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Have you shied away from trying golf because you’ve heard the game is hard to learn and difficult to play? The PGA WEST® Golf Academy is now busting those myths thanks to Operation 36, a golf development and coaching program designed to help beginners, and players at all levels, learn and improve their golf game. PGA WEST® Golf Academy Director of Instruction Bryan Lebedevitch introduced the program to PGA WEST, one of the few clubs in the Coachella Valley to offer it.
Academy Golf Instructor Sam Varner runs the four- and eight-week programs, which are based on the idea of shooting a score of 36 or better for nine holes, the standard score for par on a regulation golf course. “The twist is that Operation 36 teaches golfers ‘backwards’ from green to tee instead of the traditional tee to green method,” says Varner. “It’s really easy to grasp and understand.”
The Operation 36 program features weekly clinics on and off the course. Classes are held on the Tournament Driving Range and participants play nine holes every other week. “The first time they go out, they play from 25 yards off the holes, which is maybe five paces off the green,” Varner explains.
Once players master even-par 36 at 25 yards for all nine holes, they move out to 50 yards; once that yardage is achieved, they play out to 100 yards (level 3), 150 yards (level 4), 200 yards (level 5) and from the full tee box (level 6).
Beyond the on-course challenges, the coaching curriculum includes full swing, short game, putting and course management. The classes are 90-minutes in length with six students per c lass. “Due to the small class size, I’m able to provide periods of individualized instruction for each player,” says Varner.
Although most Operation 36 participants are beginning golfers, some are experienced beginners or intermediate players looking to hone their game or learn and polish up their etiquette skills to feel comfortable on the course.
In addition to its obvious benefits,
Lebedevitch notes that Operation 36 is a great segue for some people to get into the game without having to do so a price point that is too prohibitive. “It’s a nice way to get people involved who may not feel comfortable doing it in a one-on-one type setting,” says Lebedevitch, who has also put some of his more advanced students in Operation 36 to improve their scoring.
Operation 36 is known for promoting a supportive and encouraging community, while helping players improve their fundamental skills and overall game.
The Operation 36 program at PGA WEST currently costs $300 for the four-week program and $600 for the eight-week program.
To learn more about Operation 36, call the PGA WEST® Golf Academy at
(760) 564-7144 or email Golf Academy Instructor Sam Varner, svarner@pgawest.com