When I first arrived to Casa de Campo 5 years ago as a teacher at the Abraham Lincoln School, I started to learn to play golf. I loved it so much I decided I would get so good, I would give up teaching and become a profesional. That was before I met Philip, and before Casa de Campo Living… and everything else!
Soon after I met Philip Silvestri (my boss from 9am – 6pm on weekdays, my boyfriend the rest of the time), my life changed and head over heels in love, I forgot all about golfing. As it happens I did give up teaching – to be a writer, a dream I’d had since I was a little girl – but that’s another story.
Over the last few years, having only touched a golf club to play in the odd tournament – the time has come to tee-up once more.
Which is where Eric Lillibridge comes in – Eric is the Director of Instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School in Casa de Campo, a regular contributor to TODO Casa de Campo magazine with the column “Conquering Casa’s Most Challenging Holes”, and as of last Sunday – my golf teacher.
With Philip at my side, we met Eric at the Teeth of the Dog driving range and got down to business. After briefly describing “our game” to Eric as essentially “awful”, we got swinging, at which point Eric, Philip and I were all rather pleasantly surprised to discover we weren’t all that bad… just not that great either. And certainly lacking in confidence.
The principal teaching part of the lesson involved Eric taking a video of each of us on his Ipad and then using it to show us what we were doing right and what we were doing wrong.
While my stance and general swing were OK, Eric compared my swing to a professional lady golfer and showed me how I needed to lean my hips to the right on my downswing and pivot more. At first it felt really odd, then a little less odd – and then really rather awesome as I felt the extra power this new technique gave me… and as I enjoyed watching the ball sail up into the air perfectly straight and much further than it had just 30 minutes earlier!
My swing before and after Eric’s expert instruction
Philip’s main problem turned out to be “lifting up” – caused by keeping his chin tucked in too closely to his chest. Eric tried a number of ways to get Philip to lift his chin and keep his head down – including resting his club on his head – which although perhaps a little unconventional, really worked. The difference in Philip’s swing by the end of our lesson was very impressive.
So now that my enthusiasm and love for golf is back, we’ll be having regular lessons with Eric – and keeping you posted with our progress every now and then – you never know, maybe one day soon I’ll be winning a tournament!
The Jim McLean Golf Academy
The Jim McLean Golf School is considered to be the #1 golf school in the world, with some of the world’s best golf instructors. The Director of the Jim McLean Golf Academy in Casa de Campo is Eric Lillibridge, has worked for the Jim McLean Golf School for five years and spent two of those years working directly under Jim McLean as his teaching assistant.
As Eric says, “The bottom line is, my students have fun and they get better at golf!”
Lessons available daily
Instructor: Eric Lillibridge
Tel: (829)767-8563 / ext. 3187
Email: elillibridge@gmail.com
Rates
1 hr adult: US$150
1 hr Casa de Campo villa owner: US$100
1 hr junior: US$90
1/2 hr adult: $90
Buy 4 lessons get the 5th lesson free
In his time in Casa de Campo, Eric Lillibridge, the Director of Instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School has fallen in love with the Casa de Campo resort, and become a popular member of the Casa de Campo community and played golf with some rather famous faces, such as Former President George W Bush!
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