Rich is an elite performance coach for athletes including current top golf professionals on the PGA, LIV, LPGA and Korn Ferry Tours, as well as junior, college players and athletes in other sports.
2025 Northern California
PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year
Rich’s approach to performance coaching is built on pillars of comprehensive fundamental psychological training and experience—both clinical and practical—coupled with a depth of understanding in competitive athletic excellence and a comprehensive knowledge and experience of modern instruction and coaching techniques. He views the combination of these disciplines to be the hallmark of world class performance coaching.
Six Elite Performance Coaching Pillars
- Depth of understanding of athletic excellence as an athlete — #1 ranked junior golfer in the US, USGA Junior Amateur Champion, captain of the Stanford University golf team, professional player
- Extensive experience in modern coaching and instruction — National Director of Instruction for Nike Golf Schools, Director of Instruction and owner of Pure Golf Academy, Head Instructor for Hank Haney, and Instructor for TPI in Europe and the US
- Player Development — Coached, developed and built over years the golf games of many hundreds of junior golfers to compete as juniors, earn scholarships to play in college and play professionally
- Collaboration at the Highest Level— Rich currently works with Julie Elion, of CAPE Performance, who has been a top mental performance coach in professional golf for over 25 years
- Advanced Training — A master’s degree in Depth Psychotherapy and comprehensive clinical training
- Meditation and mindfulness expertise — Traveled the world as the assistant of a top meditation trainer and educator
Background / Career
- U.S. Junior Amateur Champion
- #1 ranked Junior Golfer in the U.S.
- AJGA First Team All-American, Vice President and player representative on the board
- Junior World Cup, U.S. team member
- Stanford University Men’s Golf Team, Captain & full scholarship athlete
- Played professionally, worked with Jackie Burke Jr.
Instructor and Coaching Roles
- National Director of Instruction, Nike Golf Schools & Camps
- Director, Nike Junior Golf Camps at Pebble Beach
- Head Instructor for Hank Haney
- Guest instructor on Golf Channel “Golf Academy Live”
- Assistant Men’s Golf Coach, UC Berkeley
- Director of Instruction and owner of Pure Golf Academy
- Instructor for TPI in Europe and the US
Mental Performance Coach
- Work with Julie Elion (CAPE Performance, Netflix “Full Swing” S2) long-time coach to top PGA & LPGA Tour winners
Education
- Stanford University — BA English Literature
- Pacifica Graduate Institute — MA Depth Psychotherapy
- CIIS Psychological Services Center — Psychotherapy practicum
- Traveled globally as assistant to top meditation trainer and educator
- PGA “Class A” Professional
- TPI Certified: Golf 3, Junior 3, Power 3, Fitness 3
© 2025
Education
- Stanford University — BA English Literature
- Pacifica Graduate Institute — MA Depth Psychotherapy
- CIIS Psychological Services Center — Psychotherapy practicum
- Traveled globally as assistant to top meditation trainer and educator
- PGA “Class A” Professional
- TPI Certified: Golf 3, Junior 3, Power 3, Fitness 3