Going for Golf

Brocket Hall - A great place to learn

Brocket Hall

Formerly the Faldo Golf Institute, the Palmerston Golf Academy uniquely combines state-of-the-art technology with a historic, quintessentially English location. Surely there can be no finer place on earth to add distance to your drives and sharpen your short game. If you can’t relax and sort out your swing in such a serene setting then maybe golf isn’t the game for you. 

Both the range and style of instruction available are remarkably comprehensive. Inside the well-equipped indoor facility are all the latest gadgets and gizmos including the much-acclaimed V1 Swing Analysis computer, the very latest FlightScope launch monitor and all manner of clever equipment to help you become a better golfer. A Titleist Sure Fitting Centre will also soon be complete.

Outside in the fresh Hertfordshire air there’s an undercover driving range, a sizeable putting green, a dedicated short-game area complete with a range of bunkering from those nasty little pot bunkers into which you invariably drop on a links, to those you are more likely to encounter on parkland. Some are shallow, some deep, some very deep and some… well, good luck. 

And there are all manner of awkward lies and various depths of grass to be found on the short-game area that effectively recreates pretty well every challenge you are likely to confront out on the course proper. Unlike most areas that clubs usually set aside for the short game, this one is decidedly not flat.

Because the course itself presents a slightly different experience to the practise area, there’s even a super, little, six-hole, par three challenge that provides opportunities to work on various aspects of the game in a slightly more demanding situation.

But the very best facilities in the world would be of little value if the people giving the instruction weren’t as effective as the equipment. And so the Palmerston Golf Academy has gone to considerable lengths to assemble a formidable team made up of the finest coaches. Between them, they cover every aspect of the game from short putts to big booming drives and every level of competence from complete beginner to touring professional. The one thing they have in common is the same philosophy.

Rather than subscribe to method teaching, they work with each individual to optimise his or her ability while recognising their limitations. One of the country’s outstanding coaches, short-game guru Barney Puttick, summed up their approach.

He said: “We always try to work with the individual player and with what they have. To me a swing is like a fingerprint and is unique to the individual.  We only have to observe the top players to see the different styles, for instance between Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell. By using positive swing drills and muscle-memory techniques, each player can improve his or her understanding of the game and ultimately his or her enjoyment.”

Puttick was voted into the national list of top 25 coaches in 2005 at about the same time as Tom Motley began working at the David Leadbetter Academy at Champions Gate, Florida. A certified mind-factor coach and lead teaching professional at Brocket Hall, Motley recognises the enormous importance of the mental side of the game and has worked alongside famed mind coach Dr Karl Morris.

Without wishing to be unkind to either Puttick or Motley, the two most glamorous Palmerston Golf ‘Academics’ are the Head twins. Between them, Samantha and Johanna have won professional tournaments right around the world including the Italian Open, Malaysian Open, Nedbank Mastercard SA Masters, Tenerife Ladies Open, the Hassan Trophy and the Wales WPGA Championship of Europe.

Jo and Sam are now distinguished teachers who will be offering ‘family and friends’ lessons for lady beginners wanting to learn together. Designed to be fun and boost confidence, the lessons are offered with the option of a sociable lunch in Auberge du Lac – the Michelin-starred restaurant next to the beautiful lake.
 
For the really serious golfer looking to break into the big time – and others curious to know how Tour players manage their way around the course – the twins will be offering a one day ‘Tour Experience’ course. From beginners to aspiring major winners, all abilities are happily catered for at the Palmerston Academy. There’s even separate membership of the academy available offering unlimited use of the range and practice facilities for those really determined to master the game. 

For the rest of us – whether individuals, society members or corporate guests – there is a wide and flexible array of learning opportunities from one-day courses, group lessons, clinics, schools, seminars and residential courses.

And, did I mention, there are also two truly majestic golf courses: the Melbourne and the Palmerston? I didn’t? Well then I suppose I best revisit to further inform about one of the most appealing golf venues in England.