Jim McLean is one of Golf Digest’s Legends of Golf Instruction. The staple of south Florida was named to the inaugural list two years ago, joining 21 other instructors who had dominated the teacher rankings for decades.
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On Saturday, McLean sent a social-media post saying that he had a health scare late last month which saw him spend some time in the hospital.
“I arrived in an ambulance on May 26. I was pronounced dead twice – from diverticulitis – where the colon is punctured. I had my phone off for over 3 weeks – then I answered a few texts,” he wrote.
McLean, 76, went on to explain how family and friends came to visit, including his two sons and his brother. He said that his wife, Amparo, has been his “rock” and has never left his bedside. Thankfully, however, he seems to be on the mend.
“I’m working on getting back to full health,” McLean wrote. “I’ll be transferring to PT hospital by the end of next week. Thanks to all of you for the positive notes.”
McLean has coached many big names in golf over the years, including major-championship winners like Cristie Kerr, Gary Woodland, Curtis Strange, Keegan Bradley and Lexi Thompson. He was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2025.
In the early 1990s McLean became the director of golf at Doral and established the Jim McLean Golf School there in 1993. In 2017, he relocated his school to the nearby Miami Biltmore Hotel.
