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The Palm Springs Golf Academy offers well-planned golf schools for men and women of all ages, and abilities, taught by many well-known PGA teaching professionals at one of America's finest resort facilities.


PALM SPRINGS GOLF ACADEMY EXECUTIVE PGA GOLF SCHOOL STAFF

The Palm Springs Golf Academy began as the Scottsdale
Golf Academy at Scottsdale Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1983 and 1984.  In 1985, we moved to La Quint Golf and Tennis Resort and became the Palm Springs Golf Academy. We remained there for seven years, through 1992.  We moved to the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, California in 1993.  2012 will mark our 21st year at the Westin and the 30th anniversary of our program.  We have graduated more than 1800 students.  Many of our students come from the country clubs where our academy's staff are the golf professionals, but we have alumni from all across the United States and also from England, Germany, India, Canada, Japan, Australia, Switerland and France.

 




PALM SPRINGS GOLF ACADEMY STAFF BIOGRAPHIES

Rod Johnston - PGA Master Professional
240 Master Professionals out of 28,000 PGA Professionals
PGA Professional - 38 years
Head Professional - Portage C.C., Akron, OH - 28 years
Bradley University - Class of 1972
1991 Northern Ohio teacher of the Year
1997 Northern Ohio Golf Professional of the Year
2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten instructors in Ohio
2001-2004 selected by Golf Magazine one of 400 top teachers in North America
Lifetime Low - 65
Director of Palm Springs Golf Academy - 29 years
 
Charlie Wood
PGA Professional - 31 years
Head Professional - Mayfield C.C., S. Euclid, OH - 27 years
Director of Golf for Mayfield C.C. and Sand Ridge Club, Cleveland, Ohio
2007 Tom Fazio Cup winner
University of Georgia/Furman University - Class of 1973
1988, 2004, 2006 NOPGA Golf Professional of the Year
2000 & 2007 ranked by Golf Digest as the #1 instructor in the NOPGA
2000-2003 ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten instructors in Ohio
2006 inducted into the NOPGA Hall of Fame
2003 & 2005 Golf Digest top 5 in Ohio
2003 Senior Match Play Champion
NOPGA Senior CPC Champion: 2004, 2005
Winner of Pete Dye Cup Nation Pro-Am (Crooked Stick Golf Club)
Participant in 7 PGA & 3 PGA Club Professional Championships
Four time finalist, Northern Ohio PGA Match Play Championship
Low Round - 62 - Green Valley C.C., SC
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 26 years
 
Tom Fussaro
PGA Professional - 37 years
Head Professional - Shaker Heights C.C., Shaker Heights, OH 6 Years
Memphis State University - Class of 1971
2000-2003 ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten instructors in Ohio
1998 Low Pro Champion in Denny Shute Memorial Pro-Am at Portage C.C.
1998 NOPGA Stroke Play Champion at Firestone C.C., Akron, OH
1998 NOPGA Golf Professional of the Year
1999, 2000 Runner up in the Ohio Senior Open
2002 NOPGA Senior Match Play Champion
2002 NOPGA Senior Player of the Year
2003 Toledo Open Championship
2009 Inducted into the NOPGA Hall of Fame
6 course records including Lifetime Low - 61
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 22 years
 
Chuck Rininger
PGA Professional - 30 years
Head Professional - Lookaway C.C., Buckingham, PA - 12 years
Mount Union College - Class of 1979
2002, 2003 ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten instructors in Pennsylvania
1997 Western New York's Merchandiser of the Year
Career Highlight - 4 Round Same Day w/scores of 67,68,68,65
Lifetime Low - 65 - Portage C.C.
Palm Spring Golf Academy - 24 years
 
John Goodson
PGA Professional - 21 years
Head Professional - Lake Forest C.C., Hudson, OH - 16 years
Youngstown State University - Class of 1984
Runner-up 1992 NOPGA Match Play Championship at Portage C.C.
First Place Oakwood Invitational - 67
Low Round - 62
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 18 years
 
Dave Britton
PGA Professional - 30 years
Head Professional - Dataw Island Club, Dataw Island, SC - 11 years
Teaching Professional - Portage C.C. - 7 years prior
Ferris State University - Class of 1981
Winner of 1993 Denny Shute Pro-Am at Portage C.C. - 68
2nd place out of 80 golf professionals, in December, at the 2000 Goodwill Tournament Professional Championship at the Mid-Ocean Club in Bermuda
Lifetime Low - 66
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 17 years
 
Jack McKelvey
PGA Professional - 33 years
Head Professional - The Country Club, Pepper Pike, OH -17 years
University of Florida - Class of 1976
2001-2007 ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten instructors in Ohio
PGA Club Professional Tournament winner and 4 times a runner-up
1988 Buffalo Open Champion
3 time Western New York Assistants Champion
3 course records and a Lifetime Low - 63
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 15 years
 
Howard Clendenin
Former PGA Professional - 10 years
Former Assistant Professional - Portage C.C., Akron, OH - 5 years
1994 Graduate of Golf Academy of the South
Career Highlight - Advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 1992 USGA Public Links Championship
2001 set new course record from the combo tees at the Jerry Pate course in Rancho LaQuinta (72) - triple bogied the last hole
Lifetime Low - 65
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 11 years
 
Bill Reilly
PGA Professional - 27 years
Head Professional - Silver Lake C.C.,Silver Lake, OH 2nd Year
Middle Tennessee State - Class of 1982
1979 Junior College All-American
1986 NOPGA Assistant Champion
1990 NOPGA Apprentice Player of the Year
1986, 1990 NOPGA Pro-Assistant Champion
1995 NOPGA Stroke Play Champion
1999 NOPGA Horton Smith Award
2003 NOPGA Golf Pro of the Year
2004-05 NOPGA Vice-President
2006-07 NOPGA President
2006-07 Head Coach Walsh Jesuit HS Girls Golf
2007 Ohio State HS Champions Girls Golf Coach
3 Course records and a Lifetime Low - 61
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 12 years
 
David Mottice
PGA Professional - 16 years
Head Professional - Fairlawn C.C., Fairlawn, OH
College of Wooster - Class of 1992
1992 Collegiate & Academic All-American
Lifetime Low - 65
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 8 years
 
Larry Manski
PGA Professional - 20 years
Teaching Professional - Portage C.C., Akron, OH - 11 years
NOPGA Apprentice Player of the Year: 1998, 1999, 2000

2 Time Qualifier for the National Assistants Championship in Port St. Lucie, FL

Winner NOPGA Assistant's Championship: 1998, 2000

2 Time NOPGA Denny Shute Match Play Champion 1999 and 2004

3 Time Denny Shute Pro/Am Low Pro with scores of 67,65 and 66

8 Time NOPGA Stroke Play Winner

2007 & 2008 Member of the Assistants Cup

Lifetime Low - 60 (course record @ Youngstown C.C., Youngstown, OH)
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 11 years
 
John Sico
PGA Professional - 16 years
Head Professional - Westwood C.C., Rocky River, OH -14 years
Midwest Collegiate All-Conference Player: 1986-1987
Assistant Golf Coach, St. Ignatius High School: 2 state titles, 2001, 2002
Lifetime Low - 65
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 5 years
 
Brad Hicklin
PGA Professional - 13 years
Assistant Professional - Portage C.C., Akron, OH - 11 years
Lifetime Low - 67
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 9 years
 
Kevin Shaheen
Caddie Master - Portage C.C., Akron, OH - 10 years
1990 UNLV coach of the NCAA National Championship Basketball Team
Palm Springs Golf Academy - 10 years
 

Reservations
New Students! Sign up by January 1, 2012 and save $125.00!!

02.27.12 :: Session One
Arrive Monday, February 27th – depart Sunday, March 4th.
03.05.12:: Session Two
Arrive Monday, March 5th        – depart Sunday, March 11th.
03.12.12 :: Session Three
Arrive Monday, March 12th – depart Sunday, March 18th.

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