Thoughts on Jim Mclean
 

Before I found TGM, Jim Mclean's teaching seemed to be very good. But now I scratch my head about almost everything I see that he has written.

He writes a lot about the shaft flattening out on the down stroke, The wide to narrow action on the right arm and the throwing motion of the right arm.

I'm not sure if many people here have studied much of his work, but it seems way off in comparison to TGM.

Would love to hear thoughts, not looking for bashing.

I like his swing and his reverence for and videos with some of golfs greats. Not that familiar with his stuff.

There's a lot of material that needs to be written about golf to sell magazines and books on a regular basis. Got to keep changing things around! As a side note, I dont think Lynn has changed much since the early 80's.

His song remains the same.

He says that the right arm works, as if you were throwing a ball sidearm. But he does want a flat left wrist at impact.

Why do you guys think so many teachers tell people to flatten the shaft out on the downstroke?

Ignorance - they see many of the all time greats shifting planes (particularly to the elbow plane) and so that is what they teach.
Shift planes - just the opposite of what Homer suggested.

Golftec and the "X" factor
 

Three years ago, I paid a lot of money for 8 lessons with videotaping and computer on-line lesson recording. Each lesson referenced the "X"factor, Jim McClean and a sort of "position by repetition" approach that differs greatly from the TGM I have learned from my GSEB and my friends, here.

I would be shown, each week, after one practice swing which was videotaped, the ideal "x" factor measurements of people like Stuart Appleby, or Tiger, and then "posed" in the "right" static position and videotaped in the static pose! Then I would be given 2 drills (classics) to practice, which were supposed to help me arrive at the ideal static position. I'm not sure if Jim McClean endorses Golftec, but they should be paying him something. They used his name to convince me that I didn't really want to study Moe Norman's swing.

BTW, I walked in as a 21 hcp. and on one occasion, about half-way through the 8 lessons, I was shown the concept of staying on plane. That week, I shot an 85. I was excited and told the instructor who gave me a hat. BUT I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I DID RIGHT! :crybaby: WHEN I ASKED THE GUY TO SHOW ME THE LESSON AGAIN, SINCE IT YIELDED SUCH GOOD RESULTS, HE REFUSED AND TOLD ME WE HAD TO GET TO "MORE IMPORTANT" THINGS. I NEVER BROKE 92 AFTER THAT. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT I NEEDED 8 MORE LESSONS TO REALLY LEARN HOW TO GET BACK TO THAT 85 WHICH WAS CRAP, AND MY GAME SLID BACK.


In contrast, since studying TGM and being on this site with Alignment Golf I, I have shot in the 80's four out of my last eight rounds including a 39, 40, 41, 42, and four 44's in my last 6 rounds. Now, If I chip and putt, par is possible!

Patrick

Wait til you get to Minnesnowta. This is the chipping capital of the midwest. KevCarter and I stand by the green, chip, talk, chip some more while we discuss hinges.

Do you use dual horizontal in the short game?

I mean, out on the course?

I certainly do. Long chips, longish putts, maybe uphill, it all depends upon the situation and what the perceived feel for me might be. I also use angled and vertical--with and without layback.
Geez, this is cool stuff.

Is OK to shift planes. Not ideal, but OK.

In fact, even though it's not perfect in Homer's view, it's still very good. As long as you know why you do it and what you are trying to accomplish. Nearly everyone does it and they don't know why or what, but its grooved.

What's bad is bending planes or even worse, being completely off plane.

Oops. Sorry Bernt. I didn't see "dual."