Jimmy Ballard

dodger

97speedster wrote:

Agreed! I worked for Nicklaus for 6 years and played with him quite a few times..... I never told him who I worked with on my game, but he was always very complimentary.

Ballard always cites Hogan as a model, but it seems to me that Nicklaus's swing "looks" more like Ballard teaches, especially 1980-86 version.

GolfWRX

sbark

97speedster wrote:

sbark wrote:

Any additional thoughts on "springing the shaft" be much appreciated

Here is a drill Jimmy Ballard showed me a couple of weeks ago that helps to get the feel of not pulling on the handle and learning to spring the shaft and release the club. Jimmy took a stool and put it behind the target line where the club would miss the stool at waist high on the backswing; then on the downswing, he would tap the top of the stool with his club head.

So springing the shaft is more of a shallowing than a loading thought?

Ayersjj

flatnstuck wrote:

There are Colbert highlights with full swings on YouTube.







Two DTL swings here starting at about 3:50.

Sure wish someone could find a video of colberts swing and putting. Hes the premiere Ballard disciple that has neverleft JB tutelage. Surely there is some DTL slow motion of this guy. Unbelievable

Ayersjj

sbark wrote:

97speedster wrote:

sbark wrote:

Any additional thoughts on "springing the shaft" be much appreciated

Here is a drill Jimmy Ballard showed me a couple of weeks ago that helps to get the feel of not pulling on the handle and learning to spring the shaft and release the club. Jimmy took a stool and put it behind the target line where the club would miss the stool at waist high on the backswing; then on the downswing, he would tap the top of the stool with his club head.

So springing the shaft is more of a shallowing than a loading thought?

Colbert springing shaft from a perfect triangle hole in one

Ayersjj

dodger wrote:

97speedster wrote:

Agreed! I worked for Nicklaus for 6 years and played with him quite a few times..... I never told him who I worked with on my game, but he was always very complimentary.

Ballard always cites Hogan as a model, but it seems to me that Nicklaus's swing "looks" more like Ballard teaches, especially 1980-86 version.

I think Colbert is the epitome of Ballard swing. JB and Colbert did a clinic when they opened up the Colbert Ballard school for Jane Rosenberg and Andy Gaither. They had it oosted in their facebook later telling me if I want it I have to pay for it on JB site. Its probably the best clunic I have ever watched. She said she was going to post it again in their FB but I cannot find it nor am I in facebook.



Its 20 minutes long and full of gems about whats in Colberts head. Sure wish someone could find it again its golden



http://www.myteachingpro.com/colbert-ballardgolfschool/About/About.aspx

Ayersjj

97speedster wrote:

Here is a swing sequence of Hal Sutton in 1984 with Jimmy Ballard discussing his swing...

The Colbert Ballard video clinic was free. Not sure why Jane Rosenberg is keeping the video when its really Jimmy’s info. She made it seem like nobody gets to see her stuff when JB has people that pay him for lessons for 30 years. Kinda pissd me off bigtime. Colbert is like a phantom cantbe found. Hope u have success tracking this clinic down so its forever in the archives here for people to really hear fron Colbert finally.



http://www.myteachingpro.com/colbert-ballardgolfschool/About/About.aspx

GolfWRX

97speedster

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torbill

97speedster wrote:

sbark wrote:

So springing the shaft is more of a shallowing than a loading thought?

I wouldn’t say that, it’s more release related.... you can’t spring the shaft if you pull the handle on the way down!

Yes exactly, avoiding pulling is the key I believe. I found the term confusing until I realized what he is trying to teach. He it trying to teach me to NOT start down by pulling on the butt of the club. Rather, the shaft will automatically “spring” if I just do the correct Ballard downswing.



If I take a JB backswing and stop at the top I can best understand it. From this position, if I rock my hips, hold my head back, I will pull on the butt of the club. If I do this there will be no bending torque on the shaft, so it will not bend or “spring” until later in the downswing. However, if I start the downswing by properly uncoiling my body by firing from the ground up my hips are going to rotate, not rock, and there is going to a bending torque on the shaft, immediately. So long as I do a correct JB downswing the shaft will automatically spring and I don’t even have to think about it.



This can be seen at the 11:15 mark of the video below. In his old swing Hogan did not spring the shaft. In his new swing, he automatically springs the shaft.



That’s my understanding of springing the shaft.

PowerPutt

Love this video of Annika taken looking at her back. If you scan after the 3 minute mark you will see the firing of the right hip and the springing of the shaft. Pure ballard.

flatnstuck

It would seem that it’s really just lettingthe club head swing. Pulling straight down, if it were actually possible, puts no load on the shaft. Letting it swing like and axe would load the shaft which would hopefully make it to the ball in that condition. What Hal Sutton refers to as “the glory”.



It also jibes with Ballard’s putting or keeping no angles in the golf swing as you have to undo whatever you put in. And, naturally, the act of trying to get rid of the angle by letting the head swing actually retains and loads so that you have power to apply to the ball without trying to do so.

Ayersjj

PowerPutt wrote:

Love this video of Annika taken looking at her back. If you scan after the 3 minute mark you will see the firing of the right hip and the springing of the shaft. Pure ballard.

Wonder if JB would say she needs to fold left arm more?

GolfWRX

97speedster

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Ayersjj

97speedster wrote:

Her body, eyes and head are all fully released.... folding the arms doesn’t equal a full release. I’ve actually never heard JB say a negative thing about Annika’s swing, he’s always said she has the soundest swing in golf. Some of the straightest hitters of all time have fully released their bodies while extending down the target line longer, ie: Lee Trevino.

Thanks!

Ayersjj

97speedster wrote:

Her body, eyes and head are all fully released.... folding the arms doesn’t equal a full release. I’ve actually never heard JB say a negative thing about Annika’s swing, he’s always said she has the soundest swing in golf. Some of the straightest hitters of all time have fully released their bodies while extending down the target line longer, ie: Lee Trevino.

Makes sense

97speedster

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97speedster

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GolfWRX

flatnstuck

That 6’3” guy with Annika’s swing DNA is named Henrik Stenson.

97speedster

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otw

Looks like Bear Lakes to me with yellow NXT golf balls. Have played there many times since 1988. Super facility

JDFish

97speedster wrote:

Yesterday I decided to take a quick video from the front and back view to see where my swing was. I don't like to video too much because I get too critical and I like to play golf without being analytical. I didn't watch the videos until after the round, but I went on to 3 putt the first hole for bogey and proceeded to make 5 birdies and an eagle for a 67.... I bogeyed one other hole during the round.



Still a few things I would like to incorporate into my swing, the main thing being keeping my right side (right hip and shoulder) higher on the downswing into impact. Three of my birdies were tap ins inside of 3 feet and my eagle was 18" from the hole; it was a four iron from 210 yards that lipped out for double eagle, so I even though I am being critical, I still hit 14 greens in regulation which isn't too shabby.



https://youtu.be/CajFgWJ0o2A



https://youtu.be/KvJIrhLlsi0

Thanks for the videos - it helps me get a better vision of a few things I should be doing better/working on. I love that you shot 67 and still see room for improvement.

97speedster

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GolfWRX

JDFish

otw wrote:

Looks like Bear Lakes to me with yellow NXT golf balls. Have played there many times since 1988. Super facility

If that is Bear Lakes, I agree. I had the chance to play there a few weeks ago. Started on the Lakes, birdied the first hole and shot 37 on the front 9. It was downhill from there for the following days (for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the wind). Those are some tough courses, especially for a first timer from Ohio shaking off rust from the winter.

Ayersjj

JDFish wrote:

otw wrote:

Looks like Bear Lakes to me with yellow NXT golf balls. Have played there many times since 1988. Super facility

If that is Bear Lakes, I agree. I had the chance to play there a few weeks ago. Started on the Lakes, birdied the first hole and shot 37 on the front 9. It was downhill from there for the following days (for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the wind). Those are some tough courses, especially for a first timer from Ohio shaking off rust from the winter.

JD I left OH in 2012 from Dublin OH now NC. Ever play Muirfield?

Welcome bak to good weather!

blehnhard

DJ, I have a good friend and very good player from Virginia who "winter's" at Bear Lakes. Name is Ron Clatterbuck. Have you run across him.



Bruce

Ayersjj

97speedster wrote:

Two of the greatest ball strikers of all time extended down the target line longer than anyone; Ben Hogan and Lee Trevino. Keeping your left arm connected through impact makes releasing the club easier, but there are plenty of players who have a full body release and don't fold the arms like some others do. When it comes to golf swings, I agree with Jimmy about Annika.... she doesn't have the full Ballard look to her swing, but she releases the club, her eyes and her body about as good as anyone I have ever seen. I would love to put her swing on a 6'3" framed golfer like myself, the world would be your oyster.



Look at Hogan in frame 3, his left arm would not be able to hold a handkerchief under it in this position, but that does not mean he hasn't fully released his body and club here, he actually has an amazing lower and upper body release in this sequence with no block at all in his swing. For me, it's just easier to fully release my body and club by staying more connected in my left arm, but it is by no means the one and only way to assure a full release. I work on connection which naturally folds down the left arm after impact, but I have never tried to fold my arms in my swing, it more is just a natural move through working with the Connector. My body can't naturally release to the target like Hogan, so I go about releasing more like Ballard would like, but JB still loves Hogan's swing even though Hogan doesn't fold his arms fast or as much through impact.

2 keys to Hogans swing Ballardesque

1. Cupping thumbs under shaft

2. Drive right knee TOWARDS ball



Javier Sanchez write in his book that balance was premiere importance. That Mr Hogan said the cupping of left wrist balanced him so he could run the right knee towards the ball

gsea33

It was Jody Vasquez that wrote the book but I agree 100% with the right knee controlling the distance and the cupped left wrist for balance and squaring the club face. Best Hogan advice ever given.

GolfWRX

97speedster

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97speedster

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Ayersjj

97speedster wrote:

Ripper212 wrote:

Understood. Which is why it's so bizarre that nearly every other piece of downswing advice seems to consist of ways to shallow the shaft which all good players seem to do! For me, I feel that JB's instruction will help correct my previous misunderstanding that the swing should be around, not up, which often results in below plane downswing and lack of compression.

Shallowing the shaft happens naturally through proper sequence (ie: not opening the shoulders too early on the downswing) and centrifugal force, but trying to intentionally shallow it will get you under the plane and stuck on the downswing.

Since were talking health, I thought my hobby was over after game keepers surgery Sept 2018. Now, bak to swinging again. This game is hard enough w/o body parts fallung off. But, I must admit it woukd be much easier to stop jogging 5 miles aday then give up chasing the rock!

GolfWRX

Ripper212

97speedster wrote:

otw wrote:

Looks like Bear Lakes to me with yellow NXT golf balls. Have played there many times since 1988. Super facility

Yup, that's my home course!

I LOVE Bear Lakes but when I played there last month I thought the greens were lightning fast. Then again, I don't think I could shoot 67 on a par 3 course. Congratulations. Hope you're making some money with your ability and not just hanging out on WRX!