Jim McLellan (.)

Jim McLellan: Hot Golf Tips Here and Now

Hot Golf Tips...three little words. Get your attention? Seems like it. Money and Sex would also get your attention. Three words that will humiliate any man , "hold my purse." I promised you some hot golf tips, and true to my readers, I offer the following.

Golf tips can be found anywhere except on the walls of the boys room. Golf magazines have tips coming out of their ears. Books and videos and golf pros and anything golf are eager to dish out tips and more tips. Why? Because they are interested in your golf game. They are also want to help you become better looking, make more money, and be successful with all your endeavors. Later they will show you how to flap your arms and fly.

Golf tips can be found anywhere except on the walls of the boys room. Golf magazines have tips coming out of their ears.

Golf sites on this fairly new phenomenon called the web are desperate for real golf pros to post their tips on their sites. This increases readership and helps them sell stuff. They probably feel that it will be of benefit for these starving golfers. Make sense to you? The fact that most golf tips do more harm than good are not of concern to some sites as long as there is more "bend your knees" and "keep your left arm straight" stuff. And if one were to cut down golf instruction as bad for you golf health...some "play it safe" sites would not print it.

Outrageous? Are we saying that a golf pro, maybe even one who is PGA certified, would possibly tell us something that would actually cause more problems than before we got these words of wisdom? Dare we explore this territory for fear that by actually citing examples that it could do even more damage? Well, you are reading tons of golf tips anyway and I didn't come up with the following but it is in print so lets get to the facts, just the facts, Ma'm...surely you remember Sergeant Friday.

Here are some "golf tips"...I didn't have to look far. These examples are from "acclaimed PGA golf pros (?)...To have a good angle the left leg passes the ball first, hands second, and clubhead last. This motion automatically moves the clubhead in the descending angle of approach. Having the clubhead passing the hands prior to impact creates an ascending angle of approach. Authors note...The clubhead travels way too fast for you to make this happen.

Do you wonder why I am called the "Anti-Pro"?

Here's more delirium: Power in the golfswing comes from the difference in hip turn versus shoulder turn--otherwise known as the "X-Factor." Our data shows that the PGA Tour players average a shoulder turn of 90 degrees at the top of the backswing.

Subtract the average hip turn of 45 degrees and we get an X-Factor of 45 degrees. The greater the X-Factor, the greater amount of stretch or "coil" in the golf swing. Well, at last the secret has been revealed to us. Now we know what Tiger and Jack think about when they swing.

There are many, many more examples of insane golf instruction...most of it! Golf instruction that can take a fairly natural swing and turn the golfer into a lunatic snake killer. A golfer who thinks that the golf swing is a series of parts that must be thought about is forever doomed.

Had it with the negative stuff...or is it reality? You can read. You are "buying" this mumbo-jumbo the pros puke out day after day, month after month, year after year. How's your game?

Well, you say, if you are so hot give us something we can use. OK.....boys and girls here it is.

The creator gave you an awesome machine called your body, which, of course, also involves the ball that sits atop it...the control center. Here's what happens. As with any motor skill (like walking) there is no thought process involved.

Tip #1: the head stays fairly still, Tip #2: the backswing is full and goes up to a position so that the club is level with the ground. Tip #3: the follow through goes to a high finish and stops when it is darn good and ready....on its own. The golf swing is one thing: A big beautiful, smooth, motion, period. The more you think about it the worse you will do.

Ready for another hot tip? If you are exposing yourself to the stop frame, analysis that breaks the swing down into tiny segments so popular today, you are in for more trouble than if you are caught exposing yourself.

We humans hate complex, don't understand it, and seek simplicity. Do you think Tiger's dad taught him to think of all the moving parts in the swing? The great golf swings that are consistent, effective, and powerful are simple.

The golf pro who is telling you that the swing is a bunch of moving parts and you need to think about these parts is after your money. After you quit the game he will probably try to buy your clubs from your wife while you are away at the asylum. And, when you get out he will probably have run off with your wife.

Well, looks like I have time for one more tip. If a 7-year-old can understand the golf instruction you are following, you may be on the right track. If it is more complex than that, hold on to your wallet...the "Tipster" has got you in the cross hairs and will soon have you by the short hairs. Want to keep believing most golf tips will help you? Pick out some rubber wallpaper. Or you may think about taking up another sport where there are not so many muggers.

January 5, 2000

To learn more about Jim McLellan's simple approach to learning your best golf swing in the shortest period of time, visit his site at www.mcgolf.com.