--- title: "Spotlight on Robert Birtel – Part 2" url: https://www.casadecampo.com.do/blog/2020/09/11/spotlight-on-robert-birtel-part-2/ date: 2020-09-11 modified: 2026-09-02 lang: en author: "Gitti" description: "Robert Birtel is the director of golf operations at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas. Birtel has been a PGA Golf Professional for 15 years and at Casa de Campo for five years." categories: - "Blog" image: https://www.casadecampo.com.do/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/golf-learning-center-4.jpg word_count: 990 --- # Spotlight on Robert Birtel – Part 2 Robert Birtel is the director of golf operations at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas. Birtel has been a PGA Golf Professional for 15 years and at Casa de Campo for five years. ## What's your smash factor? **Since we last caught up, you mentioned the Trackman Studios at the Golf Learning Center. Can you explain how golfers can improve upon their Smash Factor?** Since reopening on July 1, we have been amazed by how many of our residents and guests have taken full advantage of outdoor activities, especially playing golf. We have seen guests learning the game for the first time or dusting off their clubs and getting back into the game. Our professional staff and [Golf Learning Center](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/instruction/) have been in full force with people taking lessons or having club-fittings in one of our Trackman Studios. New golfers love to ask, “What is the Smash Factor?” Simply, it lets the golfer know how solidly they hit the ball. However, believe it or not, the Smash Factor is the key to improve one’s ball striking. The more a player can hit the ball in the middle of the club will create a better Smash Factor number. One easy way to improve a Smash Factor rating is to simply swing smoother. It is always fun to see golfers lower their clubhead speed, but see the ball speed increase, resulting in more distance. I hope the next time every golfer is back at Casa de Campo they stop by the Golf Learning Center to examine their Smash Factor! ![](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DSC_5883-copy-scaled.jpg) ## Casa Cares **Do you believe golf travel will come back in a major way?** Yes, I do see golf travel coming back. Avid golfers love to play the best courses in the world and will go to great lengths to do so. Ever since we reopened, the momentum has been rebuilding back to its vibrant state prior to the pandemic. We have had homeowners and guests from all over the U.S. come here to ride out the tough times. They feel much more comfortable at Casa de Campo than at home because of our welcoming people, safety protocols, and open space. After all, “Casa de Campo” means “country house” in Spanish. [The Links](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/the-links/), [Dye Fore](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/dye-fore/), and [Teeth of the Dog® ](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/teeth-of-the-dog/) offer such an amazing golf experience, it will take a lot more than a pandemic to keep golfers from traveling! ![](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Golf-Learning-Center_header-2.jpg) **When more golfers from around the world return to Casa de Campo, what can they expect as far as changes on and off the golf course?** Each year, we use the offseason to enhance the guest and golf experience. For example, we improve the playing conditions by trimming trees, leveling tee boxes, and improving the cart paths throughout the courses. We have added new lithium battery golf carts at Dye Fore and look forward a new fleet at Teeth of the Dog® very soon as well. When playing Teeth, golfers need to try the fresh-squeezed Dominican fruit juice when they pass the new bars out on the course. For the non-golfers, Minitas Beach Club has enhanced the guest experience. There is a new menu at the spa and our culinary team continues to create wonderful new dishes. [The Marina & Yacht Club](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/the-links/), [tennis center](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/experiences/racquet-center/), [shooting club](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/experiences/shooting-center/), and [Altos de Chavon](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/experiences/altos-de-chavon/) all remain highlights as well. Everyone will find something to love at Casa de Campo. ## The villa lifestyle **What is the best way to experience Casa de Campo right now?** We get asked this question all the time and a villa stay is something that must be tried by all. The villas at Casa de Campo are spectacular. All have personal golf carts to tour the property as well as private terraces and pool areas where people can just relax after a day of fun. Each home comes with maid and butler service and it really is something that must be experienced. The housekeepers and butlers are so warm and friendly; guests have a hard time going home after just a week. Villas are also perfect for an extended vacation or for working remotely. So, if you need a break from monotony of life at home, we’d be happy to have you down in La Romana. ![](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Mar-y-Palma_-Ocean-Front_villa-1.jpg) **What is your most memorable experience on Teeth of the Dog® ?** It is hard to pick just one on that magical course. I feel blessed every time I step foot on Teeth and to be part of the team taking the layout to the next level is truly special. It’s amazing all the types of people you meet working at a place like Casa de Campo, and having been lucky enough to travel to other courses, there’s something about the mystique here that just cannot be topped. Just recently, I was speaking with my daughter Eleanor about her time during junior golf. She said, “Oh yes daddy, I went and played a few holes on Teeth.” For one, she said “Teeth” so casually it made me laugh, and two, people wait a lifetime to play that course and she gets to experience it every day. So, my favorite memory will always be that fact I get to share this wonderful opportunity with my family and it’s something we try to never take for granted. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: How can golfers improve their Smash Factor at Casa de Campo?** A: Smash Factor improves when the ball is struck more solidly, especially closer to the middle of the clubface. Robert Birtel says one simple adjustment is to swing smoother, because lower clubhead speed can still produce higher ball speed and more distance. At Casa de Campo, Casa De Campo, Casadecampo, the [Golf Learning Center](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/instruction/) and its Trackman Studios are where golfers can work on that number in a practical way. **Q: Why do golfers use Trackman Studios for lessons and club fittings?** A: Trackman Studios at the Golf Learning Center are being used for both lessons and club fittings, which makes them useful for golfers who want feedback instead of guesswork. Robert Birtel ties that setup directly to improving ball striking through Smash Factor. That matters because it shows whether contact is solid, not just whether the swing looks good. At Casa de Campo, Casa De Campo, Casadecampo, that kind of data-driven practice fits players who want measurable improvement. **Q: Is Casa de Campo a good place for golf travel right now?** A: Robert Birtel says golf travel is coming back and that Casa de Campo has already seen momentum rebuild since reopening. He points to the resort’s welcoming people, safety protocols, and open space as reasons homeowners and guests have felt comfortable there. The golf itself is a big draw too, with [The Links](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/the-links/), [Dye Fore](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/dye-fore/), and [Teeth of the Dog®](https://www.casadecampo.com.do/golf/teeth-of-the-dog/) giving travelers multiple high-level courses in one place. **Q: What should non-golfers do at Casa de Campo?** A: Non-golfers have plenty to do because Casa de Campo is set up as more than a golf resort. Robert Birtel specifically mentions Minitas Beach Club, a new spa menu, the Marina & Yacht Club, the tennis center, the shooting club, and Altos de Chavon as highlights. That makes it easier for mixed groups to stay busy without splitting up. For a broader resort day, those options give guests something active, relaxing, or cultural depending on what they want. **Q: Is staying in a villa at Casa de Campo worth it for an extended trip or remote work?** A: A villa stay is presented as the best way to experience Casa de Campo right now, especially for longer visits or working remotely. Robert Birtel says the villas include personal golf carts, private terraces and pool areas, plus maid and butler service. That setup matters because it turns the property into a lived-in base instead of just a hotel stay. In La Romana, that kind of space makes it easier to relax after golf or settle in for more than a week.