Golf is a very difficult and challenging game to learn and play. The top schools in the country give you video analysis, on course playing instructions, and lesson on swing shape and short game. Butch Harmon (ex teaching pro to Tiger Woods) has the most recognized golf school in America at the Rio Secco Golf Club in sunny Las Vegas. Their schools offers state of the art computer and video equipment to help analyze your golf swing. They try to work with your "unique" golf swing and improve upon the skills you have. The most expensive package is $5900 and includes 3 days with Butch Harmon and 4 nights accommodations. You get a 9 hole playing lesson at Rio Secco and one 18-hole playing lesson at Cascata Golf Club. With course management techniques and club selection, the professional staff and Butch Harmon can help lower your handicap and make you a better golfer. The low end of his golf school packages goes for $2400 for 2 days. You can get all the information at his website ButchHarmonGolfSchools.com.
For beginners, we suggest going to a lower priced option where professional can work on getting your swing developed and your short game skills improved so you can learn to score better. The Butch Harmon school is designed to help good players get even better. Spend your money wisely. Start with your local PGA pro at a club or muni golf course and see how you like the game before spending $1000's on prestigious lessons.
Jim Mclean Golf School:
Jim McLean runs one of the top golf schools in the US out of Florida. With a trademarked 8-Step swing, the Mclean school of golf gets results. They offer 5 school locations (Doral, Weston, PGA West, La Quinta, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa) and will be adding a 6th location new in 2006 at the Wigwam Golf Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. Jim regularly appears on The Golf Channel with instructional tips and swing techniques. A 2-day golf school at Wigwam with 10 hours of instructions is $945. The website is more a marketing tool for Jim McLean DVD's and Videos than the golf schools. I assume they sell more DVD's than golf school packages.
John Jacobs Golf School
John Jacobs' Golf Schools are located throughout the United State in convenient areas (Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Wisconsin and Canada). They offer 2, 3, 4, or 5-day school packages and graduate 15,000 golfers annually. You work on hitting the ball farther, straighter, and more consistenly from the top instructors. The short game is emphasized since that is where 80% of all strokes occur. Sample pricing at their Hilton Head School in South Carolina was a 3-day program from $795 a person. Find more details at JacbosGolf.com.
Dave Pelz and David Leadbetter Schools
Dave Pelz has always around golf, but when he took on Phil Mickelson as a student and Phil won some majors, his recognition took off as well. "The Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, Pelz Golf provides golfers a variety of ways to lower their scores through improved putting and short game skills". Dave has done countless studies on scoring in golf and where strokes are lost or made up and the "short game" is what it's all about to him. His schools give you training regimens on putting and chipping that you can take home and work on. A friend of mine spent the money to go to his school and came back a fan. If you want to lower your handicap really fast, then the Dave Pelz schools will surely help. David Leadbetter (currently Michelle Wie's coach), has instructional golf schools in Whistler and other locations teaching beginners as well as pro's the intricacies of the golf swing and the course management skills you need to get around the most difficult courses in the world. I have watched his DVD's and videos and they are the best I have seen. You can find out more information on both these men at PelzGolf.com and Leadbetter.com.
California Golf School - Florida Golf School - Myrtle Beach Golf School:
As a recap, there are great golf schools and golf academies all over America and Canada, so find one that suits your needs and sign up to lower your handicap and make golf enjoyable. No sense in being upset playing a game that should be relaxing. You may never turn pro or care to, but at least give yourself a fighting chance on the course with some quality instruction. We prefer the California golf schools located in Palm Springs as well as the Florida golf schools at Doral. Do your research online since you will be spending $1000's on them.
The Bird Golf Schools
Also check out The Ultimate Golf Learning Experience" from the Bird Golf Schools. Learn 1 on 1 from award winning PGA/LPGA professionals at superb facilities and resorts. 14 locations in the US. Daily playing lessons, work on the mental game, video/digital analysis and unlimited golf. When your game deserves the very best; go to www.birdgolf.com or call toll free 877 424-7346.
Menifee Valley Golf School
Another good golf school in Southern California is Menifee Valley Golf School. They offer a huge short game practice area, with a 10,000 sf putting surface and a variety of bunkers. Individual lessons are $40 per half hour, $70 for full hour (cheaper if a series is purchased). Two student lessons are $75 per hour, perfect for a couple to learn the game together and save some money. Or try a 6 or 8 hour day school, covering pitching, chipping, sand play, putting, and a round of golf with the pro to check out your game in a real life setting. Louis C. Skovron is the General Manager (former President of the San Diego Chapter PGA).
Golf Schools versus Private Lessons:
From the Jim Mclean website on golf instructions, he points out 12 reasons his golf schools are better for your game than private lessons. They are listed below:
Tremendous Learning Environment
Improvement in just 2 days
Access to our World Class Teaching Professionals
Focus only on golf in the warmest climate in the U.S. (Miami).
Take a lesson on every part of the game. You'll never have the chance to take a putting, chipping, bunker, or trouble shot lesson from a fully trained top golf teacher. At our schools you will...guaranteed
2 or 3 full days of golf learning not spread out over a long period of time where you might backslide
Get away from home....relax and learn
We tape your progress with drills and we find the drill that works best for you
Benefit from the power of group learning
Watch others make changes and improve...this also helps your game
Dispel confusion! You will leave with a personalized, detailed action plan for improvement
Access to our state of the art Super Station and JV Video Software
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