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Rising stars: Meet GOLF Magazine’s 2024-2025 Top 100 Teachers to Watch

Introducing GOLF Magazine's Teachers to Watch for 2024 and 2025, highlighting the rising stars in coaching from around the U.S.

GOLF

Every two years, GOLF Magazine convenes an independent committee of instructors to evaluate teachers’ bodies of work and decide whether it warrants inclusion on our GOLF Top 100 Teachers list. It’s a highly competitive process and consists of months of our selection committee reviewing applications against a rigorous set of criteria.

First introduced in 2019 and expanded in 2021, our GOLF Magazine “Teachers to Watch” designation aims to highlight rising stars in the golf instruction industry. Keep your eyes peeled on this group — they’re the innovative teachers of tomorrow helping shape the way we all learn, think, and play.

How we pick our Top 100 Teachers

The biennial process is powered by the Top 100 Teachers Credentials Committee, and is the only national golf instructor search that combines outside academic and PGA peer review.

As mentioned above, the process is both rigorous and competitive, with candidates being screened against a set of criteria that evaluates a number of different guidelines. These include their teaching experience and accomplishments, student portfolio and peer ratings, along with their overall commitment to the growth of the game, both through volunteerism and their ability to use digital platforms.

Along with the public application, candidates are nominated by the PGA, LPGA and United States Golf Teachers Federation, among others. The committee reviews 250 applications, on average, before selecting the new members.

MORE: See the full list of 2024-2025 Top 100 Teachers
MORE: Meet the Lifetime Achievement teachers
MORE: Meet the Top 100 Hall of Fame inductees
MORE: Meet the Top 100 Alumni teachers

GOLF’S 2024-2025 Top 100 Teachers to Watch

teachers to watch logo
leighann albaugh headshot

Leighann Albaugh

Magnolia Green Golf Club

David Armitage

Shell Bay Club

John Bierkan

Aronimink Golf Club
carlos brown headshot

Carlos Brown

Carlos Brown Golf at Keeton Park Golf Course
devan bonebrake headshot

Devan Bonebrake

Southern California Golf Academy – Hermosa Beach

Jonathan Buchanan

City Golf Club

Mike Bury

Eight Under By Mike Bury Golf
cody carter headshot

Cody Carter

Druid Hills Golf Club
todd casabella headshot

Todd Casabella

Barrington Golf Club
addison craig headshot

Addison Craig

The Bridge
Alison Curdt instruction

Allison Curdt

Wood Ranch Golf Club
derek deminsky holds trophy

Derek Deminsky

Forty Niner Country Club
vincent diroff headshot

Vincent Diroff

The Landings Golf and Athletic Club
nick dunn headshot

Nick Dunn

Altus Performance – Golf Clubs at The Tribute
meaghan francella headshot

Meaghan Francella

Philadelphia Cricket Club
chris george headshot

Chris George

Kingsmill Resort
Chad Gibbs, GOLF Teacher to Watch

Chad Gibbs

Duke University Golf Club
daniel gray headshot

Daniel Gray

Head of Coaching at Lake Nona CC
matt henderson headshot

Matt Henderson

TPC Las Vegas

James Hong

Harbor Links Golf Course
david impasato teaches

David Impasato

David Impastato Golf Academy
brian jacobs headshot

Brian Jacobs

Mill Creek Golf Club
shawn koch headshot

Shawn Koch

Atlanta Athletic Club
gayle leslie headshot

Gayle Leslie

Rick Smith Golf Performance Center
christy longfield headshot

Christy Longfield

Spanish Oaks Golf Club
corey lundberg headshot

Corey Lundberg

Altus Performance at Trinity Forest Golf Club
parker mclachlin smiles

Parker McLachlin

McCormick Ranch Golf Course
michael neff headshot

Michael Neff

Gears Sports

Paxton O’Connor

Desert Mountain Club

Chris Oehlerking

The Golf Practice

Jeff Pierce

Linville Ridge Country Club

Rick Sessinghaus

Scholl Canyon Golf Course
rick silva demonstrates

Rick Silva

Movement 3 Golf
chris smeal headshot

Chris Smeal

Stadium Golf Center

Adam Smith

The Country Club of Virginia
doug spencer headshot

Doug Spencer

Spencer Golf Academy

Henry Stetina

New Mexico State Univeristy PGA Golf Management

Derek Swoboda

John’s Island Club
monique thoresz headshot

Monique Thoresz

Quaker Ridge Golf Club
jake thurm headshot

Jake Thurm

Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
jake toliver headshot

Jake Toliver

The Los Angeles Country Club

Lucas Wald

Lucas Wald Golf Studio
matthew wilson headshot

Matthew Wilson

Baltusrol Golf Club

TJ Yeaton

Belle Meade Country Club

Ryan Young

Chambers Bay

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor