Jim Flick - November 2, 2011

• By Morning Drive Team
• Nov 2, 2011 8:20 AM ET

Famed instructor Jim Flick is a 2011 inductee into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame. Jack Nicklaus was the one who nominated him for the Hall of Fame a couple of years ago and he was very surprised when he got the call that he would be inducted. It is a great honor and he has been so blessed to do something he loves for so long especially the fact that the game of golf gives so much for so many people. It would have been ridiculous to try to change Jack Nicklaus’ swing so he did not even try. All he did was try to keep his swing strong and he was able to do that. He coached Nicklaus and Palmer at the same time but he did not realize how unusual that was while he was doing it. Their swings were and are very different and that fact made him realize that the goal of his teaching was not to tell them what he thought was the right thing to do but instead the goal was to help them realize their own visions for what their golf swings should be. He also taught Tom Lehman and Byron Nelson actually told him that Lehman’s swing was very similar to his own and with some thought, Flick realized that Nelson was right. Nelson is just one example of the great gentlemen to be a part of the game of golf. He roomed with Arnold Palmer at Wake Forest and while he always knew that he was special, he was amazed by Arnold’s focus and his drive to win and make things happen. He does not know if it is a gift but he does know that it is very rare to have something like that.