Steve Bann- International Institute of Golf 4-4-09

Steven Bann - or "Banny" as he is usually known - is one of Australia's best-known and successful golf coaches. After turning professional in 1979, Steven played on the Australian Professional Golf Tour full time from 1981 to 1986 and then part time from 1986 to 1996. From 1986 to 1990 Steven was the Head Professional at Box Hill Golf Club in Melbourne before commencing golf instruction full-time as the founding Head Coach of the world-renowned Victorian Institute of Sport.

2006 Victorian PGA Coach of the Year

Current Students- Stuart Appelby, KJ Choi, Robert Allenby, Jeff Olgive

In 1997 Steve's business partner Dale Lynch, (coach to 2006 US Open Champ Geoff Ogilvy)took over as head coach of the VIS. Steve was now travelling and working on the PGA Tour with his 2 protegees Stuart Appleby (8 US Tour wins)and Rob Allenby (4 US Tour wins). Steve also coaches Nick Flanagan, 2003 US amateur champ. (3 Nationwide wins). In addition,Steve also works with Asia's most successful golfer, K.J Choi, 7 times winner on the US Tour. KJ has risen from 65 to as high as 5 in the world ranking since working with Steve. He also coaches LPGA player Hee Young Park. Hee Young finished 35th on the OOM in her 2008 rookie year. Steve is a co director of Bann Lynch Golf which operates at Melbourne Golf Academy and The International Institute of Golf at The Cliffs in South Carolina.

www.puregolftraining.com

The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, South Carolina

'The goal of the International Institute of Golf is to set up a holistic academy that encompasses all the services that we created and delivered at the Victorian Institute of Sport,” said Steve Bann. “These services will include technique, physical conditioning, mental skill development and strategy training.”

Sky Caddie- Mark Long 4-4-09

Mark Long: PGA TOUR Caddie/SkyGolf Advisory Board Member

Mark Long has been a PGA TOUR Caddie for more than 20 years, and currently carries the bag for PGA TOUR veteran and Champions Tour standout Fred Funk.

Recognized as one of the most respected TOUR Caddies, Mark has been a staff advisor to SkyGolf since 2000, when the initial SkyCaddie model was in development. Mark has been instrumental in developing the SkyCaddie TOUR proven Mapping Methodology -- based on a TOUR Caddie’s perspective. TOUR Caddies walk every yard of the golf course to provide distances their pros can trust, as walking the course is the only way to truly understand the intricacies of a golf course, and SkyGolf is the only company that has adopted this methodology.

Long is the author of several yardage books for TOUR players. In 1998, Mark started authoring yardage books for TOUR pros, by 2001 he perfected his technique, and today is one of the most sought after yardage book authors on TOUR. In fact, Mark authored the USGA yardage book for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and will author the USGA yardage book for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.

Mark started his competitive golf career as a Terrapin for the University of Maryland under the leadership of Fred Funk. Mark has caddied in over 600 tournaments for Fred Funk and Nolan Henke, including 30 majors. He saw his first caddie win with Nolan Henke and, while with Fred, has seen three PGA TOUR and three Senior Champions Tour wins.

TOUR Proven Mapping:
Only SkyCaddie, after getting permission from each golf club, walks the course with skilled golfers – using sub-meter, survey grade equipment – to record and verify its course information, using the same method trusted by TOUR Caddies, for the game’s best players. Using unverified and possibly out-of-date satellite images is a cost-saving short cut that could produce unfavorable results for both the facility and golfer and could hurt the growth of this category, which is the only growing category in golf. In fact, satellite images are aerial views that are created by IT technicians who don’t necessarily have knowledge about the game of golf.

SkyCaddie professional course mappers have literally walked 23,000 courses using state-of-the-art GPS survey grade equipment to capture distances from every angle on every course. These course mappers are skilled golfers and established caddies that understand what’s important for a golfer to score his or her best.

Jimmy Ballard visits 3-28-09

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…

www.jimmyballardgolf.com

Dean Reimuth- The Dean of Golf 3-21-09

As an instructor with more than 40 years of experience, Dean Reinmuth is most recognized for developing his "Swing Shaping System." This instruction approach, which he uses with the PGA Tour Players and amateur golfers alike, focuses on making slight adjustments to the golfer's own natural swing, as opposed to completely changing it. This "reshaping" approach allows golfers to hit their best shots more often while improving the quality of those occasional "miss-hits."

Two of his first students were top-ranked junior players in the San Diego area. In addition, he taught the PGA Section Player of the Year from the San Diego area as well as a professional golfer who qualified for the U.S. Open twice. His success with these players led him to work with a young junior player named Phil Mickleson. Credited with developing Philís game since age 13, Dean Reinmuth worked with him through Philís high school and college ranks. Today Dean is recognized as one of the Top 50 Golf Instructors in the U.S. by Golf Magazine and continues to work with several prominent players on the PGA, LPGA, European, Buy.com as well as the Senior and Canadian Tours.

www.deanofgolf.com

Golf Ballerz

Golf Ballerz

The rap group that brings "Rap" to golf . Join the guys as they join Mike and Billy to discuss their recent recordings and what the future holds for "Golf Rap Music."

www.thegolfballerz.com

Rick Smith 3-14-09

Rick Smith visits ESPN Golf Talk 3-14-09

Golf Digest # 6

American teacher as ranked by peers

Many know Rick Smith the golf instructor, but few know about his accolades as a player. He never lost a match at Upper St. Clair High School near Pittsburgh, he qualified for the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont, and in 1980 he shot a 61 in the PGA's club professional Playing Ability Test.

"I learned a lot working for Walker Inman at Scioto Country Club, and he believed that to be a great teacher of the game, you had to be a pretty good player," says Smith. "I still love playing golf. So much, I've actually thought about playing on the Champions Tour when I turn 50."
Ever since he used to pass instruction notes to high school teammates and give lessons to a then 14-year-old Lee Janzen, Smith says his time spent on the lesson tee is his favorite part of the day.

RICK SMITH
MASTER TEACHING PROFESSIONAL TO THE PGA TOUR’S BEST!

Rick Smith, CEO and President of Rick Smith Enterprises, Inc., has achieved great success in golf as a teacher, designer and communicator. He is regarded as one of the PGA tour’s best “sounding boards” for swing advice and has been consistently ranked as one of the top five golf instructors in the world by Golf Digest.

Smith’s professional career has been molded under the tutelage of several top PGA professionals including famed instructors: Don Kotnik (Toledo CC), Walker Inman (Scioto CC), and Dick Harmon (River Oaks). As Smith honed his skills he has assisted some of the most accomplished golfers in the world including Phil Mickelson, (currently the 4th ranked golfer in the world) Lee Janzen (two time U.S. Open champion) and PGA Tour winners Rocco Mediate, Jerry Kelly, and Matt Kuchar. He has also worked with PGA Tour pros Jack Nicklaus-golfer of the century, Gary Nicklaus, Billy Andrade, Greg Norman, Bill Glasson, David Duval, Vijay Singh, Ray Floyd, Paul Azinger and many others.

Smith has established numerous golf academies and learning centers. He currently operates Rick Smith Golf Academies at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, and Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida.

Rick Smith hosted the premier of the “Big Break” series in the fall of 2003. The inaugural season broke the all-time Golf Channel’s viewing ratings. The next season the “Big Break II”, more than doubled the audience from the record breaking inaugural year. Rick received accolades for his adept skill at building camaraderie between contestants while stoking their competitive natures. He has a unique knack for inviting the TV audience to live vicariously through the contestants. Today, “The Big Break” is a successful “series formula” that has excited the customary Golf Channel fan while attracting a greater audience.

Rick Smith’s love for hosting golf instructional shows on television began in 1994. That year, he developed “The Rick Smith Signature Series”. The “Signature Series” was seen by worldwide television audiences on ESPN, TSN (Canada), and Fox Sports Net. The “Signature Series” ran for five years until Rick signed an exclusive golf content deal with the Golf Channel in 1999. Rick has also hosted “Inside the PGA Tour” and has been a commentator and analyst for both NBC and ESPN telecasts of golf tournaments.

Rick Smith has won dozens of awards and accolades for his skill as a golf course designer. The list includes his “Signature” course at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, “Arcadia Bluffs” on Lake Michigan and “Wuskowhan Player’s Club in Mount Olive, Michigan, just to name a few.

Smith is also a respected and noted author. He is currently teaching professional contributor for Golf Digest Pro Panel. He previously served as instruction writer for Golf Magazine. He has also written Major Series publications. Smith is author of the 1998 book “How to Find Your Perfect Golf Swing,” published by Broadway Books, which is regarded as one of the top instruction books in the industry.

Over his career, Smith’s many honors include being appointed Michigan’s “Golf Ambassador” by Governor John Engler. Golf Magazine has repeatedly honored him as one of America’s “Top 100 Teachers.” Smith has been named National Teacher of the Year, National Golf Professional of the Year and National Merchandiser of the Year. www.ricksmith.com

Club Face Golf - Dave Wesley

ClubFace Golf

CLUBFACE GOLF was founded by co-owners Dave Wesley and Steve Egbert in San Clemente, California. Dave is a playing and teaching professional in Orange County California. He has obsessively been studying the golf swings of the games greatest players and the teachings of what are considered to be the world's best teachers for the past 30 years.
As Dave's teaching philosophy developed he realized that the “true” secret of the golf swing is the clubface and the ability of the golfer to control it throughout the entire golf swing. The majority of golfers in the world do not have a good understanding of the clubface position throughout the swing. Dave made the clubface position throughout the entire golf swing the center piece of his professional instruction, which resulted in his students achieving greater success much more quickly.

www.clubfacegolf.com

www.clubfacegolf.com

Golfer Girl Magazine

Mission Statement

Golfer Girl Magazine will help to grow the community of female golfers by providing a magazine that is informative, educational, interesting, and wholesome. The content will be inspirational to help girls find inspiration from success of others and educational to learn about golf's history and famous women golfers.

The Hooton sisters -Libby 17 years old -Courtney 15 years old and Chloe Belle 12 years, old began- playing golf in 1999 and have been avid players since they started. They love the game and all of its challenges.

Every summer, they live and breathe golf and particularly enjoy the wonderful community of friends that they have developed. They love to read about the game, the players, and most of all, the fashions. Unfortunately, there are no known publications that are tailored to the junior audience.

Twenty-five percent of all golfers are women. However, through 2003, only 13 percent to 16 percent of junior golfers were girls source: National Golf Foundation . This is an audience that had been underserved by the traditional golf marketers. Until now.

Beginning in 2002, younger girl golfers began to have a big impact on the golfing market. Perhaps the biggest movement began when a young Hawaiian resident, Michelle Wie, began playing competitively in adult tournaments at the age of 12. Many have estimated that Wie will have the biggest influence on women s golf ever seen. However, there are also a number of other very young golfers making their mark on professional golf. In 2005, Paula Creamer was the second-highest ranked woman golfer by the time she was 18. Morgan Pressel just missed winning the 2005 women s U.S. Open while still a junior in high school. Many ofthe LPGA tour s top players are in their early twenties.

Learn more at www.golfergirlmagazine.com