Spring is the best time to try out golf programs at the Northbrook Park District

Having played miniature golf, Northbrook resident Elyse Hochberg figured that the actual sport of golf couldn’t be too different.

She was wrong — but in a good way, she said.

Elyse and her husband, David, took a “Get Golf Ready” class last year through the Northbrook Park District, followed by about a dozen private lessons with the same instructor, Northbrook Golf Academy PGA Teaching Professional John Lee.

“We wanted to do something that we could do socially. We did pickleball together at my suggestion, and it was fun. So, we decided to go with golf,” Elaine said. “I had never played, but I played miniature golf. I thought, ‘It can’t be that different!’ But I learned quickly it’s very different. It’s much harder, but it’s also fun. I enjoyed it.”

Elaine now has her own set of purple entry level clubs. She plans to start individual lessons again in the spring and is looking forward to continuing to improve her game, she said.

The Northbrook Park District offers golf instruction for children and adults through its Northbrook Golf Academy, led by PGA Director of Golf Instruction Michael Wenzel.

An award-winning instructor with 24 years of teaching experience, Wenzel was recognized by Golf Range Association of America as a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional from 2022 to 2025.

Trial and error is the best way for players to learn the game, he says.

“You have to figure out what is the most important thing to focus on, and work on that. Once you have mastered that, you move on to the next most important thing. And so on,” he said. “That’s how you achieve true success. You have to keep it simple and always maintain a positive attitude.”

A major component of the Northbrook Golf Academy is the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf program for ages 7 to 16, run by Teaching Professional Cindy Lee-Pridgen, who is currently working towards becoming a Class A LPGA Professional. She has passed levels I and II, and expects to pass the final level III in May.

Golf is not just a physical sport, Lee-Pridgen said. It’s also about empowering, engaging, energizing, exercising and enriching girls’ lives, which LPGA Golf dubs “the five Es.”

“I try to create an environment where the girls are comfortable with each other, and help them build their confidence and empower them to be their own person,” she said, adding her love of golf stemmed from her mother, who played in women’s events and took her to the golf course as a child.

Girls new to golf can take part in the Northbrook Golf Academy’s LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Experience Day, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 in the gym at Greenbriar School. Golf clubs will be provided, along with free swag.

“We are doing this so girls can discover the golf experience,” Lee-Pridgen said. “They can drop in and try out all the different aspects of golf. They can practice their full swing, chipping and putting, and get a feel for the game. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Northbrook Park District golf programs include:

• Classes for children ages 3 to 14
• LPGA Girls’ Golf for ages 7 to 16
• NGA Youth Golf Travel League (two practices per week and five Saturday tournaments)
• PGA Jr. League for ages 7 to 14 (practice on Friday afternoon and matches on Saturday at Anetsberger and Heritage Oak beginning May 29 and 30)
• NGA Teen 9-Hole League (practice and games on Sunday afternoon)
• Get Golf Ready: Level 1 (Learn to Play) group clinic for adults
• Get Golf Ready: Level 2 (Play with Confidence) group clinic for adults
• Get Golf Ready: Level 3 (Shoot Lower Scores) group clinic for adults
• Get Golf Ready recreational league for men and women
• Private lessons for all ages through Northbrook Golf Academy

Classes and programs take place at the Park District’s two public golf courses: Heritage Oaks Golf Club, 3535 Dundee Road, and Anetsberger Golf Course, 1750 Techny Road.

For more information and to register, visit nbparks.org/programs/golf.

Established in 1927, the mission of the Northbrook Park District is to enhance the community by providing outstanding services, parks and facilities through environmental, social and financial stewardship.