Brad Cursio usually begins his golf lessons by telling his students to ignore the outcomes of their swings. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s a cornerstone of the Fresno State alum's cerebral approach to the game—one shaped during his years as a golf-school director, when he regularly watched amateur players go crazy obsessing about the length and accuracy of their drives. When he started his own golf school, Monterey Bay Golf Academy, Brad took his past experiences into account and instituted a method of instruction that charts the swing’s progress rather than the ball’s path.

Students at first skeptical of Brad's efforts to refocus their minds on swing mechanics should remember that he used the same method to become a PGA Class-A professional. To supplement his instruction, Brad utilizes the latest in swing-analysis technologies and sends his students home with DVDs packed with analyzed footage of their swings. He and his team of golf professionals also lead multi-day golf schools for all abilities. These schools focus on developing well-rounded players with lessons in swinging, putting, and wrestling mishit balls from the jaws of lake monsters.