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Best Golf Intructors in the Twin Cites and Minnesota

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 20:40:02 GMT

The Best Golf Instructors in the Twin Cities and Minnesota

I'm really sorry to break it to you, but I don't know the answer. I'm a Golf Teaching Professional. I've only taken a handful of lessons from other coaches in my professional life. If you really wanted to find the best golf instructors, you would have to ask golfers who have taken lessons their opinions. Find out how they ended up performing relative to agreed upon goals with their coach(s). But there isn't a system for quantifying this. Maybe I should work on it:)

Best in State/Country Lists: The most popular lists choosing "The Best Golf Instructors" build by surveying Golf Instructors about other Golf Instructors. I've filled out these lists before. I may vote for a few people I've worked with before and I know some of their skills or coaches I see once in a while online and I think they sound fairly smart. But I feel really awkward casting these votes as I really am not in a position to judge their ability. It might make more sense to ask their students. My personal experience does allow me to say safely that most of the teachers on the "Best in State List" for Minnesota are pretty solid instructors. BUT, there are usually 1 or 2 that I know are mediocre to poor at helping people play better golf.

PGA Awards: Another measuring stick some people are aware of is the PGA's Best Instructor or Junior Instructor award. This list is decided upon by the board and committees of the local PGA Section. PGA Professionals who win this award have to fill out a lot of information and give a lot of background and references to be considered. Knowing that, you can be sure that a Teaching Pro who has won this award does have some merit behind what they do and, at a minimum, put time into their profession and are serious about it to put together a portfolio.

Find a Coach for YOU: Award winners from the lists above are some of the best instructors around, even with a few duds thrown in there. But whether they are on the list or not, you need to find an expert that is experienced in fixing your needs. Below are a few types of coaches you may have heard about or will find that may or may not be the right fit for you.

High Level Junior Instructor : Does your kid want to go to college on a golf scholarship? Well then, find a coach with this proven track record. But don't go see them if you are a 60 year old guy trying to fix a slice.

The FUN Junior Coach : Do you have a young child who you want to get a great head start with the game? Send them to the coach with the huge junior program that has a lot of retention and services the 5-14 year old demographic. They will give your kid FUN and REPS....which is 90% of what they need.

The Instructor for Women : Just like teaching a lefty, teaching a Women, at it's core, is the same as anyone else. A female looking for instruction should not use gender as their main qualification for a coach. What you want is a proven track record of someone helping people. Find a coach who is empathetic and can tailor their instructor to all different types of people whether they are a man or a woman.

The Internet Guru : If you follow a coach on social media you might be able to tell if they are a good coach or not. If that coach is always talking about the same concepts and all their students look like their trying to do the same thing, be ware. If you see a coach posting pictures of a lot of golfers showing that they are busy along with maybe some positive feedback from those students, you might have a winner.

The Word of Mouth Coach : Maybe the most sure fire way to find the best instructor around is through word of mouth. It's one thing to hear from one person they they "had a lesson from this guy", it's another thing if a group of people you know have all gone to the same coach and continue to refer people to them. This is the best praise or award an instructor can get. Another easy way to check on their ability is to see if they have a lot of great Google Reviews, or reviews of any nature. Information is pretty accessible these days, and that's the easiest one to access.

Minnesota Golf Lessons for Beginners - Steps to Take

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 19:51:16 GMT

5 Benchmarks for Beginners

Best Public Courses in Out-State Minnesota

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 20:09:19 GMT

Best Courses you can play in Out-State Minnesota

5) The Classic @ Madden's

The Classic is what you would expect from a top-flight course in the Brainerd areas. Tree lined, undulation with some really cool holes that bring the lakes into play. But the reason to make the trip here is for the service. From the moment you arrive on property you will feel like a member of a top tier country club.
www.maddens.com

4) Dacotah Ridge

Dacotah Ridge is a "Casino Course" about 2 hours from the Twin Cities in Southwestern Minnesota. This facility is perfect for a long weekend with your friends or spouse especially because of what a value it is. The course is set naturally on prairie land with creeks running through and groves of trees that fit in perfectly.
www.dacotahridge.com

3) Deacon's Lodge

This Palmer design in the Brainerd area starts off with a stunning first hole and continues with amazing shot values throughout the course. Recently purchased by Breezy Point Resort, they have added houses you can stay where your backyard is a tee box for the driving range!
www.breezypointresort.com

2) The Wilderness at Fortune Bay

The Wilderness is another "Casino Course" but is located up on the Iron Range, 30 minutes north of the Biwabik courses. Located on Lake Vermillion, you can create a vacation that centers around golf and fishing. You will be planning your next trip to this strikingly beautiful course before you finish your 18.
www.golfthewilderness.com

1) The Quarry

Putting The Quarry in the top spot was an easy decision as it's the best public course anywhere in the state. Giants Ridge carved out plenty of room to make this tree lined course extremely playable. It isthe best course in the state because every hole brings something new and "cool" to the table alongside extraordinary bunkering and green complexes.
www.giantsridge.com

Best Public Courses in the Twin Cities

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 19:24:53 GMT

Best Courses you can Play in the Twin Cities

6) The Wilds Golf Club

This was one of the first upscale public golf courses built in the Twin Cities. The Wild made the list because of it's consistency of good golf holes that are difficult but playable. The course has nice undulation changes along with beautiful water and marsh land protecting many of the holes.
www.golfthewilds.com

5) Royal Golf Club

Royal, located in Lino Lakes, is a newer course that is very reasonably priced. This course generally gives you room off the tee but has the most undulating greens in the state, so be prepared. This course made the list because it has a slew of tremendous holes, especially on the front nine. You can put up holes 2, 5, 7 and 9 against most any in the state.
www.royalclubmn.com

4) Willingers Golf Club

I'll admit, I have a soft spot for this course. But the consistency of great shot values hole after hole are as good as any course in the Twin Cities. There are a few holes that are tight off the tee, but there is more room than you think and a good drive will reward you with birdie opportunities. Willingers is south of Lakeville but being right off of 35W makes the trip shorter than you would expect.
www.willingersgc.com

3) Rush Creek Golf Club

Rush Creek is situated on beautiful marshland in Maple Grove and it held an LPGA event when it was originally built. It has a "resort course" type feel as it gives you room off of the tee along with gorgeous views. It's extremely popular for corporate events for these reasons. The signature, par 5, 18th hole is the highlight but the consistency of good holes and pristine conditions are huge bonuses.
www.rushcreek.com

2) StoneRidge Golf Club

StoneRidge is located just east of Woodbury right off of 94. It is always in pristine shape and the "quarry" feel is something you don't expect from a Twin Cities course. It does a great job of challenging the golfer while mixing in beauty and fun.
www.stoneridgegc.com

1) Legends Golf Club

It is hard to separate all of these courses. Legends, located in Lakeville, gets the top spot because it is such a great facility for so many reasons. The course is gorgeous, especially in the evening, as it meanders around ponds and creeks. The design does seem challenging but it is extremely playable for all golfers. Finally, the patio offers stellar views after your round with great service, drinks and food.
www.legengsgc.com

Minnesota Golf Instruction - Chipping and Pitching Improvement

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:25:20 GMT

Start by Evaluating these 3 Areas

Getting correct contact is critical to distance control. To start improving your shot game, skip the discussion of club selection or landing areas and start by figuring out how you can get consistently good contact. Once you can clip the ball reliably you'll find that your distance control and feel will improve rapidly.

1) Swing Path

On a small swing, there isn't time to compensate so getting your swing path correct from the beginning is very important. Obviously a bad swing path can cause directional issues which then can lead to even worse compensations. What people don't understand is that your swing path effects where and how you hit the ground which IS the main fundamental for good contact.

HItting the ground too HARD: Watch for a swing path that's too much from the inside
Hitting the ground to HARD: Watch for a swing path that works too much out and up

2) Clubface Control

How you control your clubface on your shorter shots can also create some tendencies you may not be aware of. Having the clubface too shut or pointing at the ground in the swing will create lower shots and much more digging by exposing the leading edge of your wedge to the turf. If your face is too open or pointed to the sky you will tend to come up short and at the same time, through compensations, you'll toggle between hitting the ground early and thin shots.

When you take the club back where the shaft is parallel to the ground, check that the clubface is pointed just slightly downward. The toe of the club should not point completely straight up.
Know that your grip can be part of the problem.

3) The Club

How the club head is built can help or hurt you based on your personal technique and tendencies. It can also allow for shots off of various lies or not. Some terms you may have heard that relate to how the club head is designed are bounce, grind, camber and sole width. In Minnesota, conditions are generally softer. This mean that a club with more bounce is usually the right call. This is normally a number between 8 and 14 that is alongside the number with the degrees of loft, like 56.

If you like to chip with and get decent loft on lower lofted clubs like a 52 degree, GW or PW, then you won't have to worry about the bounce or clubhead design as they will all come pretty standard.
Less Bounce Needed: Only if you are a good chipper with lofted clubs and never take much turf
More Bounce Needed: If you struggle with pitching or dig too much on your shots. This also includes a wider sole or bottom edge of the club
X Grind: If you like to hit standard shots and open the face with a 58 or 60 degree wedge look to a club that has at least 10 or more degrees of bounce but also has more of the sole cut away toward the heel to help you open the face. The "X Grind" in the Callaway Wedges is a perfect example of this.

Golf Gifts in Minnesota for Christmas, Holidays and Birthdays

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:03:59 GMT

Your List of Great Gifts for Minnesota Golfers

1) Golf lessons

I might be biased, but this is the most sure fire gift for any golfer. This can be one lesson or a group of lessons; whatever fits your budget. Any golfer will appreciate this gift because they aren't just limited to working on their full swing. This gift could be used to help them with any area of their game; putting, chipping, bunker play, etc. Many coaches also offer lessons in the off-season as well.

msgolflessons.com/purchase

2) A Round of Golf

What golfers love the most is playing golf! This gift gives them something to look forward to and is something you know they will use. The course doesn't need to be right next to home as long as it's a nicer course you know they will be excited to play. I'd recommend getting them at least 2 Green Fee's. That way they can invite a friend, spouse, or better yet...you!

South: Willingers Golf Club

North: Rush Creek Golf Course

East: StoneRidge Golf Club

3) Range Finder or GPS Watch

Have you noticed that your loved one is stuck asking you for distances to the pin all day long? You can fix that problem quite easily. My recommendation would be to lean toward the range finder if they are better players and not as techy. I would lean towards a simple GPS watch for a player who likes to keep things simple and is ok with basic tech.

Blue Tee's Range Finder

Garmin GPS Watch

4) Golf Shop Gear

Think of the really nice course the golfer on your list always brings up. Stop by the Golf Shop and pick out a trendy shirt or hat. But don't forget these other cool options below. And if you are brave, you might be able to get something from the local country club if you walk in quietly and ask nicely:)

Winter Hat
Ball Marker
Headcover
Towel

Gifts to think twice about

Golf Balls: This works best if you know the nice ball they play or they are a new or younger golfer
Clubs: Call me to discuss before you buy them a club they aren't fit for!

Bunker Play Truths and Tips

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 14:49:57 GMT

5 Simple Bunker Play Tips

If you’ve ever watched golf on television, I can almost guarantee you’ve heard one of golf broadcasting’s favorite phrases, “He was sure lucky to have found the greenside bunker!” But wait, I thought bunkers were supposed to be a penalty? I’m sure many of you have wondered how the Tour players can make it look so easy when most amateurs are happy just to get the ball on the green from the bunker. So why are bunkers so daunting to many recreational golfers?

I’m here to tell you, “It’s MY FAULT!” Well, maybe not me personally, but golf instruction as a whole has not done a great job in simplifying the process of extricating yourself from a greenside bunker. Most compulsive weekend warriors have a plethora of exotic tips from their favorite golf publication lying deep in their subconscious. I know because they come to me for lessons and have told me all of them. When I have a student explain to me how they believe they are supposed to play this shot, I usually hear a lengthy diatribe involving opening stances, not aiming at the target, opening the clubface, cutting across the ball and which grain of sand needs to be struck in order to survive this melee. So let’s throw all those tips laying in the recesses of your mind away and start from scratch. I will show you how to make bunker play easy!

All you have to do to get the ball onto the green from a greenside bunker consistently is to make a big enough swing to splash the sand sitting directly beneath your ball on the green. Seriously, it’s that easy. Here are five simple steps to make sure you are successful.

1. Hit the sand every time

It’s virtually impossible to hit your ball over the green if you take sand during your swing. If you commit to taking sand, you will eliminate any concern of going over the green.

Quick Tip : In playing any shot off the ground you are already taking some turf, so taking sand shouldn’t be that hard. Digging into the sand and widening your stance a few inches outside your shoulders will make taking sand unconscious and inevitable.

2. Take a big enough swing to get the ball out

Now that you’ve resigned yourself to using the sand to your advantage, you won’t have to shrink your backswing to the length of a 5 foot putt in the off-chance you catch all ball and send your playing partners diving for cover. A simple recommendation is to take at least a half backswing and make a full finish. Specifically, your arm closest to the target should be parallel to the ground, and the club should hinge enough to create an “L” shape in your backswing. In your follow through, your chest should be rotated enough to face your target.

Quick Tip : I rarely teach greenside bunker play until my student is consistent with a 20-50 yard pitch shot. A pitch shot technique and bunker technique are very similar, or in some cases, exactly the same. Talk to your GolfTEC Coach about working on other short game techniques before you put all your efforts into mastering sand play.

3. Take the right amount of sand

Depending on the type of sand, digging about an inch deep, give or take, is the right amount for most bunker shots. You don’t need my help to decipher how much sand works for you on your home course. How steep your club comes into the sand has a lot to do with this. If you’re a player who rarely digs too deep, play with the clubface square at address, so the leading edge of the club helps you dig out more sand. If you are a player who digs trenches, take your grip with the clubface already turned open. The open clubface will allow the bottom of the club and the “bounce” of the wedge to hit the sand first creating more glide through the sand versus digging at it.

Quick Tip : Don’t ever try to alter how much sand you take if you reliably take the correct amount. The correct amount should propel a shot with a sand wedge or 56 degree lofted club somewhere between the front to the middle of the green. If you want to get a ball to trundle further to the back of the green, play a gap wedge or pitching wedge.

4. Play the ball where your splash is

This step could be the most important aspect of playing a quality bunker shot. It’s also very inconsistent from player to player. But this is called, “Making Bunker Play Easy,”…so position your ball in your stance relative to wherever the middle of that splash, or divot in the sand, tends to be.

Quick Tip : Draw a 5-foot line in the bunker perpendicular to your target line. Play 5 shots, each one a foot from the other, with the line equidistant between your feet, or in the middle of your stance. Looking back at the 5 divots, you will start to see a pattern which will help you decide whether the middle of your splash is in the middle of your stance where the line is or more forward or back. Two helpful tweaks to this drill are to work on the consistency of where the splash is and to get your splash slightly forward of the center line or at least on the line.

5. Aim and swing where you want the ball to go

I know this sounds crazy, but give it a try. Even if you like to play your bunker shot with an open clubface, you have to remember the clubface isn’t even touching the ball! The most the ball will leak the direction of your open face is a few degrees.

Quick Check : Draw 3 separate lines 3 feet long in a bunker, each pointing at your target and set a ball on each line. Take your stance with your feet and shoulders parallel to those lines and hit each shot. Take note of the direction of your splash and where the ball goes. Hopefully your splash is straight with the line or slightly left for a right-handed player. Averaging out the direction of the three balls will help you decide where to aim when you take your new bunker game to the course.

Off-Season Minnesota Golf Improvement

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:48:42 GMT

5 Steps to Make Next Year your Best!

Start Early : Fixing your old habits isn't always easy. Start early so you can spend the late winter training your new skill, not fixing your swing last minute.
Build a Routine : Book out your golf lessons every week or every other week. Even a monthly meeting works well if it holds you accountable.
Set Goals : Decide what your "Non-Negotiable" is for the year. It could improve 1 major area that is a frustration, what would it be? When you look back in the spring, at least you can say this got better.
Creative Practice : Hitting balls at the Dome or Simulator is great. But don't underestimate practice swings at home and even mental reps on your new swing as you are trying to fall asleep.
Don't Forget Short Game : Using some of your lesson time on the short game can be very useful. Work on your mechanics to get GREAT CONTACT. Consistent contact will easily translate to distance control when you do get a chance to practice more outside.