3 ways to give gift of improved golf game this holiday season

Dec. 2, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

Whether you’ve got a dedicated golfer on your holiday shopping list or one just beginning the game, the perfect present awaits at the GreatLIFE Golf Academy.

“The fall and winter months are the best time to improve your golf game,” said Drew Trautman, PGA professional and GreatLIFE director of player development.

“If you need to make a mechanical change, a swing change, this is the time of year to dive in and get that taken care of and fixed. We offer nearly all our programming through winter, and we have options for any level of golfer.”

A gift card for the GreatLIFE Golf Academy is available no matter what type of instruction your golfer needs.

Introductory lesson

For new students, there never has been a better time to get introduced to the GreatLIFE Golf Academy. It debuted this year at Willow Run Golf Course, and “our feedback has been very positive,” Trautman said.

“It’s a very visual, very feel-based approach with lots of physical and visual feedback done through data.”

An introductory lesson typically is $80, but through the end of the year, you can purchase one for just $40.

“You’ll come in, we’ll learn what your golfing story is, where you’re at and want to be and any limitations you have and then dive into the analysis,” Trautman explained.

You’ll get a deep dive look at your swing and leave with a prescription for beginning to play your best golf.

“This is available for any type of golfer, whether it’s someone who has been playing and is trying to leap to that next level, the person who is dipping their toe in and that person who has maybe never picked up a golf club,” Trautman said.

“Scheduling is flexible. I’m available anytime during the week and around on weekends.”

Regular instruction

For the golfer who wants to take instruction beyond the introductory lesson, consider a winter’s worth of visits to the Golf Academy.

Choose from three tiers depending on how many open lab sessions and individual lessons your golfer would like.

Upper tiers also include a free hour each month on the golf simulator at GreatLIFE Suburban Lanes. And at the Elite level, your golfer will receive a fitness assessment with an instructor certified by the Titleist Performance Institute.

Here’s a look at what is included with The ProjectPLAN tiers:

“It’s kind of crazy how we still have golfers coming into the Lab who have never seen it, and their reaction is like, ‘Oh wow,’ which is really cool,” Trautman said. “I think people really appreciate the teaching style and the two-tiered approach using data and science to improve your game.”

Pairing golf and fitness instruction also “from a physical perspective gets you in the best golf fitness shape,” Trautman added. “There’s such a thing as golf muscles. A lot of what I do on my end can benefit from that time in the gym doing the right things.”

For the next-generation golfer

Do you have a young golfer in the family? The NextGEN Junior Golf Academy runs through winter and has drawn more students than any other program, Trautman said.

“There’s a lot of interest, so if there’s a current or prospective student and the family would like to do something, you can purchase a gift card for lessons or a private one-on-one session” he said.

Here’s what’s included with the NextGEN Academy for $250 a month:

  • Two 60-minute group practice sessions per week.
  • Three 45-minute individual sessions per month.
  • Access to FlightsScope and SAM PuttLAB.
  • V1 Sports high-speed video capture.
  • Willow Run driving range access.
  • Speed and power training.
  • Game management instruction.

For information on any Golf Academy programs or to buy a gift card, stop by the Willow Run pro shop or email Drew Trautman at [email protected].

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3 ways to give gift of improved golf game this holiday season

Got a dedicated golfer on your holiday shopping list or one just beginning the game? The perfect present awaits here.

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