By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
I’ve written with Steve Buzza before. He’s contributed to our sister publication Golf Fitness Monthly, the monthly digital publication of the Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA), and has shared the spotlight with his wife, Megan, a GRAA Elite Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, who has been a great friend of the GRAA.
Steve is the PGA of America Director of Instruction at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas. He’s TPI-certified, has been named a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher in America and is a four-time GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional.
Looking back at his early days just learning the game, Buzza, who got his start as a British PGA Member, says, “I was fortunate that my dad played golf. I began taking lessons at St. Mellion, and when we moved to Exeter, I joined the junior section at our local club when I was 11 years old. That’s really where my love for the game began.”
Buzza studied Sport Science at Cardiff Metropolitan University, where he served as captain and president of the golf team.
“Those roles taught me valuable leadership and life skills,” Buzza recalls. “I turned professional at the club I grew up at while simultaneously completing my master’s degree in Sports Biomechanics.
“During that time, I had the privilege of working under Gary Milne, a district coach, and alongside Mark Crossfield. I also worked for Steve Gould, founder of GASP Lab, which helped shape my perspective on swing analysis and coaching. My academic experience was equally formative, learning from professors who specialized in sprinting and gymnastics and gave me unique insight into movement and performance. They instilled in me that science isn’t about guesswork, it’s about certainty, testing and proof.”
Now, in his third year at Brook Hollow Golf Club, after a worldwide career in Thailand, working for Dave Leadbetter, England as a Performance Coach and the Bonita Bay Club in Florida, Buzza has access to some of the best technology in the industry, including Swing Catalyst force plates, Trackman, Full Swing simulators, Sportsbox AI, Capto and CoachNow.
“I’ve been placing a strong emphasis on building women’s group programming,” he says, “with the main focus being getting them comfortable and confident on the course. I’ve also recently introduced PGA Junior League at the club and am excited to see that initiative grow.”
Buzza started doing yoga in his late teens after suffering the effects of a huge growth spurt when he was 15 or 16 years old. When he completed his Biomechanics thesis, he began to share his knowledge in an unassuming manner and sought a way for golfers to experience it and feel it, rather than just dictate what they should be feeling.
After getting the okay from the Director of Fitness at Bonita Bay Club, he sought certification in yoga to enable him to grow as a coach. At the same time, he was able to teach classes right there at the facility. Within a few years, these classes became a hybrid of classic yoga, biomechanics and visualization exercises for the golf course.
“I believe golf participation is trending toward being more experience-driven rather than routine-based,” Buzza explains. “Technology will continue to evolve at a rapid pace, offering incredible tools for improvement, but it’s on us as coaches to ensure that it enhances the player’s journey rather than distracts from it. The focus should always remain on creating meaningful, enjoyable experiences that keep people engaged with the game.”
