Jimmy Ballard / Golf Swing Fundamentals "Connection" with Rocco Mediate

When his book "How to Perfect Your Golf Swing" first came out back in 1981, Ballard was considered a radical. His whole concept of "Connection" and Right-Side Power was not accepted by very many in the golf community. Now, of course, in many ways he's actually considered pretty mainstream. Such is the constantly-changing world of golf instruction.

His contention was that the elbows should point down toward the ground all the way through the swing.

The reason Ballard's teachings may seem both self-evident and odd at the same time is simply because Ballard doesn't treat a golf swing as being different from any other athletic hitting motion.

Would you try to push a baseball bat or a tennis racket as far away from you as possible in order to get a bigger arc? Of course not! If you wanted more power, you'd try to get into the strongest position you could, not the most awkward.
Would you lean backward, away from the ball, to hit the ball hard with either one? Of course not! You'd move toward the ball.
Would you flap your elbows out sideways? Certainly not with the tennis racket; you'd keep your elbow pointed at the ground. And while you might set up to hit a baseball with your bent elbow out to the side, you'd probably pull it back down toward the ground during your swing.
Ballard applies the same logic to the golf swing. He keeps your arms and chest "connected" to create the strongest position; he keeps your spine vertical throughout the swing, so you can move into the ball; and he keeps your elbows pointed toward the ground throughout the swing, because that's how you deliver the most force with a sideways hit.

Besides the simplicity of the swing, Rocco Mediate also illustrated one of the big reasons I think Ballard deserves more attention. As bad as Rocco's back pain had been, the fact that Ballard's approach to the swing doesn't cause him pain is no small accomplishment.

If you keep your left arm in the "connected" position that Ballard talks about, you'll eliminate problems like "chicken wings" and also -- if you're a chronic slicer -- you'll find it easier to draw the ball. I know some players -- Vijay's notorious for it -- place something like a glove between their chest and forearm to make them maintain connection, but that doesn't really attack the problem.

If you can't stay connected during your swing, you're getting in the wrong position during your swing. That means you are doing one of two things (probably both):
1.) You're leaning backward, which tilts your shoulders away from the target
2.) You stop turning your shoulders at impact

Let me give you a simple drill that you can do inside this winter to help you learn what connection feels like. Get in front of a mirror, then take your setup and swing your "club" halfway back and then halfway through (9 to 3)... but keep your spine vertical the whole time (so your shoulders don't tilt) and turn your shoulders as close to 90° both ways as you can. Watch yourself in the mirror so you can be sure your spine is straight and your shoulders turn.

Your upper body and hips may move a bit more than usual (you're probably not used to this motion, after all), but it won't be a huge motion. Ballard said the hips move about six inches, but I bet you won't move that much after you get used to it. It feels like a bigger motion than it actually is.

If you have any questions regarding Jimmy Ballard, please ask!