MAY & JUNE 2007
It's Always Ladies Day

Years ago, golf schools were the domain of men. No longer. Now, golf academies are teeing it up for the ladies, creating a sense of camaraderie and fun for women who are serious about their games, but also serious about having a good time.

Don’t misunderstand. Golf schools that cater to women only are all about hard work, with early morning lessons and instructional practice on challenging courses. Organizers have gotten smart, however, and set up academies at some of the best golf resorts in the Midwest – those that include award-winning spas and dining opportunities, plus amenities like shopping and wireless Internet for those who need to keep in regular contact with their home or office.

Wisconsin Golfer visited three stellar golf resorts and spas that offer golf academies specifically for women. All are perfect for that next girls’ getaway, and conveniently, all offer schools starting in May. So gather up a group of girlfriends – or go solo and plan to meet some fabulous women. Your game will thank you.

The American Club Kohler, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s ultimate destination resort
>> www.destinationkohler.com

If you’re looking for pure girlfriend luxury, look no further than the Golf Academy at The American Club in Kohler. The Academy, which opened in 2002, is considered one of the top schools in the country, earning a Golf magazine nomination as one of the Top 25 Best Golf Schools for 2005-06.

Started by master instructor Ji (rhymes with hi) Kim – a Golf Digest top-10 instructor who was nominated as one of America’s 50 greatest teachers for 2005-06 by the same magazine – Kohler’s Golf Academy hosts four women-only schools in May. Packages include a Thursday through Saturday night stay at the American Club with 12 total hours of instruction over three days, including eight hours of on-course instruction on the famed River, Meadow Valleys or Irish courses.

Todd Wagner, senior instructor and coordinator of the Golf Academy, says that women benefit from these schools because they can relax into their games without feeling intimidated by husbands, boyfriends and co-workers who may have more established games.

“Golf is becoming more of a business sport, a consumer appreciation sport,” Wagner says, and women are picking up the sticks in droves.

“Golf has more instructors than we see in any other sport, because everyone thinks they’re an instructor,” Wagner adds. “No golf advice is better than bad golf advice.”

The Golf Academy’s 4-to-1 student-to-instructor ratio ensures that women will get plenty of sound, personalized instruction.

Kohler limits its academy attendees to 32 players. Up to eight instructors help women of all levels improve their games in a short amount of time.

“We see improvement in everyone,” Wagner says, “but in the beginners it’s instant. The intermediate to advanced players go home with a game plan and sometimes they’ll regress before they progress. Everyone gets a workbook and a CD with their swing and other golf advice.”

Students in the Golf Academy play two 18-hole rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run’s Meadow Valleys course on Friday and Saturday afternoon and have the option to attend a session on yoga for golfers.

“A certified yoga instructor leads the class,” Wagner says, “but a golf pro is there to explain how the [yoga] moves will help them improve their swing.”

Over three days, students have unlimited use of practice facilities and daily bag storage, cleaning, locker and shoe service. Packages start at $1,219, including lodging.

When they’re done on the links, students can head over to the Kohler Waters Spa, one of the things that makes Destination Kohler a true destination. This award-winning spa offers treatments that range from the fundamental to the truly delightful, including massages, Vichy showers and mani/pedis to reverse the mileage they’ve put on their hands and feet. The spa fills up fast so advance reservations are recommended.

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa Galena, Illinois
Top-notch golf and amenities in northeastern Illinois
>> www.eagleridgeresortonline.com

Kevin Geib, director of instruction at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, is passionate about teaching and is glad that female amateurs are finally getting the instruction they deserve.

“Golf is no different for men and women,” Geib insists, “as long as you are taught to play correctly. There may be general differences in strength and finesse, but with a good instructor, any woman can play the game as well as any man.”

Geib – the first PGA pro in Illinois to receive the distinction of PGA Certified Professional in Instruction – says 60-70 percent of the students attending golf school at Eagle Ridge are women.

So great is their improvement and enthusiasm that “many come one year and return the next,” says Geib.

Eagle Ridge – which hosts instructional programs that range from a half-day to five days – is unique in that it doesn’t have set dates for its schools.

“All schools are scheduled based on [student] demand with a maximum 4-to-1 student-to-instructor ratio. This is great for women because they can schedule a school with their friends. In addition, it saves the headache of trying to schedule your vacation based on the dates that we’ve set.”

In addition to setting their own dates, Geib says players at Eagle Ridge golf schools can focus on the area of their game that they want to focus on, not on what’s been decided for them.

“The schools are designed around your schedule, your needs, and your golf game,” says the enthusiastic Geib.

While most golf instruction at Eagle Ridge takes place on the range, schools include playing lessons.

“This involves applying what you’ve learned on the range to on-course situations,” Geib says.
“Your instructor is with you the entire round to help you with any questions, point out any strategies and help you with course management and your mental game.”

Playing lessons range from nine holes at a one-day school to 63 holes during five-day schools.

“You can add additional rounds without your instructor during the afternoon and evening if you’re feeling really ambitious,” Geib adds.

So why schedule a golf school at Eagle Ridge?

For one, you get to choose the people you play with, giving new meaning to the term “girls’ getaway weekend.” Second, your game is almost guaranteed to improve.

“You’ll learn more about your golf game than you could ever imagine,” Geib says. “You’ll leave with the knowledge, techniques and drills necessary to help you reach your goals. Most people see their handicap drop significantly over the next year and go on to shoot career-low rounds soon after attending the school.”

In addition to top-ranked golf courses and excellent meals, Eagle Ridge is home to Stonedrift Spa, which can help soothe those sore muscles before and after lessons. Offering everything from facials to reflexology massage, Stonedrift provides the perfect counterbalance to activity-filled days.

The resort also offers fine dining. While lunch with the instructor is included in golf school fees – which range from $403 per person for a half-day to more than $2,500 for a five-day school (including instruction, lodging, lunch, green fees for playing lessons and a gift) – spa treatments and elegant dinners are excellent additions to the package.

Each guest also gets to take home a video reminder of the lessons learned.

“We use V-1 swing analysis software to help diagnose your golf swing,” says Geib. “You can take home a recording of your entire golf school on DVD. This is a great option to prevent leaving the school and forgetting what you learned.”

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Golf is just the beginning at Grand Geneva
>> www.grandgeneva.com

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva will no doubt rejuvenate the mind and body after a relaxing stay, but the customized, small-group golf instruction for women focuses on doing wonders for the golf game as well. Grand Geneva has two courses – The Brute and The Highlands – to offer challenge and diversity.

Robb Lent, head professional at Grand Geneva, believes small-group instruction is not only key to improving the golf  swing but also to developing a lifelong love for the game of golf that will continue once class is dismissed.

“It’s the buddy system, essentially,” says Lent. “If you’re learning and listening with someone, you’re more likely to want to practice and play with someone.”

According to Lent, women’s golf schools have grown in popularity because of the natural comfort zone that forms when a group of players, either friends taking part in a girlfriends’ getaway weekend or business associates at the resort for a conference, participate in something together rather than as individuals.

“There’s less of an intimidation factor,” says Lent who, along with the rest of the instruction staff, will tailor a program to fit each player’s skill level.

For many women golfers, Lent says the biggest challenge is overcoming the distance factor that exists between them and their male counterparts.

“Many golfers don’t want to feel like they’re holding up play on the course,” says Lent. He adds that tee placement and the player’s ability to play the course as the architect designed it are crucial components to improving one’s game.

Private group lesson rates begin at $75 an hour per player. Lessons also are videotaped for an additional $10.

Lent says the goal of private instruction should be to address limitations in the player’s game in an atmosphere that caters to those needs. The players should leave with a set of thoughts to build confidence in their game.

While a player may walk away from private group lessons with a more successful swing, Lent believes there are intangible benefits to group lessons that are often overlooked.

“One of the most overlooked and beneficial aspects of private group lessons is the networking opportunities that may develop after the lessons are over,” says Lent, who adds that relationships formed during group lessons can translate into other opportunities off the course. Lent stresses that maintaining a personal or professional golf relationship with other players is key to maintaining a lifelong interest in the sport.

“After group lessons, a player should expect to develop a game she can take to the course and enjoy with others,” says Lent. “This keeps the player interested in the game, whether for personal or professional reasons, and encourages long-term playing.”

A golf getaway weekend can easily become a destination vacation by taking advantage of the resort’s Sport Center, which offers yoga and Pilates classes or indulging in any of the spa’s dozens of rejuvenating treatments.

Grand Geneva’s Well Spa will allow guests to relax after a long day of perfecting the short game. The Well Spa’s treatments are designed around Native American philosophy, integrating the earth’s four elements and ensuring a soothing experience and total relaxation.

If staying active is on the agenda, the Sport Center includes on-site rock climbing, which provides guests with a stimulating vertical challenge, as well as horseback riding through the resort’s picturesque grounds.