Practice & Lessons

POPE GOLF ACADEMY

Push your game to the limit with Manatee's excellent practice facilities!

If working on your game is your idea of fun, then Manatee has the facilities where you can practice from dawn to dusk. Work on your swing at our multi-station driving range, or practice your short game on our well-maintained chipping and putting greens.

You can also work with our Class A PGA Professionals to help perfect your game. They say "practice makes perfect," but only if you're practicing perfectly with one of our respected golf professionals. With credentials that you can brag about, trust our staff of professionals at Manatee to put your game in its best possible shape.

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Pete Huber, Director of Instruction

If you're new to the game of golf, want to improve or simply enjoy it better, we invite you to get to know Pete!

Pete Huber's coaching mission is to enrich peoples' lives through golf. Whether it is learning to hit a shot that has previously given you trouble, or whether you are training to uncover your unique authentic greatness, Pete can help you along your path toward a more fulfilling and enjoyable golf game!

Pete is one of fewer than 1% of PGA Members to attain Master Professional status in Teaching and Coaching and has been coaching golfers professionally for over 30 years. He has been named a Top Teacher in the United States by Golf Digest Magazine, as voted by his peers and has won numerous PGA regional Teacher of the Year Awards. He has served at some of the finest facilities in the United States, including Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Waikoloa in Hawaii, La Paloma and Ventana Canyon in Tucson, and The Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe. He is the developer of Pure Impact Golf and Mindful Golf and has conducted corporate outings for Starwood Hotels across the United States and the Caribbean. Pete has an extensive golf school background having served as the Lead Instructor for the Golf Digest Instructional Schools, the John Jacobs' Schools, the Troon Golf Signature Schools and was the Director of Instruction for the Golf Academy of America where he was responsible for teaching and training golf professionals how to coach and use modern technology. In addition to being a PGA Master Professional, Pete is a certified Tathata Golf Movement Specialist, a Titleist Performance Institute Level 3 Golf Professional, a Robbins-Madanes Performance Coach, TrackMan and FlightScope certified, and is a Titleist and Ping Master Club Fitter. As a player, Pete has competed on the PGA Tour and has a low competitive round of 12 under par 61 (par 73) at Tucson National, the former home of the PGA Tour Tucson Open. He has won over 50 professional events and the Southwest Section PGA Player of the Year Award.

Don't miss this opportunity to build your confidence and lower your score from one of the best in the business!
 

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Dave Zalbowitz, PGA Class A Professional

I am a PGA professional and I come to Pope with over 23 plus years of teaching experience. In that time, I have found the combination of activities, both at the golf course and away, that lead to the most positive results. They make the learning more fun and efficient and gives you the confidence and freedom to enjoy the golf course. I use a personal approach that allows you to explore and understand the game at your pace. Some activities go beyond fundamental techniques, and teach basic to advanced strategies, mental preparation and performance, as well as physical fitness specific to you and your game. Contact me to ask about some of these activities that I use to build a customized instructional program for you.

Current Offerings:

• Personal Instruction, Monthly programs and
• Mixed Clinics
• Women’s Clinics
• Junior Programs

Current PGA Member since 2005

• Owner/Operator Pure Golf Instructional and Coaching Programs at Manatee County Golf Courses
• TPI Certified
• Certified Adaptive Golf

Previous:

• Golf Digest Certified Instructor
• Teaching Professional Dorset Field Club VT
• Senior Staff - Stratton Golf Academy
• Instructor - National Golf Schools
• Instructor - Ben Sutton Golf Schools

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Mark Cline, Golf Coach

I believe that the relationship is key to any successful golf lesson. With results being the deciding factor, making someone comfortable enough to change is key. Assuming we are trying to improve, this is the goal. 

My experience coaching at IMG and GOLFTEC as well as several positions at esteemed clubs has given me a broad base of knowledge and skills to successfully help someone improve their golfing experience. It's a game. We should play it to have FUN!

What I have learned from a very well respected and local golfing legend is everyone has a fingerprint, and it is unique. The golf swing is very similar. My aim is to change what is necessary and adapt the things that need to be refined. Keeping it simple.

I enjoy individual instruction and welcome groups up to 5 for clinics.   

Experience – 
IMG –         GOLF COACH
GOLFTEC – GOLF COACH
The Concession Golf Club – ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL
The Club At River Wilderness – ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL
The Foundry Golf Club -   ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL

PGA CLASS A MEMBER