About the Bird Golf Schools
The Bird Golf Academy’s promise and Service Mark is the “Ultimate Golf Learning Experience” So what makes Bird Golf Schools the world’s best golf school? Our unique concepts are born from many lifetimes of observation, teaching, and research. Among the professional staff of Bird Golf Academy our knowledge adds up to more than 350 years of teaching experience! Our golf school’s primary concept is our one/two student to one teacher ratio. This enables our instructors to devote their entire attention to each individual student, providing the student with personalized instruction. Customized instruction designed for their specific needs is what provides them with the most memorable golf experience. There are many other concepts that we will discuss and that we adhere to due to the vision of the founder of Bird Golf Academy and those concepts are the key to our success.
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The academy was the dream of Jay Ewing. Jay’s vision was the result of more than 35 years as a golf professional. An accomplished player, having played in the South Pacific, Asia, and Australia in the early 1980’s, and also the winner of the World Pro-Am at Pebble Beach in 1998, Jay also served on the Colorado Section PGA Board of Directors and founded the Colorado PGA Teach-a-thon. The founder of the Rocky Mountain Junior Tour, Jay’s teaching background working with Juniors was extensive, as it was with players of all skill levels.
1. Personalized Coaching
We do not believe that group instruction works. No two golfers are the same. Each has different body types, movement dynamics, and states of mind. To achieve truly outstanding results, golf instruction must be tailored to each individual’s needs, goals, and objectives. At Bird Golf, we pair one or two students with a professional and they have the instructor’s undivided attention for six to eight hours each day.
Bird Golf Directors talk to each student personally about their golfing history and their goals and objectives that they have for their golf school. Accompanied with a Player Profile that is completed by each student this information is provided to the instructor to develop personalized instruction and practice plans. Determining the best way a person learns (visually, kinetically, verbally etc…) is essential to provide students with the highest level of retention.
We are not just a golf instruction school. We encourage students to take advantage of our coaching services. Each student can develop a long-term relationship with their golf professional if they choose, and after attending the school the first time can schedule a 1 or 2-day follow up session with their swing coach. The 3 to 5 day school provides the student with the foundation and models that they can take home with them to practice on their own and following up with their professional on a regular basis provides them with consistent coaching so constant improvements are made to their games. Students can also make the most of their experience with remote coaching.
2. Bird Golf Professionals
Our instructors are what separate us from any other golf schools. Mary Mills is the 1963 U.S. Open champion, and winner of the 1964 & 1973 LPGA Champion-ships, among her 9 LPGA Tour victories. Jim Samsing is our West Coast Director of Instruction, a PGA Professional for more than 30 years and the foremost master of Clear Key (systematic thought process). Just to name a couple. Each and every instructor has been hand-picked from around the world, and their credentials include not only an extensive teaching background but all have, in their own right, been great playing professionals. That combined experience allows them not only to diagnose every student’s swing and personality individually but also to relate to the challenges that face us at every competitive level.
3. Comprehensive Packaging
Not only is it our goal to provide the finest instruction, but to also provide the most optimum packaging. We feel that providing students with the best accommodations and golf courses available to us is what will complete the ‘Ultimate Golf Learning Experience.’ In addition, we think it is important to make the experience all-encompassing. Each package includes video and digital analysis, daily on course playing lessons, mental game instruction, course management instruction, unlimited practice and play at the host course, lunch each day and unlimited coaching follow-up after the completion of the school. We offer several 3-, 4-, & 5-day packages with six to eight hours of instruction each day. With superior service and rooms, Bird Golf Academy students also enjoy their own private practice facilities where they are able to concentrate in seclusion. Included in each package is both unlimited use of the practice facilities and the golf courses.
We offer sites that are amongst the world’s finest, beginning with Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, Arizona, a first-class golf resort and our West Coast flagship golf school. It is the only hotel in North America, and 1 of 24 Sheraton hotels worldwide, to receive the very prestigious Grand designation by Sheraton. In every conceivable way, Wild Horse Pass is the perfect location for your golf school. With 36 holes of Championship golf, luxury accommodations, state of the art spa facilities, fabulous dining options, Equestrian center and vistas that will amaze you, this is the ultimate golf school location. Fine artwork and culture of the local Pima and Maricopa tribes are elegantly woven into every aspect of this beautiful resort.
4. Coaching Methods
Fundamentals
The golf swing is like a domino effect. Once one domino goes down, the rest follow. The first domino of the golf swing happens before any motion begins. Grip, stance, posture, and alignment are the keys to any great swing. Recognizing this, we believe that there is no one grip, stance or alignment that works. Rather, the skill in both teaching and implementing these fundamentals is to match, according to body style, coordination, and movement dynamics, the perfect fundamentals for each student individually. Each Bird Golf Academy professional will address these most vital aspects of the game with each student.
Drills & Practice Plan
Every student at each one of our golf schools sees immediate improvement with their instructor. The keys to improvement are to keep doing the same things (the changes that the student makes) the same way. All tour players have their own personal swing coach. Each Bird Golf student will have their own personal swing coach. When returning home, they have unlimited access to their professional so they can maintain the changes and improvements they have made. The Bird Golf Academy believes strongly in drills that will help them be able to continue their progress on their own. Each student (with their instructor) creates their own record, both written and visual. By adhering to and therefore maintaining the changes that they make with their instructor they are able to create a lifetime model for better golf.
Playing Lessons
We don’t just show our students how to hit the ball better on the driving range…we play with them each day of their school. How often has someone taken a golf lesson only to go to the course and ‘lose’ every-thing that they just learned? We know that the most important part of changing is trust. It is that trust in something new that we abandon when it matters most, on the course. The only way to ensure that doesn’t happen is by applying what we have learned on the course. Playing lessons allow us to observe ‘how’ a person plays, both in thought and mechanics and then to show them how various intangibles like lie, wind, pin placement, and course condition affect each shot. We teach them how vital course management can be. It is also essential to show students how important it is to play “in your personality” and to play “within yourself”.
5. Systematic Thought Process
Mentally, golf can be more than a little demanding. Consistent performance on the course requires a mental approach that is effective for a casual weekend round or a high-pressure tournament. We teach students how to think like pros. We coach a mental program that allows for thinking clearly on the golf course. In addition to our one-on-one concept, we focus on the mental side of the game. This singular approach allows us to show our students how to take their game and swing from the driving range to the golf course…where it really matters.
6. Superb Customer Service
At Bird Golf, prospective students and students are never treated like a number. From the point of initial contact to years following a golf school, our team talks to each student personally. It is very important that each Bird Golf Academy attendee has had all of their questions answered about their golf school prior to starting and that we are aware of each student’s expectations, goals, and objectives. This is the key to having satisfied customers.
Our customer service is superb because we make it a point to place the most value on the student we have now rather than put emphasis on the students we could have in the future. It is our mission to make sure that each student is satisfied with the results after the school. After each school, our teaching professionals compile information so that we have all the information we need on hand to continue helping them remotely. Our team calls each student after a school to follow-up and then also call regularly to see how their game is going and to offer remote assistance. They and our professionals are always thrilled to hear from students who call to report about their accomplishments or to chat about their progress.
| Phoenix, AZ | Our flagship site at Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa has taken its place as one of the great resorts in all the Southwest. It has every amenity you would expect at a world class resort including KAI, which is the only 5-star, 5-Diamond restaurant in Arizona, the 5 Diamond AJI Spa, two incredible swimming pools, hiking trails and an Equestrian Center. Your package includes an upgraded, Deluxe Mountain View room that features luxury furnishings and amenities and a private balcony with views of the mountains (all the rooms have just undergone a complete 80 M dollar refurbishment). The two golf courses at Whirlwind are similarly extraordinary and it is the only facility to have won Troon Golf’s “Facility of the Year”, twice. We also have our own state-of-the art practice areas for you to work on your skills. |
| Tucson, AZ | Our site is at the AAA Four Diamond Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort in Tucson. The resort blends the magnificence of the high Sonoran desert with the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains in an exhilarating journey that sweeps across the land. Your package in Tucson includes an upgraded Junior Suite and the resort has three on site restaurants, a highly acclaimed Spa and an array of other activities to enjoy. There are two superb Championship courses, The Conquistador and The Cañada, which offer many impressive views and has been the host of the PGA Champions Tour. |
| Sedona, AZ | Sedona is a spectacular location; USA Today called Sedona the most beautiful city in the USA. Our golf course there is a Robert Trent Jones signature facility and the holes and views are amazing. We have our own private area to work with you also and your package includes a 1 bedroom suite at the Sedona Hilton which overlooks the golf course. |
| San Diego, CA | Our San Diego site partners are Rams Hill Golf Club and La Casa del Zorro Resort & Spa. Nestled in the California desert, this unique location is an ideal way to escape. Rams Hill Golf Club is a triumph of design by the legendary Tom Fazio and is already being hailed as one of the best golf courses in California. La Casa del Zorro is an elegant boutique hotel with an array of on-site amenities amid 42 spectacular acres. |
| Palm Springs, CA | The Classic Club in Palm Springs is often called the best golf facility in the desert. Host of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 PGA tour Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, this amazing golf course is superlative in all ways. Our hotel partner for your Palm Springs golf schools is at the AAA, four diamond Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. Both facilities have been the recipient of several awards and accolades and offer the finest in Southern California hospitality. |
| Southwest Forida | The Old Corkscrew Golf Club, West Coast has been the recipient of several notable awards in its short, five year history. Notable amongst them are being named the “2008 Florida Golf Course of the Year” by the National Golf Course Owners Association. A Jack Nicklaus signature facility, Old Corkscrew is an extraordinary golf experience. Our hotel partner in Bonita Springs is at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa. Coconut Point is a Conde Nast Top 100 Golf Resort and is in Travel & Leisure’s list of top 50 resorts. |
| Boca Raton, FL | On the East Coast of Florida, we are partnered with The Club at Boca Pointe and The Boca Raton. The Club at Boca Pointe is a superb private country club that offers Bird Golf Academy students one of South Florida’s finest practice facilities and a Jack Nicklaus championship golf course. The Boca Raton gives our students the ultimate in luxury hotel accommodations. The resort boasts 8 restaurants, the incredible Spa Palmera, and myriad of ocean activities at the private Boca Raton Beach Club. |
| Galloway, NJ | Added in 2009, the historic Seaview Golf Resort in Galloway, New Jersey. With two magnificent championship golf courses, The Bay and The Pines, Seaview affords our golf school students to walk in the footsteps of legends. The Bay Course, which is a signature design by the legendary Donald Ross is a classic links-style course that will test golfers of all skill levels. The contrasting design of The Pines Course, which is a Parkland-style course that sits in a forest of towering pines, gives our students a challenging variety to test their skills. Under new management with Dolce Hotels and Resorts and Troon Golf, who oversee the golf facilities, Seaview is the ideal location for our East Coast Golf Schools. Onsite amenities include both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, and restaurants. |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Earlier in 2009, came the addition of the magnificent Wachesaw Plantation East in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a Clyde Johnston designed, championship 18 hole facility which has been styled in the time-honored fashion of the great Scottish links courses. Our golf school students enjoy a superb private practice area and chipping and putting green. Wachesaw Plantation East is the recipient of several awards and accolades, and was most recently, the 2007 Myrtle Beach, “Golf Course of the Year”. |
| Santa Barbara, CA | Alisal Guest Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA, is a magnificent site that offers amazing views at virtually every turn. There are two Championship golf courses and a private practice area that feature breathtaking views of the foothills and Santa Ynez Mountains. The Resort offers a complete escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. |
| Pinehurst, NC | Our partner property in the golfing capital of the United States is Foxfire Golf Resort and Club in Pinehurst, NC. Gene Hamm designed the 36-holes of Championship golf to take full advantage of the amazing natural beauty that is North Carolina. Our hotel partner is the Homewood Suites. The aura, traditions and breathtaking surrounds are the perfect ingredients for your Pinehurst school. |
| Poconos, PA | We are very proud to have entered into a corporate partnership with Brown Golf Management, a Golf Inc. top 25 management company since 2015, with the addition of four new amazing sites. In the Poconos of Pennsylvania, the Great Bear Golf Club is a superb semi-private Championship course designed by the one and only, Jack Nicklaus. Our hotel partner is at the historic Shawnee Inn, which has undergone a room renovation and offers a complete list of amenities for our guests to enjoy. |
| Vermont | Green Mountain National is often referred to as the best course in Vermont, with very good reason. This spectacular setting surrounded by rock formations and mountains formed by ancient glaciers of Killington’s Green Mountains will take your breath away. Nowhere are the magical colors of a New England autumn more stunning than at Green Mountain National. |
| Hilton Head, SC | Two Carolina gems make up the 36-hole facility at Palmetto Hall Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Designed by prolific designers, Arthur Hills and Robert Cupp, the two courses are unique in style and architecture and offer a tremendous playing experience. Bird Golf students also enjoy state-of-the-art private practice facilities and all the amenities of a private club in the magnificent Clubhouse. Our hotel partner is at The Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa, complete with panoramic views of the Atlantic. Bird Golf students relish the beach of all the amenities of this luxury resort that include 5 restaurants, a Spa, 3 swimming pools and best of all the amazing beach. |
| Jacksonville | Windsor Parke in Jacksonville has hosted more USGA Qualifying events than any other in the area and is also an Arthur Hills design. The recipient of several awards and recognitions, Hills masterfully uses the natural beauty of the area and combines that with his distinctive bunkering style and elevation changes. Our hotel partner is at the nearby Hotel Indigo, which is a modern boutique hotel located on the lakeside boardwalk in the European-styled, Tapestry Park village. |
| Colorado Springs, CO | The most spectacular Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is just an hour from Denver, and surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains. The golf courses stretches almost 7,000 yards and the six sets of tee boxes will be a test for all playing abilities. Accommodations are in a Deluxe room with a private balcony or patio as the perfect way to soak in the extraordinary beauty of your surroundings. |
| Redmond, OR | Our most recent addition is the Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, Oregon, and is the ideal location for your summer or fall golf school (the area gets 300+ day of sunshine each year). It offers a host of activities for all the family to enjoy. Foremost amongst those are the three golf courses set in the ancient Juniper Forest under the watch of the Cascade Mountains. |