C L I C K H E R E TO L E A R N M O R E A B O U T C L A S S I C C LU B ' S P R O F E S S I O N A L G O L F I N S T R U C T I O N
C
lassic Club has a new PGA
Head Golf Professional.
Coming on board in Sep-
tember, Derek Mazzoni
brings a wealth of knowledge to the
golf department, having served in the
same position at Indian Ridge Country
Club for the past eight years.
Originally from Iowa, Mazzoni has
lived in Palm Desert for the last nine
years and has been teaching since
2005. In addition to overseeing the en-
tire golf operation, including the golf
shop and guest services, he says his
role is to "make sure our team pro-
vides an exceptional experience for
our guests at every opportunity."
u u u
When did you realize you wanted to
be a golf instructor? I learned the
game at a young age through trial and
error and always thought there should
be a better way. That's when I took my
first lessons from a local PGA pro. The
knowledge and insight he had about
the golf swing, and more importantly
the ability to articulate that knowledge
in a way for me to understand and im-
prove, was when I knew I wanted to
help people improve their own golf
game as well.
u u u
What is most rewarding about being
a golf instructor? I can't think of any-
thing more rewarding than getting
messages from students who are so ex-
cited that a swing thought we have
been working on 'has clicked' or that 'I
hit the ball great out there and shot my
best round.' It feels great connecting
with students and knowing the in-
struction you are providing is bringing
them joy in what they are doing.
u u u
What's your top accomplishment as
a golf instructor? A few years ago, I
was working with a successful, low-
handicap golfer who suffered a serious
injury that she thought was going to
end her golfing career. We were able to
get her into a position in her setup and
swing that didn't cause pain, was re-
peatable, and provided successful re-
sults. We then set realistic, attainable
goals so she could see progress and
enjoy the game for years to come.
u u u
How would you describe your teach-
ing style? Every golfer and swing is
unique. However, the end result is al-
ways the same: the target. My focus
with nearly all of my students is creat-
ing a simple, repeatable motion that
starts with a consistent, athletic setup
over the ball with balance throughout
the entirety of the swing.
u u u
What's the best golf tip you've ever
received? Develop a consistent, concise
pre-shot routine. This will keep you in
a familiar, repeatable rhythm with
each swing under all types of condi-
tions and pressure.
u u u
What is your No. 1 tip for students?
One of the most important pieces of in-
formation each golfer must know is
how far the ball carries (not overall
distance) with each club on average.
With this information, you'll be able to
navigate the golf course with a better
understanding of what club to hit in
each situation to minimize penalties
and mistakes, leading to lower scores.
TAKING
THE LEAD
Derek Mazzoni joins
Classic Club as new
Head Golf Professional
BOOK
A TEE
TIME
MEET THE TEAM
Derek Mazzoni
