The
Golf Institute at the University of
Minnesota,
Falcon
Heights
(umgolf.com/corporate-golf)
The Game: University-quality instruction for everyone.
The Pros: Gerald McCullagh and Dee Forsberg-Voss, both PGA professionals. McCullagh taught a number of touring pros, including PGA pro Tim Herron, who, despite the ignoble nickname “Lumpy,” is the scion of the Minnesota Herron golf dynasty. Forsberg-Voss, who is an alum of the University, started her professional touring career in 1987 and is a stickler for pre-swing fundamentals and target awareness.
The Dance Floor: May through October lessons are held at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, home of the Golden Gophers. December through April operations move to Wayzata Bay Center, which features two indoor hitting bays. Keep in mind that University departments or student groups receive priority when scheduling events on the course in Falcon Heights.
As a teaching aid, the Institute uses the V1 Golf system which employs high-speed cameras to record the players’ performance and analyze problems in his or her swing. Players leave with a CD of their swing along with comments, tips, and suggested drills for improvement. “We’ve probably got the best video library of golf swings in the Twin Cities,” McCullagh says. The Wayzata location features true-strike hitting mats, which approximate a more natural surface, as well as the V1 Golf system. But the Institute’s most tried and true method is a commitment to keeping things fun and straightforward. “Our motto is ‘Simple is sufficient,’ meaning that we don’t want a complicated method of teaching golf,” McCaullagh says. “We take each person as an individual and try to work with the ability of that individual, rather than having a set method for everyone who comes in.”
