Jimmy Ballard, Pioneer of Connection. No instructor in the game of golf has ever resurrected more champion golf swings than Jimmy Ballard. Residing a the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, the founding "Pioneer of Connection in the golf swing, Jimmy Ballard continues as one of the top golf instructors in the world. In 1988 alone, Ballard's "connection" method stimulated victories in four major international tournaments with the U.S. Open Winner Curtis Strange, (who would add another Open title in '89); Masters Champion Sandy Lyle; British Open victor Seve Ballesteros, and British Amateur champion, Sweden's Christian Harden. A teachers' "Grand Slam" if there ever was one. From top money winners, to PGA / LPGA / SR.PGA champions and record breaking accuracy merits, Ballard has been praised for their successes.
Named by Golf Magazine, the '80's "Teacher of the Decade", Ballard began setting his sights to the future. In '86, he was invited to join the telecast of the British Open at Turnberry for ESPN, returning to television after regular appearances from his highly popular home video instructional series, "The Jimmy Ballard Golf Connection". A demand for further directional videotapes was met with the '89 release of "The Fundamental Golf Swing."
During these early years, Ballard created a dictionary of golf terminology sufficient in it's scope to assist the beginner as well as the professional. His famous "Seven Common Denominators" and "Misleading Terms" swept golf magazine headlines nationwide, reaching international recognition by the late 1970's. His 1981 book, "How To Perfect Your Golf Swing," outlined the golf swing in sequential detail, specifying inaccuracies in teaching golf over the years due to his discovery of a "deceptive feel" as opposed to actuality, and clarifying the "identifiable essential movements present in great ball strikers "…. Stressing that "great ball strikers" have not been singular to one sport or activity. Arthur Ashe used them in tennis, Joe DiMaggio perfected them in baseball, and Ben Hogan mastered them in golf and Jimmy named it "Connection"
Ballard, in spreading his gospel, has spoken to most of the PGA Sections around the country. In December of 1996, he was selected as one of the top 4 teachers in the world, to make his presentation to the contingent of PGA members gathered from the United States as well as 23 other countries. He is credited with making the 1996 Tommy Armour PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit a major success.
Swedish superstar Jesper Parnevik, has had continued success after first coming to Ballard with Sweden's national Golf Team in the mid 80's. He credits Jimmy with "teaching him all there is to know!"
The 1997 Junior Champion was Jason Allred, who started working with Jimmy at 15. European Ryder Cup captain, Tony Jacklin improved after seeing Ballard.
In late 2004, Rocco Mediate came to give it one last chance. His back could not go on without making changes. "The guy is brilliant, just genius."
In March 2008 Rocco brought US Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger to see Jimmy.
The list goes on…
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