Orlando, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2015) – Brech Spradley, the owner and director of instruction of the Barton Creek Golf Academy in Austin, Texas, has been named one of the inaugural instructors of the newly formed Golf Channel Academy, which is to begin programs at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa.  Spradley is among the first 30 of the game’s most influential and recognizable teachers coming together to establish a dedicated network of instruction facilities with the active support of the Golf Channel, the game’s leading global multimedia and golf entertainment source.  “I’m very excited to collaborate with some of finest instructors in the industry through the new Golf Channel Academy,” said Spradley, who is well-known and respected for his work with elite junior and college golfers. “This is a chance for golf instructors to work together and adopt best practices in golf instruction and share ideas about running a successful Academy.”

Golf Channel Academy programs in Austin will feature Spradley and his staff of PGA teaching professionals: Barbara Puett, a winner of multiple Texas championships, author, and Harvey Penick protégé; Garry Rippy, who has more than 40 years of teaching and competitive golf experience; Dr. Erik Gnagy, PhD, who specializes in the mental game and sports performance; and Joey Schalk, who has an extensive competitive background and is an instructor for the Academy junior programs.  Golf Channel Academy is the first network of its kind devoted to efficiently growing the business of golf instruction. With 30 charter locations already committed, Golf Channel Academy will be inviting additional coaches to become part of the network as it officially launches in April 2015.

These coaches will benefit from a wide-spectrum of business consulting services and products addressing marketing, sales, technology and back-office solutions needs, as well as shared best practices across the network. Coaches also will have the opportunity to appear on instructional programming across Golf Channel’s television and digital platforms. Students at Golf Channel Academy locations will be able to track their progress using advanced software to measure specific goals under the direction of their personal coach.  “Golf Channel Academy will align the top coaches from across the country to run their business within a robust, collaborative operation,” said Todd Wilson, CEO of Golf Channel Academy. “Our members will have a unique opportunity to tap into best practices and proprietary data that will assist each member instructor and academy operation to grow their business while operating under one unified brand.”

A Class A PGA Member, Spradley is the former Lead Instructor at the Chuck Cook Golf Academy. Cook is revered as one of the top instructors in the game today, ranking No. 5 on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 50 Best Teachers.  Spradley has been nominated multiple times for Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers list, and currently ranks 17th in the state of Texas in Golf Digest’s Best in State rankings.  Spradley’s junior students have gone on to earn scholarships at such topflight programs as Wake Forest, Texas, Arizona, and Texas Tech. His students have been ranked as high as No. 1 and 2 in the state of Texas, as well as Top 10 in the country in the AJGA Polo Rankings.

Spradley’s expertise is in the full swing and short game, but he’s been teaching all aspects of the game, including the mental game and golf fitness, for 21 years now. His instructor certifications include: GolfPsych, FlightScope, Golfing Machine, K-VEST, SAM PuttLab, TPI Golf Fitness, and AimPoint Express Green Reading.

For more information, please visit www.bartoncreekgolfacademy.com. Contact Spradley at [email protected], (512) 301-1054 and @golf_pro

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Karen Moraghan

Hunter Public Relations

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