Golf in Hercules

Dave Johnson has been coaching golfers for over 20 years and through more than 40,000 lessons. His style is intuitive and all about connecting with the students. Enjoy the benefit of his deft professionalism during your two-hour golf lesson. Three different clinics are available for all skill levels, from high-level hobbyists to recent mini-golf graduates, and classes are capped at eight students to ensure personalized attention. Pick up multiple Groupons to attend multiple clinics.

Golfland debuted its first putt-putt green in 1953 and has since expanded to seven locations across California and Arizona. Each location features one to three 18-hole courses, replete with colorful castles, windmills, and fountains. After navigating the obstacle-filled fairways, guests can try their hands at an array of arcade games, whether felling foes in fighting games, stocking up on tickets to win prizes, or following the spellbinding plotline of a pinball game. At the San Jose location, visitors can cool off in the warmer months with a trip down parallel outdoor waterslides.

With a trophy case filled with several awards, such as the Merit Award for Public Facilities from Golf Digest and the GCSAA, Deep Cliff Golf Course earns praise for its bucolic scenery and petite layout that rewards short-game skill. The 2012 season marks 50 years since course architect Clark Glasson unveiled the par 60 course in the Cupertino foothills. With a total length of 3,358 yards, players can easily walk the executive course's six par 4s and 12 par 3s, giving beginners a manageable spot to learn the game of golf and experienced players a relaxing place to sharpen their skills. During their round, players may spot such local wildlife as rabbit, deer, feral caddies, and quail frolicking in the forests or practicing cannonballs into Stevens Creek.

The practice center at Deep Cliff Golf Course presents players with ample space to practice putts on an 8,000-square-foot green and smash golf balls into the net at the 11-station hitting area. Here, players can warm up before a round, work the kinks out of a rusty swing, and figure out which of their clubs are in the middle of an afternoon nap.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 60 course
• Total length of 3,358 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 59.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 99 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Designed by Clark Glasson

Within the verdant expanse of Burlingame Golf Center’s practice facilities, instructor Dave Atchison, who attained his PGA Class A status in 1981, imparts score-shaving tips to pupils of all ages and abilities. After demonstrating his passion for golf each morning by shaving with a sharpened divot tool, Dave heads to the golf center to showcase club-swinging skills that have fueled his 33-year teaching career, which has included six seasons of coaching at UCLA and another seven at UC Santa Barbara. With a full-length driving range, practice areas for chipping and pitching, and a sandtrap for bunker shots and makeshift hourglass construction, Burlingame Golf Center helps Dave and his clients foster improvements in all facets of the game.

Staffed by experienced professionals and computers who’ve sworn allegiance to the Three Laws of Golfing Robotics, GolfTec’s syndicate of golf training centers grooms games with a five-pronged approach enhanced by technological refinements. Score-shaving wisdom resonates within the walls of the indoor facilities, where certified personal coaches point out flaws and strengths while providing golfers with tips to permanently improve their game from tee to green. By utilizing video swing analysis and motion-measurement software, instructors can assess pupils’ abilities with objective data and a fact-based tact superior to traditional hearsay-oriented coaching strategies. To further enhance performance, GolfTec offers club-fitting services to match each swing profile with its ideal set of sticks.

At age 6, when most little boys are obsessed with their toy trucks and plastic dinosaurs, Ken Miller was interested in playthings with steel shafts and the ability to send a ball soaring over the grass. Young Miller’s passion for golf didn’t wane as he grew older: after making a splash on the junior golf scene, he attended Fresno State University on a golf scholarship and toured competitively before retiring to teach. But after 10 years of working for someone else, Miller was ready to realize his own dream: a family-friendly range that satisfied even the pickiest golfer. So, with his kids and wife in tow, Miller spent a year sculpting 19 acres of land into what is now McHenry Golf Center.

Today, the practice facility—which was named one of the Top 100 Ranges in America in 2009 by Golf Range—presents players with an all-grass driving range whose lighting makes it possible to play with balls that are afraid of the dark. After landing shots on the range’s seven target greens, which taunt them from 75 to 230 yards away, golfers can work on their short game at an 11,000-square-foot putting green, then head over to a practice green guarded by five circular and kidney-bean-shaped bunkers. If they want help with their chipping technique or sand play, they can take lessons with Miller and other PGA pros. Golfers can refuel with fare from the center’s snack bar after a lesson or independent practice.

While creating McHenry Golf Center, Ken Miller designed a pro shop to meet the needs of both casual and dedicated golfers, whether they carry a standard coin purse or suitcases filled with golden golf balls. Customers can get an expert fitting before picking their clubs, thanks to the center's TaylorMade SelectFit System and Ping Advanced Fitting System. For putters and woods that need attention, Golfsmith Clubmakers–trained Jim Tocco awaits at the repair center, where he fixes grips and shafts, working quickly enough to offer next-day service.