Phoenix at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass
The resort has already been the recipient of several awards. Recognized by the Zagat survey, as one of America’s Best Resorts and featured in Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the world’s most enriching, culturally authentic resorts, Wild Horse is not just another resort; but an experience. There are five restaurants on property led by the highly acclaimed Kai Restaurant which features a menu rich in creativity, history and Native American culture. James Beard nominated Chef Ryan Swanson leads the kitchen at Kai, and is renowned for creating unique and indigenous menu experiences. The highlight for our golf students, however, is at the incredible Whirlwind Golf Club. This 36 hole masterpiece was designed by Gary Panks and is the perfect venue for Arizona golf. Voted by Golf magazine, as one of the Top 25 “New courses in the US”, in 2004, Whirlwind was home to the PGA Nationwide Tour Gila River Classic. Learn More
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Day To Day
01 On The Range
Start your day on the range establishing your individual goals for your golf school. You will baseline your current swing with swing video analysis before you move into your applicable swing drills, customized specifically for your own game.
02 On the Greens
Your instructor will help you understand the fundamentals of the putting stroke using a variety of aiming tools and techniques. Your instructor will help you understand distance and direction control and help you brush up on proper green reading techniques.
03 Pitching and Chipping
Focus on your short game by beginning with proper set up and approach to the ball and the green. Your instructor will evaluate your chipping and pitching alignment and help you make repeatable, proper contact with the golf ball. Most of your short game will come down to club selection. Your instructor will help you understand how each club selection leads to trajectory control, distance control, loft/lie angle selection and understanding different lies.
04 Bunker Game
An area many golfers struggle with is the sand game. You and your instructor will work through bunker shots, both greenside and fairway bunkers. Golf shots out of poor lies will only improve with practicing each bunker scenario.
05 Playing Lessons
Afternoons are all about taking “your game” to the course. This includes playing within yourself, developing a consistent routine, and reinforcing swing changes.
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’ everything 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. 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”.
End your round post-game analysis.
06 The Mental Game
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.
Hotel
Hotel
Sheraton Grand at White Horse PassExperience seamless travel in Phoenix, AZ, at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass. Our resort is 17 miles from Phoenix Zoo and 11 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Browse brand-name stores at our premium outlets or try your luck at Wild Horse Pass Casino, just up the road.
Rejuvenate at Aji Spa with refined spa treatments such as body wraps, facials and massages. Experience world-class dining at our hotel restaurants, proudly serving classic Native American at Kai and Traditional American at Ko’Sin. Our two championship, 36 holes of championship golf were designed by renowned golf architect Gary Panks, featuring original challenges with beautiful desert vistas. When it’s time to wind down, relax in your spacious room with mountain views and a private balcony. Rest in your smart, pillow top bed before you start your day with custom bath amenities. Each room includes warm tones, local artwork, safes, work desks and 24-hour in-room dining. Experience our resort in Phoenix, AZ.
What's Included
Rugged, awe-inspiring vistas surround our students, and give them the perfect venue for their school.
Our students delight in the beautifully appointed rooms that feature Pima and Maricopa furnishings and accessories. Guest rooms feature bath suites with separate tub and shower. Enjoy panoramic views including the Sierra Estrella and South Mountain Ranges, the Gila River and the two championship golf courses from your private patio or balcony. You may even see the wild horses roaming across the desert.
What's Included
What's Included
- Lodging is included with each golf school
- Unlimited practice and play at the amazing course at Whirlwind
- Player evaluation
- Lunch with your PGA/LPGA professional each day
- The ultimate golf learning experience®, with 18, 24, or 30 hours instruction with your Bird Golf Academy Professional
- All taxes are included
What's not Included
What's not Included
- Golf Balls and Tees
- Golf Clubs, however, rental clubs are available through our golf course partners
- Airfare and transportation to and from the golf school locations
- Personal items purchased during the golf school
- Additional golf rounds before or after your school days
- Golf Rounds for other members of your party, not in your golf school
- Instructor gratuities are not expected but always appreciated. If you would like to leave a gratuity for your instructor, $75-$100 per day is customary.
Travel Details
How To Get There
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
17 miles
20 minutes
Planning For Your Trip
1 Packing and Weather
Weather is important to consider when deciding what to pack for a golf school. We want you to have the right gear when you need it most. Phoenix, AZ, is generally sunny and dry year-round with daily temperatures typically ranging from the low 70s F to the high 90s. Winter months, December through February, typically range between 40-70°F.
Please check the weather of your destination before you leave and be sure to be prepared for all possible conditions with the right gear – this includes bringing removable layers, sun protection, rain gear, vest or wind jacket. Check the Weather
2 Ready to book?
To book your golf school, you can call us at 877-4-BIRDGO to speak with a booking specialist. Your booking will be finalized once your deposit of $500 per golfer is paid at the time of booking. If you reserve your school less than 30 days prior to the first day of school, the full balance will be due at the time of booking. Once your school is booked and your lodging is confirmed, you will receive an email confirmation with important information pertaining to your school, and a player profile to be filled out and returned.
3 What happens once I book?
Once your golf school is booked, you will receive a confirmation email along with a player profile to be filled out and returned prior to your school start date. The night prior to your first day of school, your instructor will call you and let you know the meet-up location and time for your golf school.
4 What if I have to cancel my trip?
Our student-first cancellation policy makes it as easy as possible to change your golf school. Even in uncertain times, you can rely on us to provide flexibility so you can book your trip with confidence.
You can always take a mulligan on your golf school in the occasion life events get in the way. If you need to take a future school credit with us, there is no expiration and you can redeem your credit on any golf school location, even if it is different from your original booking. As long as you don’t quit the game of golf, your credit will always be redeemable.
We want to make it as easy as possible to change your golf school to fit your schedule. Have a question? Give us a call, 877- 424-7346.
5 General FAQs
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out our General FAQs section. You will find answers to the most common questions that don’t necessarily pertain to a specific school.
More Information
Wild Horse Pass has already taken its place as one of the finest golf resort destinations in the Southwest. Wild Horse Pass is nestled between the Sierra Estrella and South Mountains and is an easy 15 minute drive from Phoenix airport. The rugged, awe-inspiring vistas surround our students, and give them the perfect venue for their school. With every conceivable amenity, Wild Horse has something for everybody. The perfect Arizona resort setting.
There are five restaurants on property led by the highly acclaimed Kai Restaurant which features a menu rich in creativity, history and Native American culture. James Beard nominated Chef Ryan Swanson leads the kitchen at Kai, and is renowned for creating unique and indigenous menu experiences.
Since 2008, Kai was honored for the ninth consecutive year time by Forbes Travel Guide (formerly Mobil Travel Guide) as the only restaurant in Arizona to receive their ultimate designation: the Five-Star Award. Kai continues to enjoys an accolade that no other restaurant in Arizona can. To fully appreciate this you should know that Kai is one of only 43 Five-Star restaurants in all of North America. Additionally, Kai is the only restaurant in Arizona to receive AAA’s top award — the Five-Diamond honor. Kai is a “must visit” for your Arizona golf school vacation.
The Aji Spa and Salon creates a sanctuary and has a myriad of treatments (Aji is the Pima word for Sanctuary). There are 17 custom designed treatment rooms, a full service salon, private swimming pool and Watsu pool. In 2020, Aji was bestowed Forbes Travel Guide’s coveted 5 Star award, making it the only 5 Star Native American Spa in the county. Aji is highly recommended for our students to unwind after a great day of learning at their Arizona golf schools or for non-golfing spouses to enjoy while their partner is honing new skills. For the nature lover, the Resort also features several miles of unencumbered trails that meander through the property. There is nowhere in all the Southwest that offers the authentic Southwest, quite like Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass.
Wild Horse is also home to the Koli Equestrian Center. Enjoy one thousand acres of riding trails that showcase the magnificent Sonoran desert or take in a Western themed event. The waterways that meander throughout the resort allow our students to even take a ferry ride through much of the beautiful landscape.
The highlight for our golf students, however, is at the incredible Whirlwind Golf Club. This 36 hole masterpiece was designed by Gary Panks and is the perfect venue for Arizona golf. Voted by Golf magazine, as one of the Top 25 “New courses in the US”, in 2004, Whirlwind was home to the PGA Nationwide Tour Gila River Classic.
Our Phoenix golf school students are treated to the impeccable service and amenities that are the hallmark of Troon Golf®. In fact, Whirlwind was Troon Golf’s “Facility of the Year” (out of 200 courses worldwide) in both 2004 and 2011 making it the only facility to have won Troon’s most prestigious award twice. Whirlwind is one of the most highly regarded facilities in all of the Southwest. Our students enjoy immaculate, private, range facilities, practice greens and the two championship courses: Cattail and Devil’s Claw.
Cattail and Devil’s Claw are desert golf at its very finest. Cattail which can be played from 7,218 from the back tees will test the most advanced golfers but with five sets of tee boxes is also very playable for novices, as well. Devil’s Claw wends its way around the main resort (be sure to take in some the incredible vistas as you play) and from its back tees plays to 7,029 yards but features some terrific risk/reward holes that are sure to make your round one to remember.
In 2009, at our ninth annual Invitational Pro-Am, Bird Golf and Wild Horse Pass created a very special tradition: “The Golf Walk of Honor”. The Walk of Honor celebrates the careers of people who have dedicated their lives to golf and have distinguished themselves in doing so.
For the fifth consecutive year, the editors of Golf World magazine has honored the golf shop, as one of the “100 Best Golf Shops” in the country. Bird Golf students enjoy a varied selection of all the latest golf clothing and also receive a special discount on any purchases. Sivlik Grill, the restaurant at Whirlwind, offers a delectable array of Southwestern cuisine and is open for lunch and dinner. Our students can often be found sitting on the terrace after their golf instruction and watching the sunset ease its way behind the mountains.