The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has joined forces with The Grand Del Mar to launch the TPI Junior Performance Center – a groundbreaking 38-week program designed to maximize the potential of junior golfers of all ages, from kindergarten through ninth grade.

Combining unique physical and mental challenges, the program – the first of its kind – gets underway Monday August 31, on a 22,000-square-foot space on The Grand Del Mar’s elevated driving range tee box.

“We’re very excited about this extraordinary opportunity to partner with the leaders in research and training in golf fitness instruction,” said Shawn Cox, director of golf at The Grand Del Mar. “Together, our goal is twofold:  to build great golfers and to foster higher self-esteem in kids.”

According to Dr. Greg Rose, a founder of TPI, the Junior Performance Center deviates from traditional methods of teaching golf to youngsters, in which children spend hours at the driving range. “Instead, this program is based on the principles of long-term athlete development – rooted in understanding how the body interacts with the brain at different stages of life,” he said. “We believe it will help take golf to the next level in this country.”

Working with top-notch Grand Del Mar and Titleist golf pros, children participate in a weekly 90-minute session – including warm-up and cool-down sessions, team-building activities and up to 12 stations in a “FUNdamental Cyclone Zone” or a “S.M.A.S.H. Zone”. The FUNdamental Cyclone is for children in kindergarten through fifth grade and focuses on the body’s fundamental movement skills; while S.M.A.S.H. – Stability, Mobility, ABCs (Agility, Balance, Coordination and Speed), Sports Skills and Honing Golf Skills – is designed for youngsters in fifth through ninth grades and is more rigorous.

Milo Bryant, director of the TPI Junior Performance Center, stated that the Cyclone and S.M.A.S.H. Zones are the program’s core; each has kicking, hitting, throwing, putting, wrist release, chipping and catching stations. “In addition, there is a strength-building station and an area where children can begin to learn golf fundamentals, but learn them in a way they own the knowledge,” Bryant explained.

“While kicking, hitting and throwing provide an unorthodox approach to golf instruction, all help encourage rotational velocity, which is critical when learning the mechanics of golf,” Bryant said. “We’re teaching young minds and bodies how to be the very best they can be – ultimately, these kids will have a blast, and at the same time learn important skills.”

Each session is $40. For more information on the program or to sign-up for a session or a series, visit www.thegranddelmar.com. 

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The U.S. Open is upon us and like any dedicated golf fan, I’ll be watching for those sweet shots that might help carve out a winner by Sunday. One my motives for tuning in to watch golf each weekend is to try to memorize and emulate the great short game players. Who wouldn’t want a short game like Lefty? Overhead lob wedge aside, I just want to knock it close and give myself an easy putt for birdie (ok, let’s be real) par everytime. I don’t think that is too much for any golfer to ask for as long as they acquire technique through the proper training.

Whether your aim is to improve your bunker play, fine tune your wedge play or add precision to your putting, top-notch golf instruction can provide the tools needed to jumpstart your game.

To that end, The Grand Del Mar will host San Diego’s first Dave Pelz Scoring Game School at The Grand Golf Club, its stunning championship caliber golf course. Designed for golfers seriously focused on honing their short game skills, this world-renowned program applies a practical, scientific – and totally unique – approach to golf instruction, developed through years of testing and research.

The clinics range from $425 to $2,545 for the three-day program, and The Grand Del Mar will offer a special rate of $335 per night for students, which includes accommodations, breakfast for two daily and complimentary valet parking. In addition, students staying at the resort can also enjoy a discounted golf rate of $195. Early registration is encouraged. Some dates to plan for are:

  Wednesday, July 22: One-Day Clinic
  Friday – Sunday, July 24 – 26: Three-Day Scoring Game School
  Wednesday, July 29: One-Day Clinic
  Friday – Sunday, July 31 – August 2: Three-Day Scoring Game School
  Wednesday, August 5: One-Day Clinic
  Thursday – Saturday, August 6 – 8: Three-Day Scoring Game School

Pelz Golf Institute research has proven that golfers lose almost 80 percent of their shots to par inside of 100 yards from the hole. The program’s golf school curriculum focuses strictly on “The Scoring Game,” an exacting combination of the short game (distance wedges, pitching, chipping, sand play) and putting, which comprise 60 to 65 percent of the total number of shots played per round. From three-foot putts to full wedge and long bunker shots, golfers will learn to properly execute shots from virtually any scoring position.The Grand Golf Club, which hosts the school, is a spectacular 18-hole course designed by Tom Fazio and carefully sculpted into 380 stunning acres, offering exceptional playability against a striking natural backdrop.

To learn more, call 858.314.1930 or visit www.thegranddelmar.com. 

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