Hitters SportsPlex Golf Instruction

Hitters SportsPlex offers Winter golf instruction in our fully indoor driving range.  Our instructors include Jim Schuman and Brian Brodell, coaches of the UW-Madison Men's Golf Team.  Hitters offers individual and group instruction, clinics for all ages, and half-day, full-day, and multi-day corporate golf sessions.
Our instructors use the latest in swing coaching technology and methods, including video analysis software.  Call Hitters to find out more or to schedule an instruction session that will lower your score in 2009.
See below for instructor bios and pricing information.

Instructors and Pricing

Jim Schuman
Jim Schuman is familiar name in golf around the state and nationally.  A noted teacher and competitor, Jim is the Men's Golf Coach for the Badgers at UW-Madison and swing coach for PGA Tour Pro Jerry Kelly.  Schuman also served as head of instruction at the Rick Smith Golf Academy in Naples, Fla. The world-renowned academy is known for its teaching techniques and is a regular stop for many of the world's top PGA and LPGA professionals, including Phil Mickelson and Jerry Kelly.

As the University of Wisconsin Men's Golf Coach, Jim Schuman has brought the Badger program back into national prominence. UW has qualified for the NCAA regional tournament in each of the last two seasons, the first time the school has made consecutive regional appearances since 1990-92.

Schuman is a two-time winner of the Wisconsin State Open (1996 and 1999) and was the Wisconsin PGA Player of the Year in both 2001 and 2002. Beyond the state open titles, Schuman also won the 2001 and 2002 Stroke Play and Match Play state events. His fellow state professionals named him the 2003 and 2005 PGA Teacher of the Year. He continues to remain active on the competitive golf circuit and qualified for the 2008 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.

Schuman held All-American status in 1986 while at the University of Florida, and was an All-SEC choice in 1985 while playing on the Gator's 1985 SEC championship team. His season average of 72.7 strokes in 1986 is tied for the 13th-best (with current PGA Tour pro Pat Bates) season in Florida history. Schuman also received the 1986 Buster Bishop Award at Florida for golf achievement and academic excellence.

Schuman joined the Australian PGA Tour one year, and later played on the Nike and Ben Hogan Tours from 1990-94.  After receiving membership in the PGA of America in 1993, Schuman continued to compete and won the prestigious National Assistants Championship in 1996 and 1997. He is the only player to have won that national championship in back-to-back seasons.

• Wisconsin Assistant's Player of the Year (1995, 1996, 1997)
• Two-time WISAA state high school champion (1980, 1981)
• NCAA Division I All-American honors in 1986 (University of Florida)
• All-SEC honors in 1985 (University of Florida)
• University of Florida Buster Bishop Award for Golf Achievement and Academic Excellence in 1986

PGA Tour Experience

• Joined the Australian PGA Tour 1988-89
• Played on the PGA Nike Tour from 1990-94
• Earned PGA membership in 1993
• PGA Championship participant 1998
• PGA Western Open participant 1992
• 7 time PGA GMO participant
• 3 time PGA U.S. Bank Championship participant

Professional Experience

• Head Golf Professional/Director of Instruction, Hawks Landing Golf Club, Madison, Wis. (2000-2003)
• Director of Instruction, Rick Smith Golf Academy at Tiburon, Naples, Fla. (1998-2000)
• Instructor, Rick Smith Golf Academy at Treetops, Gaylord, Mich. (1998)
• Assistant Golf Professional, Maple Bluff Country Club, Madison, Wis. (1996-1998)
• Assistant Golf Professional, Northwood Golf Course, Rhinelander, Wis. (1995)

Affiliations

• PGA of America Member (Class A) since 1997
• National Presidential Advisory Board Member, Taylor Made/adidas Golf Worldwide since 2000
• Ford Motor Company Corporate Outing Instructor since 1999

For scheduling and information regarding group, corporate, half-day, full-day &multiple day instruction, please contact Nancy at 608-848-1962.

Brian Brodell
Brian Brodell is Assistant Men's Golf Coach for the UW Badgers. Brodell competed for the Badgers in 2001-05, graduating in December 2005 with a degree in political science. While in high school, Brian was named the 1999 High School Player of the Year and the 2000 PGA Junior Player of the Year.

During his time as a Badger, he won the Wisconsin State Amateur Tournament in 2003. After his four years of eligibility, the Hortonville, Wis. native turned professional and has amassed numerous top five finishes in various tournaments. He finished 11th at the 2007 Wisconsin State Open and has qualified for the National Assistants Tournament in 2006 and 2007.

Prior to coming back to coach at Wisconsin, Brodell worked at Butte Des Morts Country Club in Appleton, Wis. where his father is also a teaching professional. Brian is available for individual instruction, small group instruction, and clinics at Hitters SportsPlex.