once before reviewing the DVD; otherwise, you may feel it is overly simplistic and not of much worth. In fact, that is the point of his instruction: golf IS and should be as simple as swinging a club. This concept will no doubt puzzle many golfers who, like me, have read numerous self-help golf books in the past and are now loaded to the gills with countless mental prompts and sacred "dos" and "don'ts" regarding the proper swing mechanics. In my opinion, this book and DVD will come as a welcome relief from the elusive instructions that seem impossible to master for more than a few holes at a time.I have read his book several times [a quick read in about an hour and a half] and I can tell you that I develop a deeper understanding of his teachings with each read. More significantly, the day after each reading I played the best golf I have ever played! My ball striking became so solid and straight, that the difference was akin to the changes that are seen on the golf infomercials peddling new training aids. And, when I started to slip back to my old ways, I would simply remind myself of Manuel's advise to not think of what body part failed to obey your directions. Instead, you simply remind yourself that you didn't do what you had done before that produced the positive results, and then go back to what you were doing before.Believe me when I say that this works, and continues to work. The proof of this is demonstrated to me in each successive round I play. The DVD is a decent companion to the book, since it demonstrates his teachings in a visually concrete way. I would have liked more questions asked of Mr. de la torre by the host of the DVD, but it is still a very good complement to his book.

Some very good reviews of the book and DVD already have been posted here. So I don't see a need to add another, except to say I wholeheartedly agree. But I do want to chime in to make sure people don't decide against purchasing the DVD based on some of the reviews. The DVD really is an essential companion to the book if you want to grasp de la Torre's concepts and put them into practice. I've read the book, have the DVD and am working with a teacher overseas who teaches the Heartland/de la Torre method. Yes, the production values on the DVD aren't great. De la Torre is a soft-spoken old dude who hikes his pants up high, and he is questioned by a guy in an ill-fitting blazer and ployester slacks whom you might expect to see selling house lots in a golf course development. It's a bit reminiscent of an old "Leave it to Beaver" episode. But if you are atempting to grasp de la Torre's method, then the DVD will really help. Some of the demonstrations it offers, with de la Torre directing an LPGA pro, really will help you understand what he is trying to communicate. Although spotty in parts -- both visually and in terms of sound quality -- it certainly is more than acceptable. It's the information we need, and it's there. It's possible that the unhappy reviewer might have rec'd a poor-quality copy and should perhaps ask Amazon to replace it.

It's too bad that more teaching pros don't use this method. Then again, the concepts are pretty simple to understand, scientifically sound, and when you game invariably improves; there will be no need for endless poor instruction. From a financial standpoint, I can see why teaching pros would hate this school of instruction.Having played (and struggled with) the game for several years, a good friend of mine who follows the de la Torre principles showed me a much better way to golf. The Earnest Jones method really simplifies what you need to do. Plus, I can save time by not reading all the instructional articles in Golf and Golf Digest magazines, since they invariably contradict one another and wil simply screw your game up and reintroduce bad habits into it.Considering that the de la Torre method is a fairly significant departure from the preposterously complex methodology of Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, and such; you really have to disavow the majority of what you have learned about the golf swing to fully understand what de la Torre is teaching you. Fortunately, most of what you have learned up to this point is crap. Ridding yourself of all the baggage that goes with remembering all the extraneous thoughts you have acquired throughout the years will benefit your game far more than you can imagine.Again, the de la Torre method is really a very different approach than what many golfers have been taught. But having tried many teaching methodologies over the years, only to find my best results following this book, I am happy I took the plunge.

Very old and corny. However, this approach to golfing , even though not popular today, really made golf much easier for me and is the only way for an amatuer to improve his or her game. This is a real sleeper approach to golf that needs to become mainstream again. I almost quit the game until watching this video. They need to make an updated version of this great lesson by the greatest teacher of golf, Manuel De La Torre. He was the first PGA teacher of the year. He passed recently and God Rest His Soul.