Golf Schools

Join Golf Tips this fall at McLemore Resort

Golf Tips Magazine – 3 Day Golf School

Visit McLemore Resort this fall atop Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Take your game to the next level with world class golf instruction by 3 of Golf Tips Magazine’s, Top 25 Instructors.

Join Golf Tips Magazine’s 3 Day Golf School – October 27th – 29th, 2023.

For details email: editor.golftipsmag@gmail.com

HURRY! Limited Spaces. “BOOK NOW!” https://form.jotform.com/232096447523155

Play Among The Clouds

Experience one of the southeast’s golf treasures. Located atop Lookout Mountain in northwest Georgia, the McLemore Highlands Course, is an award-winning, cliff-edge par 71 course re-imagined by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones that plays 7,055 yards from the tips. McLemore’s second course, The Outpost, will boast five cliff-edge holes and is scheduled to open in early 2024.If you are new to McLemore and want to experience golf above the clouds, simply join our Friends of McLemore opportunity or reserve a cottage or home in our Stay & Play program.

Overhead view of the 6 hole short course

KPMG Women’s PGA Clinics Announced For 2020

The PGA of America announced the schedule for the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Golf Clinics, a nationwide series of 12 full-day clinics that will welcome and empower women to learn more about the Game of a Lifetime.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Golf Clinics, previously known as the PGA Golf Clinics for Women, will continue to be managed by the PGA of America in conjunction with Jane Blalock, a 27-time winner on the LPGA Tour, and KPMG, the title sponsor of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Golf Clinics will bolster the 28-year foundation of women’s clinics created by Blalock by channeling the prestige and platform of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, one of the LPGA’s five major championships.

The 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be contested at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, June 23–28.

“We received so much positive feedback last year from our debut of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Golf Clinics, and yet we’re working to make 2020 even better,” said Suzy Whaley, President of the PGA of America. “We’re calling on women of all skills levels, whether you’re new to this game or played it in college. These clinics are very social and offer a terrific opportunity to network with women who appreciate golf. They are also designed to introduce and share the game’s many virtues, but more than anything, we strive to encourage these women to actively participate in golf for years to come.”

Clinic participants of all skill levels will learn the fundamental aspects of social and business golf during an action-packed schedule that includes plenty of personalized coaching, play and assessments from PGA/LPGA Professionals, a keynote speaker, breakfast, lunch, and a networking reception to cap off the program.

In 2019, over 1,200 women aged 18 to 64 were trained in golf and energized in spirit by 120-plus PGA/LPGA Professionals during 12 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Clinics.

Additionally, on social media, PGA Golf Clinics for Women have merged with @KPMGWomensPGA across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Follow @KPMGWomensPGA for all of the latest news and updates from the golf clinics.

The 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Clinic schedule begins April 27 at El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Nigel, California and concludes on October 26 at Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach, Florida. All clinics are held on Mondays, with the exception of the May 19 event in Hartford, Connecticut, which falls on a Tuesday. The full schedule:

DATE	CITY	SITE
April 27	Los Angeles	El Niguel Country Club / Laguna Niguel, Calif.
May 11	Boston (1)	Renaissance Country Club / Haverhill, Mass.
May 18	West Orange, N.J.	Crestmont Country Club / West Orange, N.J.
May 19	Hartford, Conn.	Brooklawn Country Club / Hartford, Conn.
June 15	Chicago	Westmoreland Country Club / Wilmette, Ill.
June 22	New York	Old Oaks Country Club / Purchase, N.Y.
July 13	Minneapolis	Braemar Country Club / Edina, Minn.
July 20	Charlotte, N.C.	Charlotte Country Club / Charlotte, N.C.
July 27	Boston (2)	The Cape Club of Sharon / Sharon, Mass.
August 24	San Francisco	Stanford Golf Course / Stanford, Calif.
September 28	Dallas	Gleneagles Country Club / Plano, Texas
October 26	Delray Beach, Fla.	Seagate Country Club / Delray Beach, Fla.

To register for or obtain information about the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Golf Clinics: KPMGWomensPGAClinics.com

TGA Premier Golf Comes To Long Island

TGA Premier Sports (TGA), a leading youth sports organization specializing in introductory and recreational programs, announces the launch of a new TGA Premier Golf franchise in the Long Island, New York area.Tiffany Pippins, a veteran educator, journalist and TGA golf coach recently launched the TGA Premier Golf of South Nassau County franchise, parlaying her love of the game to reach local youth with the “sport of a lifetime.”

Pippins, who holds a degree in Secondary Education/Journalism from Queens College, has taught English and youth development for more than 10 years throughout New York City and the tri-state region for various non-profit organizations. Through coaching TGA Premier Golf programs in and around Nassau County, she’s seen the impact and successful engagement TGA has igniting an enthusiasm for golf in youths and decided she could grow her reach by becoming the owner of her own TGA Premier Golf business.

“While covering the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, I had a vision of how I could use my knowledge and admiration for the game to inspire and facilitate golf in various districts within Nassau County through TGA’s exceptional golf enrichment program. We’re already starting to build strategic partnerships within the Nassau County community,” Pippins said. “I spent part of my formative years in Nassau County. It’s the perfect place for me to connect and share my passion for golf with the next generation of avid golfers.”

Pippins’ territory includes Long Beach, Merrick, Bellmore, Rockville Centre, Baldwin, and Valley Steam. “TGA of South Nassau will run its innovative after-school golf programs on school campuses, as well as look to run its popular youth golf camps at a few local courses like Lido Beach, Merrick Golf Course and Bethpage State Park,” she adds.

TGA has become a leading introductory and recreational program in golf, tennis and team sports by activating nearly one million participants since 2003. With Pippins’ new franchise, thousands of youngsters will be impacted in and around Long Island. “I am humbled and excited to have a career in golf and youth sports that will impact youth and grow the sport of golf in communities that matter to me,” said Pippins, an avid golfer, traveler and contributing writer for African American Golf Digest.

TGA impacts communities by bringing introductory golf, tennis and team sports programs directly into schools and community centers through before- or after-school enrichment programs. By putting golf on a level playing field with other mainstream sports and youth activities, TGA creates a huge opportunity to grow golf participation in a way that starts “grassroots” but has national implications.

“It’s always inspiring when we see one of our coaches empower themselves to become an owner of a TGA Premier Sports franchise,” says TGA CEO Joshua Jacobs. “Tiffany’s belief in our curriculum and programming means a great deal and she’s going to have success in a market that has a rich heritage in golf.”

TGA creates a player pathway for students and their families to advance further in the sport. From introductory programs to camps, clinics and family programs at recreational golf, engagement in these programs can lead to juniors playing on high school and college teams.

TGA provides all of the equipment for kids at no cost in the program, including its own line of custom golf equipment to provide all players an affordable option to get into the sport. The program can also be utilized anywhere on school campuses regardless of weather, including gymnasiums, hallways, cafeterias, fields and blacktops.

Families and schools nationwide have embraced the TGA model and its programs because it creates a healthier and safer environment for students at schools and community centers. The school-based curriculum includes golf skill progression, education subjects and STEM/STEAM Labs, in addition to physical fitness and health components.

For more information and to register for the TGA Premier Golf programs in the South Nassau County area, visit www.playtga.com/SouthNassauCounty.

TGA franchises can be found in more than 74 markets across 27 states, as well as internationally in Canada and Spain. Its continued growth has impacted over 825,000 youth and made these sports available to 1.75 million families through its education-based programs. In addition, the TGA Sports Foundation provides access for all children and promotes the physical, educational, social, and character-building elements of these sports.

www.playtga.com

Troon Announces Player Development Month

Troon is promoting May as “Player Development Month” at Troon-affiliated daily-fee golf courses, private clubs and Troon Golf Academies. Troon facilities and Troon Golf Academies throughout the United States will be hosting golf clinics in May designed for all levels of players, new through advanced. 2019 marks the eighth year that Troon has recognized May as Player Development Month.

The theme for 2019 Player Development Month is “20 More Yards” presented by AMPD Performance, FlightScope and Troon Golf. A competition will be held for students attending the Troon clinics utilizing the FlightScope Mevo launch monitor to determine the “biggest gainer” over the course of the month. The biggest gainer across all of the participating locations will receive a $500 Callaway Golf credit, while the second biggest gainer will receive a six month AMPD online program.

“Through fun programs and initiatives such as Player Development Month, we continue to have success in growing the game at all levels,” said Tim Schantz, president and chief executive officer, Troon. “Since 2011, we have introduced thousands of new golfers to this wonderful game through fun, affordable and educational clinics at Troon facilities. It’s a testament to our wonderful associates and instructors for going the extra mile to grow the sport.”

Instructional videos as well as a complete list of May Player Development Month golf clinics and activities are available here. In addition to learning more about the game of golf, participants in May Player Development Month programs at participating Troon-affiliated facilities will receive access to AMPD Golf Performance’s “Unleash Your Speed” training videos; access to the first month of AMPD Golf Performance programming for the introductory price of $1 and receive monthly online programming thereafter for the discounted rate of $39 per month; and a special Player Development Month promo code from FlightScope Mevo for the purchase of a portable launch monitor.

www.troon.com/player-development

Top 25 Teacher Jeff Ritter Slates Golf Coaching Event

Make The Turn Performance founder and Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor Jeff Ritter is running a two-day coaching event at Whirlwind Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona, March 30-31.

This is a program for players that are ALL IN on developing a next-level action plan to maximize scoring potential in 2019.

Ritter is also a Golf Digest and Golf Channel top ranked teacher. Joining him are Golf Digest Best Young Teacher Aaron Olson and Damon Goddard, fitness coach to PGA and LPGA Tour winners of 47 events, three major championships and six No. 1 rankings.

The Golf Channel calls Ritter “One of the most engaging and entertaining golf instructors on the planet.” Adds Golf Tips editor Vic Williams, “I haven’t met a golf coach more dedicated to a holistic, health-based approach to teaching and learning than Jeff Ritter. Anyone who gets in on this special chance to improve their game, and have fun doing it, is in for a treat.”

Spots for this game-changing opportunity are limited.

Click HERE for sign-up and details.

Dustin Johnson Golf School Gets Even Bigger

The world’s soon-to-be-No.-1-golfer (again) has just christened a brand new instruction facility at his namesake Dustin Johnson Golf School at TPC Myrtle Beach.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the golf school and its growth,” Johnson said. “Golf has given me so much, and hopefully the school can play a role in the development of tomorrow’s golfers.”

The 20-time PGA Tour winner led a tour of the new, state-of-the-art, a 4,000-square-foot building that will be among the best in the Carolinas. Under the guidance of Allen Terrell, Johnson’s long-time coach, the golf school already counts a number of premier young players among its students and the new building will only enhance its reputation.

Johnson has long been a proponent of using technology to enhance his game, and golf school students will have access to the top-of-the-line equipment the 2016 U.S. Open champion utilizes.

The Dustin Johnson Golf School is home to a comprehensive teaching technology suite that includes:

Trackman – It’s the only facility in South Carolina with two Trackman machines. Trackman is the premier launch monitor technology, measuring data such as club speed, smash factor, spin rate, dynamic loft, launch angle, attack angle, carry, club path, ball speed and face angle.
Swing Catalyst – Swing Catalyst provides high speed video technology along with balance data through pressure plates.
K-Vest 3D Motion Analysis – Supplies instant 3D data in conjunction with launch monitor data to give coaches a full picture of the student’s golf swing.
SAM PuttLab – SAM PuttLab is the world’s most accurate and comprehensive putt analysis and training system.

The golf school, which has three indoor hitting bays, a 140-yard tee box, a 12,000-square foot practice putting green, 10,000-square foot chipping green, and situational practice areas with fairway and rough cuts and bunkers, is also an official TaylorMade retail and club-fitting facility.

In addition to housing the Dustin Johnson Golf School, the new building will be home to the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children through the game of golf.

The Dustin Johnson Foundation has donated more than $500,000 to local junior golf, helping offset the cost of instruction to more than 70 kids, and annually provides more than $20,000 in equipment to aspiring players who couldn’t otherwise afford it.

The foundation also donates to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Waccamaw Youth Center and Leader Dogs for the Blind.

For more information, go to www.DustinJohnsonGolfSchool.com.

Going Deep At The Pebble Beach Golf Academy

pebble beach golf academy laird small — LAIRD SMALL (Photo by Randy Tunnell)

Editor’s Note: This story on the Pebble Beach Golf Academy originally ran in the Fall 2015 issue of Golf Tips Magazine

We all know it’s true: If we’re paying attention and passionate about what we do, we’ll gain a wealth of wisdom over the course of our lives. Laird Small, affable Director of Instruction at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy, is certainly a subscriber to this philosophy.

With a demeanor as calm and inviting as Stillwater Cove on a windless day, the man engages his students with an open mind and heart, as all good teachers do. Every individual lesson, corporate gathering or three-day group lesson brings a new story, a new adventure and new insight into how people absorb, process, practice and ultimately demonstrate, on the golf course, what it is to play a game that can’t be mastered, in a place that holds a magical and magisterial place in the American — and, indeed, worldwide — golf consciousness.

“I’m still learning stuff every single day,” he says. “If you’re not, go do something else. It’s a lot of fun.”

And now it’s more fun than ever for Small and his staff, thanks to a new facility built on a former multi-use parcel of land just across the street from the Peter Hay par 3 course.

“There were a few things the Pebble Beach Company had to check off its list before we could get to this,” Small said while looking out over the impressive, 50-spot practice tee with its many manicured target greens — a huge improvement over the old, cramped range just a few yards away, and a hit among both amateurs and the PGA Champions Tour Professionals who had commandeered it a few days earlier, during the Nature Valley First Tee Open (and the regular tour guys who take it over every February for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am).

“When we had a chance to build this place out, we looked at, ‘What do we do for a golf school? We want it for groups and individuals — and sometimes individuals who are part of a group.’”

TGA Gets Kids Playing Golf

TGA Premier Golf (Teach, Grow, Achieve) has become the leading introductory program in the industry over the last 15 years. The only youth sports franchise company dedicated to golf, TGA introduces the game to youth (ages 5-13) on school campuses nationwide through its after-school enrichment model.

The unique and successful model provides an innovative curriculum combining golf skill progression with STEAM academics. The program is being utilized anywhere on school campuses regardless of weather, including gymnasiums, hallways, cafeterias, fields and blacktops.

With over 70 percent of its students having never played the game before, and a majority of those students’ families being in the middle to upper-class and paying for the programs, TGA has created a sustainable model that is building a foundation for the future of the game. Through its TGA Sports Foundation, under-resourced schools and families are also benefiting from the TGA program. TGA is leaving no child behind in learning the game of golf.

Following the after-school enrichment programs students continue through the TGA Player Pathway model which transitions students to local golf courses for camps, parent-child events and leagues. The program has also become one of the largest feeder systems into national programs like PGA Junior League, Drive, Chip and Putt, Youth on Course, as well as LPGA*USGA Girls, who also make up 42 percent of the participants in TGA programs. This was all highlighted in a recent National Golf Foundation story titled “TGA’s Introductory Programs Are Helping Create a Pathway for Youth Golf.”

To date, TGA has introduced the game to over 750,000 kids in 3,400 schools nationwide in 68 markets and it continues to grow. More than 40,000 kids registered for the programs this fall, more schools are signing up, and additional franchise territories are coming online every month. TGA expects to reach one million kids through its programs over the next five years.

For more information visit www.playtga.com.

GolfTec Honors Veterans Day With Free Lesson, Fitting

In honor of Veterans Day, GolfTec is supporting PGA Reach, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, by offering one complimentary lesson or Tecfit club fitting session to anyone who first makes a small donation to PGA Hope, the flagship military engagement program of PGA Reach.

Redeemable at all participating GolfTec locations in the United States between Nov. 5-11, interested parties can register online now at. To complete the process, customers simply follow instructions on making a donation, scheduling their lesson or fitting, and showing their receipt upon arrival at GolfTec. Each 30-minute lesson or fitting is valued at nearly $100, but individuals are only asked to make a $35 minimum contribution (more can be donated, if desired).

PGA Hope (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is a free, adaptive program that introduces golf to veterans with disabilities to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. For more information, please visit: www.pgareach .org.

“The PGA has done an incredible job with its charitable initiatives and we’re excited to work with them this year to support this great cause ,” says Joe Assell, co-founder and CEO of GolfTec. “Last year we raised nearly $30,000 for PGA REACH, but we’re raising the bar in 2018 and setting a goal of $45,000.”

“ GolfTec is among the largest employers of PGA Professionals in the world, and we’re looking forward to working with their talented staff to make a difference in the lives of veterans through golf,” said Ryan Cannon, Senior Director of PGA Reach. “We highly encourage golfers of all skill levels to support this program and experience the highest quality lessons and club fitting in the industry.”

Conducting more lessons than any company in the world, GolfTec’s unique fact-based approach has led to the average student dropping seven strokes over 18 holes in one year. Lessons are taught one-on-one by Certified Personal Coaches, mostly in indoor bays that utilize proprietary teaching technology. Developing a comprehensive improvement plan for each student is the foundation of GolfTec’s philosophy.

The company’s enhanced TecFit custom club fitting program is a Tour-like fitting experience combining swing characteristics with ball flight data to help identify optimal golf equipment for each student. An array of clubhead/shaft options are available to perfectly match players of any skill level with the clubs that best meet their needs. Nearly 75 percent of all golfers who experience a TecFit custom driver fitting gain an average of 25 yards over their previous equipment.

To learn more about the promotion, visit golftec.com/pgahope.

Reynolds Lake Oconee Golf Schools Slated For Fall

There is no better place to improve golf skills than northern Georgia’s Reynolds Lake Oconee golf schools, no better-equipped learning facility than the Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by TaylorMade, and no better way for golfers to rev up their games than a two-day session this fall.

All autumn long, Reynolds Lake Oconee is offering two programs— “Energize” and “Short-Game Solutions”— led by the Reynolds Kingdom staff of instructors, who will customize coaching and provide individualized attention to each student with an ideal student to instructor ratio.

The popular “Energize” program is ideal for any golfer looking to re-ignite the fire in their games. Two half-day morning workshops deliver fresh ideas and concepts, providing momentum golfers can take to one of Reynolds’ world-class courses in the afternoon.

Four “Energize” sessions are available — Sept. 27-28, Oct. 30-31, Nov. 29-30, and Dec. 20-21. Priced at $1,099 per student, each session includes:

6 hours of instruction during a two-day program
2-to-1 student to instructor attention
Evidence-based instruction using Trackman and GEARS (a 3D motion capture tracking system)
“Kingdom Experience” gift pack
Equipment assessment with the Kingdom’s expert club fitters

The “Short Game Solutions” program teaches highly effective scoring skills, including how to find the line and pace of every putt, calibrate wedges to precise distances, and master chip shots and bunker play.

Four “Short Game Solutions” sessions are available — Sept. 13-14, Oct. 11-12, Nov. 8-9, and Dec. 6-7. Priced at $1,499 per student, each session includes:

12 hours of instruction during a two-day program
3-to-1 student to instructor attention
Full wedge and putter equipment evaluation
Stroke and alignment putting kit

Golf school students have a choice of overnight accommodations, for an additional price, including condominiums at Lake Club Village, Landing Cottages, and National Club Cottages, as well as luxury guest room and suite options at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee.

Along with an unforgettable golf experience on five resort golf courses, Lake Oconee’s 19,000 acres and 374 miles of shoreline provide fishing, swimming, boating, camping, picnicking, and water skiing. Other amenities include four full-service marinas and an award-winning tennis center, making Reynolds Lake Oconee one of the Southeast’s most popular and most complete vacation destinations.

For more information about golf schools at Reynolds Lake Oconee and the Reynolds Kingdom of Golf, click here.