Sixteen instructors earn Master Kids Teacher status for longtime achievement
ATLANTA – Each year, U.S. Kids Golf recognizes the world’s most outstanding youth golf instructors with its Top 50 Kids Teachers award. Individuals who demonstrate continued excellence may join the elite rank of a Master Kids Teacher.
In addition to the 50 instructors who were designated Top 50 Kids Teachers in 2011, 16 golf professionals have been named Master Kids Teachers by U.S. Kids Golf. The Master Kids Teacher designation recognizes professionals who have been selected to the U.S. Kids Golf list of the world’s Top 50 Kids Teachers three or more times.
“This year’s honorees represent a group of professionals who are dedicated to helping kids develop their skills and their love of the game,” said Dan Van Horn, founder and president of U.S. Kids Golf. “We’re pleased to recognize their talents and their commitment.”
The 2011 Top 50 Kids Teachers and Master Kids Teachers will be recognized Friday, January 27, at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.
Golf professionals who focus much of their time and energy on developing young golfers in their communities are eligible for U.S. Kids Golf’s America’s Top 50 Kids Teachers designation. The teachers are judged according to several criteria, including percentage of time devoted to kids programs, creativity, communication and efforts to grow the game. The 2011 Top 50 list includes teachers who work at public, private, resort and municipal courses.
About U.S. Kids Golf
U.S. Kids Golf, LLC is based in Atlanta, Ga., and manufactures equipment and related golf products made especially for kids. In addition to more than 4,000 golf shops and retail locations in the U.S., the company’s products also are available in over 75 countries worldwide.
The U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, a Georgia non-profit recognized as a 501(c)(3) charity, was created in 2001 and provides services that include competition and instruction. The Foundation organizes more than 400 golf tournaments for kids each year, including Local Tours in more than 40 cities, ten Qualifiers across the nation, six Regional Championships, a European Championship and the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship and Teen World Championship, which are held each year in Pinehurst, N.C.
In partnership with the PGA of America, the Foundation also supports the U.S. Kids Golf Family Course program, which provides guidelines that help courses make the game easier to learn and more fun for kids and their families.
For more information, call 1-888-387-5437 or visit www.uskidsgolf.com.
U.S. Kids Golf 2011 Top 50 Kids Teachers
Name Affiliation City, State
Dale Balvin Arizona Junior Golf Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jim Bowling Princess Anne Country Club Virginia Beach, Va.
Mike Carbray Butterfield Country Club Oak Brook, Ill.
Jim Collins San Ramon Golf Club San Ramon, Calif.
Kay Cornelius Ocotillo Golf Resort Chandler, Ariz.
Chris Dewar The First Tee of Northern Nevada Reno, Nev.
Joseph DiChiara Mendham Golf & Tennis Mendham, N.J.
Michael Doctor Skaneateles Country Club Skaneateles, N.Y.
Mahlon Dow The Mattawang Golf Club Belle Mead, N.J.
Brendon Elliott Little Linksters Golf Deltona, Fla.
Brian Gara Vermont National Country Club South Burlington, Vt.
Kathy Gook British Columbia Golf Richmond, B.C.
Rick Grayson Rivercut Golf Course Springfield, Mo.
Denise Grider The Lakes at Castle Hill Lewisville, Texas
Harry Hammond Penn Oaks Golf Club West Chester, Pa.
Lucas Hana Green Bay Country Club Green Bay, Wisc.
Jimmy Headrick Lakewood Golf Club New Orleans, La.
James Hong Harbor Links Golf Course Port Washington, N.Y.
Craig Hunter Sand Point Country Club Seattle, Wash.
Lynne Hunter Kenwood Golf & Country Club Bethesda, Md.
Richard Hunter El Prado Golf Courses Chino, Calif.
Andrew Ingham Glen Ellen Country Club Millis, Mass.
Jon Janik Tashua Knolls Golf Course Trumbull, Conn.
Tommy Joyce Hidden Valley Country Club Salem, Va.
Charlie Lanzetta Rockland Golf Course Marshfield, Mass.
Dona Lerner The Preserve at Jordan Lake Cary, N.C.
Joey Ludeman Riviera Country Club Coral Gables, Fla.
Dan Martin Rustic Canyon Golf Course Moorpark, Calif.
Tony Martinez Keeton Park Dallas, Texas
John Mascari Canoe Brook Country Club Summit, N.J.
Cameron McCormick Brook Hollow Golf Club Dallas, Texas
David L. Moore Squirrel Run Golf Club Plymouth, Mass.
Valerie Moore Park Ridge Golf Course Lake Worth, Fla.
Kylee Naffziger Bridger Creek Golf Course Bozeman, Mont.
Julio Nutt Jim McLean Golf School at Doral Doral, Fla.
David Ondocsin Gleneagles Country Club Plano, Texas
Bradley Pluth Brad Pluth Golf Academy at Halla Greens Chaska, Minn.
Chris Rowe Whispering Pines Golf Club Trinity, Texas
Bill Scott Osprey Point Golf Course Boca Raton, Fla.
Trillium Sellers Chevy Chase Club Chevy Chase, Md.
Todd Smith Pro Kids Golf Academy San Diego, Calif.
Christopher Stahlnecker The Country Club of Rochester Rochester, N.Y.
Suzanne Strudwick Fairways & Greens Golf Center Knoxville, Tenn.
Kate Tempesta Kate Tempestas Urban Golf Academy New York, N.Y.
William Van Valer Stony Creek Golf Club Noblesville, Ind.
Deb Vangellow Sweetwater Country Club Sugar Land, Texas
Nicole Weller The Landings Club Savannah, Ga.
Suzy Whaley TPC River Highlands Farmington, Conn.
James Wilkes Lu Lu Country Club North Wales, Pa.
Craig Zimmerman RedTail Golf Center Beaverton, Ore.
Bill Abrams Balmoral Woods Country Club Crete, Ill.
Ty Andersen Highland Oaks Golf Course Dothan, Ala.
Bob Beach Braintree Municipal Golf Course Braintree, Mass.
Pam Bowers Desert Willow Golf Course Henderson, Nev.
Henry Brunton Eagles Nest Golf Club Stouffville, Ont.
Jackie Cannizzo Roswell Country Club Roswell, Ga.
Rebecca Dengler Ed Oliver Golf Club Wilmington, Del.
Christopher Jarrett La Fortune Park Golf Course Owasso, Okla.
Chris Knobloch Steel Canyon Golf Club Sandy Springs, Ga.
Nick Kumpis Santa Ana Country Club Santa Ana, Calif.
Harvey Lannak Westchester Country Club Rye, N.Y.
Dean Marks Grand Prairie Golf Course Lakamazoo, Mich.
Paula Olsen Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club San Clemente, Calif.
Thomas Smith Jr. Army Navy Golf Course Fairfax, Va.
Terry Sullivan Santa Teresa Golf Course San Jose, Calif.
Mike Warobick Mike Warobick Golf Academy Rockledge, Fla.
Contact:
Andy Sadler
1-888-387-5437 x108
asadler@uskidsgolf.com
