One thing was clear at the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Golf Outing at Barton Hills Country Club on Monday: athletic ability and a good golf swing don't always go hand in hand.

Dave Kendall, a PGA teaching pro and founder of the Kendall Academy at Miles of Golf, broke down some of the best (but mostly the worst) swings of the day.

After spending his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, former Michigan guard Manny Harris has had the luxury of being able to book tee times since about mid-January. After whiffing on his first two swings on Monday, it was clear Harris had not taken advantage his free time during the NBA postseason.

“He may never hit a ball,” Kendall said after watching Harris’ first couple “practice” swings.

By his third attempt Harris managed to connect, and drive the ball about as far as a free-throw attempt. Harris noted he spent more of his rookie paycheck on jewelry than golf lessons.

“I think it’s the watch that’s hurtin’ my swing,” Harris joked while sporting a diamond studded watch. “If I take it off, maybe I’ll hit it better.”

Kendall disagreed.

“It might slow his swing down,” he said.

Rose -- who has said he’s only golfed a few times his entire life -- found out the hazards associated with being 6-foot-8 on a golf course as a tree branch that would have been safe from 90 percent of the population fell on him while practicing.

Kendall compared Rose’s swing -- all rotation, no arm or shoulder movement -- to shooting a basketball standing straight with arms extended and just flicking the wrist.

“I mean, he’d beat me,” said the 5-foot-5 Kendall. “But his range would be limited.”

Both Harris and Rose were hitting drivers when Kendall observed them, which Kendall said is not a good idea for beginners.

“If he’s going to teach me basketball, and I didn’t know much about it, he wouldn’t start me at the 3-point line,” Kendall said

Kendall was complimentary of former Michigan linebacker Larry Foote’s swing, but not as complimentary as Foote himself, who jokingly claimed to hold the answer to what ails Tiger Woods.

“Yeah, right,” Kendall said. “Tiger would beat him left-handed.”

Kendall also watched footage of former NBA All-Star Steve Smith, Fab Fiver Jimmy King and ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson, guessing that Jacobson had played the most golf out of them all, complimenting King on the best swing of the group and guessed Smith would be the most consistent of the bunch.

Jacobson was a little harder on herself, quickly switching clubs and taking a mulligan after duffing a shot on a par-3. In fairness, on the hole before she had sunk an eagle putt while the camera wasn’t rolling.

“I’d just like you to know the last two tee shots have been perfect,” Jacobson said after the mulligan wasn’t much better than the first shot. “It’s the camera’s fault.”

A camera shy newscaster?

“I like my line, I like my stance, I just gotta slow down and trust it,” said King, who’s never been accused of being camera shy.

Kendall gave all the celebrities credit for putting themselves out there in an effort to raise money for Rose’s charter public school, which opens this September.

“A good athlete can look silly trying to hit a golf ball for the first time,” Kendall said. “I gotta hand it to him for taking it on.”

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.