, September 17, 2025
News Summary
A nationwide survey highlighted standout golf instructors across various states. Key figures include Mark Blackburn in Alabama, Martin Chuck in Arizona, and Dana Dahlquist in California. This guide offers insights into top coaches for golfers seeking improvement, whether at home or while traveling. It emphasizes the diversity of talent available, ensuring golfers can find quality instruction no matter their location.
Birmingham — Golf teacher roll call you didn’t know you needed
Here’s something to chew on between rounds: a big, nationwide, biennial survey of golf instructors asked thousands of teachers to point out the standout coaches in each state. The result is a fresh way to see who’s teaching the game around the country — not a long ranked list, but a spotlight on the state winners followed by a crowd of other top vote-getters.
This piece pulls together the highlights for four states where names and locations jump off the page — from deep inside Alabama to sun-drenched California. Think of it as a fast guide to the instructors who keep bottoms in the seat, wrists working, and short games sharp. No hype, just a clear look at who made the cut in each state sample.
Alabama — State winner and top slate
Alabama’s list is anchored by a top pick in Birmingham, and it’s backed by a wide mix of teachers around the state. The listing below shows the No. 1 choice followed by other notable instructors in alphabetical order.
- No. 1: Mark Blackburn — Blackburn G. Academy at Greystone G. & C.C., Birmingham
- Shane Allen — Heron Lakes C.C., Mobile
- Chris Biggins — C.C. of Birmingham
- Robbie Blackwell — Hoover C.C., Birmingham
- Craig Bocking — Bocking G. Academy, Huntsville
- Michael Brisbane — Azalea City G. Cse., Mobile
- Aaron Croyle — C.C. of Birmingham
- Steven DeBoer — Steven DeBoer G. Academy, Cullman
- Eric Eshleman — C.C. of Birmingham, Birmingham
- Wayne Flint — Highland Park G. Cse., Birmingham
- Wade Hamilton — Montgomery C.C.
- Jeff Jordan — Mountain Brook C., Birmingham
- Stephen Puryear — Canebrake C., Athens
- Tony Ruggiero — Dewsweepers G., Mobile
- Layne Savoie — Blackburn G. Academy at Greystone G. & C.C., Birmingham
- Brian Speakman — Blackburn G. Academy at Greystone G. & C.C., Birmingham
- Neil Thompson — Thompson G. Academy, Birmingham
Arizona — Full list of standouts
Arizona’s golf scene is packed and spread out, from Phoenix to Tucson and Scottsdale. The state winner headlines a deep list of teachers who can tune your swing whether you like target golf or desert links.
- No. 1: Martin Chuck — Tour Striker G. Academy at The Raven, Phoenix
- Jeremy Anderson — Legacy G. Performance Center, Phoenix
- Corey Baehman — Corey Baehman G., Tucson
- Marvol Barnard — C.C. of Green Valley
- Keith Bennett — McCormick Ranch G.C., Scottsdale
- Steve Dahlby — Phoenix C.C.
- Derek Deminsky — Forty Niner C.C., Tucson
- William Eldrenkamp — Legacy G. Performance Center, Phoenix
- Andrew Getson — Andrew Getson G., Scottsdale
- Justin Klemballa — Paradise Valley C.C.
- John Kostis — Kostis G. Academy, Scottsdale
- Mike Krah — Tour Striker G. Academy at The Raven, Phoenix
- Lindy Labauve — Westin Kierland G.C., Scottsdale
- Mike Labauve — Talking Stick G.C., Scottsdale
- Sandy Labauve — Talking Stick G.C., Scottsdale
- Milo Line — Superstition Mountain G. & C.C., Gold Canyon
- Parker McLachlin — Short Game Chef, Scottsdale
- Susie Meyers — Ventana Canyon G. & Racquet C., Tucson
- Paxton O’Connor — Desert Mountain C., Scottsdale
- Jarut Padung — McCormick Ranch G.C., Scottsdale
- Andy Patnou — Starfire G.C., Scottsdale
- Kristine Reese — Vision54, Scottsdale
- Scott Sackett — Scott Sackett Academy, Scottsdale
- Shane Simmons — Legacy G. Performance Center, Phoenix
- Boyd Summerhayes — Silverleaf C., Scottsdale
- Tina Tombs — Tina Tombs G., Phoenix
- Matt Trimble — Papago G. Cse., Phoenix
- Travis Weza — McCormick Ranch G.C., Scottsdale
- Tiffany Yager — Vision54, Scottsdale
- Jeff Yurkiewicz — Grayhawk G.C., Scottsdale
Arkansas — Compact list, clear leaders
Arkansas shows a shorter but solid group of instructors. The No. 1 pick sits in the northwest, while others represent different corners of the state.
- No. 1: Philip Walker — Back Nine G. Academy, Bentonville
- Ryan Crawley — Ryan Crawley G., Lowell
- Scott Gardiner — Paradise Valley Athletic C., Fayetteville
- Patrick Sullivan — Patrick Sullivan G., Little Rock
California — Long list from coast to inland
California’s list is a who’s who of varied instructors in every region. The state winner is based in Long Beach, while a long roster covers the desert, the coast, and everything in between.
- No. 1: Dana Dahlquist — Dana Dahlquist G., Long Beach
- Dale Abraham — Bighorn G.C., Palm Desert
- Josh Alpert — Good Swings Happen, Lawndale
- Gene Bakkum — Metropolitan G. Links, Oakland
- John Battaglia — PGA West, La Quinta
- Devan Bonebrake — Studio G., Hermosa Beach
- Jared Butts — Will Robins G., Folsom
- Randy Chang — Journey at Pechanga, Temecula
- Shawn Cox — Sharon Heights G. & C.C., Menlo Park
- Alison Curdt — Wood Ranch G.C., Simi Valley
- Tyler Ferrell — La Rinconada C.C., Los Gatos
- George Gankas — George Gankas G., Westlake Village
- Tony Greco — Bear Creek G.C., Murrieta
- Ken Green — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Roger Gunn — G. Development Complex, Moorpark
- Grant Halverson — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Bill Harmon — Bill Harmon Performance Center at Toscana C.C., Indian Wells
- Zach Heusser — Crystal Springs G. Cse., Burlingame
- Steve Holmes — Rustic Canyon G. Cse., Moorpark
- Ayumi Hori — Encino Balboa G. Cse., Encino
- Jon Horner — Menlo C.C., Woodside
- Jake Hutt — Jake Hutt G., Palo Alto
- Blake Jirges — Coto de Caza G. & R.C.
- James Jordan — James Jordan G., Moorpark
- Bob Knee — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Bob Lasken — Arroyo Trabuco G.C., Mission Viejo
- John Leary — Hansen Dam G. Cse., Pacoima
- Bryan Lebedevitch — PGA West, La Quinta
- Brett Lederer — Virginia C.C., Long Beach
- Matt Lutz — Urban G. Performance, Costa Mesa
- Michael Maggs — CaliGolf Instruction, Carlsbad
- Chris Mayson — Rancho Santa Fe G.C.
- Jamie Mulligan — Virginia C.C., Long Beach
- Josh Myers — PGA West, La Quinta
- Bruce Nakamura — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Alan Ochi — Oak Creek G.C., Irvine
- Aaron Olson — Athletes Edge G. Academy, Monterey
- John Ortega — Costa Mesa C.C.
- Dave Phillips — Titleist Performance Institute, Oceanside
- Adam Porzak — Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego
- Jamie Puterbaugh — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Jason Puterbaugh — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Kip Puterbaugh — Aviara G. Academy, Carlsbad
- Tom Rezendes — NorCal G. Academy, Walnut Creek
- Brady Riggs — PGA West, La Quinta
- Will Robins — Will Robins G., Folsom
- Greg Rose — Titleist Performance Institute, Oceanside
- Monte Scheinblum — No Bogeys, Laguna Niguel
- Mike Schy — Mike Schy G. Performance Institute, Madera
- Rick Sessinghaus — Flowcode G. Academy, Burbank
- Laird Small — Pebble Beach G. Academy
- Jordan King Thomas — Rick Smith G. Academy, Los Angeles
- Gina Umeck — Wilshire C.C., Los Angeles
- Derek Uyeda — Derek Uyeda G., San Diego
- Lucas Wald — Lucas Wald G. Studio, Los Angeles
- Chris Walkey — PGA West, La Quinta
- Josh Zander — Stanford G. Cse., Palo Alto
Why this matters
For golfers who travel, relocate, or just want to get better close to home, this kind of roundup is a quick map to the people teaching the game. It’s also a reminder that top instructors live everywhere — small towns and big metro areas alike. If you’re hunting for a coach, this lays out names and home courses to start calling or Googling for more details.
FAQ
How were these instructors chosen?
A national biennial survey of golf instructors asked thousands of teachers to name the top instructors in their state. The lists here present the state winner followed by other top vote-getters.
A national biennial survey of golf instructors asked thousands of teachers to name the top instructors in their state. The lists here present the state winner followed by other top vote-getters.
Does this list give direct rankings beyond the No. 1?
No. 1 instructors are highlighted by state, and the other instructors are shown alphabetically as top vote-getters rather than in a strict ranking order.
No. 1 instructors are highlighted by state, and the other instructors are shown alphabetically as top vote-getters rather than in a strict ranking order.
Can I contact these coaches directly?
Yes. Each entry includes a location or academy name that you can use to find contact details and booking information.
Yes. Each entry includes a location or academy name that you can use to find contact details and booking information.
Are these instructors suitable for beginners?
Many of the instructors work with a full range of players, but specialties vary. It’s wise to ask about experience with beginners when you reach out.
Many of the instructors work with a full range of players, but specialties vary. It’s wise to ask about experience with beginners when you reach out.
Quick reference table
| State | No. 1 Instructor | Location / Academy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Mark Blackburn | Blackburn G. Academy at Greystone G. & C.C., Birmingham | Top pick in a deep Birmingham-area list |
| Arizona | Martin Chuck | Tour Striker G. Academy at The Raven, Phoenix | Headline name among many Scottsdale and Phoenix instructors |
| Arkansas | Philip Walker | Back Nine G. Academy, Bentonville | Smaller, concentrated list across the state |
| California | Dana Dahlquist | Dana Dahlquist G., Long Beach | Extensive roster spanning coast, desert, and inland |
Use the table and lists to shortlist coaches to contact. Whether you want a swing overhaul or a short-game tune-up, these names give you a place to start — and a bunch of local options to keep the game improving.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Boston Celebrates Culture and Community with Vibrant Festivals
FULL SWING PARTNERS WITH WOMEN’S GOLF DAY
Additional Resources
- Golf Digest: Birmingham Golf Teacher Roll Call
- Wikipedia: Golf Instruction
- Golf.com
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Golf
- Google News: Golf Instructors
Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER
BOSTON STAFF WRITER The BOSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBoston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Boston, Suffolk County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boston Harborfest. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, plus leading businesses in finance, biotech, and insurance that power the local economy such as Fidelity Investments, Biogen, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Massachusetts's dynamic landscape.
