Fixation with connection

I have to confess I've become obsessed with connection in the golf swing and, as a consequence, I've returned to the maestro of connection, Jimmy Ballard.

I own and have carefully read Jimmy's 'How to Perfect Your Golf Swing', and looked at his video lessons with Rocco Mediate. In some ways, his methods seem dated, perhaps because he has been consistent with his ideas and teaching methods for many decades. But I can't help feeling he has basically got it right. He thinks so too. When it was suggested to him that he should write another book he said: 'Why would I do that; I got it right the first time'.

Not only is Jimmy right about a lot of things in the golf swing, but his method is simple. He wants us to eliminate unnecessary angles and manipulations in the golf swing. His 'keep the left elbow down' (for right-handers) and 'keep the triangle' concepts don't get much more straightforward. And, even more importantly, his left shoulder 'connection' (for right-handers) idea, is just plain commonsense - not always evident elsewhere in golf instruction.

Jimmy also says it is fine to fire the right side, sway (up to six inches), bend the left elbow and NOT turn. He is very critical of certain famous golf teachers, suggesting that they have ruined more golf careers than they have advanced. As a result of his outspoken-ness in the past, he has been criticised and ostracised at the highest levels. But I keep coming back to his main ideas and it is very hard to find fault with them.

As I continue to work on connection, I will also be rereading his thoughts on coil, transition and downswing, and looking to incorporate more elements of his method. And while everyone is different: taller, shorter, fatter, thinner, younger or older, and must swing slightly differently, Jimmy's simple fundamentals should help all of these golfers.

By the way, connection is a left shoulder thing (we are talking right-handers); don't put another towel under the right shoulder. Jimmy says that trying to keep the right elbow in and close to the side is a sure cause of the dreaded 'over-the-top' slice swing for the average golfer. The left shoulder lats, etc. are connected and the left elbow stays down, while the right elbow stays in its triangular relationship with the left.

One of the other things I like is the freedom Mr Ballard gives to the right side to drive or fire in the swing, secure in the knowledge that the left arm and elbow positioning will keep the club on plane. The right side for right-handers is, after all, a major source of power - why would we want to restrict it? The idea of pulling down with the left arm (for righties) is definitely not recommended, although the important role of the left arm is not ignored.

I will see how this all comes together in my next couple of rounds. There are a couple of other things I will be working on, namely: gripping down an inch or so on my driver and making sure I get onto my front foot at impact. Hopefully, I can find a bit more consistency - something else on which I'm fixated.