9 Amazing Golf Destinations Offering Lessons

Treetops Resort
Photo Courtesy of mikecapaldi

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With more than 650 golf courses across Michigan, golfers across the state and the Midwest become excited when the spring thaw nears. They know that this is the perfect time to get the golf clubs out and begin planning to improve their golf game. We invite you to play courses from top architects and some of the biggest names in golf. Need a little help, you can find the game’s great resorts and courses here. 

 

Complimenting Michigan’s great golf opportunities are the destinations that combine top-quality golf, stay and play packages, with the best instruction. The state features some of the top instructors in the country along with award-winning golf schools.
 

Crystal Mountain Golf School – Thompsonville

Named a GOLF Magazine Top 25 Golf School, Crystal Mountain Golf School is led by some of Golf Digest’s top teachers in Michigan. The school offers more than 100 schools, clinics and programs for all levels of golfers. 
 
Some of the most popular programs include the Two and Three-Day Golf Schools, as well as the Women’s Three-Day School. The Junior Golf Academy is also a popular choice for beginners as well as elite players and Get Golf Ready Classes lead the Player Development Programs.  
 

Boyne Golf Academy – Harbor Springs

Boyne Golf Academy, part of Boyne Highlands Resort, offers some of the best golf instruction and technology in the state. Lead by top instructors Brian O’Neill, a Golf Digest top instructor, and Mike Fay, golfers can experience top instruction at Boyne Highlands, Boyne Mountain, and Bay Harbor. The academy offers a variety of programs including the Fore Women School, short game schools and Nike Junior Camps.
 

 

Boyne Golf

Instruction and technology are the highpoints for golfers coming to Boyne. Trackman and GEARS are taking golf instruction into the next generation. GEARS, takes training and club fitting to a whole new level, focusing on body movement and its effect on your swing and the ball's flight path, while Trackman analyzes ball flight, spin rate, and distances. In addition, the academy also features the popular Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) and a new “holistic” approach to golf instruction. 

Dave Pelz Short Game School – Acme

Located just outside of Traverse City, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is the new home for the Dave Pelz Short Game School. It is one of only six locations in the world offering the nationally acclaimed golf school, which is also a GOLF Magazine Top 25 Golf School. Operating under the theory that golfers most often drive up their scores within 100 yards of the hole, the school focuses on the short game and putting. The programs include 1-2-3 Day Scoring Schools that offer instruction for chipping, putting, wedge and sand play. 
 

Treetops Golf Lessons – Gaylord

Treetops Resort has long been a popular golf destination and place for instruction. The Treetops Golf Academy featuring instructor Joe Charles is also a Golf Channel Academy partner offering personalized one-on-one and group coaching that is among the highest quality instruction available anywhere. 
 

It’s invigorating, inclusive and intended for ladies who find learning the game of golf easiest when fun is involved. The ladies school at Treetops has become one of the most popular programs for women. The combination of world-class instruction with a fun and social setting is unmatched in the industry. The three-day school covers all fundamentals including video analysis, on course instruction, and unlimited golf. 
 

Rick Smith Golf Academy – Roscommon

Rick Smith, one of Golf Digest’s top instructors, has been one of the top teachers in the game for over three decades and became a household name in Michigan with his long-time affiliation with Treetops Resort. Smith has spent many years out on the PGA Tour working with the game’s elite players. Today, the Rick Smith Golf Academy can be found at the award-winning Forest Dunes in Roscommon, and for the metro-Detroit golfers, they can visit his school at the Oakland University Golf Course.
 
Programs like the Rick Smith Experience, 3-Day Workshops, Masters Programs, and the PGA Tour Experience highlight the academy’s offerings. 
 

Jason Guss Golf Academy – Bath

 
The Jason Guss Golf Academy at Eagle Eye and Hawk Hollow in Lansing is led by Jason Guss, who was recognized by Golf Digest as one of “America’s Best Young Teachers” as well as a Michigan PGA Teacher of the Year. The Academy offers a variety of multi-day schools, women’s programs, individual and corporate instruction. Guss is also recognized for having one of the premier junior golf instruction programs in Michigan. 
 

The Kendall Academy at Miles of Golf – Ypsilanti

In the Ann Arbor area, a trip to The Kendall Academy at Miles of Golf will provide all aspects of instruction. Lead by Dave Kendall, the academy offers private lessons, a series of lessons, as well as specialty schools, day schools, as well as on course playing lessons. 
 

Vandenberg Instruction – Grand Rapids

Vandenberg Instruction at the Thousand Oaks Golf Academy features a state of the art facility on the cutting edge of golf technology. Training aids such as the MEGSA perfect practice equipment help students reach their potential. Charley Vandenberg was named the Michigan PGA Teacher of the Year five times. 
 

Bob Krause Golf – Detroit

The Bob Krause Golf School offers top individual instruction using the game’s leading technology and has also become a popular school for corporate sessions. Bob has also become the go to person for many professional athletes.