I was practicing my chipping at Baylands late one Sunday afternoon and struggling. Dan walked by…read moreon his way out from what was probably a long day teaching in 90+ degree heat and noticed. He came over without prompting and spent 15 minutes giving me some really valuable tips, he asked nothing in return. He made a lasting impression of someone who love the game and loves helping others improve.

I have been playing golf for close to 40 years. For the last 5-10 years my playing was very…read moresporadic (think 3 times a year) so I lost any sort of comfortability with my swing. I could still putt and chip well, but felt like my swing was out of whack and golf was no longer fun. So, I decided to take a lesson from Dan. I asked a number of people I knew from the Baylands Golf Links (where Dan teaches!) and they all said that Dan was the instructor they had selected. That was good enough for me. i have only had one lesson with Dan, and I already have my love for the game back! What I appreciate about Dan is that he likes to keep it simple and help you focus on one thing. That allowed me to get out of my head and focus on my set-up and swing. There will be more to learn, and I plan to take more lessons, but for now I am working on practicing the swing he set me up to have. With Dan you will not get a ton of input on mechanics. He is looking at you and your swing, then helping that swing to improve. His philosophy of everyone having their own swing and learning to embrace that swing within their own body makes a ton of sense to me and is far more motivating and enjoyable when I practice. I cannot recommend Dan more highly.

Ron has magically improved my game. He is calm, precise,…read moreand most importantly patient. I strongly recommend Ron for golf lessons. All sorts of handicappers acceptable and guaranteed improvement.

My experience with Coach Ron has been amazing! I was struggling with a few long term issues before…read moreI went to see him, mostly an out to in path (even though I have tried so many things to fix this), overtaking my swing with my upper body, as well as an inconsistent low point. After a few lessons with Ron in which we dissected and broke down my swing and built it back up, we hit a breakthrough session. Not only was I able to consistently hit with an in to out path and a consistent low point, I added a fair amount of distance to my clubs (which wasn't my intent, but came in a natural way). Ron's teaches with enthusiasm, positivity, and patience. He individualizes different feels for me, so what may work with someone else may not work for me, and vice versa. Even though I've been pretty consistent with my swing, I plan on continuing with Ron to refine my swing and work on different aspects of golf.

I started taking lessons with Finigan as a complete beginner, and after just 5 classes I'm honestly…read moreamazed at how much progress I've made. I went from having zero experience to actually enjoying being on the course and feeling confident in my game. Finigan is incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. He explains things in a way that just clicks, and he really takes the time to adapt to your level. He's also always on time and very easy to communicate with, which makes the whole experience smooth and stress-free. If you're new to golf (or even looking to improve), I can't recommend him enough. Amazing coach.

Terrible communication/availability. You will pay and not get appointment for weeks. Save your…read moremoney.

This is a response to Leigh's reply:…read more In short, I have documentation that proves what I wrote in my initial review. I received only 4 of the 35 lessons (and never got the 2 on-course ones). Texts that prove I had to reschedule only 1 of those 4 lessons within 24 hrs because I was sick (all other reschedule requests were by Leigh, who initiated 3 in total - including 1 within 24 hrs of the scheduled lesson). The texts also prove Leigh was unresponsive for several days at a time on more than one occasion about rescheduling even when he was the initiator to ask for the change. At one point, he had to ask me to remind him when our next lesson was scheduled because he didn't know! There is clear proof I offered 2X the value of those 4 lessons ($40 each vs. $20 each) - which I still believe was a more than fair offer. I never asked for a full refund - ever. I initiated that offer as a compromise to Leigh and only asked for the balance of my payment. In addition to the compromise I described above, I also offered to pay Leigh on a pay-as-we-go schedule AND at a higher rate than the original packaged rate. When it was clear that no compromise could be reached, I initiated a charge-back with my CC company - again, consistent with the offer I described above (whereas I could have easily asked for a higher chargeback considering the actual package rate of those 4 lessons). Leigh has tried to fall back on the assertion that his standard lesson rate is $75/hr, that I am "severely undervaluing" his time / worth - yet he was the one who initially offered and pressed me to sign up for a 10-lesson package for $200 during my first ever Groupon lesson with him (lesson 1 of 3 from the Groupon deals he regularly runs). In retrospect, I made a grave mistake by assuming the quality of that first Groupon lesson would carry over to future lessons - and Leigh and I settled on a 1-year package w/ 35, 1-hr lessons + 2 on-course lessons. Again, I received only 4 of those 1-hr lessons in a 2-month period. At that rate, I knew I would never get the remainder of the lessons in a reasonable period. And I would lose any claim at a refund from my CC company after a certain period of time - not to mention that money would be better used to take lessons somewhere else. I have proof of all of this and Leigh's defensiveness and unwillingness to compromise. Out of respect for Leigh's privacy, I'm not going to post the texts or other documentation that clearly support my case - but I have already shared this with my CC company who have since already ruled in favor of my recount of this experience. They shared Leigh's written rebuttal to the chargeback - which, just like Leigh's reply on this review, lacked any substantial evidence whatsoever. Leigh reply only further highlights his defensive nature and inability to admit there are clear problems with his business. This is unfortunate, because I even tried to help him by sharing technology solutions (e.g., auto-syncing lesson videos to Google Drive so he doesn't have to do this manually - an issue you can find in other reviews - as well as scheduling tool options). As a final word: The prices of the Groupon packages are incredibly enticing. You will not find a cheaper rate for golf lessons in the Bay Area. But please consider this review carefully - especially if you are considering a longer-term lesson package.

My bunker play was getting so bad to the point I lost all confidence in my bunker shot and was…read moreprobably either blading it over the green or leaving it short in the bunker again. Finally decided to pony up $150 to go see Phil for an hour. You can reach him via email - PhilMarronePGA@gmail.com As of writing, he takes cash, check, Venmo. He'll probably take a day to get back to you via email and will send a calendar invite for the lesson once confirmed. Phil was my instructor for one of the many group lessons I took at Stanford campus. He still instructs there but also offers private lessons. On his website, he claims to specialize in short game which was the other reason besides the familiarity for why I chose to go with him. Phil is super friendly and talkative, mixing different analogies with personal stories, yet not so much as to make you feel like you're wasting time listening to things that may not help your game. Within a few minutes of in the bunker, I already was able to hit it out with enough height and sand. That was an immense confidence booster. I went on the next day to shoot 86 at Poppy Hills, making it the first time I broke 90. Granted, I only had 1 bunker shot, the concepts he introduced in the bunker carried over to when we spent the last portion of class working on 40 yard chip/pitch shots by request. These short game elements really helped me to make a few key up and downs that kept my score low. Now, it's just more practice to make shooting in the 80s a consistent theme! Thanks, Phil!

Great instructor - fair pricing and really wants to see you succeed. Highly recommend him!read more

Would like to recommend Dennis Mitchell at the Burlingame golf center. Have had 3 instructors…read moreprior to him and he was the best hands down. His 3, 1/2 hour lessons for $99 is a bargain. You will drop strokes from your game. He is great in that he knows his fundamentals, but helps you reach them will all your bad habits and physical limitations. What makes him great is his ability to look at his student and figure out how he is going to make you better.

I just completed a 4 week short game course with Mark and his trusty assistant Sean, offered via…read moreLos Altos parks & rec. The program far exceeded my expectations in a number of ways. I'm not exactly an avid golfer. I dabbled throughout the years, finally picking it up for real during the pandemic -- but then didn't touch a golf club in almost 2 years while I produced a little human. I was finally ready to get back into the *swing* of things, but I definitely went into class with a good amount of dread and anxiety. To my relief, the small group format was perfect for me, Mark and Sean were patient and kind, and the 1.5 hour classes flew by! They even offered everyone a make-up class since one class landed on Mother's Day. It was evident that Mark is passionate about teaching and committed to helping everyone succeed. I was glad to hear that they are now offering full swing lessons, so I have one booked for next week!

Mark Diamond, Director of Instruction, recently came to Shoreline GL and did a putting clinic with…read moremy high school boys varsity golf team. We had been struggling with our putting. The very next day, we shot our best score of the entire season and the boys couldn't stop talking about how the clinic gave them the confidence to play/ putt better. Bruce Jaffe Varsity Golf Coach Mountain View High School

Mark is a real teacher. He explains things so you can understand what you need to do. He differs…read morefrom a coach or instructor in that you really learn what to do , not put your hand over this way. It makes the learning a lot more fun and your lessons are successful.

Mark Dorcak has been an incredible golf coach for my kids, especially for competitive junior golf…read more He introduced them to AimPoint, and we saw immediate results--fewer strokes, smarter decision-making on the greens, and a big boost in confidence, to the point where my daughter started winning tournaments. Mark is very practical and has an excellent eye for quickly identifying what actually needs fixing versus what can wait. He tailors instruction based on where the student is mentally and technically, which is huge for tournament players. I highly recommend him for competitive juniors, as well as adults and golfers of any level looking for clear, effective instruction.