By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Matt Montecucco recently earned his first Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional award. The PGA of America Junior Program Coordinator and Academy Instructor at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington, was introduced to the game of golf at the age of 10 by his grandfather, who not only shaped his swing but his character, as well.
“We spent countless days together on the fairways at a little nine-hole golf course called Painted Hills in Spokane Valley, Washington,” Montecucco recalls. “Those early rounds weren’t just about learning how to hit a golf ball. They were about connection, patience, joy and respect. My grandfather taught me that golf was more than a sport. It was a way to build relationships and learn life lessons. Sadly, he passed away in March of 2024, and his influence on my life and career has only grown stronger. Everything I do now as a coach – every smile I bring to a junior golfer’s face – is my way of honoring his legacy.”
Montecucco played golf for the Professional Golf Management club team at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where his passion for the game intensified. By the time he graduated, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in golf.
“But I knew that for me, it wasn’t just about playing,” he says. “It was about teaching, sharing and helping others discover their own love for the game. I became a PGA Member in 2016 and began a journey that would combine both personal and professional fulfillment.”
Montecucco’s path led him to Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington, a world-renowned municipal course and the site of the 2015 U.S. Open.
“One of the biggest turning points in my career was the mentorship I received from Ryan Young, PGA, who entrusted me with leading the junior program at Chambers Bay,” Montecucco explains. “That opportunity gave me the freedom to create, innovate and reimagine what junior golf could look like – and it has truly been a dream come true.”
As the PGA Academy Instructor and Junior Program Lead at Chambers Bay, a KemperSports-managed facility, Montecucco oversees one of the most robust youth programs in the country. In 2023, their PGA Jr. League had 190 participants and ranked 25th in the nation. A year later, that number grew to 308 players, placing them 11th nationally among all programs. Their programming spans most of the year, with three PGA Jr. League seasons: Spring, Summer (All-Stars) and Fall, and Montecucco hopes to launch a winter league to keep players engaged year-round.
“We also host a Junior Stroke Play Series with eight rounds leading up to a championship, and a PGA Family Golf Scramble Series with 16 events, culminating in the Winter Freeze championship just before the holidays,” Montecucco boasts. “One of our most meaningful additions has been our Adaptive Golf Program. I work with blind and physically limited golfers, including a student named Yang-Su, who is completely blind. Teaching him how to play golf using feel, sound and trust has not only changed his life, it has changed mine. His story has inspired others, and now two more blind golfers have joined our community.”
Montecucco utilizes a blend of technology and hands-on instruction in his coaching, and regularly incorporates Blast Motion, video analysis through CoachNow and “LOTS of training aids.”
“I invest in training aids and purchase them in multiples so my students can take them home to continue learning,” he tells us. “I firmly believe in letting students ‘see it, feel it and do it.’ If they can feel what the correct movement is, they can replicate it – and own it!”
Looking ahead, one of the biggest trends Montecucco sees continuing is the growing desire for family involvement in golf. He says parents no longer want to just drop their kids off at practice – they want to be part of the journey. They want year-round engagement, and his programming is reflecting that desire with training, match play, competitions and skill-building sessions that maintain momentum throughout all seasons.
“That’s why programs like ‘Swing as a Family’ and our PGA Family Golf events have exploded in popularity,” he adds. “I believe the future of golf is relational. Families that play together stay together and grow together.”
Another trend he sees continuing is the desire for “technology with simplicity,” as he puts it. Montecucco says that golfers love numbers and data, but many become overwhelmed. His goal is to bridge that gap and to take complex information and translate it into feel-based, actionable improvements that players can trust during competition.
Montecucco also believes adaptive and inclusive golf is not only here to stay, but is essential. Working with blind students has shown him firsthand that golf can be for everyone, and professionals have the responsibility to remove barriers and open doors for all players, regardless of age, ability or background.
“Golf is becoming more integrated into people’s lives, and we’re here to support that shift,” he concludes.
