One of the game's most famous instructors is on the move.
David Leadbetter, whose star pupils have included major champions Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed, Michelle Wie and a slew of other famous pros, will be opening the Golfzon Leadbetter World Headquarters in the fall of 2022 at Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Fla. This represents a change in venue for the Leadbetter Golf Academy, which will depart its long-term location at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate for Reunion just two miles away.
Reunion will serve as Leadbetter's headquarters, the flagship location of a golf instruction brand with more than 30 locations on four continents worldwide. Reunion will give Leadbetter and his stable of instructors and coaches ample room and technology with which to operate. The resort's 54 holes make for an expansive classroom, not to mention its existing academy space at the opposite end of one of its two large driving ranges. There, Golfzon Leadbetter will use on-range golf ball tracking as well as a host of indoor tech, including club fitting, fitness and biomechanics-related equipment. There will also be two golf simulators by Golfzon, the Korea-based company that partners with Leadbetter in the endeavor.
This move figures to make Reunion one of America's most sought-after resorts for golfer who want to both enjoy a variety of quality golf courses and work on their games. Here are some other similar standouts:
Jim McLean Golf School at The Biltmore - Coral Gables, Fla.
The Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables may have just one golf course against Reunion's three, but it's a gem, a 1926 Donald Ross original recently restored by architect Brian Silva. What's more, it's the home of Jim McLean, one of the best American golf teachers of the last 50 years. McLean and his extensive stable of instructors (The Golf Fix host Devan Bonebrake is an alum) work with the full range of golfers, from beginners to PGA Tour pros.
BOYNE Golf Academy - Harbor Springs, Mich.
BOYNE Golf comprises 10 courses spread across three different sites in northern Michigan, one of America's best summer golf destinations. Similar to its golf courses, the BOYNE Golf Academy at the Highlands at Harbor Springs offers solid value for those looking to improve and enjoy the resorts. Two-day couples' golf schools for 2022 include range time, unlimited golf and an on-course lesson, as well as discounts on lodging.
Golf Performance Center at Sea Island Resort - St. Simons Island, Ga.
The nucleus of PGA Tour players who make their home in Georgia's Golden Isles spend plenty of time not just at private clubs like Frederica and Ocean Forest, but Sea Island, too. Small wonder - Sea Island has one of the best practice facilities in golf, as well as the 17,000-square-foot Performance Center. Indoor-outdoor hitting bays and a high-tech putting studio designed by renowned teacher Phil Kenyon contribute to the feeling that if you can't practice it at Sea Island, it's not part of golf.
Kohler Golf Academy at Destination Kohler - Kohler, Wisc.
Kohler has been home to both pilgrimage-worthy courses and elite events for more than 20 years, and what else should sit at the nexus of these two traits than a superb golf academy? In addition to private lessons and junior clinics, Kohler Golf Academy offers a range of different multi-student golf schools, ranging from one-day intensives to four-day immersions. Of note for golfers looking to hit the ball farther is a one-day, five-hour session that uses yoga as the basis for helping golfers add distance off the tee.
PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass - Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
The home of the PGA Tour's flagship tournament is also home to its own performance center, meant to help aspiring pros as well as the rest of us. TPC Sawgrass' extensive facilities have attracted a strong team of instructors, led by Todd Anderson, who has worked with dozens of PGA Tour players like Brandt Snedeker, Billy Horschel and Davis Love III. Anderson's team of instructors includes Mike Shannon, one of the world's top putting instructors.
Pebble Beach Golf Academy - Pebble Beach, Calif.
Coastal California's bucket-list destination is also a great place to tune up your game, where Pebble Beach Resorts takes an all-encompassing approach to golfer development. Perennial highly-ranked instructor Laird Small and his team use state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor facilities, including the high-tech RoboGolfPro, a machine that walks golfers through every inch of a mechanically sound golf swing.
Pinehurst Golf Academy at Pinehurst Resort - Pinehurst, N.C.
A resort with 10 golf courses and a vibrant membership, Pinehurst is a natural place for one of America's most robust academies, especially for group business. Multi-day schools include daily rounds of golf, with specialized ones including parent/child schools and women's golf retreats.
Golf Performance Institute at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa - Carlsbad, Calif.
Gotta look and feel good to play great golf, right? The academy at the Omni La Costa has a strong focus on fitness; Director of Instruction A.J. Avoli often steps in to help oversee the PFC Fitness Camp, which brings together golf, exercise techniques, nutrition coaching and even running-stride analysis in pursuit of "Golf Fit."
Golf Academy at Nemacolin Resort - Farmington, Penn.
Nemacolin is a little under-the-radar relative to America's other multi-course resorts, but its quirky charm and extensive list of activities in addition to two fun Pete Dye golf courses makes it well worth seeing. Its Golf Academy offers a little bit of everything, too, from individual TrackMan bay reservations to group golf schools and even new-golfer bootcamps. A recent renovation to the academy's indoor facilities seek to blend instruction and entertainment with amenities like TrackMan Range, four spacious hitting bays and a 1,000-square-foot putting studio.
