Legendary Oceanfront Resort Takes Flight as World-Class Golf Destination
With New Platform for Golf Ed
PALM BEACH, FL, March, 2008 – For many years, The Breakers Palm Beach was regarded as a luxury oceanfront resort with great golf and a high-quality golf school. Then in 2005, the resort destination – long independent of either hotel or golf-school chain affiliations – recruited the equally entrepreneurial-minded John Webster as its director of golf instruction. A PGA member since 1995 and PGA Class-A Teaching Professional who was previously associated with the McLean Golf Schools, Webster and the resort collaborated to elevate golf instruction at The Breakers to the premium standards associated with the entire resort experience. Piece by piece, and supported by the hotel’s commitment and investment, he assembled the key components for the most complete, player-centered golf education experience at any top-tier resort in the country.
Today, the John Webster Golf Academy at The Breakers, newly unveiled in January 2008, has emerged from the pack of leading U.S. golf schools by achieving excellence in three areas, concurrently: golf instruction, equipment and physical fitness. These core themes, particularly in combination, are Webster’s recipe for fortifying players at every level to attain their maximum potential – by helping them reach full engagement and peak performance. The Academy offers instruction in private lessons or golf school formats, with specialized lessons for children.
For The Breakers, “The evolution of the John Webster Golf Academy was the final piece of the puzzle for making our resort a complete, world-class golf destination,” said David Burke, vp sales & marketing of the multi-faceted award-winning property, which had completed a 15-year, $250 million revitalization and now continues to invest $25 million each year in capital improvements. “Now that we have elevated golf instruction to the highest possible standards and on par with the total resort experience, we are incredibly proud to offer one of the top-shelf golf experiences in the Southeast. This makes The Breakers an extremely compelling getaway for seasoned golfers or novices.
“Golf instruction is more than just offering demonstrations on swing mechanics. Our instructors conduct extensive research on topics involving fitness equipment, mental training and instructional techniques,” said Webster. “We are able to build the potential of every level of golfer through inspired coaching, customized tools and equipment. As displayed by Tiger Woods, confidence is as physical as it is mental and emotional, and that integration of athleticism, skill and the proper ‘gear’ is what sets apart our Academy. Even though a game like his is unrealistic for most, our goal is to give every individual the opportunity to enjoy the game more through improvement,” he continued.
The alliance of golf instruction, equipment and physical fitness is a winning trifecta for guests of the resort enrolled in the John Webster Golf Academy at The Breakers, as evidenced by the following:
* Year-round golf instruction by an outstanding roster of highly skilled teaching pros, who bring solid experience from signature courses around the U.S. In addition to Webster, the instructors include: Kevin Compare, Todd Sapere, Valerie Cofran LaPapa, Dustin Wallis, George Wrede and Richard Terga. Many of their loyal students return regularly to these pros for golf counsel, subscribing to the instructors’ unwavering dictum to remain on a path of continuous improvement, a philosophy shared by The Breakers Palm Beach.
*Learning Centers are state-of-the-art practice facilities located at both The Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones® Course. Each center provides an ideal learning environment to evaluate an individual’s swing and determine an accurate diagnosis. Each indoor/outdoor learning bay features a private practice area equipped with four stationary cameras to capture and analyze an individual’s swing at any speed and from every angle using state-of-the-art, digital video analysis equipment. Lessons can be recorded onto DVD or e-mailed to a personalized locker for future review.
* Personalized fitness evaluations are critical to the learning experience for both the student and the instructor. John Webster, who is certified by the Titleist Performance Institute, and his instructors identify limitations by focusing on areas of muscle strength, weakness and flexibility to properly diagnose swing faults. Personalized and accurate evaluations can eliminate a great deal of frustration and are critical to improving physical and technical performance in the game. Also improves body conditioning to restore muscle balance by lengthening tight muscles, enhancing balance and stability, and increasing strength and power, with the goal of improving the bio-mechanics of your golf swing. The Breakers’ signature “Golf Pilates” program geared toward achieving those same results.
* Two, 18-hole championship courses. The Breakers Rees Jones® Course is the namesake of one of the golf industry’s most renowned architects; a contemporary-style design with friendly, gentle contours, uniquely playable and challenging at the same time; distinguished as “Renovation of the Year” by Golf Inc. The historic Ocean Course, the oldest in Florida, is an extraordinary vintage golf experience originally laid out by Alexander H. Findlay in 1896 and completely redesigned by Brian Silva in 2000; random bunkering throughout the landscape and fairways weave between sandy hazards to embody an old-world sensibility.
* Custom club fitting with the Titleist Performance Monitor
NOTE: John Webster is part of the Titleist Leadership Advisory Staff and is one of only four Prominent Titleist Club Fitters worldwide.
Getting fit for a driver provides the optimum combination of launch conditions including ball speed, launch angle and spin; it also helps to optimize ball flight and directional control while delivering maximum distance. Getting fit for irons helps to optimize ball flight accuracy and distance control and helps hit more greens. Long game gap fitting provides the proper combination of clubs to best fill the yardage and trajectory gaps between the driver and the golfer’s longest playable iron. Wedge fitting can be the final touch to adding the precise scoring clubs for those critical shots near the green.
* Group or private lessons, corporate outings and clinics.
* The spectacular and multi-faceted resort environment -- luxurious accommodations, broad range of amenities and services for adults traveling on their own, for families and all ages.
Background on John Webster
John Webster has instructed every skill level, from beginners to PGA Touring Professionals, with notable students such as Cal Ripken Jr., Tom Kite, Candy Hannemann, Kyle Boller, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, and former USGA President and US Amateur Champion Fred Ridley. He has had the privilege to do a number of corporate clinics with tour professionals such as Zach Johnson, Hal Sutton and Gary Player. An alumnus of Caves Valley Golf Club in Baltimore, MD, and Jim McLean Golf Schools, he spent eight years teaching at the McLean Golf School in Miami, designed the McLean Learning Center in Michigan and then its director of instruction, and eventually oversaw all of the McLean Schools as vice president of operations for McLean Enterprises.
Of his nine years at Caves Valley, he spent six as director of instruction where he designed and implemented a state of the art indoor putting studio. A graduate of Loyola College where he played on its golf team, Webster played the Australian/Asian Tour and a number of Florida Mini-Tours. He has appeared on Golf Channel, most recently on “Golf Academy Live” with Cal Ripken Jr., and he has published articles for Golf Digest and The New York Times. He is one of only four Prominent Titleist Fitters worldwide and is a certified fitness professional from the Titleist Performance Institute.
Private Golf Instruction
Individualized instruction at all levels is customized to meet the needs and preferences of each player. Rates, below, are for The Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones Course.
The Ocean Course
* John Webster, Director of Instruction - $225 per hour
* Academy Instructors - $175 per hour and $95 per half-hour
* Assistant Academy Instructors - $125 per hour and $75 per half-hour & $50 per each additional student (maximum 3 per instructor)
* Private Instruction Junior Rate - $125 per hour and $75 per half-hour (12 years and under) & $ 40 per each additional student (maximum 3 per instructor)
The Breakers Rees Jones® Course
* John Webster, Director of Instruction $225 per hour
* Academy Instructors $150 per hour and $85 per half-hour $ 50 for each additional student
* Private Instruction Junior Rate $ 110 per hour and $65 per half-hour (12 years and under) $40 for each additional student
* On-course instruction is available at the hourly lesson rate.
* Gift cards are available.
* Inquire about lesson packages.
Golf Clinics for 2008
Regularly scheduled clinics provide our guests with professional instruction in a group environment. Our instructors cover a variety of topics such as full swing with a mid-iron, chipping and pitching, or putting. Clinics can be tailored to the participants’ needs, depending on class size.
The Ocean Course
Mixed Adult Clinic (Members & Hotel Guests)
Junior Clinic (Ages 6-12 / Members & Hotel Guests)
Rate: $45 per session for Hotel Guests.
The Breakers Rees Jones® Course
Mixed Adult Clinic (Members & Hotel Guests) $60
Junior Clinic (Ages 6-12 / Members & Hotel Guests) Rate: $45
Ladies Clinic (Members & Hotel Guests) Rate $45
Men’s Clinic (Members & Hotel Guests) Rate: $45
EDITOR’S NOTES:
· Testimonials are available upon request: Tom Friedman, Golf Digest contributing editor & New York Times columnist and Fred Ridley, 1976 US Amateur Champion & Former USGA President, are available to provide testimonials and share details about their golf experiences.
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Founded in 1896 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Breakers Palm Beach is one of America’s legendary resort destinations. The 540-room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel resides on 140 acres of oceanfront property in the heart of Palm Beach. With the commitment of its original ownership, The Breakers has invested $250 million over the past decade in its ongoing revitalization and enhancement of its multi-faceted amenities – most recently, the dramatic transformation of shoreline into a luxurious beachfront experience. The resort’s timeless atmosphere has been renewed in a style of relaxed elegance, from its magnificent interiors to its artfully designed landscape. Highly personalized service indulges couples on a romantic getaway as much as it energizes multi-generational travelers with a family-minded philosophy. Capital expenditures averaging $20 million a year continue to be reinvested in the property for the long term, to ensure it remains appealing to future guests for decades to come.
The resort features 36 holes of championship golf, including The Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones Course®; 10 tennis courts, a 20,000 square foot luxury spa; a breathtaking oceanfront featuring luxurious beach bungalows for daytime rental and Mediterranean-style beach club with a half-mile of private beach; a comprehensive Family Entertainment Center, an extensive program of family and children’s activities, and a variety of water sports. The Breakers also features a broad selection of distinctive restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, as well as an array of on-site boutiques – all wholly owned and managed by the resort. The Breakers is recognized as a AAA Five Diamond property. For reservations or more information, contact the resort toll-free at 1-888-BREAKERS (273-2537), (561) 655-6611, visit www.thebreakers.com, or contact your travel professional. # # #
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