Since my 12 month package is over, I guess I can finally update my review. I started at a 24hcp and ended at a 12.6hcp. I would have continued with Tom but due to my new schedule, it made it tough to continue with the 1 hr drive each way. Thanks again NCGA and I will miss seeing everyone on a regular basis. read more

I'm very pleased with NorCal Golf Academy in Walnut Creek. A few months ago, I started golfing again with friends. It's such a difficult game but can be so rewarding. I tried a couple of places for lessons. Then, I tried NorCal. In a short 3 months, my game is improving!! Lulu Huang is my instructor and she's top-notch! She's an expert, patient and professional which I appreciate. I highly recommend NorCal Golf Academy whether it be for extensive coaching or to improve your game. Thank you! read more

I was self taught and had played golf off an on for the past 40+ years. I decided it was time to bite the bullet and break down what I knew was a flawed swing - but that was 40 years of muscle memory. After 2 disappointing experiences with East Bay instructors, I found my self at NorCal Golf Academy working with Elliot Busichio. I worked with Elliot for about a year. And he did in fact break down just about every part of my swing. A few key observations: 1) He's just a really great guy and someone that I looked forward to seeing for my lessons. 2) I loved that he had the patience to find the approach to certain concepts that worked for me. 3) The tech at the studio is first-rate and allows you to have a much better understanding of what you're not doing right and to visually see clearly what good looks like. 4) And, most importantly, when I first started with Elliot I was a 15.5. I'm now 9.2 and in single digits for the first time of my life. Thank you Elliot & NorCal Golf Academy. read more

I started playing golf for fun in 2024 and I begged my husband to get lessons this year after I was sure it wasn't just a phase. We both started lessons end of February. Our coaches Lulu and Gregor are the absolute best! I loved how patient and kind Lulu was from the beginning. I really appreciated how she would explain and teach me how to swing a club in a way that clicked for me specifically. My husband Juan had an amazing experience with Gregor given his PGA background. He was also very patient and explained things only an athlete would understand which my husband appreciated being an athlete growing up. People always ask us if lessons are worth it and we always tell them that they are if you're getting trained by the very best at NorCal Golf Academy! read more

This place is fantastic! The people who work here are very sweet and accommodating. My daughter had her first swing lesson with Lulu Huang, and absolutely loved her. Lulu is an excellent teacher, very thorough and easy going. The lessons consist of computer technology, so she was able to see what her swing looked like at the beginning of class, and what it looked like at the end of her first lesson. Golf is HARD, so I highly recommend private lessons. We ended up signing up for monthly lessons. There's a parking lot, and the location is easy to find! read more

NorCal Golf Academy - Golf Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

See all

Been going here now for over 25 years. Great place for the family and still extremely affordable and the service is excellent...

I started playing golf only 3 years ago and wanted to learn the right way. I purchased a 6 month plan with Curtis and it was wonderful. Then a year later I went back and signed up for another 6 month plan with Lulu. They changed my grip and stance. We tried a lot of different ideas and they thought me to putt, how to bump and run, and so many little things. Golf is hard and I'm very thankful for all of their patience and positive encouragement. I strongly recommend Tom and his team. Their new location has plenty of parking and easy to get to. I would give them 6 stars if I could. My handicap is 1/2 what it was when I started. read more

I've been fit at a number of places in the area and this was by far my best experience. Elliot was great and the process was excellent. He fit me for performance of what I was looking for in my ball flight and misses while paying attention to the spin. I'm a 9 and in my first two rounds I've already shot a 76 because the confidence in the flights Elliot fit me. The technology was great and he was attentive to all aspects including thoroughly going through flexes and grips. Highly recommend! read more

I'm so happy my slice is gone! I'm a lefty and had a brutal slice, didn't know it was possible to swing like this. So if you're looking for some help with your game, call Curtis, he'll get you swinging like Bob Hope. read more

NorCal Golf Academy - Me and my instructor, Curtis! - Golf Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I can't recommend NorCal Golf Academy highly enough. I've been taking lessons from Jack Henneberry for two years now, and in that time, my game has made dramatic improvements. The team and the facility are top-notch. Jack has helped me rework my swing and how I think about the game. When I started, I was legitimately bad and truthfully didn't even know if I'd ever enjoy the game. My scores have dropped from the 120s to the 90s - and I recently broke 40 on 9 holes. Today, I'm confident and can't get enough. I genuinely don't know if that would have happened without the time Jack has put in and the friendly, non-judgmental environment of the team there. In addition to the lessons, the equipment and monitors have also made a huge difference by helping me create feedback loops and identify patterns in my swing. And, Jack fit me for clubs that I love and that have helped my game. If you're on the fence, there's no need to be. Schedule your assessment and get started - you won't regret it! read more

I had resigned myself to the fact that I was a mid 90's golfer no matter how many times I went to the driving range and hit hundreds of balls reinforcing all of the bad habits I have developed over the last 40 years. Someone suggested NorCal golf and I researched it. I made my first appointment and I have to admit my first reaction was damn, that's a little pricey. I'm an idiot. I took I think around ten lessons from Elliot. I'm in the mid 80's now and enjoying golf exponentially more. If get rid of the two triple bogey holes, I'll break 80! Elliot, you da man! Thank you! read more

I decided to get a club fitting done with Tom. We spent an hour going through different shafts, attempting to get both the height and dispersion to a better place. By the end of the fitting I was getting an additional 30 feet of height and 6-7 degrees of descent. Just took the clubs out to the course and they were as amazing on grass as on the sim - great place for club fittings as well as lessons read more

I started playing golf in the last two years and was making some progress, but felt the need to take lessons and really learn the game. I discovered NorCal Golf Academy, and took an intro lesson with Jack. It was amazing, and have continued to take lessons with him - it's been a wonderful experience through and through. From learning swing fundamentals, to how to approach the game, to talking through what I'm feeling and my approach, Jack's been awesome. He uses all the tricks in the teaching tool book (technology, and simple apparatuses), and tries to understand how you interpret them, and then tailors the approach, it's really fun :) All of this is to say, I've started to feel like a much better golfer, really enjoy the game, and literally see it in my scores down 15+ strokes and trending down. Can't wait to keep learning from Jack. read more

Wanted to update my review, NorCal has moved (not far from the original location in Walnut Creek) which is bigger, has more parking and is awesome. Jack left, but now I am working with Tom and things are going great. My swing isn't perfect, but better than it was and I have no doubt it will improve further. The lessons along with the new option for daily practice (on GC Quad with both down the line and face on cameras in each bay) are helping me reach my goals faster. If you are looking to improve your game, I cannot recommend any where higher than NorCal Golf Academy. read more

I hit the big 4 0 and after my 3rd consecutive ankle injury playing soccer, I decided it was time to hang up my cleats, dust off my clubs, and pick up a sport that I could continue playing for years to come. After playing a round and shooting 110ish, I figured I needed help and looked for something local and effective. I spent more time researching instructors than I did buying a new car, and I landed on NorCal Golf. Taking the plunge was daunting, but when I finally signed up, I regretted waiting so long. The first lesson is more like them figuring out how bad you are and where to start fixing your Charles Barkley-esque swing, but the combination of friendly teaching and everything being recorded from multiple angles on a dozen screens makes learning way easier than I expected. Even when I don't quite understand the advice, seeing it on camera is super helpful and makes me question how I learned any other sport up until now... Hannah is my teacher and I highly recommend taking someone else (so that you don't book up all of Hannah's slots cause she is awesome and I still have a ways to go until I get my invite to Augusta). Also, going in to practice and use the equipment at your own pace is also great. Only downside to the whole experience is everyone using all this golf lingo that someone like me who had no prior interest in playing / watching golf can't understand, but now I find myself actually reading an article or two about golf and checking out local courses since I can actually see the fun in this sport thanks to the team here. So yeah, highly recommended. read more

I've been playing golf semi-consistently for the last 14 years or so, but on a much more regular basis over the last 10 years. I always shoot in the 90s, with the occasional blowup round in the low 100s, and one glorious round where I scored an 88. My handicap has been as high as 22, but is currently at 18.8. I've had one-off golf lessons in the past, all of which were at outdoor driving ranges with one of the golf club's pros. I can tell you that none of those lessons paid dividends. There wasn't any consistency and the golf instructors were using their eyes alone to determine where my swing was going wrong. I knew I needed to switch things up, so I decided to give NorCal Golf Academy a try after seeing the great reviews on Yelp and reading about all of the cool technology they used. I was hesitant about not hitting on grass, but most of my prior lessons were on turf range mats anyway. I looked at the various instructors on their website and went with Jack Henneberry. I just finished my six-month lesson package (2 lessons and 2 practices per month) with Jack and I couldn't be happier with the progress I've made since my first lesson. Jack is super patient if a new concept doesn't stick right away and he always found creative ways to help me shed bad habits. Also, he's just a great guy that wants you to get better at golf. We worked on all of the core issues with my golf game (stance too narrow, not covering the ball/poor lateral movement, and especially early extension -- to name a few). I feel so much more comfortable on the golf course these days and know I'll continue using everything I learned from Jack during future rounds of golf. If you're on the fence about the price of the 6-month lesson package, just know that it's 100% worth it, and it's the only way I've found to fundamentally change my golf game for the better. Thank you Jack and NorCal Golf Academy! read more

NorCal is the best. Elliot has helped me go from never setting foot on a golf course to an 8 handicap in two plus years. He has molded my game and skills and is still teaching me each month. I really enjoy the game more than ever and I have Elliot to thank. read more

Tom and the crew at NorCal Golf has made golf way more enjoyable and rewarding for me over the past nine months. I walked in just getting started and shooting around 100 on a good day--in six months I was consistently in the low 80s and occasionally break 80 on tough courses. Several things make this the place to go if you want to improve your game. One, they know everything about the mechanics of a proper golf swing. Everyone can give you tips and advice--your buddy, some guy on the golf course, the rando on YouTube--but this is literally the NorCal crew's full time job. They do it all day, every day for people at all levels, from total beginners to professional golfers. Stop messing around and go to the best. Second, the technology here is as good as it gets. There is every kind of data point you could imagine (and slow motion video) for every single swing you take. It's been way more efficient and less frustrating for me to know precisely what I'm doing on each swing. When I'm learning something knew or trying a little tweak, what I think I'm doing can be totally different from what I actually just did. There's just no question any more with the technology. Stop guessing at the range, eliminate the frustration, and use the technology the pros have. Finally, this is a great group of people to be around while you're working on your game. Everyone is super friendly, supportive, funny, chill, etc etc. There's no denying that even with top instruction and the best technology, it still takes time and reps to improve your game. Having a supportive and fun group of people around as you do that will make it way more enjoyable and sustainable. Good luck! No question this is the right place for you wherever you are--starting out, sick of losing to your buddies, trying to get or win on tour. read more

I had been contemplating taking lessons for over a year. After a frustrating round in November I finally signed up for a swing evaluation and lessons with Jack Henneberry. Best decision ever. I have been working with Jack for three months, and have already seen a dramatic improvement in my game. Jack is patient, provides clear feedback and overall great instruction. The new facility is fantastic, and everyone that works at NorCal are friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend Jack and NorCal. It is worth every penny. read more

Drove up from south bay to take lessons from Curtis at NCGA. He, and the rest of the staff, are extremely knowledgeable about golf, the golf swing, and how to coach. Beyond being great coaches, everyone there is also just fun to be around. I looked forward to my lessons to both get better and just have a fun time. Curtis truly made the improvement process fun and I steadily saw improvements lesson to lesson. Using trackman and hi speed swing analysis software translated feels to tangible data as to my improvement. Compared my move to top professionals' to see the ideal positions to hit and feels to get there. This has translated to consistently lower golf scores round by round. Elliot fit me for new clubs and he really knows his stuff, couldn't recommend him enough as well. Overall 10/10 experience. read more

I started at NorCal as a new golfer, anxious to learn all I could. Sooo much to learn and this is definitely the place folks! Hannah is my coach and I highly recommend her, she is funny, patient, honest and has turned me into a golfer. Great vibe, clean, welcoming and very high tech place for all things golf. read more

Hannah has been awesome to work with. When I started lessons with her I was a 16 index and had a terrible reverse pivot. I know this, because she can pull up videos from that first lesson to show me how far I've come. I had been struggling as a baseball player, and Hannah has been able to work with my strengths while fixing my fundamentals. I had gotten to a point where I was shooting mid 80s, and then had a few weeks where I couldn't play or practice as much and I got in a rut. I shot a 95 on a Monday and had a lesson the next day to check up on things. Hannah used a tool that helped me understand how I was pulling my right elbow back. It made everything click. I went out the day after and shot the best round of my life, an 80. The best thing about Norcal Golf Academy, for someone like me, is that I can get the analytical data from the GC Quad, combined with the video to see what I'm doing and how that is influencing the numbers. And then Hannah brings the expertise to take advantage of everything at her disposal. Everyone else at Norcal has been awesome as well. It's definitely been the best money I've spent on golf. read more

I've had the best experience at NorCal Golf Academy working with Jack Henneberry. When I started my lessons, I was so inconsistent off the tee that I was literally leaving my driver at home when I went to the course. After working with Jack, I'm incredibly consistent off the tee and have made huge strides in other aspects of my game. Jack did a great job coaching me through multiple changes to my golf game - always finding the best way to communicate or demonstrate technique or concepts. Plus he's just a fun guy to be around. Thanks, Jack! read more

NorCal Golf Academy is the place Tour Pros dream of! I have been going to Tom since 2013 and he has helped me go from High School golfer to PGA Tour pro. His knowledge and expertise of the golf swing, equipment and technology creates an experience you can't get anywhere else. Through the years I've seen Tom constantly learning and evolving to stay up with the latest golf swing and technology improvements to bring the best experience to his students. If all the Tour Pros knew how good this place was there would be lines out the door! NorCal Golf Academy is the only place I will get fitted! Tom separates himself from others with his extensive knowledge about golf clubs/shafts while the Foresight GC Quad and GEARS technology allows us to measure the changes to make sure it's the right fit. I fly up from Scottsdale, AZ to specifically to see him! Every time I go into the Academy I'm greeted with smiles and positivity. It is a great environment go improve your game. I highly recommend NorCal Golf Academy!! read more

Great facility for indoor golf. Lots of tech stuff to get your game going. This review is concerning the Gears system. I did a lot of research before deciding on this place which was 2.5 hours away. I got there a little early (30mins) before my appointment, but I was told to wait outside because Tom was not there yet. No problem. So Tom shows up and instructed me to warm up while he set up the system. Everything appears that it has not been used for awhile. Now my appointment was booked well in advanced. I didn't just showed up and wanted an $400 session on the spot. For the price I paid It was not worth it. I am sure Tom is a great instructor, that's why he can demand his rates. But the Gears system is not his specialty from my prospect. Save your money and use it for lessons from Tom instead. read more

Outstanding- lessons, club fitting, practice. Indoor facilities with tech that is surprisingly realistic and accurate. No better way to learn and improve than so see video of yourself and compare that to what the best players do. They are usually busy so you will need an appointment. read more

After being a frustrated 25 handicap golfer, and based on a recommendation from a friend I play golf with who has a terrific swing, I set up some lessons with Jack Henneberry at the NorCal Golf Academy. I have had two other instructors before with no major results. After 4 lessons with Jack, my game has significantly improved. When I showed up there, I almost never played irons, which of course are key to improving your score. I was hitting mainly woods and then using the pitching wedge when getting closer to the green. Through Jack's instruction, I am now playing my 7, 8, 9, PW irons and hitting with consistency. My woods are making better contact now also. The trackman and graphics system used really show you the true nature of your swing. My other lessons were outdoors with no graphics on where I struck the ball on the clubface, swing speed, path of swing, etc. The graphics at NorCal show many key factors of the swing on each shot. Club path, angle of attack, club face strike, etc. are really essential to know in order to help change your swing. No one before described that I must hit "down" on the ball. Say what? But over several lessons and using the trackman results, I made the change. Major difference. I am very pleased in the progress I have made in a short time and am continuing to try to improve my swing mechanics. I highly recommend Jack at NorCall Golf Academy to help you truly improve your game. read more

NorCal Golf Academy is a fantastic facility and the instruction is top notch. All of the hitting bays have ample space, each with their own GCQuad launch monitor with face on and down the line cameras set up which feeds directly to swing catalyst software displayed on multiple LCD screen all of which provides instant visual feedback on every swing. Tom is an incredible coach. He will provide a thorough analysis of your swing through a 90 min swing evaluation and then set up a targeted approach with a lesson plan focused on your swing and goals. Tom is very approachable, explains things in a detailed yet understandable way, and actively follows up with you between lessons to make sure you are on the right track. It is expensive but having worked with other coaches you really are getting what you pay for and with Tom and NCGA you are getting everything you need to transform your game to the next level. My only gripe, I wish it were closer to my house but with all the positives its worth the time and effort to get there. read more

I have been taking lessons from Curtis for about a year. Great instructor. He is always very positive and works with your strengths. Recently had a three day instruction on the golf course and it was so helpful. The classroom environment works on your technical skills while the course instruction helps you to understand situational golf shots. Both important skill sets. I also golfed at streamsong in Florida with Tom and Curtis. I took 4 clients and Tom and Curtis were great with helping each of us. If you are a beginner or looking to improve your game I highly recommend nor cal golf academy. read more

NorCal Golf Academy is nothing short but amazing. The facilities are fantastic, I've been golfing for a while and came in to work with Curtis Rhoads who helped me absolutely transform my swing! The ability to slow down and see your swing from every angle really helped me see what what going on to help me realize the coaching so much better, vs in the past someone just telling me what to do and I would think I was doing it without the results. Here it gives me perspective then we work on it and all of a sudden the ball is flying straight vs a terrible slice! Thank you Curtis for helping me straighten out my ball flight! The Best! read more

I love this place. Landed here when I started playing frequently again but wanted more consistency. Seven lessons and many many practice sessions later and I'm seeing the difference. What I love is a) the coaching. Hannah is amazing and can teach a similar concept 2-3 diff ways until it lands. Understand how to balance coaching/feedback with what you can absorb at the time. Because of this i haven't been super frustrated as I'd expect rebuilding my swing b) technology - seeing your swing be replayed. Checking the stats etc provides a great feedback loop that helps you balance with the feel "I hit it fat" mentality. Highly recommend for a low to high handicap. Big fan over here of what they do read more

Hannah Medlock changed my swing and my quality of life. When I went to NorCal Golf last month I was ready to give up playing golf. In just 3 lessons, Hannah fixed the fundamentals of my swing to the point where I'm having fun again. She is a great teacher. She has an easy way about her and a tremendous ability to break things down that are easy understandable. I assumed I was broken and had no hope of improving. She made it happen in less than a month. If you want to improve or even learn how to play golf, I couldn't imagine anyone better in the business to go to than Hannah Medlock! read more

Ian has been taking lessons from Tom for about 7 weeks now and you can see a dramatic difference in his game. Tom is great with kids, the facility is first class and oozes with technology. Great job Tom! read more

First session with Swedish LPGA Pro....awesome , Rebecka Heinmert was clear articulate and precise. Her protocols , and "state of the art" equipment truly added to experience . My next session soon. Stay tuned! Second golf instructional session with the LPGA pro... All and more than I was expecting. Great exercises to improve muscle and body conditioning for better swing mechanics results. Three D video most useful in exposing weaknesses . I have enough to work on until next session. Rebecka is a fine instructor, and likely great with young beginners . I am planning to send our 10 year old granddaughter to her. Re read more

NorCal Golf Academy is an excellent place to learn the game of golf with the help of their expert teaching Pros and the high tech video analysis setup. I've had occasional lessons on and off over the years but I leveled out as an inconsistent 80's-90's golfer and I wanted to go to the next level. I've been coming to NorCal for a few months now and while it hasn't always been the easiest journey (sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward), it's been fun and rewarding to start to see improvement translate from the lessons to the golf course. Special shout out to Hannah who is a wonderfully gifted teacher of the game who knows the mechanics of the swing inside and out but keeps things light and fun at the same time. I highly recommend this place to anyone that's willing to make a commitment to reaching their potential as a golfer! read more

Took a 90 minute player assessment with Tom. Honestly the best golf lesson I've ever had in the sense that he left me with things to work on for years. He put sensors on my club face and was able to give me objective data regarding my swing path, face angle, and impact zones. The technology alone in the place is something worth checking out just to get a sense about why your misses are the way they are. Tom himself was an extremely nice, professional man compared to many of the golf instructors I've had in the past. I've worked with a lot of pretenders to know that Tom was the real deal. I ended up getting an extra 30 yards on my 7 iron consistently with simple grip and downswing visuals provided by Tom. My launch and impact angles went down dramatically. My swing speed remained the same, he just altered my angle of attack with some new ideas. Unlike the same old swing tips that you commonly see regurgitated on IG. Thank you again Tom, had a blast. Check out my IG @amateurgolftips to see a little bit more of my lesson with Tom and the progress which occurred immediately after read more

Had my first lesson this evening with Gene Bakkum and loved it! Gene is patient, encouraging, professional, and able to draw from examples of everyday activities. The ability to see my own swing on camera and to learn what proper form should be is something I am going to build upon. I even received an e-mail summary of the balls that were hit tonight. Gene gave me some homework to do and I can't wait to impress him at our next lesson. read more

I came to Norcal 6 months ago pretty much a true beginner. I hooked up up Rebecka Heinmert and the instruction began. I was without a doubt the toughest student she has probably had to deal with. She managed to break down most of my inherent tendencies and get me to focus on proper technique. After many months on pounding into my thick head, she finally got through to me. Although I certainly have a ways to go before I take on Tiger, I have a wonderful basis to work from and plenty to think about while I continue to improve. She taught me thinks that I would have never considered. I take my hat off to Rebecka, who incidentally is a champion golfer in her own right. I will miss my weekly training session, as Rebecka has a personality that makes you feel wanted, important and most of all, gives you a "can do" attitude. If you go, ask for Rebecka. If you want to get on her soft side, bring ice cream. read more

For years, the golf swing was a mystery to me--I could never figure out how to consistently repeat whatever caused a good shot or to correct whatever caused a bad one. But the combination of Hannah's first-rate instruction and the technology at the NCGA has finally given me a clue. Hannah is a former LPGA player, so of course, she knows what a great golf swing is supposed to be. But she is excellent at analyzing a problematic golf swing like mine and explaining not only the proper mechanics but also what the correct swing moves should feel like. Hannah's use of video also showed me that what I thought I was doing in my swing really wasn't what was happening. I now understand better what a golf swing is supposed to look and feel like. As a result, I'm hitting it straighter and longer than ever before, and as a bonus, I no longer have the back and hip pain that a round of golf would cause. I'm also a big fan of the LAB putter that I bought at the NCGA. It has an unconventional look, but Hannah and Elliot gave me a fitting to make sure that I picked the putter with the right specs for me. The improved aim and the solid feel throughout the stroke have been a big confidence booster for me on the green. The NCGA is just a top-notch facility. Everyone is friendly and knowledgeable, and the technology can show you what you need to know about your swing. If you really want to improve your golf game, this is the place to go--and I highly recommend Hannah as an instructor. read more

NorCal is a golfers paradise. The facility has state of the art equipment including Foresight launch monitors for ball and clubhead performance analysis. The instruction is top notch. I see Hannah regularly and she has brought my handicap from a 8.3 to a 1.6 in about 6 months. She provides great insight using her own experiences from the LPGA tour and leveraging the technology to quickly provide feedback. When I go to practice, I am always greeted with smiles from Jack and Jenny. I highly encourage you to give NorCal a try. read more