golf schools in USA

[freddie]

Has anybody attended Ben Sutton school in Florida or Pinehust school in North Carolina? I recieved a gift for my b'day to one and these choices were presented.

Any others one would recommend for a visit over the next 3 weeks?

[pudubny]

Don't know anything about the schools you have mentioned but if the Pinehurst School is part of Pinehurst Resort, the decision would not be difficult for me. Pinehurst #2 is where the US Open will be held this year and is geneally considered one of the greatest courses in the world. The resort has 7 other courses if that does not suit your liking.

The only issue during the next three weeks is the weather in NC can be a little cool in March. Not uncomfortable for Canadians but not tanning weather either.
Of course that not does mean the school is very good, but I am pretty confident Pinehurst could attract a few good instructors.
Good Luck!

[malarky]

Has anybody attended Ben Sutton school in Florida or Pinehust school in North Carolina? I recieved a gift for my b'day to one and these choices were presented.

Any others one would recommend for a visit over the next 3 weeks?
Can't comment on the two you mention from a personal experience perspective, but I have an office mate that enjoyed Ben Sutton.

I've been to John Jacobs, at the Scottsdale location with my wife. We both loved it. Instruction was excellent, facilities were great, the golf course was so so but hey, we were playing in February.

[freddie]

Thanks guys. I am off to Pinehurst Mar 10-13 4 day program!

[pudubny]

Freddie,
You are truly a lucky man. I am hoping to attend Pinehurst myself around the 18th.
Pay the extra money to play #2. Donald Ross' masterpiece is one of the very few courses originally designed by Ross that has not been severely altered. It stands very much as he intended it. Pine Needles, which is very close to Pinehurst is also a great course and original Ross design.

The US Open will be there this year and their is something great about watching a tournament on television and having played the course that it is played on. You can definitely relate to the action on TV. You've been there.
Enjoy!

[Nocturnal]

Pay the extra money to play #2. Donald Ross' masterpiece is one of the very few courses originally designed by Ross that has not been severely altered. It stands very much as he intended it.
Or for a closer and cheaper chance to play a virtually unaltered Donald Ross course, drive down to Windsor and play Roseland (public course).

[pudubny]

Nocturnal,
I am familiar with Roseland. A great deal. But I wouldn't call it unaltered or one of his best. He did not supervise construction as he did with his best courses.

He lived at Pinehurst and tweaked it himself for many years. Few courses have had that much attention go into their making.
Short story here:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/pinehurst1.html

A excellent history of Rosedale can be found here:
http://www.walkervilletimes.com/36/roseland-1926.html
This article includes some references to other public Ross courses in Michigan.
But Roseland is certainly worth the time to visit and get an idea of how great Ross was at designing courses. His green complexes alone are brilliant. Anyone who remembers Sergio's wild put on the 18th at Oakland Hills in the Ryder Cup can get a sense of apprection for the skill required just to putt on his designs.
There is another public Ross course in Atlantic Canada that a friend of mine stumbled upon this year, but I cannot remember the name at the moment. Perhaps I will send him a note.
But thanks for the reminder about Roseland.

Pud.

[Nocturnal]

Actually there are two Donald Ross courses in Windsor, Essex and Roseland. Both are worth the trip :D

[Nocturnal]

There is another public Ross course in Atlantic Canada that a friend of mine stumbled upon this year, but I cannot remember the name at the moment.
Brightwood Golf and Country Club in Dartmouth NS (my old home course when I was a kid). The original 9 holes were done by Willie Park and the second 9 were done by Donald Ross. Not a bad pair of designers :D

There is another public nine hole course, designed by Ross, in Liverpool NS called White Point Golf and Country Club.

[pudubny]

Nocturnal,
Essex is private in case anyone hopes to call for a tee-time.
Thanks for the info on Atlantic. Will check with my friend to see if one of those is it.

[freddie]

Freddie,
You are truly a lucky man. I am hoping to attend Pinehurst myself around the 18th.
Pay the extra money to play #2. Donald Ross' masterpiece is one of the very few courses originally designed by Ross that has not been severely altered. It stands very much as he intended it. Pine Needles, which is very close to Pinehurst is also a great course and original Ross design.

The US Open will be there this year and their is something great about watching a tournament on television and having played the course that it is played on. You can definitely relate to the action on TV. You've been there.
Enjoy!I am planning to do # 2 - it will be a $150 US "upgrade" to one of my rounds but I can't resist. It will make watching the Open a different experience. I am trying to make it my final round whan there to see if my lesson series pans out favourably. I have been taking a series of winter lessons at Golftown also and have seen some good progression so far but since that was all against a net I am anxious to get out on an actual course and range to see ball-flight.
Courses 4, 6, 7 and 8 are a $75 upgrade although the school runs from # 8 I a told.

Good luck with your trip. If I glean anything I think would be useful I will advise accordingly.

[Grass Roots Tour]

Thanks guys. I am off to Pinehurst Mar 10-13 4 day program!

Wow....jealousy is overwhelming. I'm bursting at the seams waiting to get out and play. With the start of a new business recently, a golf vacation is out of the question right now.:(
I often consider going out to front lawn a striping a few down the street to get my gun off, so to speak. Not sure the neighbors at the end of my short street would appreciate a stinger buzzing over they're house or through the front window. he he he