Tee Thursday: Learn from the best in Jamaica

When you re a super influential golf writer you get to do cool things That s how I revealed myself on a driving range with David Leadbetter the internationally acclaimed golf coach who has guided students to major titles and an additional tourneys worldwide No need for eye-rolls I jest Not that I wasn t there with Leadbetter s total focus on my swing and my encounter that really happened Rather this wasn t only for the connected I was there the same way you can be there by visiting Jamaica s Half Moon Resort www halfmoon com and taking part in their Golf Guest Instructor Series No need for fancy titles or golf column status Half Moon s golf undertaking is for us all The resort located on Half Moon Bay near Montego Bay is home to its own Robert Trent Jones Sr layout that s worth the visit itself Lush and green lined and dotted with natural flora that does indeed attract fauna it s challenging intensely bunkered greens you ll push yourself on your tee shots to find narrow fairways and yet it plays well for even a higher handicap sportsman like me There s a top-notch driving range where I met Leadbetter for my fun fascinating and somewhat intense private lesson He studied my swing with multiple clubs and then began the journey he set me on a goal of mastering what he calls and what pros at the top of this battle have embraced as brilliant the A swing This is Leadbetter s focus a strong efficient and confident swing something he believes and those championships have proven is the base of golf success It s one thing to research videos about it It s quite another to have the maestro of A Swing himself guiding you toward it By lunch I had mastered it I jest again What Leadbetter did for me was lay a solid foundation to start from Looking at what needed to be tweaked tweaked may be a bit of an understatement connecting it to things I understand and do well skiing for me and pointing out the habits set-ups grips and swings of pros we who follow golf know well he helped me begin the process of earning and specific day owning the A swing He worked me through the geometry and physics of it and since it was the deep dark cold of winter back home sent me away not just with a range practice plan but with simple exercises I could do at home any time to help build my muscle memory He s a fun guy too Affable and chatty with certain great stories he s generous with you walk away not just with great tips and new goals but feeling like you gained a friend Leadbetter is just one of the pros who take part in the series From September through late February you can find other top pros Guests can book an individual lesson or other options like swing analysis with club-fitting guidance The resort club itself has top pros and caddies Led by Kevyn Cunningham the group offers individual and group lessons And playing the class with a caddy who knows it well It s like moving yourself ahead to your third time playing the curriculum instead of first Every Friday morning the club offers a free clinic including clubs should you need Guests can sign up and get great tips from top pros for no charge The resort can also help you secure tee times at nearby Cinnamon Hill and White Witch for variety But for ease of access and beauty of play Half Moon pays off Winding through land that was a retired sugar cane estate it hugs the hills that overlook Half Moon Bay It s also home to a cute clubhouse as well as the must-experience Sugar Hill Restaurant And back at the resort you can apres golf on the two miles of beaches take on chosen tennis pickleball or water sports dine at all kinds of great spots and sooth your muscles at the Salamander Spa With its own top-rated unit and two more to visit Half Moon Resort is a golf destination worth the visit And just like me should you opt for the Golf Guest Instructor Series you ll feel like a VIP It s not everyone who shares a pro with Nick Faldo I left with the greatest souvenir those tips along with an encouraging pep talk from Leadbetter You ve definitely got a future he reported me You know you ve got to work at it I think a lot of people expect miracles Do the work That s the key I am coach Leadbetter I am