There’s a new Las Vegas-inspired one-day coaching school cashing in at The Els Club so we headed over to speak with Jamie McConnell on how he’s hit the jackpot – what he’s changed, his new ‘tools for the job’ and the new and exciting experience that will give golfers of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy their time at the Claude Harmon 3 Performance Academy at The Els Club.
WORLDWIDE GOLF: What changes have you made at the Academy?
JAMIE MCCONNELL: The biggest item since I took over from Justin last November has been to continue the invaluable input he had contributed in his ten years here. It was crucial to carry on the Harmon tradition of first-class golf instruction while, at the same time, injecting a few more modern methods. Obviously, with Claude coming in to take over from Butch, and the new Puma brand being on the front row, have supported us heavily. We have sought to tidy up the little parts of the school which, after 10 years needed a little attention. We did a full refurb of our tee box and now we’ve got fresh new grass. We are going to continue into our second phase of upgrading our studios, which will include new matting of the studios and a few new ‘toys’ as well for us to play with. It’s continuing the tradition of outstanding, simple golf instruction that the Harmons have perfected with their brand and provided a legacy on which build on, and modernise what Claude created.
WWG: Is there any new equipment at the Academy that’s that you’re excited about?
JM: We’ve added two key pieces of equipment: the new ‘Trackman 4 unit’ and ‘K Vest unit.’ They have two very different advantages and are huge additions to the Academy. Firstly, I love the new Trackman unit. The simulator software has been fantastic. For actually going through course management scenarios you know it is more preferable for certain players to lay-up to par 5s or be more aggressive. I have used that many times recently. With the ‘K Vest’ the bio feedback is priceless and is a really simple, non-technical way for people to learn the movements in their body. Those two pieces of equipment are a valuable addition. For me, it’s all about how they are applied. At the end of the day, it’s simply a tool and it’s our job to make sure our students use the right tool at the right time to fix their problems.
WWG: Do you have any offers currently?
JM: Our most exciting offer is our one-day golf school that started at the beginning of September. It’s unique to the region. We’ve used it from Butch Harmon’s old clinics in Las Vegas where golfers would come for a one, two or three-day golf school. Basically, it’s going to give everybody a good experience. Not just due to the golf school, but the ELS Club, where you can come down and have a full morning of instruction with our coaches, have a nice lunch at 261, followed by an enjoyable afternoon on the golf course with a little wrap at the end.
WWG: How can people get involved with the Claude Harmon one-day golf school?
JM: Go to our website www.ch3performancegolf.com, from there you can get in touch with myself or with any of our coaches. We would be more than happy to look after you.
