DUKE ACADEMY OF GOLF
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR - DAN BROOKS
This summer will mark our 25th Duke Academy of Golf. Since its inception, the Academy has adhered to a style of operation and a standard of excellence set forth by the original golf school at Duke, begun in 1974 and directed by then Duke Men’s Golf Coach Rod Myers. For my first 13 years as the Duke Women’s Golf Coach, I helped Coach Myers run his school. In 1998, I launched the Duke Academy of Golf. Since that beginning we have seen students come from 40 states and several countries to enjoy the experience.
Like Coach Myers’ school, ours is precisely organized, and it is very much geared toward instruction and individual attention. It is a school, not a camp. Coach Myers felt – and I very much agree – that students should not be forced to learn from multiple teachers. This inevitably leads to confusion. Therefore, we will adhere to a 4:1 student to teacher ratio, and your child will remain with the same coach and assistant throughout his or her five days at Duke. This way, a real bond will develop between instructor and student that will last for years after the school is over.
I am very particular in selecting our staff of coaches, many of whom have been with us since the school started. Only college coaches and professionals who are experienced and truly passionate about teaching golf will be hired.
I very much look forward to our upcoming Academy. We hope to see you this summer!
ACADEMY PHILOSOPHY
Our staff of instructors will hold to the following goals for the 2024 Duke Academy of Golf:
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To insure that each student receives clear and consistent instruction, with plenty of one-on- one attention.
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To utilize the knowledge and talents of our instructors effectively.
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To organize and pace our instruction for maximal fun and learning.
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To take full advantage of the group dynamics which only a school environment offers.
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To package the instructors’ messages in video for students to refer to again and again.
We will maintain a 4:1 student/teacher ratio and promise that each student will receive all individual instruction from a single coach and his or her assistant. In this way we avoid confusing the student with a mixture of “languages” from too many teachers. On the other hand, because we have a very talented group of instructors, we want all students to benefit from all instructors. Consequently, at various clinics, different instructors will take turns speaking to the entire Academy.
By varying the learning environment between one-on-one instruction, individual practice, presentation format, and on-course golf, we keep students excited to learn. We also cultivate fun and enthusiasm with plenty of group discussion and competition both on and off the golf course.
A golf school is only as good as the long-term improvement it produces. One highlight of the Duke Academy of Golf is that each junior will be emailed a personalized instruction video of his or her swing. Toward the end of camp, after coach and student have worked together, the coach will produce this voiced-over video review, utilizing the renowned V1 computer graphics and freeze-frame analysis. This visual review is far superior to any old-fashioned written evaluation. The video is designed to give our instruction staying power.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACADEMY
On registration day, students will have their golf swings videotaped. Early taping will provide coaches the opportunity for immediate swing analysis and diagnosis. Also on day one, students will experience their first session in their assigned group for the week. Each group will consist of approximately eight students, a coach, and an assistant coach.
The next three days will be full days of learning, from approximately 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Most of the students’ time will be spent in assigned groups, interspersed with videotape sessions, presentations, holes of golf, contests, and discussion sessions. We will also include a golf fitness session with Jordan Bar, Sports Performance Coach for the Duke golf teams. Evenings and nights will include relaxing on the beautiful Duke University campus.
The week will end with a nine-hole scramble tournament, followed by an awards ceremony.
