Golf in San Jose

Pristine fairways gently rise and fall across 6,664 yards of undulating terrain at Pajaro Valley Golf Club's 18-hole course. Located a mere Goliath's drive from the Pacific Ocean, golfers can smell the crisp sea air and hear the hushed whispers of heist-planning pelicans throughout the picturesque par 72, once the verdant kingdom of 1930s golf legend Olin Dutra. The club’s E-Z-Go golf carts ferry about the arsenal of woods and irons needed to triumph over the transition from shorter par 3s and 4s to the lengthy fairways at the 1st, 4th, 15th, and 17th holes, all par 5.

After looping the horticultural haven, golfers can retreat to the club's full-service restaurant, where frothy beers and hamburgers refuel weary bodies and famished 9-irons. Spiky-shoed journeymen can place their order ahead of time at the 9th or 18th tees, ensuring their meal will be ready for them at the turn or shortly after the round.

Seasoned ace Bob Swinnerton established Santa Cruz Golf Academy 18 years ago to streamline his desire to spread golf wisdom to eager pupils. A professional instructor for more than 25 years, the passionate pedagogue's technical advice has been showcased in Golf Tips magazine, and his competitive resume includes playing on the Canadian PGA Tour, a collegiate career with a nationally ranked Fresno State University team, and time spent as Jack Nicklaus's dog-walker. Bob conducts lessons in his indoor golf studio, where club-toting cadets crush orbs under the surveillance of a video and computer-swing-analysis program, which helps to pinpoint swing deficiencies and introduce pupils to a digital doppelganger soon to be their inferior. Along with in-session advice, Bob outlines a multitude of golf drills that his players can take with them to maintain their pin-hunting prowess.

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.