Ben Sutton Golf School Worth the Journey Florida and New York Locations Blend Tough-Love, Good Times, and Expert Instruction 
SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. – We Northern California golfers are an avid lot. Many of us grew up with the game – the aura of Pebble Beach never more than a strong 3-wood away. And most of us have the on-course chops to show it, having honed our skills on the tricky poa annua greens and roller coaster terrain of the region.
Not surprisingly, it’s a tough-sell convincing us diehard duffers to use our hard-earned vacation time on a three, five, or even seven-day transcontinental visit to a golf school. But that’s exactly what Ben Sutton Golf School has been doing for 36 years with little bit of tough love and a whole-lot of fun.
With two locations, Sun City Center, Fla. and Windham, N.Y., the venerable school is the longest-running, largest destination instructional facility in the U.S. The Windham campus opened in April at the historic Windham House Resort three hours north of New York City.
Already, it has drawn interest from Northern California golfers.
Sutton says the school’s no nonsense approach appeals to Northern California golfers who prefer their golf instruction served straight-up and without sugar coating. Unlike the hit-and-giggle golf schools located at the end of a driving range at some posh resort, a typical da y at Ben Sutton Golf School consists of sun-up to sun-down instruction.
Of bad shots and stupid shots The school’s namesake and founder, Ben Sutton, was a firm believer that good swings are built through repetition and muscle memory. A retired industrial engineer who played to a 12-handicap, Sutton felt that the game should be morphed to the student’s abilities and goals, and not the student to rigid set of universal fundamentals.
Each year, around 3,000 students arrive at the Ben Sutton Golf School to fine-tune their games under the tutelage of a hand-picked stable of PGA and LPGA teaching professionals. Their handy work takes place at either the Sun City Center facility’s 50-acre instructional campus -- a seemingly endless matrix of greens, fairways and bunkers flanked by two lengthy practice tees. Or at the new Windham location’s recently upgraded practice facility, replete with new practice tees, target greens and bunkers.
True to form, Ben Sutton Golf School instructors can typically be found – group of students in tow – demonstrating full shots, pitch shots and chips shots amid a sea of green grass and red, white, and blue pins.
“There are stupid shots and there are bad shots,” Sutton is prone to saying. “We can accept that fact that there will be occasions when we’re all bad. What we can eliminate are those times when we’re stupid.”
In keeping with this unofficial school mantra, each area of instruction – whether it be long-game, short-game or putting -- is peppered with course management. Students are taught to think their way through the golf course and analyze the potential outcome of each shot.
They are all the same at impact That’s not to say the Ben Sutton Golf School is all Zen and clever quips. Like any instructional facility worth its salt, the school is fully outfit with digital video recorders, V-1 swing analysis stations and a myriad of state-of-the-art training aids.
The first morning of the three, five and seven-day schools, a “base” video is created for each student. In a small video room just off the practice areas, pupils watch in amazement (and in some cases, horror) as their swings appear split screen against those of PGA and LPGA Tour pros. Instructors jokingly keep a boxes of tissues by the monitors so students can “wipe away their tears of dismay.”
An interim video check-up takes place midway through the program, and a final video session is used as an often awe-inspiring display of before-and-after. As a parting gift, graduates take the videos home to reference in times of need.
The school is also working on a video exchange program that lets graduates video themselves in their hometowns, email or mail the clip to the school, and receive real-time tune-ups from an instructor.
The Skinny Both Ben Sutton Golf School locations offer three, five and seven-day schools for singles and couples. Fees include instruction, video analysis, cocktail parties and playing privileges at golf courses onsite. The school also offers “Women Only” (ladies only, please) and “Players School” programs for 20-handicappers and under.
For more information on classes, accommodations and surrounding areas, call 800-225-6923 or visit www.bensutton.com
What to Pack
Sun City Center Campus: Shorts and short-sleeve golf shirts should do the trick April through November. In December, January, February and the first part of March, bring some long pants and a pullover for the mornings. Resort casual is the attire of choice at most local eateries and establishments.
Windham House Campus: Shorts and short-sleeves are fine May through mid-September. For April, late September and early October, long pants and pullovers or sweaters are recommended. Resort or business casual attire is suitable for the Windham House Resort.
Where to Stay
A room at the nearby Sun City Center Inn is included with Ben Sutton Golf School tuition. The SCCI was recently upgraded with new room interiors, lobby and all the comforts of home. At the Windham House Resort location, students can stay in the historic inn or five surrounding Colonial style houses.
Getting there
Tampa International Airport is located approximately 40 minutes northwest of the school. Transportation to and from the airport and from area accommodations is provided by the Ben Sutton Golf School. The Windham House Resort location is accessible via the Albany International Airport. The campus is located within a day’s drive of nearly _ of the U.S. population and is also accessible by train from New York City.
