Resume

• Owner of: Arizona Custom Golf Clubs since 1997- custom club fitting and golf club building for beginners, intermediate and advanced golfer. Over 2,000 sets made! We will do most club REPAIR jobs!

• Born in Pontiac, Michigan
• Graduate of the University of Michigan
• Elected Captain of University of Michigan Golf Team -1971
• Michigan Publinx-Player of the year- 1970 & 1972
• Winner of Michigan Publinx Match play- 1968- 1969-1970
• Qualified for 4 National Publinx Championships
• Finished 3^rd & 6th in The National Publinx @ Cog Hill & Papago Park GC
• Quarter Century PGA Member
• PGA Member – 38 years

• Given over 50,000 golf lessons
• Qualified for the PGA Championship-1984 -Shoal Creek
• Played in 1984 Phoenix Open
• Received Presidents award for 1,000 fits-Henry Griffiths Golf Company
• PGA Instructor at “The Golf Academy of America”-22years
• Instruction includes -Golf Club Building, Custom Club Fitting, Golf Performance      enhancement, History of Golf & Golf Course Maintenance.
• Enrollment of students from China, Korea, Spain, Malaysia, Canada and the US
• Produced 48 golf instructional and fitting videos called igolfpocketpro
• Gary and his wife Jane along with Christopher and Amy (Son & Daughter)- reside in San Tan Valley, Arizona and have lived in Arizona since 1976.

Gary’s Story

Gary grew up in Pontiac, Michigan where he played in many junior, state and college golf tournaments. At the age of 9 Gary’s father Tom Balliet would give him .50 cents and a packed lunch and dropped Gary off at Bald Mountain Golf Club in Lake Orion, Michigan. The drop off time was 5:30am before the pro shop opened. Gary would help Ken Wilson – the golf pro- with odds and ends and intern he would allow Gary to play and practice for FREE. Gary also caddied at Bloomfield Hills Country Club and Forrest lake Country Club. He has a degree in education from the University of Michigan where he was very fortunate to be elected captain of the golf team in 1971 by his team mates. Gary said, “my times in Michigan were the most memorable in my life. I have lived in Arizona since 1976 where my professional career and becoming a PGA Member have resulted in exiting times in the business of golf. Being exposed to golf in Michigan opened up many doors in the golf business once I arrived in the Valley of the Suns.” Gary has always been interested in playing golf but his love for teaching golf to others and building, fitting and repairing golf equipment has been special. Arizona Hall of Fame PGA Golf Professional Bill Farkas made sure all his assistant pros knew how to make and repair old wooded clubs-Gary learned quickly! I first started as one of his assistant golf pros at Maryvale Golf Couse in Phoenix. Mr. Farkas taught me much of what I have learned about fitting and repairing golf clubs. My newly learned skill opened the door into the Golf Academy of America which is approaching 22 years. I throw out a special thankyou to the state of Michigan, were I was born to Tom and Betty Balliet, The Michigan Publinx Golf association where I learned to compete, the University of Michigan which made me a little smarted, Bill Farkas, my professional golf mentor and the Golf Academy of America. Each step along the way gave me the opportunity to teach students and golfers from around the world how to play, teach others how to teach and allowed me to enjoy this great game God has given us – GOLF!