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SCHOOLS & CAMPS

The Seaver Golf Academy offers golf schools, school series, customized schools, and junior summer camps. Our schools are unique for a number of reasons. Here's why you should attend our Academy:

World Class Instruction

First, you'll get world-class instruction from professionals who are committed to helping you improve your game. We don't teach you a method. We teach you to play better golf!

Our Approach is Better

Second, it's not just about mechanics. You've probably heard it said that golf is 90% mental. Why is it then that you can only find mechanical swing instruction?
Seaver Golf Academy instructors are uniquely qualified to blend both physical and mental training into a seamless learning experience that will enrich your understanding and your enjoyment of the game in a totally unique way. Eric Jones is one of the very few PGA instructors in the country with a Masters degree in Sport Psychology. This formal training allows him to address a much broader range of performance issues and to provide a more comprehensive and richer learning experience. Indeed, at the Seaver Golf Academy we are convinced that the future of golf instruction lies in combining both mental and physical training for peak performance, and we hope the golf industry will soon be following our lead to this new paradigm.

Personalized Attention and Custom Instruction

Our golf schools are targeted for specific golfers with specific needs. If you are new to golf you should attend our Intro to Golf series or our Laid Back School. If you have always dreamed of shooting in the 80s you should attend our mental skills training school or the Performance school. If you want to learn how to perform in tournament situations, you should attend our Tournament School sponsored by amateurgolf.com. The point is that you will be in schools or series with people of similar ability and interests, learning the same types of skills. We keep our student to instructor ratio at 4:1 or better so that you will get the personal attention you need and the results you want.

Golf Schools

One-, two-, and four-day schools are offered throughout the year. We keep the schools fun, informative, and active, and include a break for lunch and play on-course afterwards.

The Golf Coach Program
The Golf Coach Program is new and, to the best of our knowledge, may be unique in the country. The concept arose from Eric's Sport Psychology Master's degree work which indicated that participation in a structured program produces faster learning and greater performance improvement than the traditional instruction model. Thus far, feedback from program participants proves that is is more fun, too!
The Coach Program is a 3-month session that includes a monthly playing lesson, a personalized improvement plan each 30 days, and regularly scheduled practice sessions each week.
The idea behind the Golf Coach program was to re-think the golf instruction paradigm by encouraging students to spend more time in an instructional environment rather than let students flounder through practice on their own. The current model of golf instruction discourages players from spending enough time with an instructor. This program is designed to encourage players to spend as much time with the coach as they can, and to learn new skills as well as address game improvement areas.
Each month the same group of "buddies" plays 9 holes with the instructor. From that playing session, the coach and player determine game improvement areas to focus on for the next 30 days. The player can then attend more than 50 hours of pre-scheduled practice times to work on their improvement areas under the eye of the coach.
Two of the key benefits to the player are the lesson plans, which help the player focus on the weakest parts of their game, and the supervised practice sessions, where the coach is watching and assisting the player during practice. Players practice the most important aspects of their game, and they practice more effectively with the Coach helping. Cost of the program is $195.00 per month, not including greens fees. Range balls are included. If you are interested in the program and are willing to spend some time attending the practice sessions, please send an email to Eric Jones at eric@longdrivechamp.com or call 650-274-3890.

Parent/Child Schools
Parent/Child golf camps are another unique school offered by Seaver Golf Academy in conjunction with US Sports Camps and Nike Golf. These two-day programs run on a Sat/Sun and start at 12:00 and end at 8:00. These schools are a wonderful way for parents and their athlete juniors to share a learning experience together. Parents will learn how to support their athlete juniors by creating a mastery environment and emphasizing growth and effort over outcomes and winning. Juniors will learn constructive communication techniques. Everybody will have a good time and build the kinds of bonds that last a life time.
Parent/Child School Dates for 2007:
June 21/22
July 12/13

Golf School Series

When you see a school that that is part of a "Series" you will know that it is generally instruction that is held once each week, usually on the same day and at the same time each week, over a month-long period. Classes usually start at the beginning of each month and run 4 consecutive weeks. Each class in the Series Schools lasts 90 minutes, for a total of 6 hours of instruction. The Series Schools are progressive in nature and are designed to assist the student at every level as their skills advance. You may start at any level in the School Series progression and we encourage students to begin in a school commensurate with their skill level.


INTRODUCTION TO GOLF: THE VARDON SERIES

Harry Vardon is famous for among other things inventing the overlap grip. With that spirit in mind we created the Vardon Series to help you invent your golf game. The Vardon Series introduces new golfers to common golf terms, proper etiquette, common rules, proper set up including grip, stance, and posture, fundamentals of swing mechanics and body movement, and effective practice skills. Golf skills covered include the short game scoring clubs, chipping and putting, distance control half swings, full swing techniques, and driving. Enjoy the learning experience in a safe, fun environment and look good doing it. You won't believe how much you will accomplish in one month!

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT-THE OLE MORRIS SERIES

Ole Tom Morris was a legendary Scotsman who built his own golf clubs, designed golf courses, and won British Championships. He had a variety of skills, so his is a fitting namesake for the second in our series lessons-skills development. You will take what you learned in the Vardon Series and expand your skills to cover more shots and more situations on the golf course. You'll learn about pace of play, on-course rules, and basic course management. You'll learn about distance control and the money shot; about the full swing and the show shot; about trouble shots and the hero shot. You will learn more about swing mechanics and how to diagnose your own swing. You will also learn skills to help you fix swing issues, and drills to help you get it right. You will have fun while learning, and learn while having fun.

STEP UP TO GREAT GOLF-THE WALKER SERIES

George Herbert Walker was cofounder and president of the USGA, and his commitment to fair play, integrity, and amateur golf led to the establishment of the Walker Cup Match between the best of American and British amateurs. We've established the Walker Series to bring out the best in your game. As the third session in our progressive series you will learn more advanced swing techniques for all conditions, plan & play methods, course management, pre- and post-play practice methods to strengthen your game. Short game emphasis will be on getting up and down, and scoring clubs inside 100 yards will be on birdie opportunities, while driver work will be on maximizing distance off the tee. It's fun and safe, and the all-grass range facilities are ideal for honing your skills.

ADVANCED GOLF-THE JONES SERIES

Bobby Jones is still revered as the single most influential man in the history of golf. He could do it all (and did!). That's why the Jones Series is designed for the advanced golfer. You will get in-depth video analysis, custom-designed drills and improvement plan, mental skills training, and on-course evaluation. If there are any holes in your game, we will find them in this series and develop a plan to get you the skills you need. Our goal in this series is to get you the information and skills you need to play to a single digit handicap.

Golfers are welcome to start in any of the Series schools at the level appropriate for their skills. We encourage you to sign up with friends!

Please contact Rick Laforet for more information or to enroll in a Series School. Rick may be reached at 510-917-6442 or ricklaforet@pga.com

Customized Schools

We also offer the option to customize a school for your needs. Minimum participation is 4 students and some advanced planning is necessary to ensure the content and format fits your students, so let us know as soon as possible. You can determine the hours, content, school focus, and instructors for a very special experience.

Junior Summer Camps

As with the adult schools, we offer both concentrated and weekly series camps. In all our junior camps we emphasize not only proper swing mechanics but life skills as well, including honesty and integrity, fair play and team work, good communication skills, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, and responsibility. We also understand that the number one reason kids participate in sports is to have fun! We'll make your junior's experience one they will remember for years.
The normal Summer Camps are 5-day camps that begin on Monday and end Friday afternoons. Campers can be dropped off as early as 11:30 am and picked up in the early evening depending on daylight. We cover all aspects of the game, including rules, etiquette, driver, irons, short game, bunker play, and putting. Campers are divided into groups according to ability, and each group has a college level golfer as a counselor who is always with the group and who can answer questions about what it takes to play at the next level. Camp size is limited to the first 32 participants aged 12 to 17. If your child is younger than 12 years old we encourage you to consider the Series Camps. To learn more, click on the link for our Junior Camp pdf.
Summer Camp Dates for 2008:
June 16 - 20
July 14 - 18
SERIES CAMPS
The Series Camps are weekly camps for younger players and juniors who are new to the sport. Series Camps are arranged in a progression to fit the skills of the juniors. Classes are smaller and last several hours each week. Check the calendar to find a Series Camp that fits your schedule and get your juniors started learning the skills that they will enjoy for a lifetime! For additional information, click the link to our Junior Camp pdf.

THE BIG EASY SERIES

Golf for Juniors should be fun and it should be easy. The Big Easy is a great name for our introduction to golf series for juniors. This Series introduces young golfers to common golf terms, proper etiquette, common rules, proper set up including grip, stance, and posture, fundamentals of the swing and body movement, and effective practice skills. Golf skills covered include the short game scoring clubs, chipping and putting, distance control half swings, full swing techniques, and driving. We also introduce life skills such as fair play, honesty, integrity, and team work-all in a fun and supportive environment.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT-THE EL NINO SERIES

In Spanish El Nino means naughty boy. Our El Nino Series of schools is designed to challenge the young golfer to learn additional skills and to play better golf. This school is designed for students who have played a little golf and understand the basics, but who could use a refresher on basics and a plan to develop additional skills. Juniors will take what they learned in the Big Easy Series and expand their skills to cover more shots and more situations on the golf course. They will learn about pace of play, on-course rules, and basic course management. They will also learn about distance control and the money shot; about the full swing and the show shot; about trouble shots and the hero shot. They will learn more about swing mechanics and how to diagnose their own swing. They will also learn skills to help fix swing issues, and drills to help get it right, all in a safe and fun learning environment.

STEP UP TO GREAT GOLF-THE SHARK SERIES

More experienced juniors will be hungry to make their game consistent while they develop power and feel. The Shark Series is designed to bring out the best in their game. As the third session in our progressive series juniors will learn more advanced swing techniques for all conditions, plan & play methods, course management, pre- and post-play practice methods for a stronger game. Short game emphasis will be on getting up and down, and scoring clubs inside 100 yards will be on birdie opportunities, while driver work will be on maximizing distance off the tee. It's fun and safe, and infused in the instruction will be life skills such as goal setting, managing emotions, dealing with stress, developing patience, and others.

ADVANCED GOLF-THE TIGER SERIES

The Tiger Series is designed for the serious Junior playing or preparing to play in AJGA or NorCal tournament, and on school golf teams. Juniors receive in-depth video analysis, custom-designed drills and improvement plan, mental skills training, and on-course evaluation. If there are any holes in their game, we will find them in this series and develop a plan to get them the skills they need. Our goal in this series is to take serious junior to the next level. Life skills will continue to be emphasized.


Golfers are welcome to start in any of the Series schools at the level appropriate for their skills. We encourage you to sign up with friends!
Please contact Rick Laforet for more information or to enroll in a Series School. Rick may be reached at 510-917-6442 or ricklaforet@pga.com