News: Eric Jones Launches Golf Academy

For Immediate Release Maureen McInaney (415) 370-7542
January 16, 2006
World Long-Drive Champion to Launch Golf School
At Poppy Ridge Driving Range
Poppy Ridge announced today that it has expanded its golf instruction capabilities
through its agreement with Eric Jones, Senior World Long Drive Champion. Jones
will provide instruction, develop golf school curriculum, conduct clinics, stage
exhibitions and host other instructional activities at the Poppy Ridge Golf Course
Driving Range.
Jones, who won the 2003 RE/MAX Senior World Long Drive Championship and was
the 2004 Long Drivers of America (LDA) Tour Rookie of the Year, played college
golf at Stanford University and was an assistant coach there in the early 1990s. He
has been providing golf instruction since 1992 and is completing a Master’s degree in
Sports Psychology a JFK University.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Eric’s caliberproviding a range of services at
Poppy Ridge’s driving range,” said general manager and PGA memberBob Higgins.
“This enables us to provide even more services to our NCGA members and guests
and gives golfers of all levels another reason to visit our facility.”
Jones will work from the range to provide:
• Daily instruction
• Specialized multi-day instruction (including specialized instruction from some
of the nation’s best instructors and sports psychologists) for all handicap
ranges, juniors, women, tournament players and beginners.
• Corporate programs and executive outings
• Clinics and exhibitions
• Video and swing analysis services
• Club fitting and repair
“One of Eric’s strengths is his ability to combine swing mechanics and course
management with his training in sports psychology,” said BradBraden, head
professional at Poppy Ridge Golf Course and PGA member. “This unique blend of
skills enables Eric to pull from a variety of sources to help students improve their
game. When you add his enthusiasm and passion for teaching you can understand
why students really enjoy working with him.”
“This is a fantastic facility and I’m honored to be affiliatedwith Poppy Ridge and the
NCGA.” said Jones. “This is one of the very few facilities where students can
practice on a grass range and then take what they learn right out onto a top-notch
course. That’s a huge advantagefor students, and I am looking forward to helping
Poppy Ridge turn their vision of the creation of a superior learning environment into a
reality.”
Jones will be developing instruction for The Seaver Golf Academy at Poppy Ridge
Driving Range — named for the Charlie Seaver, past president of the Northern
California Golf Association (NCGA). Seaver was Jones’sgrandfather and mentor and
one of the finest amateur golfers in the country in the 1930s. He was a member of the
1932 Walker Cup team, medalist at the 1931 United States Amateur Championship
and is one of only two players in to hold the Northern, Southern, and California State
Championship titles simultaneously. This past October the NCGA dedicated the entry
hall of its newly remodeled corporate headquarters in Pebble Beach to the memory of
Mr. Seaver.
Poppy Ridge Golf Course (opened in 1996) is the second NCGA Member Course
(the first is Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach, CA). Located in the wine country of
Livermore, the 27-hole Scottish Heathland course consists of three nines aptly named
Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot. Rees Jones, 1995 Golf Digest Architect of the
Year compares the design and playability to Scottish links courses. Visit
www.poppyridge.com to learn more and to take a virtual tour of the course.
The Northern California Golf Association was formed 104 years ago and has grown
to an association consisting of 400 regular clubs and more than 850 associate clubs
with a total membership approaching 180,000 members. Today members spread from
the Oregon border to central California and east into Nevada allowing the NCGA to
become one of the largest regional golf associations in the world. The NCGA’s
mission is to support and promote the game of golf in northern California and to
enhance the knowledge, enjoyment and participation of NCGA members.
###