Group Surf Lessons
2-HOUR BEGINNER CLASSES
Monday-Saturday at: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm
INTRODUCTORY BEGINNER GROUP LESSONS
Our introductory lesson focuses on giving the beginner surfer an easy approach focused on safety, fundamentals, and ocean-awareness. Goofy Foot’s lessons are based on easily learned instructions for paddling, navigating the surf zone, timing and catching waves, four fundamental surf stances, board maneuvering, stopping, and even wiping out. Goofy Foot will provide patient professional instruction, excellent equipment, and the best waves possible for learning. Upon graduation, students are awarded a Beginner Surfer Diploma and a Goofy Foot Surf School sticker. We keep it low-pressure, safe and fun!
Beginner group lessons are available to virtually everyone, and there are very few limitations when considering the age (must be 9 yrs of age or older to join a Group Lesson, otherwise Private lessons are required), weight, height, or swimming ability of the potential surfing student. Prior ocean experience is not necessary. Group classes are small in size, no more than 5 students per Instructor. Guaranteed!
You will stand and ride a wave in one lesson or it’s on US!
1-Person
$95
2-Person
$180
3-Person
$265
4-Person
$350
5-Person
$435
How It Works
As a first step in their beginner group lesson, our students are outfitted with modern soft longboards, surfing booties, and a protective lycra t-shirt. Next we proceed to the beach, where the first half hour or so of your lesson is taught on the sand and in the flat water. The rest of your time is spent surfing in the warm water. Students are supervised and coached at all times!
Whether you’re interested in learning to surf for the once in a lifetime experience or you’re a sincere “wanna-be surfer”, a 2-hour beginner introductory lesson is all it takes to learn the basic fundamentals of surfing and ride waves. We guarantee that you will stand and ride at least one wave in your first 2-hour lesson or it’s free!
The Beach Lessons
Through years of experience, we know a good beach lesson almost always translates into a good water lesson. Easily over 30% of our students stand up on their first wave.The first half-hour of the beginner lesson is spent on the beautiful beach and in warm waters of the reef-protected lagoon out in front of our shop in Lahaina. The surf break is a short paddle or walk from there. On the beach, students learn and practice Goofy Foot’s easy approach to learning to surf that is based on four fundamental stances and introduces easy methods for paddling, navigating the surf zone, timing and catching waves, standing up, board maneuvering, stopping, and even wiping out.
As safety is paramount, our instructors instill in students the concepts of “360 degrees of awareness” and “constant anticipation” which are vital to safe participation in surfing. The beach lesson also gives students and instructors time to develop a rapport and a chance to go over rules of the road, our coaching voice and hand signals, and any questions before their surfing session.
The Water Lesson
After their initial half hour of training, students spend the remainder of their time surfing with their instructor and are professionally coached and supervised at all times. At the beginning of the day the primary instructor sets a buoy near to the surf break that students use as a reference point for navigation and to mark the resting area. The instructor paddles with students to the buoy and instructs them on maintaining their position in a moving body of water. At that point the students work on a rotation with one or two students paddling over to their instructor to prepare to catch their first wave. Students begin in small surf and progress according to their own abilities.
After their ride they are instructed to paddle back to the rest area to await their next turn. Surfing and paddling in this method helps orientate students to any ocean currents and to the surf zone. The instructor is responsible for every aspect of maintaining this rotation with students until each student displays a sufficient grasp of the basics and feels comfortable in the waves. At this point, with instructor approval, students are given more freedom to surf on their own and the instructor continues to facilitate students throughout the duration of the lesson. The goal of the instructors is to divide time evenly among all students and to ensure that everyone stays safe and gets at least one successful ride standing. The large majority get a great many successful rides.
Surfer Graduation
At the end of the lesson the instructor remains in the water until students have made their way to the beach. Students are awarded Beginner Surfer Diplomas and an opportunity to put their thoughts on surfing in our logbook. Students are informed about opportunities for continuation lessons, mentor programs, day camps, surf safaris, rentals, and other positive stuff like our Goofy Foot logo wear!
Our Surf Instructors
Goofy Foot instructors are highly trained and experienced professionals who love what they do. Since 1994 we have successfully taught approximately 100,000 surfing students! We are thorough with fundamentals, awareness, and safety. All instructors are First Aid / CPR and CORA certified.