For well-known, well-regarded PGA teaching profession Jeff Ritter and his wife, Cate, it was time for a change. So they headed as far west as they could, to America’s golf mecca. Not that they didn’t have a great life going in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area, but they saw an opportunity to take their careers to a new level on the most beautiful stretch of California coast, so they went for it, and they’ve never looked back.
On April 2, 2013 – the day after Poppy Hills Golf Course reopened with eye-popping upgrades that put in on a level with its Monterey Peninsula neighbors, Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill – the Ritters arrived with a comprehensive plan to create a different kind of learning environment for golfers. They’d already built a strong following in the desert, but in Monterey, with Jeff’s deep experience as a player, teacher, mentor and savvy marketer and Cate’s bona fides as a nutritionist, they would open new avenues for improvement on and off the course – physically, mentally, psychologically. They would heighten the average golfer’s awareness of his or her capabilities and help bring out the best in everyone, whether in person through their two-day golf academies or corporate retreats, or perhaps online, or both, and a well-deserved partnership with the Golf Channel Academy brand (Ritter is also an on-air talent for the network) to make it happen.
In short, they would show students how to Make the Turn, or MTT for short. And they would do so with one core philosophy: That everyone who arrives at their growing Poppy Hills-based facility should see improvement immediately.
Our MTT program is built around four ‘pillars’ of improvement, says Ritter. Performance, Mindset, Fitness and Nutrition. Those things work together to help you build not just a better golf game, but a new attitude toward life, business, everything.
This holistic approach to golf teaching isn’t new, but the Ritters’ methods – developed through years of research and honing – are uniquely their own. Of course there’s a lot of tried-and-true teaching techniques propping up each pillar. Jeff, Cate, and their colleagues Aaron Olsen (who’s a Golf Tips Top 30 Instructor along with Ritter himself) Don Imamura, put them into action with a singular singular spin, with some definite numerical goals in mind. The Make the Turn web site spells them out: 10 percent more distance through the bag; 100 percent commitment; zero three-putts per round; 12-plus greens in regulation; 4.5 fewer strokes per round; 15 pounds weight loss; and 20 percent more flexibility. These goals don’t waver whether you’re taking a private lesson from Ritter or have signed up for an intensive, fast-moving and fulfilling two-day school, including the special MTT Academy for junior players – which dovetails well with Poppy Hills’ participation in the Northern California Golf Association’s Youth on Course non-profit organization, which offers rounds of golf for $5 or less, scholarships and caddie programs.
These schools, Ritter asserts, are the ultimate activators for players seeking a higher level of performance and more powerful standard of living. The program offers guests a proven system of awareness, education and adjustment so participants quickly shift to experience new levels of possibility. Ritter’s I.S.C. training provides a simple formula for understanding and implementing the essentials of contact and ball striking efficiency. The Edge Mental Toughness coaching creates inspired action and sustained motivation. No-Excuses fitness training and LEAN 18 nutrition planning help golfers move and fuel their bodies to elevate performance across the board, not just on the links. Add in follow-up support and a championship experience in golf’s most important zip code – the Del Monte Forest, on a rejuvenated Poppy Hills golf course that bears comparison to Pinehurst No. 2 and even Augusta National – and you have a game-changing experience to remember. And with a brand new teaching facility set to open this fall in a grove of pines just off the main practice tee, the Make the Turn experience gets even better, more exclusive and more inspired by the gorgeous surroundings. The Pacific Ocean is right down there, Ritter says, pointing across Poppy’s 18th hole to the rolling forest beyond. There’s no prettier place to take your game and life to the next level.
Ritter, who’s not only an accomplished coach but an author and motivational speaker, builds a road to achievement for each student by understanding that each player has a unique pattern which represents either the root of success, or barrier to proficiency in all aspects of their ball striking performance. When he gives people the tools to unlock the secrets to playing and living their best, they knock down the barriers and Make The Turn to a performance state where all they see is unlimited potential. That’s what this program is all about, he says. Developing clarity, stripping limitations and elevating your performance both on and off the course.
And when each day’s learning and discovering is done, there’s an incredible destination to soak in. The Monterey Peninsula boasts some of the world’s premier lodging and travel designations. Whether you’re attending a private coaching session, golf school or corporate retreat, MTT has an array of partner properties guaranteed to help you enjoy the California coastline in style, including the historic La Playa Hotel facing the sandy beaches of Carmel, the exclusive Holman Ranch overlooking the vineyards of Carmel Valley or the Portola and Plaza hotels of Monterey.
Personal bookings are individually and separate from MTT programming and fees. Corporate accommodations may be scheduled with the assistance of Ritter’s corporate planning team. However you decide to Make the Turn, it’s sure to set you on a course for lifelong transformation. Expect your horizons to get a whole lot wider.
