I got my first job in golf at 14, cleaning clubs, parking carts, and shining shoes in the pro shop—all to save enough money to buy a car when I turned 16. Little did I know how that humble start would lead to a love of the game and a 20-year career teaching and coaching golf in the PGA. I had the good fortune to play college golf at Stanford, and years later to return as Stanford’s inaugural Assistant/JV Team Coach, where I discovered a passion for teaching.
In between, I bounced around Silicon Valley, working for a variety of technology and software companies. In 2003, I entered a long drive competition on a whim. Nobody was more surprised than I was when I won the local, then the regional, and ultimately the World Long Drive Championship. Twelve years competing at the Worlds taught me a lot about speed, focus, and humility—mostly humility.
It also sparked my interest in the mental side of the game and drove me back to school, where I earned a master’s degree in sport psychology—skills and knowledge that continue to shape the way I coach and connect with players. That degree also contributed to being honored by the NorCal PGA Section with three awards: Teacher of the Year, Professional Development/Education, and the Strasbaugh Mentoring Award. Along the way, I managed to publish a handful of books on Amazon.
Today, I’m thrilled to be starting my next chapter with the Foundation, helping our Section members, kids, veterans, and the wider community discover how transformative this game can be.
P.S. Yes, I bought a car the week I turned 16—a rusted-out VW Bug held together with duct tape and prayers. But it was special because of what it took to get there.