Maria and I attended the ESPN 3 Club Tour golf school today. The class was held at the Primm Golf Club in the little town of Primm, Nevada.
We’d been looking forward to the class for a couple of weeks, but Maria started showing signs of the flu yesterday. She bucked up and went anyway. We left the house at 6:30 and drove the 70 ish miles to Primm. The golf course was beautiful, and the practice facilities were very good. We warmed up for about 15 minutes, and they had us drive to a par 3 hole for the Lexus hole in one shot. That exhibition demonstrated why most of us were attending the class. Only two shots made it on the green.
We then drove back to the practice area, where we broke up into two groups. Our group went to the short game area first. There, we learned how to pitch and chip. I’m glad we started there. I like practicing the short game, and our instructor was very helpful. He gave us tips that helped remove the fear of shooting over a bunker. In fact, all the instructors kept things light and easy. They didn’t attempt to change a lot of things, but instead focused on one or two things that would make a big difference and be easy to remember later.
After the short game lesson, we went to the full swing station. I finally learned why I’m always slicing. My wrist wasn’t in the correct position at the top of my backswing and I crossed the line with my club at the top. Both things made it extremely difficult for me to get my clubface squared at impact. Once the instructor showed me where my hands should be, I started knocking the stuffing out of the ball. I have never hit a 5 iron so far! I also started taking divots after the ball for the first time. I didn’t hit everything correctly, but for the first time I knew what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. Again, the instructor kept everything simple so we can repeat it.
Then it was time for lunch. Lunch was provided and was good tasting and good for golfing. It wasn’t fancy, but it was plenty good, and they had pudding! I think we all could use more pudding in our lives. How can you be upset if you’re eating pudding?
After lunch, our group learned to putt better. I wish we had more time on this skill. This is such an important part of the game, and one that almost no one knows what they’re doing or why. Then it was time for the full swing again. The instructor had us hit the Nike drivers so he could recommend which one we should order. Yes, we got a free driver, a free wedge and a free putter for attending the class! The cost of these clubs completely offsets the cost of the class.
We both had a very enjoyable day, and we learned to hit the ball better and more consistently. We swung our clubs so many times, our hands are blistered and our bodies sore. We also met some very nice people, and we got (or will get) three free clubs out of the deal. Not a bad day at all.
I highly recommend the class to anyone who is interested in getting better. I wasn’t sure that $495 for a one-day class would be a good value, but I have to say it is. I’m not sure I’d feel the same without the clubs, but I can say it is an outstanding deal with the clubs.
A note on the Nike driver; the first time I looked down the shaft at the club head, I had to laugh out loud. This thing is HUGE! It looks like a bowling ball on the end of a stick. My old driver looks like a 3 wood compared to it. After getting the right loft and shaft for me, I’d have to say this is a great driver. It sounds like a cannon, and the ball goes a LONG way. We got to demo the Nike 3 wood too, and that was also a very nice club. I know the old Nikes weren’t that great, but if you’re in the market for a new driver or 3 wood, you should give Nike a test drive.
