The ballad of Jimmy Ballard...

[nagroc6987]

[quote name='jaguar79og' timestamp='1343308733' post='5356876']
Ballard teaches a lot of "feels." When I load into my right side I don't think about my belt buckle anymore. When I started learning under one of his instructors, a fault I had was that I "turned" my hips with belt buckle over my right knee. The problem with this is, if you don't get to your right side, it's a reverse pivot. Pulls and slices were all i could hit. The way I fixed this, was that I loaded my weight into the inside of my right leg, and "felt like" my belt buckle was facing forward the whole time. On video, this clearly wasn't the case, but it was a feeling. Swing thoughts aren't always literal. He also said that on the downswing, you should "pierce your heart with your left elbow." Feelings man... We're talking feelings!

It's sad you feel like you need to be on a crusade to dispell Ballard's teachings. You'll have a better time proving the world is flat. McLean, Harmon, Leadbetter to name a few have drawn from his ideas and beliefs and incorporated his teachings.There are many reputable golfers and journalists that put Ballard in the upper echelon of contributors to the game. But hey, whatever gets you through the night.
[/quote]

BTW, Id love to see your IMPACT (something Jimmy doesnt bother himself with). Never heard him discuss impact once. Because when you use a feel that was used by a specific player (Hal Sutton felt piercing his heart with left elbow) its usually disastrous. To tell the average person to do this just ends up in them flipping the club or casting it. get your elbows together as fast as possible SON!!!, work the toe boy !!!! get your eyes and nose to the target as fast as possible boy. etc. UGH.. It all gets people to cast the club or flip it badly. Its just the worst...feel or real I dont care...

[Body_Visions]

[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1343020271' post='5332220']
[quote name='Body_Visions' timestamp='1342884500' post='5321608']
[quote name='Cmartingolf' timestamp='1342838972' post='5319744']
I took my first lesson w/ Knudson when I was 9 years old. I was a part of his junior program and when I was old enough to drive, I began working for him doing follow up instruction for him at his range. He was a fan of Ballard. George even visited Ballard for instruction. George was already a highly regarded striker when he went to discuss swing thoughts with Ballard. Ballard did not "make" George Knudson. George, did believe in the connection of a good swing, but felt there were variables based on the individual athlete.

I'm a coach. I teach a lot of high-level players and a bunch of high handicappers that want to make qualify for their B flight championship at the club.

Safe to say that every top level coach has added a bunch of cool things to "coaching" in general. Ballard's connection principle will stand the test of time. I'm not a fan of a lot of the stuff he says, but he has produced some very good competitors and ball strikers. Like the one fellow who was sponsored by his club and "had to see a top-tier teacher," I know a similar story of a great talent who did the same and washed out trying to fit the Ballard mold. Fair to say, different strokes for different folks. The key to any great student coaching relationship is the BELIEF the student has in the teacher. Lets face it, in golf, the club face has to be aiming at the desired start line and the path as to provide the appropriate curve for the shot. If you can do that every time, does it really matter what your swing looks like or how you describe how you do it for others? [b]I don't care for Rocco, much less his swing,[/b] but the guy could hit it and had a pretty good career cashing checks. He, like Ballard, is very opinionated and it's their way or the highway. That style of coaching, or personality, for that matter doesn't sit well with me, but it does give some a level of "certainty" to some students.

Anyway, sorry for the rant.

Ballard created a system and believes in it. He has deciples who believe in it. Some of his golfers have performed at the top of the world stage. Tough to argue with that... According to those bullets, he must be a great coach. Not for me, but facts are facts.
[/quote]

Care to elaborate on this?
[/quote]

What part?
[/quote]

The Rocco part.

[jaguar79og]

Casting/flipping occurs when you don't "fire the right side" from the ground up. If I were to just throw the club at the ball from the top of my backswing, keeping my weight on my right side, THAT'S when a flip or cast would occur. But if I change direction by driving off my right side, starting with my right foot, then right knee, right hip, right lat, etc.., finishing with my elbows down and facing the target, there'd be NO WAY a flip could occur.

And Ballard shouldn't talk about IMPACT. What's there to say? Impact occurs as a result of a proper coil behind the ball (right side), followed by initiating the downswing "from the ground up." A proper setup, backswing, downswing results in perfect impact.

Again, sorry Ballard's methods didn't work for you. Nothing wrong with that. That's the beauty of golf! No two swings look alike. But it sure is fun when you start getting good at it. I've tried other instructors before, different methods, etc. and I nearly quit the game out of frustration. But I've found something that makes perfect sense and works for me. I love this game, I'm now a pretty good player, and I have a swing that I can count on. What I'm saying is, just because this method isn't for you, that doesn't mean there aren't others that can pick it up and be successful. Good luck with your game!

[nagroc6987]

[url="http://youtu.be/PRgczfRYgbs"]http://youtu.be/PRgczfRYgbs[/url]

Ive posted it before, but this video sums up Jimmy pretty well. The guy is a lunatic. He goes in Gold Gyms garbage can, takes thier oblique machine and says he has invented the worlds greatest training aid. He even apllied for a patent because somone might steal the idea. Then he claims it was stolen. Did I ever tell you the story about when I put Peter Jacobsen in my machine..yeah, maybe thats why he left and went to Jim Hardy.

[nagroc6987]

no turn, not possible. 40 tour wins, 3 majors and counting

[url="http://youtu.be/3lr2-MvI4QY"]http://youtu.be/3lr2-MvI4QY[/url]

[spacecraft]

[quote name='nagroc6987' timestamp='1343357199' post='5361970']
no turn, not possible. 40 tour wins, 3 majors and counting

[media=]http://youtu.be/3lr2-MvI4QY[/media]
[/quote]

Enlarge the video and put a line under his chin and watch his head move to his left, he's not turning around a fixed point like a top. That's what Ballard doesn't want to see (not moving your head rearward) because most players reverse pivot trying to turn in a barrel.

[nagroc6987]

[media=]http://youtu.be/UDR1EuclMvo[/media]

never said the head has to stay fixed-it definitley will move slightly to the right for a right handed player, all im saying is its very possible to TURN and play great golf. Its no coincident that these guys hit the ball a LONG way. Bubbas butt is completely facing the target at teh top of the swing. he turns his hips so much he starts to roll off his back foot

jimmy would also say bubba is massisvley "hung back"...

[nagroc6987]

[url="http://youtu.be/5ocMJecgW2w"]http://youtu.be/5ocMJecgW2w[/url]

watch the butt, watch the belt buckle, ignore the bell bottoms..learn to turn. be a rebel, defy physics

[spacecraft]

[quote name='nagroc6987' timestamp='1343385961' post='5363108']
[media=]http://youtu.be/UDR1EuclMvo[/media]

never said the head has to stay fixed-it definitley will move slightly to the right for a right handed player, all im saying is its very possible to TURN and play great golf. Its no coincident that these guys hit the ball a LONG way. Bubbas butt is completely facing the target at teh top of the swing. he turns his hips so much he starts to roll off his back foot

jimmy would also say bubba is massisvley "hung back"...
[/quote]

I'm no physics professor but If you look up turn is the dictionary it says to "[color=#000000][size=3][left]move around an axis or center" so if he moves his head back maybe he's twisting which in the dictionary says "[/left][/size][/color][color=#000000][size=3][left]To wind or coil", maybe he wants instructors to call it a twist or coil instead of a turn.[/left][/size][/color]

[nagroc6987]

 

HIs right butt cheek pivots back and to the left, and the spine reorients itself rightward, still straight but tilted rightward. beautiful, except Jimmy would call this reversed/twisted. A matter of preference I guess. JImmy always made a point to tape from this rearview (never seen another teacher do this) and he always told me that the butt needs to move laterally and not pivot the way Faldo is (butt moving toward target).

[AM19]

[quote name='nagroc6987' timestamp='1343357199' post='5361970']
no turn, not possible. 40 tour wins, 3 majors and counting

[media=]http://youtu.be/3lr2-MvI4QY[/media]
[/quote]

I don't know why you have such a problem with Ballard, but if you must post all these examples of how wrong he is in every way despite his results, including tour success, at least get your facts right. Phil has 4 majors

[nagroc6987]

[url="http://youtu.be/7LvA8Rna4DQ"]http://youtu.be/7LvA8Rna4DQ[/url]

you cant stay centered, you can't turn, you can't move laterally or slide on the downswing. because if you slide you pull. right Jimmy? this defies the laws of physics and orthopedics? Hunter needs to give his trophies back.

5 tour wins, many more to come

[greens hit]

When I had lessons from the Colbert/Ballard school, I was taught the same thing. Elbows down, connected, shift into right side, move the head, maintain triangle etc. The instructor kept telling me one thing and did another when he demonstrates.. It royally F'ed me up. Took me five years to recover from that experience. The only thing that stuck with me was the connectedness and ye triangle.

Let's see, two pivot points can't turn centered. What if the legs that support the two pivot points are allowed to move? Who says the legs and hips have to remain static?

[danattherock]

[quote name='nagroc6987' timestamp='1339430954' post='5067190']
I find it very odd that you have never even worked directly with Jimmy but have gone over and above in your efforts to promote him and his upcoming schools.. Not only here but on the sandtrap website as well. No good teachers in the Pinehurst area, huh? While you think Jimmy is a nice guy who gives free lessons the truth is he charges $300 an hour for his "wizardry." The idea that you got some magic beans in one weekend is just ridiculous. Unless you have tournament results and video to backup your amazing improvement ? Your post sounds like an infomercial. Any teacher can get someone to improve in the short run, no different than someone can get a sugar pill and feel better. The question is how is the player 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years from now? there is always a honeymoon effect with a relationship and no different with golf instruction. And there are no shortcuts unless you have a lot of natural talent. Lets see you work with jimmy or jim grant for 18 months to 2 years and play the North Carolina Amateur and then report back. If you could qualify...

First off, I spent several months working with Jimmy directly when lived in South Florida in 2005. Jimmy seemed nice at first but after awhile his huge ego (my wife doesnt feel well, so no video today,, im too imortant to work a camera), and negativity (every player and instructor who doesnt do what I teach is dumb) made me uneasy. Unlike previous posters I have gotten to hear every tall tale first hand. Yes, like he invented a machine to hit perfect golf shots but the machine was stolen. Yes, Like Sam Byrd was Hogans coach (zero proof of this). Yes, like JIm Colbert shared a car with Jack Nicklaus before the 86 Masters and told him about connection. JImmy spent most lessons going on and on about how every other instruction template is wrong, and how dumb every other teacher is. he was obsessed with Tiger, and would go on rants about how Tiger sucked and was only good b/c he was juicing. See Jimmy is so important that he spent the early nineties forming his cult and training hundred of high school dropouts to be ballard zombies to travel the country spreading his gospel (Colbert Ballard schools) . Thats what the Ballard thing feels like, a cult. I'll admit he has a great schtick. Buy the swing connector (the $60 strap is much better than a glove).Drink the Kool Aid!

Jimmy is not only the worlds best instructor in his mind, but he is a doctor and a physicist as well(no degrees needed). So therefore he knows his theories are correct and any other theory is wrong. Man, life is so easy when you are 100 percent right about everything.

See there is no turn allowed in the golf swing. When you work with Jimmy you are not allowed to turn your hips (its a dirsty 4 letter word, not good player turns thier hips..lol). He would have you move your belt buckle laterally only. You had to set up "level". you had to have a ridiculously upright swing (stand up, butt against the wall and swing-jimmys favorite). From the top of the swing after you have moved 6 to 8 inches off the ball you had to tuck your left elbow in and face the target as quick as possible. According to JImmy there is no slide in the downswing...funny when I draw a line on the left hip of good players there hip moves considrably forward of its starting point. How could that be? There are tons of great players who hit the wall, especially with longer clubs. According to Jimmy you have to move up on the downswing to hit down..sorry, again good players dont do his. their heads move down on the downswing...

If people can get better with Jimmy then God Bless them. Golf is a hard game to get improvement with. But before you throw down 700 bucks for a 4 hour group lesson or $300 an hour with Jimmy I would take a hard look in your local area as thier are many great PLAYERS who teach golf. While Jimmy wants to convince people that his way is the only way and everyone is wrong its just not the case. You can look up and down the PGA tour for proof.
[/quote]




Your post makes me feel better about not visiting this forum for the last two months.


I recently had an injury that kept me from playing the last two months. Staying away from golf, The Golf Chanel, mags, this forum, etc.. was all part of the ripple effect. I was devastated when I had to stop playing and didn't want to think about golf as I could not play. Hell, I could barely work and my wife and I are expecting our first October 22. This was compounded by the fact that due to what I had learned from Jimmy Ballard, I was literally getting better every day. After working so hard, for so many years, I was finally seeing the fruits of my labors.

While it was a foot injury that curtailed my interest, it is people like you that ruin great threads like we had created here. A stinkly little troll that shows up out of nowhere and post repeatedly on the same thread with diarrhea of the mouth. I am going to start back playing this week and have full confidence I will be back in full swing in days due to what I learned from Jimmy Ballard. I will look forward to meeting Jimmy in a few weeks and thanking him in person for what he has done for my golf game. For the first time in 20 years of playing golf, I actually own and understand my golf swing.

However, I might avoid this forum as folks like you leave me bitter with little recourse aside from typing out my thoughts. Little girls put down their thoughts in diaries, I find it very unrewarding myself. I have no idea why the moderators don't ban folks like you that have such clear and simple minded motives. Simply put, you are a thread killer. Be a fountain, no a drain. You ruined an otherwise informative and interesting read for many people. I don't care how you swing a golf club. Wish you could have extended myself and others the same courtesy.




Dan

[mdannolfo]

I've watched this thread with a lot of interest. I've been on a similar journey like Dana to improve and play better golf. I've played well in the past, have a great round at 72 (par 70 at my course - somewhat easy course) and come back and shoot 85 the next day. I've had "aha" moments, only to be absolutely dumbfounded the next day. What worked yesterday went out the window over night. I've read many books - probably too many. I started playing after college a couple times a month, shot in the 90s. Was a decent high school and college football and baseball player so I should be able to play golf. How hard could it be to hit a fixed ball - freaking hard!

I've tried a lot of different swing methods after reading lots of different books - John Jacobs - conventional, Nicklaus - conventional, Haney - conventional, Jim Hardy's One plane, and Stack and Tilt. I've had varied success and still shot low 70s to high 80s with all of them. Trying to get instruction from a book is hard, if not impossible. My pro at my course is good and teaches conventional stuff. After joining a club, my index went from 14 to 5. It's a 6 now. But I can go shoot an 86 this weekend, or maybe a 73?

So why am I constantly changing or searching? I know, just like in baseball, you have good days and bad days, but it pisses me off that I'm not consistent and can't hit the ball on a consistent basis, but even professionals, according to the many books I've read, have similar experiences. One day a nice little draw. Next day a hook. Next day a fade... Therefore, I think we all have similar experiences with this crazy game.

What helps some people play well just screws other people up completely.

Good luck Dana on your quest and don't let other's discourage you. I think we are all on a similar quest to find our own guru or swing that works day in and day out. Even the scratch guys I play with have good and bad ball striking days, but manage to get around because of their short game with a decent score.

I'm going to read Ballard's book and maybe give it a try potentially, but I'll be keeping abreast of your progress.

Mike

[dodger]

Great topic, amazing how Jimmy Ballard has kept his message the same for fifty years. He was innovative and had a profound effect on changing the shape of golf swings in the 1980's. When I first read about him in the 1970's, he was not a member of the PGA and was in fact scorned by the vast majority of golf instructors due to his focus on the right side, which at the time was heresy as every golf digest article preached left side contrlol. Watching the video of his presentation made me think that he gave the identical talk in 1980. That is not a criticism, but a compliment. Bottom line, his concepts work for a lot of golfers. While this thread has a few detractors, it is nothing like the criticism he faced in the 1970's and early 1980's. I look forward to Dan's notes on how he is proceeding with the Ballard teaching. I tried pierciing the heart with the left elbow at the range the other day and hit some very solid wedge shots.

[nagroc6987]

Im not a troll just someone who disagrees wih your orginal post. So anyone on golfwrx who has a different point of view should be banned? I just dont agree with your premise that Jimmy is the most underrated teacher of all time. So i decided I would try to post some videos, share the experiences I personally had with Jimmy to provide a different point of view. I just dont agree that Jimmy is a great teacher or that his theries are proven by physics or orthopedics.JImmy certainly likes to talk tash and dish it out so he better be able to take it.

Hunter Mahan is one of the best ball strikers in the world and he does nothing that Jimmy teaches. His swing is rotational with lots of TURN, flat plane, centered, and all the lateral motion is toward the target not away from it as Jimmy teaches. He has the best impact alignments out there.

If jimmy's stuff gets you to your golf goals then great, I just wanted to point out that not every great player adheres to[i][b] [u]his [/u][/b][/i]seven common denominators as JImmy states. I wanted to give people a different perspective about the golf swing because I wish I had that when I was working with Jimmy instead of buying into his very narrow and closeminded view of the swing. Jimmy wants to turn golf instrction into a cult or reiligion where everyone has to talk, think, and swing exactly alike.

Last post I promse, good luck to you guys , strap on that swing connector and get those elbows DOWN!

[pappaf2]

Dan I was wondering if you had injured yourself since you hadn't been online in quite a while. I hope that foot heals up well. I hope you continue to post your experience on your journy to mastering your golfswing no matter what teacher or method you use. I would venture to say that many others enjoy reading about them as well. Good luck with getting back into the rhythm of the swing coming back from injury, I look forward to reading about your continued progress.

[dlygrisse]

Let me say I have been struggling with my swing, I am one of those idiots that owns a large library of golf instruction books, has read about the swing on various forums etc. I have taken lessons from two instructors locally and have had some success but it does not seem to last.

I knew of Ballard but from reading a few articles in golf mags etc. I never really understood what he was talking about, he seemed kind of wacky and odd.

HOWEVER after reading this thread, watching some videos on YouTube and the Rocco piece on TGC it really became clear to me what he was saying, so I bought his book.

I have to say I am becoming a believer, when you do what he says two things happen, you hit the ball more consistently and the ball flies straight. I can see why tour pros would get bored with his technique, there is nothing more to learn, IMO it is actually difficult to work the ball much staying connected in this manner, the ball does not want to curve. Slight fades and draws are possible but it is the polar opposite of what Bubba Watson does.

I think the issue people have with Ballard is that he talks in absolutes, "you can't turn" "you must do this" "this defies anatomy and physics" etc. If Ballard was more of a polished politician he would say things like "if you want to accomplish this you must do this" "if you want to hit it like Seve or Bubba then keep doing this, but if you want to hit it consistent and straight then my method is this....if you want to use my method then let's talk absolutes"

Obviously there are many ways to swing a golf club, Ballards is one, it is effective from my experience, maybe not for everyone, but it does work, it will give the results it is intended to give and they are effective.

I haven't been able to practice much at all this year, tendonitis in the elbows, and have played less than ever, but after one range session I shot my best score of the year, 77, after not playing for a month. I then started working on something else and shot high 80's for two rounds. Went to the range could not hit the ball worth %^&**. Said to myself to focus on connection, keep the elbows down and viola...started hitting it good again.

I have decided I am going to focus on Ballard's ideas for the rest of the year, see how it goes...to me the things he preaches make sense and cure "flaw" I have been told to correct. Swaying, bent left arm, moving the head, turn in a barrel, narrow stance, try to create lag, turn through the shot, don't pick the club up have all been told to me......

[mike_sims]

[quote name='pappaf2' timestamp='1344618295' post='5445002']
Dan I was wondering if you had injured yourself since you hadn't been online in quite a while. I hope that foot heals up well. I hope you continue to post your experience on your journy to mastering your golfswing no matter what teacher or method you use. I would venture to say that many others enjoy reading about them as well. Good luck with getting back into the rhythm of the swing coming back from injury, I look forward to reading about your continued progress.
[/quote]

unforntunatley dan was injured when he became entangled in his jimmy ballard swing shirt(this shirt is so cool, i actually wear when im not golfing) , vharness, and swing connector. He was so eager to get connected that he was beating balls with all three of Jimmy training aids on (his mom helped him put on all three and it was a b**** driving to the range). After a mighty lash with his elbows down and watching another perfect draw rip off against the sky he lost his balance and twisted his ankle as he hit the range mat. lucklily he had magicians training and was able to free himself from the training aids like houdini escaping a straight jacket. its too bad because he was looking like a lock to contend in the North Carolina open next year and give Kelly Mitchum a run for his money. i expect to see him recover and put in sometime this winter in Key largo (after selling a kidney to a south american family to pay Jimmy for a few days worth of his time).

[Poser]

haha awesome

[lightningbolt444]

[quote name='mike_sims' timestamp='1348452496' post='5683431']
[quote name='pappaf2' timestamp='1344618295' post='5445002']
Dan I was wondering if you had injured yourself since you hadn't been online in quite a while. I hope that foot heals up well. I hope you continue to post your experience on your journy to mastering your golfswing no matter what teacher or method you use. I would venture to say that many others enjoy reading about them as well. Good luck with getting back into the rhythm of the swing coming back from injury, I look forward to reading about your continued progress.
[/quote]

unforntunatley dan was injured when he became entangled in his jimmy ballard swing shirt(this shirt is so cool, i actually wear when im not golfing) , vharness, and swing connector. He was so eager to get connected that he was beating balls with all three of Jimmy training aids on (his mom helped him put on all three and it was a b**** driving to the range). After a mighty lash with his elbows down and watching another perfect draw rip off against the sky he lost his balance and twisted his ankle as he hit the range mat. lucklily he had magicians training and was able to free himself from the training aids like houdini escaping a straight jacket. its too bad because he was looking like a lock to contend in the North Carolina open next year and give Kelly Mitchum a run for his money. i expect to see him recover and put in sometime this winter in Key largo (after selling a kidney to a south american family to pay Jimmy for a few days worth of his time).
[/quote]

I dont blame Dan at all for not coming back here. Guy trys to share a positive experience that he has and people that have personal differences with Ballard jump all over him. None of you have found "the" swing either or you would be on tour no? So all your instructors must also suck or maybe it is just that you lack any talent at all or more likely any brains to think around a course.

Dan is one of the nicest guys you could meet in real life and on the forums and yet all these trolls feel a need to attack someone because they found what worked for THEM.
You know what NO ONE swings the same and different things work for different people.

Get a life and stop running good guys off the forums.

[mike_sims]

[url="http://www.golfswingshirt.com/"]http://www.golfswingshirt.com/[/url]
i wore this shirt hidden under another shirt and set the course record at my home course from the tips(playing partners were suspicious as im a 16 handicap). I just havent figured out what I will do when the weather warms back up next summer . it was also hard to get things from my golf bag at times. No pain, no gain.

[farmer]

I think nagroc changed his name to mike_sims. You guys are new, you haven't followed Dan over the years, he's been very open and honest about his efforts with his swing. If you don't like Jimmy Ballard, fine, but don't belittle Dan and what he's trying.

[mike_sims]

[quote name='farmer' timestamp='1348627854' post='5696479']
I think nagroc changed his name to mike_sims. You guys are new, you haven't followed Dan over the years, he's been very open and honest about his efforts with his swing. If you don't like Jimmy Ballard, fine, but don't belittle Dan and what he's trying.
[/quote]

sounds like someone is jealous of my new swingshirt

[Poser]

[quote name='farmer' timestamp='1348627854' post='5696479']
I think nagroc changed his name to mike_sims. You guys are new, you haven't followed Dan over the years, he's been very open and honest about his efforts with his swing. If you don't like Jimmy Ballard, fine, but don't belittle Dan and what he's trying.
[/quote]

I think its more that people see his threads every other month about a new swing method he is using that is ground breaking. It was stack and tilt, some hitting thing he was doing, slicefixer, ect...

[danattherock]

You guys really need to spend less time hiding behind keyboards and get out and play golf. At least the most recent troll was entertaining.

To be be clear, why I care I couldn't tell you, I have seen THREE golf instructors in over 20 years of playing golf!!!

Had a one day lesson with Jeff Evans (TGM) about two years ago. Loved what he had me doing, it worked, but in the end it was so confusing I couldn't repeat it. I felt like I had borrowed a good swing, but didn't own it. I honestly got in over my head trying to decipher TGM. Eventually I regressed back towards my old (bad) habits. I just don't have enough golfing knowledge (or time) to digest TGM. Jeff was amazing however, and what he teaches works. TGM works. Just takes a good understanding from what I saw.

Flash forward two years... Tried a hitting pattern with some S&T components from a great local instructor, hit it great, but had back pain so bad I couldn't keep it up. At 6'6" 300 lbs, I am the weak link, not what the guy was teaching. More normal sized folks could likely have done this swing without torquing their lower back I am sure, but for me, it just didn't work out. Spent six months trying to make it work, but the pain was so bad at times I couldn't play golf.

Flash forward a few months, I read Jimmy Ballard's book and the results are obvious and the motivation for this thread. It works for me and I could care less what some of you goobers think. Staying off this forum for a few months was the best thing I could have done. Many great folks here, like posted above me here, and that is largely why I logged on today. But some of you guys are full of it and I have no idea what motivates you. I had a free lesson with Jimmy a while back and learned more than I am willing to share here on this forum. I have grown tired of openly sharing my experiences only to have some pimple faced kid go off on some rant and the moderators leaving the crap on my otherwise informative thread. I was at the range this morning and Jim Grant called. He is the instructor I saw for two days in Atlanta that taught me Jimmy's swing in the first place. He simply called to ask how my swing was coming along. Said he had talked to Jimmy and heard about Jimmy and I meeting recently in NC. These two guys have done more for my golf game than I can tell you. And for the swing vest, both told me not to use it. Said it would F*$* me up. Based on what my swing looked like, and my physical size, it was not a good idea. They instead gave me a few simple keys, feels, etc.. to work on. Keep it simple type of stuff. And I am hitting the ball better than I ever have. The interesting part, I am doing less, thinking about less, and getting better results. As more time passes, I am hitting it better and more consistently. I got lots of work to do and I am eager about that opportunity. After six months, it is obvious to me what Jimmy Ballard has to offer. There is no doubt it works.




-Dan

[Body_Visions]

[quote name='danattherock' timestamp='1349891492' post='5776667']
You guys really need to spend less time hiding behind keyboards and get out and play golf. At least the most recent troll was entertaining.

To be be clear, why I care I couldn't tell you, I have seen THREE golf instructors in over 20 years of playing golf!!!

Had a one day lesson with Jeff Evans (TGM) about two years ago. Loved what he had me doing, it worked, but in the end it was so confusing I couldn't repeat it. I felt like I had borrowed a good swing, but didn't own it. I honestly got in over my head trying to decipher TGM. Eventually I regressed back towards my old (bad) habits. I just don't have enough golfing knowledge (or time) to digest TGM. Jeff was amazing however, and what he teaches works. TGM works. Just takes a good understanding from what I saw.

Flash forward two years... Tried a hitting pattern with some S&T components from a great local instructor, hit it great, but had back pain so bad I couldn't keep it up. At 6'6" 300 lbs, I am the weak link, not what the guy was teaching. More normal sized folks could likely have done this swing without torquing their lower back I am sure, but for me, it just didn't work out. Spent six months trying to make it work, but the pain was so bad at times I couldn't play golf.

Flash forward a few months, I read Jimmy Ballard's book and the results are obvious and the motivation for this thread. It works for me and I could care less what some of you goobers think. Staying off this forum for a few months was the best thing I could have done. Many great folks here, like posted above me here, and that is largely why I logged on today. But some of you guys are full of it and I have no idea what motivates you. I had a free lesson with Jimmy a while back and learned more than I am willing to share here on this forum. I have grown tired of openly sharing my experiences only to have some pimple faced kid go off on some rant and the moderators leaving the crap on my otherwise informative thread. I was at the range this morning and Jim Grant called. He is the instructor I saw for two days in Atlanta that taught me Jimmy's swing in the first place. He simply called to ask how my swing was coming along. Said he had talked to Jimmy and heard about Jimmy and I meeting recently in NC. These two guys have done more for my golf game than I can tell you. And for the swing vest, both told me not to use it. Said it would F*$* me up. Based on what my swing looked like, and my physical size, it was not a good idea. They instead gave me a few simple keys, feels, etc.. to work on. Keep it simple type of stuff. And I am hitting the ball better than I ever have. The interesting part, I am doing less, thinking about less, and getting better results. As more time passes, I am hitting it better and more consistently. I got lots of work to do and I am eager about that opportunity. After six months, it is obvious to me what Jimmy Ballard has to offer. There is no doubt it works.




-Dan
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What about The Impact Zone?

[danattherock]

It is a fantastic book that helped me immensely during my pursuit to understand TGM. Some call it TGM for dummies. I even bought the dvds and they complimented the book very well and explained things that I had a hard time with. And I have no problem with TGM, just for me, it was kind of hard to understand. I bought Ben Doyles dvds, the yellow book, read a lot on Lynn Blake forums, and got the Impact Zone book/dvd. By far, it was Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone that I found easiest to digest. Ironically, the single thing I ever did to help my putting game the most was read The Impact Zone. The flat left wrist made me a better putter than I ever would have thought possible.


Love the Avatar:)

[Jersey golfer]

Glad to hear that Ballard's method is working for you. Tried it a few years back from one of his instructors. Just doesn't work for me, which doesn't mean it doesn't work. We all have different body types, skills, strengths and flexibility. I am envious that you found yours. Continued good luck with it.