Background

From 1992 to 2002, I wintered in Titusville, Florida for the better part of 10 years.  This is where I honed my own game and became a true student of the swing.  I studied alongside some of the greatest minds and professionals Canada had to offer.  On any given day there were upwards of 10-15 Canadian Professionals on the range talking golf, golf swing, technique, methodologies and theories.  This is where I cut my teeth and where my passion was derived from.

My regular lunch date was with the best ball striker that’s ever lived, the legendary Moe Norman (KFC Buffett was his favourite).  I was shy and he was of course a known recluse, and for some reason he gravitated to me and I did to him.  Fun fact, he didn’t want to chat golf, not at the restaurant anyway … he wanted to talk other sports!  So that we did!  We saved our golf talk for the range and at the golf course in which I had the pleasure of playing with him on several occasions.  Everyone has a “Moe Story”, the difference with mine is that its true :)

My golf game developed to a level which was complimentary to the seasoned professionals I was practicing beside daily.  This was aided by the Private Lessons and Coaching I received from renowned Golf Instructor David Leadbetter at his Academy at Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida.  This armed me with the confidence I needed to turn professional, which I did in 1999.  I dabbled with playing professionally for a few seasons, playing in Pro Ams and Mini Tour Events, but the expenses of the PGA Tour dream superseded my budget, so it was home to Canada to start a golf teaching career.

In the Fall of 1999 I gave my first ever golf lesson.  I was more nervous than words could ever describe.  I had worries of the students expectations, I had nightmares of a hypothetical poor delivery and I lost sleep over whether or not I’d be able to diagnose the problem.  Turns out, the anxiety and wonder was all for not, because 10 minutes into the lesson, I was apparently in my element. I was hooked!  I received so much gratification from helping someone, that I knew in that instant it was what I wanted to do.  Not for a second did I look back.  Fast forward to today, I’m proud to have taught for 26 years and given over 22,000 lessons.  Perhaps what I’m most proud of is that in an industry that has such immense turnover, I’ve done so all in the area that I was born and raised in, Quinte West, Ontario.