Our family started taking lessons from O.J. 2 years ago after our daughters participated in O.J.’s Junior Golf Camp. They have since attended just about every golf camp that he has offered and we now plan our vacations during school breaks around them. At the time we started, my youngest daughter was 6 and my oldest 8 years old. We wanted to take lessons so that we could play together as a family while on vacation and on weekends for family time. O.J. has been fantastic with my daughters and not only has patience for all the kids but a wonderful, calm presence that not only encourages them but allows them to have a lot of fun. He has great skills games that he has the kids play during camp and junior clinics that my daughters love. During the end of golf camp party that he holds, I always see a bunch of smiling faces. He has not only fostered a great love of golf in my kids, but my husband has been bitten by the bug too. We have all learned so much and continue to learn a lot as we continue under O.J.’s instruction. I do not play as much as the rest of the family and we recently all played together. Let me just say that O.J. has done a most excellent job of teaching all the different rules of golf to my daughters. I was corrected many times by my daughters and I think they enjoyed it! I love watching how each of my daughters’ swings have evolved under O.J.’s instruction and he also has a swing analysis program that documents it wonderfully. Most recently, my youngest had her first birdie and she just wanted to keep playing. I took golf lessons 14 years ago and then quit because I wasn’t able to hit a ball off the ground without hitting it too thin. O.J. was able to analyze and correct my problem so that this is no longer an issue. Whether young or old, O.J. will do an excellent job in his instruction.
– Bertha Tulagan, Chula Vista, CA
We have made going to O.J. a family affair. My kids have gone to his Junior Golf Camps and I have taken group lessons from him. O.J. is professional, and approachable. He teaches you to respect and love the game as he does. He is patient and is very thorough in explaining things, especially to one who has never swung a club in her life. For me personally I have seen my game improve (my husband says so too!) and my kids are always looking forward to the next camp! He is always encouraging to all of us and stresses the importance of not only learning how to play golf but having fun out on the course too. My oldest is also participating in a monthly Golf League for Middle Schoolers and I have seen his game improve and confidence level rise. I love that we can golf as a family now. Thanks OJ!!
– Jocelyn Cancel, Spring Valley, CA
Ever since our eldest child, Noah, picked up a golf club at 2 years old, we noticed how much fun he had hitting balls in our backyard. So we waited until Noah was of the acceptable age to start O.J. Amaya’s golf camps at Eastlake Country Club. In mid-June 2009, Noah started his first lessons at the age of 6 by attending a 5 day golf camp. His youngest sister, Nalani, also developed an interest and joined him at age 5 the following fall of 2010. We have thoroughly enjoyed watching our kids quickly learn essential golf techniques and thrive in the fun, sociable, and creative atmosphere taught by a seasoned golf professional like O.J. Amaya. O.J. has a natural gift of teaching young learners of the game and truly understands how to draw out each player’s strengths for maximum learning. Camp after camp, we have seen significant improvement in our children’s golf swing, form and technique, both on simulated long and short games. We continue to seek his assistance in helping Noah and Nalani grow into great golfers and sportsmen (women). We appreciate and thank him for his time, patience, and generosity for our kids!
– Dr. & Mrs. Gallardo, Chula Vista, CA
I have known O.J. Amaya for over 7 years, ever since my son, Cal, attended one of O.J.’s Junior Golf Camps at Eastlake Country Club. At the camp, Cal learned the fundamentals of golf by participating in individual and team skill challenges. Cal has gone to many different camps during his elementary school years: zoo camp, aquatics camp, baseball camp, Balboa Park museum camps, as well as vacation Bible school. The only camp that Cal continued to ask to attend every session was O.J. Amaya’s Junior Golf Camp. His two sisters even started attending golf camp because of the fun Cal had at camp. O.J. is patient with the kids and teaches proper etiquette and safety while on the golf course. Cal has also taken private and group lessons with O.J. My son is now in middle school, but he has continued to work with O.J. through the PGA Junior League Golf and a middle school/high school league during the summer months that O.J. runs. My husband is thrilled that Cal has developed a love for golf, and the two of them have golfed all over the country during family vacations. My husband does not hesitate to take Cal to some of the nicest golf clubs in the country because Cal knows proper etiquette and rules of play on the course due to his lessons with O.J. I highly recommend O.J. Amaya as a golf instructor for children.
– Sue Johnson, Chula Vista, CA
I began taking lessons from O.J. 5 years ago and I have been maintaining a handicap for the past 3 years. I moved rapidly from a 36 to a 24 but I was stuck at 24 for the past year. I knew O.J. was a Henry Griffits clubfitter and had three HG irons made when I first started playing but I was reluctant to use them mostly because they were not name brand clubs. I had been “fitted” for Ping clubs and then TaylorMade clubs but my scores simply kept climbing. It took time for me to realize that my equipment wasn’t helping me. I decided to put myself in O.J’s hands as I did when I first took up the game. We filled out the rest of the HG irons, then was fitted for a putter and lastly a driver. In the past 2 months my handicap dropped from 24 to 19. My tee shots remain in play and I am dropping putts like never before. Instead of worrying if I’ll break 100 I am getting increasingly closer to breaking 90. O.J. continues to be my go-to instructor and now I am completely sold on Henry Griffits clubs. As a club fitter and instructor, O.J. has no peer.
– Dr. John Perri, Chula Vista, CA
O.J. Amaya has coached my son, Dylan, for 5 years. During that time O.J. has helped develop him into a golfer who has been medalist (low score) during his high school matches on several occasions. Dylan is consistently shooting in the low 40’s (for nine holes) and has recently broken 40 for the first time shooting a one-over par 37. We have relied on O.J.’s expertise in club-fitting to purchase the right equipment. It’s important to know that my son is using the equipment best suited for his swing and game. Coach Amaya is affordable and very flexible with his schedule, so my son can balance school, golf and family. OJ has helped give my son confidence which has carried over to his performance as an integral part of his high school team. I think it’s a classic sign of student and coach achieving their collective goal.
– Bob Sullivan, Chula Vista, CA
I would highly recommend using the golf instruction lessons of O.J. Amaya. He started working with my son, Jordan, in September and helped him make his high school golf team in February. What was astounding is that Jordan had never played golf before. Within the first 6 months, Jordan broke 90 and shot a 41 on the front nine. O.J. assisted in recommending a set of clubs that were custom fit for Jordan and his one-on-one lessons are very focused. As a parent I have been impressed with O.J’s professionalism and that he really cares about the success of his students.– Kimberlie Sonnenberg, Chula Vista, CA
Before I started taking lessons from O.J. Amaya, I shot in the high 90’s. Now I’m consistently shooting in the mid to low 80’s. My only 9-hole totals under 40 have been since I’ve been working with O.J.
O.J. has truly given me the confidence to enjoy playing golf. If you are serious about improving your game, I highly recommend taking lessons from O.J. You won’t regret it!!
– Rex Johnson, Chula Vista, CA
Before I started taking lessons with O.J. Amaya, I wasn’t hitting the ball very well and was shooting in the 50’s and 60’s for 9 holes. Since I began lessons a year ago, I have been hitting the ball more consistently and have been shooting in the low 40’s and occasionally in the high 30’s. I would recommend lessons from O.J. to anyone who wants to become a better golfer.
– Eduardo Acosta Jr, Chula Vista,CA
O.J. Amaya has been my son Armand’s golf instructor for 6 years, since he was 7 years old. He is an awesome instructor and is great with kids. He knows the nuances of the sport and teaches it well. My son has taken individual lessons, group lessons and camps all offered through O.J. All have helped Armand improve his golf game. I highly recommend O.J. to any parents who want their children to learn an awesome sport!!
– Bernardo Vasquez, Chula Vista, CA
When Brandon started with O.J. two years ago he was shooting in the high 60’s for nine holes. Today he has a beautiful swing, a genuine admiration from the fellow adult golfers he meets on the course and consistent scores in the 40s (and dropping). A twenty stroke IMPROVEMENT! But the real treasure is knowing that I have a sport that my son and I can always enjoy together well into my retirement. The best investment I ever made. Thank you O.J!
I have been taking lessons from O.J. for 2 years, and his instruction has greatly improved both my swing and my mental appraoch to the game. Before I met O.J, my swing was erratic and I was extremely tense. O.J. focuses on the basic components of the swing and insures that each component is mastered before proceeding to the next. I found this approach a great help in understanding and practicing the mechanics of the swing, which also builds confidence and reduces tension and anxiety. He is very patient and a great person to work with.
– Bill Gustafson, Bonita, CA
Coach Amaya worked with the middle school students for several months in the spring of 2006. Our students now have a great foundation of the fundamentals and a golf swing that will ensure them success on the course. The students consistently improved thru the semester, always eager to get new tips and techniques from Coach Amaya. I was really impressed with his patience and teaching skills. In addition, O.J. helped many of the students select the proper equipment for their golf game, which enabled them to shoot lower scores. O.J. Amaya has a real gift for working with children and adolescents on the golf course.
– Stacey Zoyiopolous, Varsity Golf Coach, Francis Parker School
I am a novice golfer and this summer I decided to work on my game and I chose to take lessons from O.J. Amaya. I have seen O.J. work with kids from Francis Parker and I saw how patient he was and how relaxed his students (ages 12-18) were. I have taken lessons before and I have often canceled after one or two sessions. From my experience, golf pros tended to be on the arrogant/intimidating side and to learn a sport from someone who makes you feel inept is not fun. After one lesson with O.J., I couldn’t wait to come back. He not only made me feel like I was capable of learning the complicated game of golf, he increased my interest and enthusiasm to improve my game. With every swing he provided accessible and clear instructions. His knowledge of the art of golf is unmatched. He sees what you’re doing and he instantly remedies any errors in the swinging/ hitting/ putting/ pitching process. With each lesson I felt good about myself (whereas I have never felt that way at any lesson before), I looked forward to the next lesson (I drove 45 minutes to learn form O.J.), and I knew what to work on in between lessons. I am currently seven months pregnant and I am taking a short break from my lessons, but once I am back to playing regularly I will be driving to Eastlake to meet with O.J. Amaya and pick up where I left off with my game. For the first time since playing golf I look forward to learning more and excelling on some level. O.J. is the only person I trust to get me to that point.
– Nancy Anderson, Girls JV Golf Coach, Francis Parker School
I’ve been taking lessons with O.J. Amaya since August. I must say my golf game was extremely frustrating. I could not dip below 100. After my fourth lesson I began seeing dramatic improvements in all aspects of my game. After my fifth lesson, I shot my personal best 92. I look forward to dipping into the 80’s soon, thanks to O.J.’s terrific coaching.
– Tom Connole, Chula Vista, CA
I’ve been holding off on writing this testimonial until I got about 10 rounds under my belt. Yesterday, I played at Eastlake and shot an 82!!!!! I had 6 chances at birdies on the front and made two birdies on the back nine!
I can’t thank O.J. Amaya enough for this improvement – all from custom fitting. I specifically sought out O.J. to fit me for Henry-Griffitts golf clubs because I had a half set of these clubs set up for me back in 1996. Looking at my last ten rounds, I’ve already cut 10 strokes off my average round so I’m averaging 84 over the last ten rounds
I don’t have a clue why people think they can take clubs off the rack and see the results I get from my clubs. The fitting process alone provides the immediate feedback you need to “dial in” the exact fit. Working with O.J. to make sure my lie angle is correct ensures that I get the sweet spot on the ball more frequently. I actually feel bad for folks who I’ve been paired up with because I see how frustrated they are with clubs that were clearly not fit to their swings.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have errant shots, but my mistakes now are far less penalized with clubs that fit. This was the first time I’ve ever used a fairway wood, and boy am I happy I made that decision. 3-wood off the tee often leaves me with a short iron into the green, which has made the game so much fun for me. I’m convinced that O.J. putting me in the graphite shaft on the 3-wood was the right decision. Also, the wedges (56, 60 and 64) are the most used irons in my bag, so that was another super idea from O.J. No longer do I have to guess on shots between 75-100 yards. I have the right clubs in my bag, custom fit to my body and swing and that confidence alone is producing the results I’d prayed for.
I’m O.J.’s biggest fan and will be telling everyone I know about Henry-Griffitts golf clubs and the benefit of clubs designed around the golfer!
– Nate Crawford, Chula Vista, CA
I have been playing golf for 20 years. At one point I was shooting in the low 80’s and an occasional high 70’s round. It has been many years since I was around those numbers. I was just trying to break 90 most of the time. After 8 sessions with O.J. and a lot of practice on my own, my last 2 rounds have been 82 and 79. O.J. helped me to find the correct clubs by fitting me for Henry-Griffitts clubs and also helped me with a few minor technical swing items. It is so much fun to play golf the way I know I am capable of. I would highly recommend O.J. as an instructor.
– Erickson Mike, CA
I started playing golf in February 2013. I would go to the range 2-3 times a week and play a round or two on the weekends. For a few months, my score would hover around 125-135. Going to the range, buying clubs and playing more rounds was not improving my score. I knew that I needed lessons in order to meet my goal of breaking 100 before the end of summer so I started working with O.J. After 3 lessons, I was able to break 50 for 9 holes. After 5 lessons, I reached my goal of breaking 100! I was amazed that I reached my goal in such a short time. Applying the techniques that I learned from O.J. drastically helped my game. I shaved 25+ strokes off my score within 2 months…unbelievable!
– Jesse Vermillo, Chula Vista, CA