I recently joined the California–Nevada PGA Chat alongside three other section award winners, representing Northern California as Teacher & Coach of the Year. It was a meaningful chance to share a bit of my journey and how my coaching has evolved. I started as a player: I grew up competing, won the U.S. Junior Amateur, and played at Stanford before moving into teaching. Early in my career I worked for Hank Haney, then served as National Director of Instruction for Nike Golf Schools and Junior Camps, running junior camps at Pebble Beach where kids came from all over the world. Those years taught me not just how to fix golf swings, but how to build complete golf games from the ground up—especially for juniors.

Over time my work shifted toward what I do now: performance coaching. I’m less tied to a single facility and more focused on helping players at all levels—juniors, college players, and tour professionals—integrate every part of their game: mechanics, practice habits, mental approach, tournament preparation, and life off the course. With a background in counseling psychology, I look at the whole person. That might mean talking through struggles with a college coach, helping parents and juniors align around healthier expectations, or rethinking how a player practices and warms up so they can actually perform under pressure, not just look good on the range. Some of the most rewarding moments for me are when a player not only starts winning or qualifying, but also suffers less, enjoys the game more, and feels more themselves while competing.

During the chat I was also asked about advice for young coaches. My answer was shaped by how I learned: by watching great teachers teach, for hours, and forcing myself to think through why they were doing what they were doing. I believe young professionals should study impact and ball flight, use video to train their eye, and then go well beyond full-swing mechanics. Players—especially beginners—need help with everything from putting and chipping to etiquette, making tee times, and feeling comfortable on the golf course. The goal is not just to be a technician, but a true coach who can guide people into the game and help them thrive in it. And for the record: my favorite club is still the same putter I’ve used since college, and my favorite course in California will always be Pebble Beach, where so much of my teaching life—and love of coaching—was forged.