ZSTRICT Golf Academy

Ben Mackey is the General Manager and resident PGA professional at ZSTRICT. In addition to opening and running GOLFZON’s flagship simulator facility, Ben has also worked at a multitude of green grass facilities. Most recently as Director of Golf for Middlesex county with Indigo Golf Partners. He was also the Head Golf Professional at The Golf Club at Oxford Greens in Oxford CT.

Ben is a graduate of Ferris State University as a PGA Professional with a business degree. Ben will bring a unique skillset to the Leadbetter Academy and provide a wealth of knowledge in the golf swing and simulator technology.

Ben believes that there is not a “One size fits all” method for the golf swing, and each player is unique. The goal is to identify what works well for the particular student, and build upon that foundation creating a fundamentally sound swing. From highly skilled, to novice golfers, Ben can help to take your swing to the next level.

Alexis Hios is an Assistant Golf Professional at Woodway Country Club in Darien, CT. She manages the Ladies 18 and 9 hole Associations in addition to teaching individual lessons, clinics and tournament operations. Her love of golf has allowed her to share her passion with others. Alexis has been involved with Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association helping grow the game of women’s golf, as well as, assisting with the WMGA’s Girls to the Tee.

She grew up in Rye, NY playing golf and competing on the national stage. A competitor by nature, her love of the game included playing as a starter all four seasons as a Division I golfer on the Towson University Women’s Golf Team. Her passion continued and she is now in the PGA Program and working as an Assistant Golf Professional. Alexis’s competitive record includes most recently a Top 10 finish in the Maryland Women’s Open Professional Division. She was selected for the 2021 MGA Carey Cup Team, 2021 USGA Women’s Amateur Four Ball Qualifier Medalist, 2021 WMGA Player of the Year, 2021 and 2019 Lann Trophy Winner for lowest round of the season, and 2020 Low Amateur at the Lincoln Women’s Met Open.

Gary Murphy is a PGA Golf Professional who was born and raised in Westchester, New York. He graduated from Villanova University in 1987 with a BA in Economics and a minor in Political Science. In 1992, Gary was elected to membership in the PGA and has served on Metropolitan PGA Membership and Tournament Committees.

In 1997, he attended the PGA/USGA Rules Workshop and was the winner of the National PGA Senior Junior Championship in 2001. He was also a Low Professional 2006 and 2008 Mitch Pro Am, Low Professional 2011 Great River Pro Am, Low Round 62 at the Concord International course and a medalist of Westchester PGA Qualifying 65 at Rolling Hills County Club in Wilton, CT.

Gary Worked at Lake Isle Country Club and Wykagyl Country Club prior to joining the staff at Innis Arden in 1994, and was hired as Head Golf Professional in 1997 and is now teaching at Golfzon Social at Chelsea Piers Stamford.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
It is important to understand how to learn the game of golf whether you are just starting out or a seasoned player. When the opportunity arises to teach a total beginner it is like starting with a blank canvas. The player has no bad habits or misconceptions of how to swing or how to play different shots so lessons can begin right away with learning. When an experienced player takes a lesson, we have to go back to the player’s history and evaluate their history and knowledge to ensure they have the correct fundamentals and concepts. I follow a six step approach to teaching the game of golf which includes fundamentals of the setup, motion of the swing, technique to pitch/punch the golf ball, how to chip and putt, bunker plays, and how to really “play the game”. If you try to learn the game in this order you will have the most success!