Jimmy Ballard

[gsea33]

Definitely think my hands are too low. will have to work on this. Was getting to "around" and not up.

[gsea33]

anyone know of a ballard disciple in the northeast

[Ayersjj]

Took a video lesson from JB today. Encouraged by DJ (speedster97) It was great to talk to him again after 3 years. Recently, I have worked at through swing thoughts trying to get a high right side and goto the toe. Unfortunately, JB said its impossible to do that bc Im backing up into the shot. In other words, no bullets to fire bc Im not loading properly. The key he gave me today is get my left knee loading towards right in backswing so that I get the move in the downswing to balanced position.

 

>>>The top of backswing pic shows the lack of load in backswing <<<

 

>>>you can see me backing up into the shot causing me a dual miss and flip<<<

 

Guys, Im all for a trained eye, but I wouldnt take anybodys opinion to heart until Ballard sees it and has final say imo. Hes 70+ years old but as keen of an eye you can get to get u back on track. Take ur iPhone out take some videos and send them to him. Im thankful for Jimmy, hes always treated me with gracious generosity since 1987 my first visit.

 

[97speedster]

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[Ayersjj]

> @97speedster said:

> JJ, I'm glad you sent him the video and all these still shots look great!

 

Thanks for the nudge to seek JBs eye for it was way overdue. I think alot of teachers have good intentions but JB is the man ?

 

 

[97speedster]

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[Ayersjj]

Congrats DJ !!! This stuff works with commitment and hard work w JB ??

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.tcpalm.com/amp/989406002

 

Great Victory !

[Ayersjj]

Congrats Tiger!!

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=618144638662057&id=25902406772&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&_rdr

[JDFish]

Congratulations DJ! Great group of players at that club I'm told.

[DonRSD]

DJ congrats on the victory. Hard works always pays off!

[torbill]

Well done, Speedster!

Ballard swing method holds up under pressure...

[97speedster]

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[blehnhard]

DJ, congrats on the win!! See that your semi victory was against Chris Peddicord. I knew and competed against Chris "back in the day" when he was as assistant in the Middle Atlantic PGA Section. Next time you see him, tell him that Bruce Lehnhard says hello.

[DonRSD]

So my ball flight has been lower the past 2 rounds. Ball position hasn't changed, I am just swinging easier to get on more fairways (I am sacrificing a smidge of distance).

Swing is pretty easy to diagnose issues....but what about low ball flight for driver to 9 iron?

[97speedster]

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[97speedster]

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[DonRSD]

> @97speedster said:

> > @DonRSD said:

> > So my ball flight has been lower the past 2 rounds. Ball position hasn't changed, I am just swinging easier to get on more fairways (I am sacrificing a smidge of distance).

> > Swing is pretty easy to diagnose issues....but what about low ball flight for driver to 9 iron?

>

> You have lower back pain while also hitting it low? Send me a video, I have to see that!

 

I don't think you can SEE the back pain lol. 1 round I was trying to stay behind the ball and after the round my back was killing me. After that all I care about is swinging to the target (not hitting the ball) and viola.....no more back pain ever again :)

 

Do you push off your right foot to start the downswing? If not, what's your transition move?

 

[gsea33]

Just some info that might pertain some. I was exaggerating the wide stance. Brought it back to my "normal" and continued with the connection. Night and day. Like anything I guess modification.

[97speedster]

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[bluedot]

> @gsea33 said:

> anyone know of a ballard disciple in the northeast

 

Contact the Ballard office and ask; they'll give you a recommendation if there is a Ballard-trained guy around. I did this when I moved to NC, and they sent me to a guy that gave me one of the very best lessons I ever had.

[bluedot]

> @97speedster said:

> One thing I see with many Ballard students is they get too connected and lose the width in their right arms then get steep on the downswing as a result. While you want to get and stay connected with the left arm, you also want the feel of the right arm reaching for the sky at the top of the backswing which also helps to get the right shoulder working up, not around in the backswing. All great players have had width at the top of their backswing, even Hogan who's swing was on a flatter plane still had awesome width at the top. JB has always told me that "you want connection in the left arm, but the right arm reaches for the sky". Look at the width in the right arm of some of the best players to play the game.... young Nicklaus and Tiger in 2000 were two of the best at this!

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> This is my swing split screened against Tiger's in 2000.... we both have width with a higher left arm plane and TW has hit it alot better since getting back to this position last year and not so flat and laid off. I started working on getting back in this position last week and it has done wonders for my ball striking and allowed me to stay much higher in the right side on the way down..... when I get narrow and jammed in my right arm, I tend to get too low of a right side coming down because my right arm doesn't have the width and time to unfold and my right shoulder and right hip get low and drop coming down. When the right arm bends past 90* you don't have time to reverse the action and unfold it in the transition and into impact which lead to too low of a right side on the downswing. This is huge for my game so I thought it might help some of you too.

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Congrats on the win! Great stuff...

 

The right arm connection thing is, IMO, the biggest misunderstanding of Ballard, with the exception of the coil/sway stuff. I think people hear the word "connection" and think that it means that the arms stay close to the body, which is true for the left arm. But the book makes it clear that "connection" means maintaining a powerful, athletic position with the triangle intact, comparable to the connection in an electric circuit. For the right arm, that means that the elbow ALLOWED to be working up and away into a position similar to a baseball player getting ready to throw, which is why Ballard has to debunk the flying right elbow stuff in the book. When I don't do that, I get way under the plane and all hell breaks loose with bad contact and two-way misses. One of my repair devices for this is to think about getting the club to where I can pull down like I'm pulling down on a rope to ring a big bell; the only way to get there is for my right shoulder and arm to work up instead of around; THAT is connection.

[DonRSD]

Right shoulder works up on the backswing and works down on the downswing or level on the downswing?

If its down, how in the hell will someone be able to hit the ball and/or not spin out?

[Ayersjj]

> @bluedot said:

> > @gsea33 said:

> > anyone know of a ballard disciple in the northeast

>

> Contact the Ballard office and ask; they'll give you a recommendation if there is a Ballard-trained guy around. I did this when I moved to NC, and they sent me to a guy that gave me one of the very best lessons I ever had.

Bluedot

whos a Ballard teacher here in NC? Im in Wilmington

Thanks

 

[97speedster]

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[bluedot]

> @Ayersjj said:

> > @bluedot said:

> > > @gsea33 said:

> > > anyone know of a ballard disciple in the northeast

> >

> > Contact the Ballard office and ask; they'll give you a recommendation if there is a Ballard-trained guy around. I did this when I moved to NC, and they sent me to a guy that gave me one of the very best lessons I ever had.

> Bluedot

> whos a Ballard teacher here in NC? Im in Wilmington

> Thanks

>

 

You're in luck! Barry Walters at St. James Plantation in Southport is the guy the Ballard office referred me to. I thought he was terrific, and he's Ballard thru and thru.

[DonRSD]

Is there a pause at the top of the backswing?

[97speedster]

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[Ayersjj]

What a victory Wow

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=618144638662057&id=25902406772&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&_rdr

[hbear55]

Anyone know of any Ballard instructors around Nashville, TN or St. Louis, MO.?

[gsea33]

Just a comment. Finding the hardest thing to maintain is the more upright right arm. With the glove I'm dangerous, without it tend to go back to "serving the tray". So now I always warm up with the glove big difference. Takes a lot practice to make a swing change. Too bad that glove isn't legal for course play lol.