Las Vegas' Harmon School of Golf Incubator for Vegas, International Talent

January 10, 2008--Las Vegas is known for many things, but maybe not chief among them is "Breeding ground for the world's best golfers." But these days, you can safely make the claim that maybe this international golf destination is where the best of the best are being groomed to dominate the world's biggest golf stages. And much of that is happening at the Butch Harmon School of Golf, located at Las Vegas golf course Rio Secco Golf Club. Just a few of the names that currently hone their swings there include Natalie Gulbis, Adam Scott, Craig Stadler, Phil Mickelson (pictured), Charley Hoffman, Nick Watney and many more.

You never know who you will see at the Harmon School of Golf, that is located in a separate facility at the backend of the Rio Secco Golf Club driving range. At the facility there are climate-controlled hitting bays complete with state-of-the-art video systems, practice greens, tee stations, bunkers, short game areas and everything else that the world's best need to sharpen their skills. Rio Secco Golf Club is one of two Las Vegas golf courses designed by the legendary Rees Jones. Las Vegas golf course Cascata, a sister course to Rio Secco, is the other.

Or for that matter, you to sharpen your skills. Anyone can sign up for Las Vegas golf lessons or comprehensive golf instruction at the school.

Butch Harmon founded the school in the late 1990's, and his star pupil at the time was Tiger Woods who spent a lot of time at the school and on the greens and fairways of Rio Secco Golf Club. Harmon and Tiger split a few years ago, but Harmon has continued to be recognized as the world's best teaching pro. In a poll of his peers recently released in Golf Digest, Harmon was ranked number one. Last year, Mickelson and Harmon formed a working partnership, with the big lefty commenting that the reason he went with Harmon was because Harmon had helped two other players (Greg Norman, Woods) bring out their very best.

"Butch is one of the very best teachers in the world," said Mickelson. "He's helped two players rise to number one in the game and I'm fortunate that he has agreed to spend time working with me on my game."

But what is currently happening at the Harmon School is that other teaching staff are stepping up and working with pros who are winning on the tours, and the talent pool is deepening.

Last January, former UNLV Rebel golfer and Las Vegas resident Charley Hoffman won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, his first PGA Tour win, and he credited help from Harmon pro Shawn Callahan. Callahan also works with Inbee Park and In-ah Park, two Las Vegas residents. Inbee finished 37th on the LPGA Tour in 2007, her rookie season. Her sister is an accomplished amateur player looking to play professionally in the near future.

Other teaching professionals on the Harmon staff include Greg Labelle (Corey Pavin, Kim Saiki, etc.), Nick Helwig (Hank Kuehne), Don Callahan, Matt Kilgariff and Jeff Wood.

In addition to the list of current superstars who work out at the Harmon School of Golf, Callahan comments that there are several other young players who are on the cusp of making big names for themselves.

Won Joon Lee finished second in the Australian Open, made the cut at the US Open, and according to Callahan "hits it farther than Nick Watney" practices at the Harmon School. Callahan says Lee is an Aussie, but is Korean by nationality.

Also, Seung-su Han, a member of the UNLV Rebel mens golf team and who successfully made it to the final stages of PGA Tour Q School, Mina Harigae, a four-time California Womens Amateur Champion (2001-04--at age 12 she won her first), and James Drew, who plays the Butch Harmon Vegas Tour, all use the school and its pros.

Other notable pros are Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, Ben Crane, Steve Flesch, Greg Kraft, Jose-Maria Olazabal and many more.

Las Vegas may be the Entertainment Capital of the World, but we could easily be called the Golf Talent Capital of the World, too.

PHOTO: pgatour.com