Kelley Shaw
“My girlfriend and I spent three days with an instructor at the Sedona Golf Club. It was a wonderful experience on so many levels. Hopefully I can remember all the things that made it wonderful as I share them with you now.
First, the process of registering was unexpectedly easy and pleasant. I worked with Bob Willis. I learned about Bird Academy by searching the Web for some type of golf vacation, so I called completely cold. I truly did not know anything about Bird Academy beyond what I read on the Web. I was pleasantly surprised by the personal attention I received from Bob as he answered my initial questions, and then followed over the next couple of days. I was surprised when I received the questionnaires regarding our goals and personality, but at the same time, I was impressed with the idea that you were interested in finding out about us in advance. My hope was that the information would really be used for tailoring our time with an instructor, but of course, at that point, I didn’t know how it would be used.
The Sedona Rouge Resort was such a gem. We enjoyed the facilities, and appreciated that you structured the package so that our resort fees were already covered and that we had $25 each day towards incidentals. The Sedona Golf Resort was an amazing place. I felt like a celebrity getting to hang out at such a beautiful course and receive such attention from the staff. On the first day, we parked the car and started getting our gear out, and a staff member zoomed up in a cart and already knew who we were! I still don’t know how he did that. He grabbed our clubs and told us our instructor was waiting for us at the club house. All of the facilities there were wonderful, from the food services, to the putting green, to the course, to the gift shop and more! I haven’t made it completely through Carey’s book yet, but I find it fascinating. I probably will give him a call as I get further into it. I’m not sure I quite understand my profile, so it would help to be able to converse with him. Thank you for providing his contact information. I appreciate the fact that your instruction addresses both mental and physical aspects of golf.
And finally… our instructor. I can’t say enough positive things about our experience with her. From the first moment that we met her, she felt like an old friend. Her style of teaching was a great match for us. She took the time to get to know us and know our games. I so appreciated the fact that she didn’t try to fix everything. She was able to identify the small things that made the biggest difference. There is one moment with her that I will always remember. We were at the driving range. She asked me to verbalize the thoughts that go through my mind as I set up and swing. I won’t tell you everything I told her, because it is a bit embarrassing (suffice it to say I was thinking WAY too much). She said, “Put that all out of your mind, and just think about your finish.” The very next swing I made was the best one I hit all day. I’ve kept that with me since then, and its changed my game (for the better!). I could go on and on about the 3 days we spent there, but I think you get the idea. I have kept in touch with her and she has been very responsive and willing to talk. In fact, during my last visit to Scottsdale to see my Dad, she met us over at the Ping factory and arranged a personal tour of the factory for us! It was great fun.”
Kelley Shaw
Albuquerque, NM
Golf School: Arizona
