U.S. Kids Golf has announced the recipients of the Top 50 Kids Teachers Award, which annually recognizes the world’s most outstanding youth golf instructors. The class of 2013 includes golf professionals from 21 states, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico, with recipients chosen from a record 747 applicants.
“The award was created to help parents find the best coaching for their kids,” said Dan Van Horn, President and CEO of U.S. Kids Golf. “The mission of U.S. Kids Golf is to make the game fun for kids, and the Top 50 Kids Teacher Award is an important part of encouraging golf professionals who are key in supporting us and achieving this mission.”
Since 2004, U.S. Kids Golf has honored golf’s best teachers with the Top 50 Kids Teacher Award. Applicants complete an online survey and winners are chosen based on their contributions to junior golf, such as: time devoted to teaching young golfers; innovation, creativity and fun in their programs; communication; parental involvement; and overall effort to grow the game. Award recipients include teachers who work at public, private, resort and municipal courses.
Teachers who are named a Top 50 Kids Teacher three times are recognized with the Master Kids Teacher Award. Since the award was introduced in 2007, 78 instructors have earned this distinction, including 10 teachers in 2013.
“Being named a Master Kids Teacher is the highest honor an instructor can receive from U.S. Kids Golf,” Van Horn said. “These individuals are vital to helping U.S. Kids Golf improve kids golf and ensure a bright future for the game.”
The 2013 Top 50 Kids Teachers and Master Kids Teachers will be recognized Thursday, Jan. 23, at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.
Master Kids Teacher Award Recipients – 2013
Brendon Elliott (Deltona, Fla.) – Little Linksters
Denise Grider (Lewisville, Texas) -The Lakes at Castle Hill
Craig Hunter (Seattle, Wash.) – Sand Point Golf Club
Rick Hunter (Chino, Calif.) – El Prado Golf Course
Dan Martin (Moorpark, Calif.) – Rustic Canyon Golf Club
Bradley Pluth (Chanhassen, Minn.) – Brad Pluth Golf Academy at Halla Greens
Trillium Sellers (Chevy Chase, Md.) – Chevy Chase Club
Nicole Weller (Savannah, Ga.) – The Landings Club
Suzy Whaley (Cromwell, Conn.) – TPC River Highlands
James Wilkes (Villanova, Pa.) – Villanova University
Top 50 Kids Teacher Award Recipients – 2013
Joseph Anders (Dallas, Texas) – Brookhaven Country Club
Justin Blazer (Orlando, Fla.) – Marriott Golf Academy
David Branstad (Hopkins, Minn.) – Oak Ridge Country Club
Michael Bulger (Fairfield, Conn.) – The Patterson Club
Mike Carbray (Oak Brook, Ill.) – Butterfield Country Club
Jim Collins (San Ramon, Calif.) – San Ramon Golf Club
Kay Cornelius (Chandler, Ariz.) – Ocotillo Golf Resort
Gary Cressend (Augusta, Ga.) – Augusta Country Club
Ray Cutright (Macon, Ga.) – The Blum Learning Center At Idle Hour Club
Mike Davis (Irvine, Calif.) – Shady Canyon Golf Club
Chris Dewar (Reno, Nev.) – Washoe Golf Course
Joseph DiDomenico (Pelham Manor, N.Y.) – Pelham Country Club
Michael Doctor (Skaneateles, N.Y.) – Skaneateles Country Club
John Dunigan (Malvern, Pa.) – White Manor Country Club
Alejandro Duque (Santa Ana, Costa Rica) – Alejandro Duque Golf Academy
Mike Fay (Boyne Falls, Mich.) – Boyne Mountain Resort
Berne Finch (San Jose, Calif.) – San Jose Municipal Golf Course
Rudy Gonzalez (Laredo, Texas) – Casa Blanca Golf Course
Brian Groszek (St. Charles, Ill.) – Royal Hawk Country Club
Chris Holmes (Heathrow, Fla.) – Heathrow Country Club
Jon Janik (Trumbull, Conn.) – Tashua Knolls Golf Course
Paul Johnson (Daphne, Ala.) – Lake Forest Yacht & Country Club
Brian Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio) – Kenwood Country Club
Ralph Landrum (Florence, Ky.) – World of Golf
Andrew Lane (Winchester, Mass.) – Winchester Country Club
Doug Lawrie (Burlington, Ontario) – Within Range Golf Centre
Joey Ludeman (Coral Gables, Fla.) – Riviera Country Club
Corey Lundberg (The Woodlands, Texas) – The Club at Carlton Woods
Kammy Maxfeldt (Westport, Conn.) – Birchwood Country Club
Cameron McCormick (Dallas, Texas) – Brook Hollow Golf Club
Lloyd McWilliams (Rockford, Ill.) – Rockford Park District
Andy Miller (Reading, Pa.) – Berkshire Country Club
Randi Miller (Potomac Falls, Va.) – Trump National Golf Club
Valerie Moore (Lake Worth, Fla.) – John Prince Golf Learning Center
Mark Nelson (Weston, Mass.) – Pine Brook Country Club
Adam Ohsberg (Charlotte, N.C.) – Carmel Country Club
Megan Padua (Bluffton, S.C.) – Belfair Plantation
Matthew Primrose (Riverview, Fla.) – Ace Golf
Brandon Ray (Charleston, S.C.) – Lowcountry Lessons
Dylan Ross (Lerma, Mexico) – Club De Golf Los Encinos
Chance Scheffing (New York, N.Y.) – Chelsea Piers Golf Club
Chris Selvaggio (Ramsey, N.J.) – Ramsey Golf & Country Club
Todd Smith (San Diego, Calif.) – Pro Kids Golf Academy at Colina Park GC
Lee Stroever (North Palm Beach, Fla.) – North Palm Beach Country Club
Mark Summerville (Gladwyne, Pa.) – Philadelphia Country Club
Rick Timm (Centennial, Colo.) – Timm Golf Academy
Deb Vangellow (Sugar Land, Texas) – Riverbend Country Club
Michael Wenzel (Northbrook, Ill.) – Sportsman’s Country Club
Wendy Werley Bullock (Rancho Viejo, Texas) – Rancho Viejo Resort & Country Club
Joyce Wilcox (Acworth, Ga.) – Cobblestone Golf Course
About U.S. Kids Golf
The mission of U.S. Kids Golf is to help kids have fun learning the lifelong game of golf and to encourage family interaction that builds lasting memories.
The U.S. Kids Golf Foundation is a Georgia non-profit recognized as a 501(c)(3) charity and was created in 2001. The Foundation provides services that support the vision of providing kids and their families the opportunity participate in the game of golf through competition and instruction. The U.S. Kids Golf Tournament Players Association operates more than 750 tournaments for boys and girls, ages 5-18, ranging from one-day Local Tour events to multi-day Major Championships. The Play and Learn Division of the Foundation provides all the resources a parent needs to introduce the game to the beginning golfer, and its Certified Instructor program and Family Course setup are specifically tailored to benefit young golfers.
U.S. Kids Golf, LLC is based in Atlanta and manufactures equipment and related golf products designed for kids. It was created in 1997 when Founder/CEO Dan Van Horn found that his children were losing interest in golf due to not having the proper equipment. U.S. Kids Golf products are available in more 75 countries and more than 4,000 golf shops and retail locations in the United States.
Connect with U.S. Kids Golf
Website: www.uskidsgolf.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USKidsGolf
Twitter: @USKidsGolfFDN
Instagram: @USKidsGolfFDN
Blog: www.uskidsgolf.wordpress.com
