I was born in Savannah, Georgia, but spent all of my youth and adult life living here in Tampa, Florida. Starting at the age of six I played several sports:football, baseball, basketball, but only attended one golf camp when I was ten. My Grandfather always encouraged me to play golf, but I never took golf seriously. I can remember him saying "golf is the only game you can play for a life time". It wasn't until after graduating Chamberlain High School and into my service years in the United States Air Force, that I found my passion for the game of golf and how right my Grandfather was.
I began playing golf seriously in 1993. Vandenberg Air Force Base, California is home to Marshallia Ranch golf course one of the top courses in the military. One day I took my Grandfather's old clubs out to hit some range balls there and never looked back. I taught myself to play and with in three years, I had won the base championship and earned a position on the Allan Hancock Community College Golf team were I competed for two years. By the time I finished my tour at Vandenberg AFB, I had won two base championships and several other tournaments.
In 1999, I decided to return home to Tampa where I began working at Carrollwood Country Club, now Emerald Greens, as a cart attendant. One benefit to this position was access to the course and practice facilities which I put to good use to pass the Player's Ability Test (PAT) for the PGA Apprentice Program on my first attempt.
In 2000, I moved to Cheval Golf and Country Club and worked as a golf assistant in the pro shop. In 2002, I began teaching golf full time conducting video segments for The Championship Tee and a instructional video for juniors, The Right Track For JR. Golfers. I developed several player development groups: 9 Hole Ladies, Pee-Wee Golfers, summer camps, and Saturday/Wednesday Junior Golfers. My time at Cheval helped me develop as a golf instructor and great communicator.
Teaching golf for the past several years, I have worked with students of all ages, abilities, including professional athletes. It is always a pleasure to watch a junior golfer grow and gain something that stretches far beyond the golf course. It is just as much fun to watch a beginner make an unexpected great shot as it is to help a seasoned golfer fine tuning their game. What a journey!
Marshallia Ranch Golf Course 10th Green.
