Santa Barbara at Alisal Guest Ranch
The magnificent Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort sits in 10,000 private acres of the stunning Santa Barbara wine country. Our students are treated to an amazing view at virtually every turn as the resort rests in a valley surrounded by spectacular hills. Alisal is an easy two hour drive from the Los Angeles area or four hours south of the Bay area, or you can fly into the Santa Barbara airport. Alisal is filled with a rich and storied history that dates back to the 1800’s. Originally a cattle ranch, where the 1927 Kentucky Derby winner “Fling Ebony” was born and raised, Alisal started to change its focus to hospitability in the 1940’s. Over the years, the resort has welcomed an array of stars and captains of industry, including Clark Gable who married Lady Sylvia in the old library, Doris Day and many of today’s leading Hollywood actors. Learn More
Download A Brochure
Dates & Price
We reward our guests with lower pricing and more dates to choose from the earlier you book. Rest assured, once you book, your price and date are guaranteed.
1 on 1 Instruction
2 On 1 Instruction - Buddy Package
2 On 1 Instruction - Champions Package
Don’t see your ideal month? Call us at 877 4-BIRDGO or custom date availability
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
Alisal Guest RanchA legendary hideaway set in the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley, Alisal Ranch features every exceptional comfort. 10,500 acres of pure inspiration, a short 30-minute drive north of Santa Barbara and a world away. Where nature welcomes you to explore, adventure, unwind and renew. Check the Weather here.
What's Included
When you select the Alisal for your California golf school you are not just choosing a hotel; you are going to have an experience that will last in your memory for a lifetime.
Bird Golf students stay in a beautifully appointed, California ranch-styled room that features a wood-burning fireplace with complimentary firewood, high-beamed ceilings, western art, refrigerator, coffee maker and an outdoor patio area. The room looks out onto the meticulously maintained gardens that resplendently surround you throughout the property. There are no televisions in the rooms so you are encouraged to bring a good book, or just keep reveling in all the fantastic activities that Alisal is famous for.
What's Included
What's Included
- Accommodations at The Alisal Ranch
- All food and drinks, including alcohol, exclusive to this location
- Unlimited practice and play
- Player evaluation
- “Clear Key” analysis
- 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
Santa Barbara Airport
35.3 miles
41 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. The weather in Santa Barbara, CA, is usually sunny and pleasant throughout the year. During summer months temperatures tend to be in the mid 70s – mid 80s with moderate humidity. Winters are typically mild and temperatures generally stay in the 50s and 60s. Rainfall usually occurs from October – March, but precipitation is usually light.
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 yourfirst 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. (Add link to FAQ Page)
More Information
Alisal is filled with a rich and storied history that dates back to the 1800’s. Originally a cattle ranch, where the 1927 Kentucky Derby winner “Fling Ebony” was born and raised, Alisal started to change its focus to hospitability in the 1940’s. Over the years, the resort has welcomed an array of stars and captains of industry, including Clark Gable who married Lady Sylvia in the old library, Doris Day and many of today’s leading Hollywood actors.
Bird Golf Academy students enjoy two magnificent championship golf courses to work on their games, all while working with PGA and LPGA professionals in such a beautiful setting. Our private practice area on the River Course offers golf school participants the ideal environment to perfect their skills. Want to take your game from a 120 to 80? Our students have done exactly that! The River Course is the newer of the two courses and features breathtaking views of the foothills and the Santa Ynez Mountains. You will be greeted by wider fairways as you play with superbly maintained Bent grass greens. It is not uncommon to see all kinds of wildlife including deer, foxes and eagles throughout the resort. Ameri-can Bald Eagles make their nest every year on Alisal Lake. In addition to the natu-ral scenery, our Santa Barbara golf schools have it all!
Alisal’s stables are home to over 100 horses and there are several different horse riding programs for you to enjoy. For novices there are ‘learn to ride’ instructional options and for advanced riders there are all day packages in which you can spend your day exploring the 10,000 acres that make up the Alisal. There are countless riding trails and nature walks and even bird watching adventures.
Alisal has a host of other activities and amenities for you to enjoy including the Fitness Center and Spa. The Spa offers a full array of treatments from their signature Swedish massages to exclusive therapeutic mud and herb wraps. In addition to the Spa, the Fitness Center has a full complement of state-of-the-art workout and cardio equipment.
Alisal Lake offers its own host of water activities to enjoy. The experienced angler has several great fishing areas to try their hand while the resort has resident experts who offer lessons in the art of fly fishing. Alisal Lake offers several boating options and you can rent sail boats, canoes, a catamaran, kayaks and stand-up-paddle boards. Archery and Air Rifle programs are also offered.
The Ranch Dining Room has been a tradition in dining excellence since its inception. Under the watchful eye of Executive Chef, Pascal Gode, the dining room offers a California fresh inspired cuisine that changes daily but receives its inspiration from many locally caught fish and locally grown vegetables. Gentlemen guests are asked to wear jackets for dining in keeping with another time honored tradition at Alisal. Although not part of your golf school package, we are able to offer you a ‘Modified American Plan’ that will include an a la-Carte breakfast and dinner both in the dining room. For more information, please ask us when calling to reserve your school.
In the past few years, the Santa Barbara wine country has grown to rival Napa. Santa Barbara County hosts over 100 wineries whose number includes some of the most prestigious wines being made today. The Alisal is also only minutes away from the town of Solvang, famed for its Danish themes and sundry shops and bakeries. If time allows you to, we recommend that you stay for a few extra days after your school so that you can enjoy all that the Alisal has to offer and take a tour of some of the beautiful wine estates in the world.
When you select the Alisal for your California golf school you are not just choosing a hotel; you are going to have an experience that will last in your memory for a lifetime.