LPGA Player Brings Her Experience To The Greens at Buckhorn

LPGA Player Brings Her Experience To The Greens at Buckhorn

By Carisa Biesecker

It’s not everyday that you get to play alongside those athletes who have made it into the realm of sports, but that is just what potential golfers will now be offered: the chance to golf under the direction of Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) player Vicki Goetze-Ackerman.At the request of staff at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club, situated at 2721 S. Miller Rd. in Valrico, Goetze-Ackerman picked up her clubs and golf balls and decided to instruct wannabe golfers through the club’s existing class, “GET GOLF READY IN 5 DAYS.” Here, those wanting to learn the thoroughfare of the golf course need only to watch the pro, listen to her tips and mimic the artistry shown through Goetze-Ackerman’s swing, with the next clinic taking place Monday-Friday, May 10-14, from 9:30-11 a.m. at the country club.“The class is designed to cover the fundamentals of all aspects of the game and then to apply them to each individual’s game,” states Goetze-Ackerman, a Valrico resident who has been playing golf since the age of 3 due to her family’s love of the sport. From there, she went on to accomplish a multitude by the way of golf, having assumed the title of American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year three years in a row and taken the High School State Championship in 1992, the Woman’s Amateur Player of the Year in 1990, 1991 and 1992, the SEC Athlete of the Year in 1992, the Woman’s U.S. Amateur in 1989 and 1992 and the NCAA Woman’s Golf Championship in 1992. Her luck continued into the years, coming in second twice while on the LPGA tour and having taken the slot as No. 1 putter on the tour in 2004 and 2005, all while maintaining active membership in as an LPGA professional since 1994.“Because of my experiences in the game, I have acquired an abundance of knowledge, knowledge that few have obtained since I have actually played against the best players in the world and took lessons from the best teachers in the country,” she adds. “My understanding of the golf swing and how it works has developed through these experiences. While I do believe that there are ideal fundamentals for the golf swing, I also believe that each individual develops swing patterns over time because of unique physical strengths and weaknesses.”It is through these strengths and weaknesses that she will aim to make new and existing golfers the best they can be, all for the cost of $99. For those who are not members of Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club, Goetze-Ackerman is holding group clinics that stress a specific topic every other week for $10 an hour. She also teaches individual lessons to both members and nonmembers alike, ranging in price from $30-$80 an hour, and this summer will be aiding in the junior summer golf camps at the country club. To find out more, to register or to be privy to monthly newsletters regarding upcoming clinics, call Goetze-Ackerman at 707-4888 or e-mail getzack2@aol.com. Those who register are asked to bring their own golf clubs to practice.