Champions of the Game: The Women Transforming Golf at Bird Golf Academy
There’s something transformative that happens when a woman learning golf discovers her instructor isn’t just teaching from a manual. She’s sharing wisdom earned from years of tournament pressure, championship victories, and the kind of experience that only comes from competing at the highest levels of professional golf.
This is the advantage of learning from elite women professionals. These aren’t instructors who teach golf in theory. They’re accomplished competitors who’ve lived every shot under pressure. They understand the unique challenges female golfers face because they’ve overcome them themselves. They bring both championship credentials and genuine empathy to every lesson.
At Bird Golf Academy, students have the extraordinary opportunity to learn from accomplished professionals who’ve dedicated their careers to passing along their hard-won wisdom. This March, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re exploring what makes these remarkable instructors so uniquely effective at connecting with and transforming students.
Shirley Furlong: The Tour Winner Who Makes It Fun
When you’ve won on the LPGA Tour, finished runner-up at a major championship, and competed at the highest level for fifteen years, you could approach teaching with intimidating seriousness. But that’s not Shirley Furlong’s style at all.
Shirley, who captured the 1988 Lady Keystone Open and finished second in both the 1989 McDonald’s Championship and the 1990 Nabisco Dinah Shore, brings infectious enthusiasm and genuine warmth to every lesson. Her students consistently describe experiences filled with laughter, patience, and breakthrough moments.
“The instruction, tips, advice and wisdom all provided to us with positivity, patience, grace and humor will greatly enhance our enjoyment of the game,” wrote Marcie and Brian after their Silverado school. “We can definitely hear you ‘in our head’ and look forward to putting your instruction into practice.”
That phrase, “hear you in our head,” captures something essential about Shirley’s teaching. She doesn’t just show you what to do. She gives you the internal dialogue you need to coach yourself long after the lesson ends.
Kim put it simply: “Love Shirley. I came away from my 3 days working with her feeling like she addressed all of my goals and gave me the confidence to go out and reach the goals I had set for myself. Now 5 months later, I have reached and surpassed those goals.”
Bianca, a nationally ranked triathlete who has worked with coaches across multiple sports, offered perhaps the highest praise: “I’ve had my share of coaches. Not one has come close to Shirley. The gift of a coach is to unlock and help to facilitate their athletes abilities and potentials. She brought out both in me with ease and grace.”
Amy Benz: Champion Golfer, Champion Teacher
Amy Benz grew up idolizing LPGA Hall of Famer Amy Alcott. That childhood dream led to an All-American career at SMU, a victory at the AIAW National Championship, and a successful professional career that included winning the 1988 Mixed Team Championship and recording six runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour.
Now Amy channels that championship experience into teaching with a philosophy she sums up perfectly: “KEEP IT SIMPLE! I was very fortunate to compete with and against some of the best players in the world and I know they were not thinking about technical and complicated swing thoughts, so why should the average player?”
Her students respond powerfully to this approach. Debi wrote: “I can’t thank you enough for all that your Academy has done for me. Amy Benz is the BEST. I have a friend for life and the best golf coach for life. She is so humble and so easy to work with that when you have to take constructive criticism and make changes, it’s very easy to do.”
She continued: “Her attitude is not about her, it’s about what you have and what she can bring out of you as an athlete and golfer which is very refreshing. This experience is going to make me a better golfer but more importantly, it has shown me some things about myself that I have lost touch with.”
Karen echoed this sentiment: “Her style of teaching was tailored to how I learn, was very flexible and easy to understand which translated into skill improvement on my part. I have drills that I can take with me that will help reinforce what she taught. I really feel better about my game! I highly recommend you and Bird Golf to anyone trying to seriously improve their game.”
Mary Mills: U.S. Open Champion Turned Master Teacher
There’s teaching golf, and then there’s teaching golf when you’ve won the U.S. Open and two LPGA Championships. Mary Mills brings a perspective that few instructors in the world can match. Her nine LPGA Tour victories give her instant credibility, but it’s her teaching philosophy and genuine care for students that create lasting transformations.
Mary’s approach focuses on understanding each student’s unique learning style. “I believe a teacher must understand the learning style of the student and relate instruction about the swing to their unique learning capabilities,” she explains. “For example, some people relate to feeling, whereas others are comfortable with technical concepts or theory.”
Her students consistently praise this personalized approach. Maggie described her experience: “Mary is an excellent teacher, she was able to coach my husband (who is a good golfer) on his chipping while at the same time teach me the basics. She balanced blunt, direct feedback with positive, motivational comments. And did it all while sprinkling in demonstrations, video playback, and good stories.”
Holley added: “I want to let you know how much I enjoyed my time with Mary. She has such a wealth of knowledge and is enthusiastic about sharing it. I never felt rushed; she was creative in making sure I understood what she was trying to impart. Coaching, tailor made for me.”
Karen’s testimonial captures Mary’s teaching magic: “I wanted to ‘Thank You’ for all the time and effort you provided me this week in diagnosing my golf game and then providing understandable drills to correct the problems. Mary you are an outstanding teacher. You are well prepared. You have a very calming and encouraging mannerism which is so important for your students as we struggle to overcome bad habits.”
Tami Bealert: The Master of Personalization
With over 30 years of PGA experience, Tami Bealert has earned recognition as one of the LPGA’s Top 50 Teachers from 2017-2025. Her journey through professional golf includes competing on the Futures and Women’s Florida Golf Tours, working at Walt Disney World Golf Resort, and establishing The First Tee Chesterfield, a pioneering youth golf facility.
What sets Tami apart is her unwavering commitment to treating every student as an individual. Her versatile coaching background allows her to read personalities, assess learning styles, and adapt her instruction accordingly.
“Each golfer is unique with different learning styles, personalities, and body types,” Tami explains. “My coaching background is versatile, allowing me to approach and train each golfer accordingly. The primary objective is to understand the students to customize instruction and accommodate their specific needs, goals, and expectations.”
This philosophy extends beyond just swing mechanics. Tami emphasizes course management and strategic thinking, helping students not only refine their skills but also appreciate the mental aspects of the game. Her holistic approach fosters resilience and adaptability, crucial traits for any golfer aspiring to excel.
Courtney Burdick: Teaching Adaptability and Strength
Courtney Burdick’s teaching philosophy was forged in an unexpected moment. As a child, she attended the Dennis Walters Golf Show and watched a professional golfer paralyzed from the waist down adapt his swing to continue playing the game he loved. Seeing him generate powerful drives without using his lower body showed her that golf can be taught and played in many different ways.
That revelation became the foundation of her entire approach to instruction.
A Class A PGA professional with more than 25 years of experience, Courtney competed at Florida International University, earning recognition on the Sun Belt All-Time Conference Team and claiming Champion Medalist honors at the FIU Invitational. Her competitive achievements also include qualifying for the 2002 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship and securing three Northern California Champion Medalist titles.
“While I believe the golf swing ideally uses the whole body in sequence, I emphasize the hands as the player’s true connection to the club,” Courtney shares. “I focus on building solid fundamentals while helping students adapt the game to their individual strengths.”
Her philosophy centers on adaptability, perseverance, and proper technique. Whether coaching adults or juniors, her goal is to make golf accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding. By prioritizing what each individual can do rather than forcing them into a rigid mold, she helps players find greater consistency, confidence, and joy in the game.
Heather Brown: From Championship Coach to Adult Mentor
Heather Brown brings a perspective few instructors can match. As former Division I Head Women’s Golf Coach at Appalachian State University, she led the program to record-breaking achievements, recruited national and international talent, and cultivated over 30 Academic All-Americans. Her ability to develop young athletes at the highest collegiate level translates powerfully to adult instruction.
With over 30 years of coaching experience, Heather understands that adult learners bring different challenges and opportunities than collegiate athletes. They may have less physical flexibility but often bring greater mental discipline. They may not have decades to develop their game but can make rapid improvements with focused, intelligent instruction.
“Whether you’re picking up a club for the first time in retirement or preparing for collegiate athletics as a high school student, every golfer is unique,” Heather emphasizes. “My approach is rooted in the belief that there is no one-size-fits-all swing. Instead, I tailor my instruction to your individual capabilities and physical abilities.”
The Transformation Continues
The testimonials speak for themselves. A lot of students arrive at Bird Golf Academy uncertain, sometimes intimidated, often carrying years of frustration from inconsistent instruction. They leave confident, competent, and genuinely excited about their golf future.
This Women’s History Month, we celebrate not just what these instructors have accomplished on the course, but what they accomplish every day on the teaching tee: transforming lives, building confidence, and proving that great golf instruction from great women professionals changes everything. ready to discover a genuine passion for the game, to commit to excellence, and to begin a journey that could change your relationship with golf forever.
