Taylor Lambertsen

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Other (Indicate specific awards below in 3-a)

Other awards won:
2025 Golf Digest Best Young Teacher / 2023 US Kids Golf Master Coach / 2021/2022 US Kids Golf Top 50 Coach / 2022/2023 GRAA Top 100 Grow the Game Professional

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 150
Female: 200
Junior: 300

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
15

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
Women’s Clinics – In the spring / summer / fall we host a series of clinics that will work on short game and full swing followed by an on course lesson. Typically 50-60 women would attend these.
Junior Clinics – we host junior clinics once a week in the summer to continue to work with our members and their children. We created a program that gets them familiar with the basics and leads to on course programming. For those who are move advanced, we worked on individual lessons and on course prep for their high school seasons and tournaments.
Tournament Prep Classes – Before the high school season starts, I have run a few clinics to work with them on their skill development and course management.
On Course Lessons – This past summer, I worked on creating playing lessons with juniors and ladies. I played once a week with a group to help them on part of their game they felt they struggled with. Once we identified what they struggled on, we then worked on it in lessons and went back to the course to see their progress after a few weeks.
High School Team – New this year was the DePaul College Prep High School Team. The team traveled from the city and would come use the golf facilities. As a result of coaching the team and we were able to advance to Sectionals for the first time ever in school history.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
Over the past year, I have retained more students than in years past and gained more students due to the scheduling, availability and experience. I learned to create programs that would attract the beginner, intermediate and experienced golfer while focusing on the basic fundamentals in each. One of the best parts of creating these programs is watching a player who started at one level and progresses through as they continue to work with you. Each time I work with these students, focusing on something we previously worked on and building on that will create a sense of trust that they can rely on each time they come for a lesson. At the end of a clinic series or lesson, a recap email of what was accomplished will be sent out so they can practice on their own before the next session.

This past summer, I worked on creating weekly playing lessons with students to see their struggles on the course. Many players can demonstrate what they are doing on a range but when it comes time for a course, they may not know how to execute it there. Taking these students out and walking them through how to play the shot we are working on is something that is crucial to learning the game. Once we can review it together, there is a new found sense of trust and confidence that they can do it. Working as a team on this is something I find very important as the coach.

Along with the clinics and playing lessons, I added more teaching days to my calendar. I was able to be around more so there was an opportunity to see more students and engage new clients as well.

One of the most rewarding things as an instructor is to hear the feedback from students or their parents. When a student tells you how much fun they had with you or how much they are looking forward to the next lesson there is an excitement that brings. Imagine you are on the range, you have been working on your swing for 30 min now and you finally make contact with the ball and it has a slight draw onto the green you’re trying to hit. How did it feel? You turn in excitement looking to see your coaches reaction, all you see is a bright smile and a high five coming for you. This energy is brought to every lesson because at the end of the day, this could be the best part of their day. It builds a relationship with the student that it is’t just the average golf lesson, but a fun and engaging one. At the end of the day, I want a student to walk away feeling accomplished and excited to come back from more!