Golf Digest Jan. 2010 - Jim Flick's Lesson Tee

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Chip Putterman

Chip Putterman

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In the latest issue of GD, Jim Flick advises readers that the position of the left wrist at address should be the same at the top of the backswing. Are you kidding me? That's like the ADA suggesting you eat candy and sweets to prevent tooth decay.
 
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Jared Willerson

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Flick is likely the worst instructor of all time. Absolutely terrible.

It is amazing to me how some can make a living at this game.
 
Matt 4-L

Matt 4-L

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Yup, I concur. Don't you love how he always throws in "I was talking with Nicklaus or I was talking with Watson to give his "stuff" credentials by association. I don't have any idea how he turned out Francis.
 
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Kevin Shields

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Very hesitant to bash here but the constant name dropping makes me wonder if he ever had an original thought.

Again, good guy though.
 
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Jim Kobylinski

Super Moderator
oh well, just out teach him and you'll be fine. i have students all the time, well so and so said to do this and that one said to do this and i tried this...then i just cut them off and i go, "well you're here now. Try this and see what happens."

They then hit the ball better and i just say, doesn't matter what you were doing before. Just do this and you'll hit it better.
 
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greenfree

Banned
I wonder what Hebron and others were teaching, 20, 15, 10, years ago? Can others look back and point the finger in his or your direction and say the same? Same old tired negative stuff, bashing other competition, try Jim K.'s approach, it could just work. You should thank guy's like Flick, look how he keeps you busy fixing people, you do fix them all, don't you.
 
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Walt

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I am not a teacher and don't read anything by Jim Flick. I think he is or was the head instructor for Nicklaus golf schools? If so, you might be misinterpreting what he means based on your own type of setup at address. In Nicklaus book, he advocates setting up with a flat wrist and trying to get your address position to match your desired impact position. It is possible that is what Jim Flick is talking about.
 
EdStraker

EdStraker

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Walt said:
I am not a teacher and don't read anything by Jim Flick. I think he is or was the head instructor for Nicklaus golf schools? If so, you might be misinterpreting what he means based on your own type of setup at address. In Nicklaus book, he advocates setting up with a flat wrist and trying to get your address position to match your desired impact position. It is possible that is what Jim Flick is talking about.
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Jim Flick doesn't discuss impact position in this article. He is advocating that if the left address is bent at address, it should stay bent at the top of the backswing; and if the left wrist is flat at address, it should be flat at the top of the backswing.

A few years ago I was given a copy of his book, After reading a couple of chapters, I unloaded it at Half Price Books.
 
Chip Putterman

Chip Putterman

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greenfree, there should be a golf instructors hippocratic oath: do no harm. The fact that Jim Flick is expounding this bunk in a national magazine should be alarming to all of us. If I were one of his students I would sue him for malpractice. I'm sure I would have no problem finding expert witnesses.
 
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greenfree

Banned
Chip Putterman said:
greenfree, there should be a golf instructors hippocratic oath: do no harm. The fact that Jim Flick is expounding this bunk in a national magazine should be alarming to all of us. If I were one of his students I would sue him for malpractice. I'm sure I would have no problem finding expert witnesses.
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That's my point, if that were the case he wouldn't be alone in defending himself for malpractice, he's got lot's of company past and present. Hey I got an idea.:D

You can start a golf inquisition, you can be the head inquisitor:p, first defendant Jim Flick:(. Maybe he'll recant his evil ways....lol :D P.S. bring lot's of firewood.
 
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jpeck

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Chip Putterman said:
greenfree, there should be a golf instructors hippocratic oath: do no harm. The fact that Jim Flick is expounding this bunk in a national magazine should be alarming to all of us. If I were one of his students I would sue him for malpractice. I'm sure I would have no problem finding expert witnesses.
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I've met someone who sued for a bad golf lesson. He lost. It seems that golf instruction is based on interpretation. When you hire someone for a golf lesson you are asking for their interpretation of golf. That could be just about anything.

There are many good instructors out there though. Choose wisely.
 
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softconsult

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Golf Tips Editorial Recycling. Just imagine the conversations around the conference table. "We've got come up with something new, regardless of it's usefulness." "Nope, can't use that one, we did it 2 years ago." "Well how about this Manzella guy?" "Nope, he's not in the club and he is too radical."
"We can't risk alienating our big name contributors." "Let's put the heat on Flick." "Tell him he has to dream up something new by next Thursday."

Who knows whether Flick really preaches, or believes this. If you read all the tips in that issue, it's clear that they are simply re-hashes of prior year tips with slightly different words. Sometimes the words are identical to very old phrases. For instance, "Grip the club as lightly as you might hold a baby bird."
 
cmartingolf

cmartingolf

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Hebron

greenfree said:
I wonder what Hebron and others were teaching, 20, 15, 10, years ago? Can others look back and point the finger in his or your direction and say the same? Same old tired negative stuff, bashing other competition, try Jim K.'s approach, it could just work. You should thank guy's like Flick, look how he keeps you busy fixing people, you do fix them all, don't you.
Click to expand...

Hebron is really good. He flies under the radar now, but the guy is a wealth of knowledge. I was fortunate to attend some of his PGA Instruction Seminars as a young pro and thank heavens I did. He gave me a lot of arrows for the quiver.

His curriculum is pretty close to TGM. If you leave one of his clinics, you'll be "walloping with the pivot" and you'll have decent impact alignments or at least know how to go about working on them.
 
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rogerdodger

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Flick has an interesting background. He was on Golf Digest's staff in the early 1970's and was a good player, he roomed with Arnold Palmer at Wake Forest and played on the golf team. He was a head pro and really got into teaching full time after collaborating with Bob Toski. In 1970 he and another Golf Digest teacher/writer, Dick Aultman developed the square to square golf swing, which I had the misfortune of being taught in the late 1970's. It had some similarities to twist away, however the pivot was ignored. Flick later admitted he was wrong, which he should get credit for. He then followed Toski and adapted Ernest Jones' theory on the swing. He became very hands focused for beginners, teaching a swivel action. He did a great job teaching Tom Lehman and really turned his game around. I do not think judging a teacher by a heavily edited and condensed tip in a magazine is entirely fair. Is there someone who Flick taught that says the lesson was a waste or is there any player he has ruined? Likely that should be the judge. Everything I have heard about Flick is he is a good guy who works hard at what he does. Nonetheless, this tip is suspect and appropriately criticized. If you use a mid-body hand position, the wrists cocking and bending will change the alignment at the top.
 
drewyallop

drewyallop

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What if...?

BM were invited by Golf Digest to do an article. Not just the "three tips on two pages" nonsense but an extended article. What would he write?

Best,

Drew Yallop
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
drewyallop said:
BM were invited by Golf Digest to do an article. Not just the "three tips on two pages" nonsense but an extended article. What would he write?

Best,

Drew Yallop
Click to expand...

"Secret of the straight ball" "Pull back, run up, and jump" and "How 3D is changing golf instruction" would be my guess.
 
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