Mark Janes Golf Academy : professional golf instruction at Chessington Surrey

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13th December 2003

Christmas News 2003

What a year it has been for golf! Not even I can complain about the weather, it really has been first class. We have even been lucky enough for the autumn to stay warm and sunny. I wanted to take this chance, as we approach Christmas, to thank you for your support and enthusiasm over the past year. We continue to expand the academy and it has been great to see new faces and existing clients alike, enjoying their time at the golf centre.

I am sure you have had the pleasure of meeting my new instructor John Dempster who joined the Academy in April. John has been a real asset, very knowledgeable and a super personality. He is the Irish fellow in the shop who specialises in custom fitting clubs, friendly face, terrible jokes, you know who I mean!!! I am currently searching for a suitable replacement for Mike Clark, who left the Academy at the end of November. We certainly need the help, with the ever-increasing number of new students.

It has been a really fun year here at MJGA, and a great atmosphere with the three of us teaching on the range. My friend Martin Bedford (owner of Chessington) continues to improve the facility and although I’m a little biased, I’m sure you will agree that he has done a fantastic job. Do not forget the Golf Shop is crammed with exciting Xmas presents, so please have a browse when you next visit.

Next year looks like being another exciting year, with the Winter Golf Schools taking place in La Manga, Spain and other excellent venues. As with all the golf schools and golf holidays we run at MJGA, the golfing packages will be put together taking into consideration the group’s requirements. We are running trips throughout February, March and April, then into September, October and November 2004. So for the most fun, relaxing, informative and professionally run golfing trip of a lifetime, CALL NOW on 020 8391 9038 for your individual quotation. For more details please visit our winter golf schools page

I wish you every success with your golf in the coming year. Remember the winter is a great time to fine-tune your game; you can use this time of year to make any necessary changes and then take to the course in springtime comfortable with the refinements and ready to concentrate on lowering that handicap.

Christmas lesson vouchers are a unique present for your friends and family and are available now. Vouchers can be made up from as little as £18. Christmas promotion offer on all individual lessons: 6 lessons for the price of 5 (one free). We will be available for lessons throughout the holidays, subject to a couple of slight alterations to our usual schedule. Please call for more information.

In closing, I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Thanks again for all your continued support, it is very much appreciated.

Happy Golfing! I look forward to seeing you in 2004!

Mark Janes
Director of Instruction

1st Novmeber 2003

November News

Sorry to mention this now, but we aren’t that far away and we don’t want you thinking we are under prepared for the big event.

Why not give a friend or colleague a unique gift this Christmas, in the form of an MJGA Lesson Voucher. Our vouchers are available now and can be made up from as little as £18 for a half-hour lesson. We also offer a 6 for 5 deal, pay for 5 lessons and receive the 6th FREE.

You can even order the voucher by phone or email and we will then send it the same day in the post.

Thinking of getting a new set of clubs this winter?

Why not give John Dempster a call at the academy, our resident Club Fitting Expert. John will talk through every aspect of fitting a set of clubs to your individual requirements. This service is FREE and gives you the peace of mind that the clubs you purchase are helping rather than hindering your game.

Our price guarantee on clubs ensures that not only are you getting great personal service but also the clubs are at the best price in Surrey.

10th October 2003

October News

Winter Golf school dates and update
Having travelled extensively over many years and having taught at many locations, I believe that I will be able to match your needs to my extensive knowledge of the facilities available to really make the difference to your winter golf school or holiday.

So I want to hear from anyone who is even thinking about going on a golfing break. Please call me now on 020 83919038 and I can advise you on a golfing holiday of a lifetime. Or see our winter golf schools section of the website here.

We now have some dates for the La Manga Club 2004:
07th Feb - 14th Feb 2004
13th Mar - 20th Mar 2004
14nd Sep - 20th Sep 2004
02nd Oct - 09th Oct 2004
19nd Oct - 25th Oct 2004

These are only some of the dates - please call Mark on his direct number 020 83919038 for up to date prices and availability.

Teaching Conference 1st -4th October 2003
As reported in our September news Mike and I attended the PGA Teaching Conference in Munich and more importantly survived to tell the story!! To tell the truth it wasn’t the Conference that was tough to survive but the Munich Beer Festival, which we very briefly attended one night.

It was a fantastic three day conference and as you would imagine put on with typical German precision. Speakers from all over the world attended including the world renowned short game expert Dave Pelz. His back ground is working with the Nasa Space Programme, so I guess golf has to be easy compared with sending people to space. His research as you could imagine is very in-depth and some of the results he has recently discovered are fascinating, feel free to ask me more when you see me next time. We also heard from experts in Bio Mechanics and Sports Psychology, something that is of great interest to me and in the future I will be continuing to study in more depth.

In total there were about 800 professionals from all around the world attending, but it was great to have two of us from MJGA as there could have only been 30ish from the UK. I believe it is important to keep an open mind when teaching and always be receptive to new ideas and techniques. After all there are many ways to swing the club and we have to keep looking for the SECRET!

6 for 5 deal on lessons
Don’t forget if you are looking at taking a course of lesson this Autumn/Winter then this deal is for you. You can have a free lesson when you pay up front for five lessons, this is available for either half or hour golf lessons. Please call us now on 020 83919038 to book your autumn/winter golf programme.

V1 Technology at MJGA
Every so often I like to remind prospective clients that we use the very latest in computer/video technology here at MJGA, the “V1” System. Have a look at our website for more in-dept detail, but if you have never seen yourself on video using this equipment, then I suggest you call us now. It really does allow us to give you a far better understanding of your own golf game, highlighting both positive aspects and indeed areas for improvement within your game. You can even take a copy of the in-depth analysis away on video, a unique memento from the lesson. Feel free to call for availability on lessons with the “V1” System.

7th September 2003

September News

Attention Beginners –

If the good weather has inspired you to get involved with this great game, then we have just the thing for you.

Every month we run free Beginner Group Classes. On the day of the lesson you will then have the opportunity to enhance your golfing skills by joining one of our four week Beginner Classes. The cost of this class is only £30, that’s for a four week course, one hour per week, with a maximum of five per group. When you sign up on the day you will receive a free club worth £15.

So that’s four weeks of lessons in a small group of five and we throw in a golf club worth £15.

We want to give you a helping hand into the game and being confident in what we do here at the MJGA, we are sure you will be back to see us again after your course.

So contact us now and see when you can book your FREE lesson.

Young Masters Golf –

If you know of any children who want to get involved with the YMG Golf Programme, we have some new classes starting on Sundays, so please contact us soon as these spaces will soon book up.

Teaching Conference -

As part of the academies quest to keep improving our level of service, we will be attending The 6th PGA of Europe Teaching and Coaching Conference on the 2nd to 4th October in Munich, Germany. This is a unique opportunity to listen to experts in the fields of teaching methodology, psychology, technology and fitness. Mike and I will be attending the three day conference and promise not to get involved with the small Beer Festival that I have been informed is on in Munich at the same time. Unfortunately John will not be able to attend, as he has a prior engagement.

Autumn/Winter is going to be busy here at the Academy, as this is a great time of year to fine tune your golf game. Anything that has been bothering you through the summer months, well now is the time to sort things out. We can walk you through a programme of improvement during the next few months, making any small changes that might be required. Leaving you full of confidence to take the fairways by storm in the spring time! Please do not leave it until the sun is out in April to start sorting your game out, this is the time to start playing to your full potential.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Happy golfing!

10th August 2003

July/August news

Just back from a trip to the La Manga Club in southern Spain where I have been putting the arrangements in place for this winters overseas golf schools, and a very sucessful trip it was.

As a result we will shortly be posting the dates for the winter golf schools to the La Manga Club in Spain. This first class resort allows me to operate in a truly first class teaching environment which is also a quiet spectacular holiday resort in its own right. Keep checking back as we will shortly be publishing all the information on these trips.

Alternatively - you can simply join our mailing list (pop your email address into the box on the menu on the left of the page) and we will let you know when we've updated the website.

I was also preparing the ground for property purchase in the Murcia region as this does fit in so well with our planned activites in the area - speak to me if this sounds like something of interest to you.

Murcia is certainly a region that is really going places. With an excellent road system, two international airports(another on it's way) and a new rail link to Barcelona and Madrid within the next couple of years, the infrastructure is in place for the many new golfing developments planned in the area.

Some very exciting golf projects are now under way and although this region is not as well known as the more popular Costa del Sol, trust me when I say it will be within the next 5-10 years. As a region it has everything, great golf, good access, fabulous resorts/Hotels, beautiful cities in Murcia and Cartegana, a wide choice of fantastic restaurants and night entertainment and most importantly all year round sunshine for the golf.

If you are planning a trip or know someone who is, then please get in touch and let me give you a quote for the winter golfing trip of a lifetime. I take the unknown quantity out of the golfing holiday. Why play a poor conditioned course, eat at below par restaurant or waist valuable time searching for local attractions, when you can use my expertise to provide the ultimate in escorted golfing holidays. Just sit back, relax and focus on enjoying yourself, while I drive you and your friends around from quality courses, to the finest restaurants and most entertaining attractions.

In addition to the dates posted (very soon on the website) we at MJGA will be available to offer trips at other convenient times. Simply call us to discuss your personal requirements and let us advise you on the ultimate overseas golf experience.

16th June 2003

June news

Just a quick update to let you know what is going on at MJGA.

Business is really booming as the weather is being kind to us and the golfing season is now in full flow.

John Dempster (my new recruit) is proving to be a fantastic addition to the team at MJGA. His lesson diary is already filling up quickly and his experience in custom fitting clients for their golf clubs is being very well received. Why not call John now and book an appointment to make sure the clubs you use suit your individual needs.

We have recently had several demo nights, which have proved to be hugely successful. These evenings give you the chance to try the latest technology for free!! Contact us now for the next available demo night.

As well as the ever popular individual lessons, group tuition is really busy at the moment, as more new people than ever are visiting MJGA to get the perfect start to this great game.

YMG - Two new starter groups for our hugely successful YMG programme start at the end of June. Tuesday 24th June at 5pm – 6pm and Thursday 26th June at 4pm – 5pm. Please see YMG section for more details about these classes or call us on 020 8391 9038 to enquire about booking, places do go quickly.

Junior Summer Camps – These fun packed classes will be available in July and August this summer holiday. They will run over a four day period, Monday – Thursday or Tuesday – Friday, with two hours of instruction per day. Please call now so you can find out how your children can be thoroughly entertained this summer holidays.

If you fancy a stroll around a 9 hole course and live in the Chessington area then we have the answer. In my professional opinion our 9 hole course is in fantastic condition, you will not find a public course that is better looked after in Surrey. Our green staff have done a fantastic job on the course over the past couple of years and both greens and fairways are in top class condition, a joy to play for any standard of golfer.

Don’t forget on the 17th July 2003 the Open Championship will be played at Royal St.Georges Golf Club in Sandwich Kent. This is unique opportunity to see the best players in the world in the South East of England. If you are thinking of going then the train is quite a good option, as access by car is not that great.

Our new office here at Chessington is now fully fitted with two V1 Teaching Systems. If you have never viewed your swing through this state of the art technology then please contact us all.

1st May 2003

May news

Kingston Festival Of Sport

I am pleased to announce our involvement in this years Kingston Festival Of Sport. It's basically a chance for people to have a go at a wide variety of sports on offer in the local area, for FREE! The festival runs from the Saturday 10th May to Saturday 17th May 2003.

So in an effort to keep spreading the good word about the great game of golf, we thought we would get involved and let you have a taster golf session for FREE.

Our classes our aimed at the beginner who would like to have ago at golf. So if you have ever fancied a few swings then no excuses, this is the perfect opportunity.

If you are between the ages of 6 and 16 then please feel to give us a call and book yourself into one of the following sessions.

Saturday 10th & 17th May 4.30pm - 6.00pm
Sunday 11th May 3.00 - 4.00pm
Thursday 15th May 4.00 - 5.00pm

Please call, places are going very quickly!

If you are just a little over 16 years old then please give us a call and book yourself into one of our complimentary sessions for adults on the following dates.

Monday 12th May 11.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday 15th May 11.00am - 12.00pm
Friday 16th May 11.00am - 12.00pm

We look forward to seeing you in the near future and having some fun on the golf course.

"putting the fun back into golf"

15th April 2003

April news

Due to the exceptional whether in March and now April, the golfing season seems to have got going earlier this year and our range and course are bustling with keen golfers. The first major of the year has just finished and it was nice to see a new face being presented the green jacket. For those lefties out there it was fantastic that Mike Weir did the business - boy did he hole some putts during the four days! Unfortunately for me personally, my hot tips of Darren Clarke and David Toms showed positive signs early on and then faded - never ask a golf pro for a tip on golf!!

I am pleased to say that we are expanding once again at MJGA. On April 1st John Dempster joined the academy and will also be working in the golf shop. John is a vastly experienced, PGA Qualified Golf Professional and brings a fantastic reputation with him from nearby Pacesham Golf Club. In fact a testament to his ability is the fact that a good number of his cliental are making the trip to Chessington. His friendly and relaxed personality, combined with superb communication and teaching skills will be a huge asset to our team. I am now thrilled to have both Mike Clark and John Dempster here at MJGA and I am excited about the future development of MJGA.

John is also a specialist in club fitting, so if you need some new clubs or even want to check if your old clubs fit you properly, then please give John a call on 020 8391 0948.

To accomodate our growing numbers, we have moved to a much bigger office on the premises. See the pictures here. We needed to run two V1 computer teaching systems simultaneously and with additional office space for our administration. We are really pleased with our teaching studio and believe it is the perfect environment for our clients to relax and benefit from the comfortable and pleasant surroundings.

So if you have been hibernating all winter or simply need a swing check to get your season kick started, please get in touch and speak to an instructor for some sound advice.

"Putting the fun back into your golf"

25th February 2003

March News

Will it be Ernie or Tiger, dominating this years professional golfing circuit? What a start both have made to the year! Ernie with his five wins from six starts and Tiger not to be outdone, out for three months, then Bingo, back with a win in his first tournament!! Should be a great year for both the European and US Tours, let's hope the action stays as hot as it is currently.

Talking of exciting and hot, things are really flying down at MJGA. As we leave the worst of the winter behind, I hope, and head for the season, business is booming and once again we are expanding things.

Due to the great demand on lessons at MJGA we are currently looking for a new instructor to join the team. Not only will this person be responsible for developing the teaching side of the academy but will help with the general expansion of the business away from the day to day teaching.

We are currently looking at an additional site in the uk for our second academy. Its vital we find a suitable venue, encompassing the requirements we desire. Location is key and unfortunately these prime sites don't come along too often, but we are looking long and hard and will take our time in choosing the ideal location.

Organisation of golf holidays has really taken off, having formed a solid partnership with a couple of leading tour operators. If you are part of a society or just have a few friends who like to go away on golf trips, then give us a call and let mjga quote for your next trip.

With Mark's experience of golfing destinations in Europe and America, we are confident in putting together a comprehensive and memorable golfing experience. With advice on hotels, golf courses, restaurants and just about anything else you can imagine, what not use our expertise to help you and your friends put together the ultimate golf trip. Contact us now for a quote.

25th January 2003

New Year News

The Mark Janes Golf Academy is pleased to announce a new programme aimed at aspiring young golfers, keen to emulate the success of Tiger Woods. We are launching the new Young Master Golf programme here at the Chessington Golf Centre.

The success of players like Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia has made golf very popular with young people, but the problem for most has been how to get started in the game.

Now for the first time, an exciting junior golf programme is available to young people, which not only makes it easy for them to start playing golf, but also helps them to progress to a level where they can compete with other youngsters, or simply enjoy playing a healthy, relaxing sport for the rest of their lives.

Click here for more details.

News Archive

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