Matt Montecucco

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional

Other awards won:
2025 Pacific Northwest PGA Section Youth Player Development Award || 2022 and 2025 Western Washington Chapter PGA Youth Player Development Award || 2023–2025 PGA Jr. League #GameChanger Coach || PGA Jr. League program size recognition: No. 25 nationally in 2023, No. 11 in 2024 and No. 8 in 2025 || Largest PGA Jr. League program in the Pacific Northwest in 2024 and 2025 || 2024 GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: Approximately 350
Female: Approximately 150
Junior: Approximately 1,200

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
341

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
At Chambers Bay, I work to make a golfer’s first experience the beginning of a lasting relationship with the game. As Junior Program Coordinator and Academy Instructor, I connect introductory instruction, ongoing Academy training, team golf, family participation and competitive opportunities so students have a clear next step as they develop.

During 2026, I expanded our year-round junior pathway through spring recreational PGA Jr. League, Summer SELECT, All-Stars and fall recreational play. Our rosters recorded 93 spring registrations, 90 summer registrations and 73 fall registrations—a total of 256 seasonal registrations, counting returning players in each season they joined. That participation builds on a program that grew from No. 25 nationally in 2023 to No. 11 in 2024 and No. 8 in 2025, with recognition as the Pacific Northwest’s largest PGA Jr. League program in 2024 and 2025.

Winter Warriors introduced another way for juniors to stay engaged during the off-season. Its inaugural season included 14 juniors in small coaching groups at a 4:1 ratio, with weekly three- to six-hole competition adapted to winter conditions. Players continued developing course management, resilience and confidence during a time of year when participation can otherwise decline. I also helped create and shape the Western Washington Chapter fall championship program, extending team competition beyond our facility.

Making the course approachable remains central to these efforts. My developmental tee system offers clearly marked yardages ranging from a 900-yard nine-hole layout to 3,313 yards. Short rounds, team scrambles and my involvement in the PGA Jr. League 9U pilot help young golfers experience success early. As their skills improve, they can move into longer formats and greater challenges while remaining part of the same community.

I also work to remove equipment barriers. Through “Growing the Youth of Tomorrow Through Golf,” I collect and prepare donated equipment for young golfers who need it. In 2026, I provided four club sets and three bags to Highline High School’s girls’ golf program, helping support a team that had grown to 28 players.

Our development pathway is producing competitive opportunities as well. In 2026, the 13U Birdie Blitz won the Section Championship by eight shots, while our 17U RedBull team also earned a Regional berth. Together, those teams created 16 Regional playing positions. I continue supporting students pursuing high school and college golf, while former juniors have entered PGA Golf Management programs at the University of Idaho and Campbell University.

I am now developing resources that extend my teaching beyond scheduled sessions. I have begun writing a pocket golf cheat sheet and a performance journal. The pocket guide will help golfers recognize common problems and work through simple adjustments. The journal is intended to help students set goals, reflect on practice and track their development. Both are works in progress.

I am also helping develop The Swing Sensei through teaching feedback and contributions to its swing-analysis grading scale. The app has reached 70,000 downloads, giving me an opportunity to contribute practical coaching knowledge to a platform reaching golfers well beyond Chambers Bay.

These efforts support both participation and the facility’s business by connecting introductory experiences with continued instruction, practice and on-course play. Through October 14, my 2026 commission report records $24,426 in individual lesson fees, plus $300 in fitting fees. Those figures exclude group-program revenue, which is not captured in that report’s fee entries.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
I keep students engaged by helping them understand their progress, feel connected to a community and see a clear opportunity ahead. My programming serves beginners learning to feel comfortable on the course, adults working toward personal goals and juniors developing toward competitive golf.

For adults, my teaching schedule includes Welcome2Golf, ongoing Academy group training, Weekend Coaching Club, winter improvement groups and on-course playing lessons. These formats create continuity after an introductory class or private lesson. Students can keep learning with a familiar coach and group while applying their skills on the course.

For juniors, spring and fall recreational PGA Jr. League provide welcoming team experiences, while Summer SELECT and All-Stars offer greater competitive challenges. Winter Warriors extends that connection into the off-season. Developmental tees and shorter rounds allow players to build confidence at an appropriate pace. I remain involved in player placement, partnerships and family communication so parents understand where their child fits and what comes next.

Family programming helps golf become a shared activity. Swing as a Family classes allow parents and children to learn together and finish with an on-course experience. My Family Cup connects PGA Family Golf events through season-long points, and the Winter Freeze Championship provides two days of nine-hole play. These experiences give families reasons to return together and build memories around the game.

Between lessons, I use CoachNow takeaways to reinforce simple, actionable priorities. I ask students three questions: What did the ball do? What can cause that? How can it be fixed? The purpose is to help them understand their own games and practice with greater independence. My developing pocket guide and performance journal will reinforce that approach.

I also pay close attention to the relationships that keep young people involved. Team identity, shared celebrations and personal encouragement help players feel they belong. I teach juniors to introduce themselves confidently, support a partner and handle disappointment respectfully. A difficult round becomes an opportunity to learn and reset.

As students progress, I help them prepare for high school competition, college recruiting and other opportunities in golf. Continued engagement means helping each person find a reason to keep playing that matters to them. For one student, that may be competing at Regionals; for another, it may be enjoying a first round with a parent.