Austin G.

My experience training and coaching athletes actually started around age 14 when I became an assistant trainer for my younger brother's soccer team. Simultaneously, I was developing my own skill in golf with my stepdad and 40-year PGA member/teacher, Jim Cocchi. I always liked his teaching style, it was direct but not over done and after he received the prestigious Professional of the Year award from the North Florida Section PGA in 2010, presented personally by Arnold Palmer himself, I knew that I could not go wrong emulating his style and adopting his methods. I have always helped anyone who would ask and I even offer to give playing lessons on the course because both golf and helping people are two things that I really enjoy. Additionally, playing lessons are important because a round of golf needs to be properly managed in order to minimize mistakes and big numbers on the scorecard. It is not just a game of power but a game of precision, accuracy, efficiency, and a little luck! I have taught the game of golf to people of all ages from 6 years old to 81 years young! I have taught junior golfers just getting started in the game, seasoned amateurs, and have even helped some professionals on the course,driving range, and practice green. I spent a portion of 2010-11 as the captain/assistant coach of the All-Marine Corps Golf Team and the summer of 2015 as a lead junior golf instructor at TopGolf Tampa. As far as certifications in the industry, my experience come strictly from experience, growing up with a golf professional in the house, and being around the game for 25 years! I have however, taken and passed the PGA's Playing Ability Test (PAT) which qualifies me to begin the PGA program and work as an assistant golf professional anywhere in the industry.

Junior golf (age 13-18):
-Won multiple NSJGA regular season golf tournaments (12)
-3-time champion of the Black Diamond Junior Masters (low round 67)
-2-time champion of the NSJGA's Tournament of Champions
-2-time Player of the Year honors (NSJGA)
-Finished 10th at the Westfield PGA Junior Section Championship (some players in that field currently play the PGA Tour)
High School:
-2 year captain of the Central High School golf team in Brooksville, FL
-Won multiple regular season matches
-2003 Conference co-medalist at El Diablo Golf Club
-2004 Conference medalist at Plantation Golf Resort
-2004 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year
Military golf career:
-Finished 4th at the 2010 All-Marine Golf trials to qualify for the All-Marine Team
-Medalist at the 2011 All-Marine Golf trials to qualify for the All-Marine Team and appointed captain by team and coach
-Finished 8th at the 2010 All-Armed Forces Golf Championship to qualify for the Armed Forces International Team (low round 69)
-Finished 3rd at the 2011 All-Armed Forces Golf Championship to qualify for the Armed Forces International Team (low round 70)
-Once a veteran, I was offered a coaching position for the All-Marine team
College golf College of the Desert (COD):
-After completing my military service in 2012, I played and captained the golf team at COD
-3 regular season tournament victories
-California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Foothill Conference Co-Medalist (69, 70)
-CCCAA Regionals (6th)
-CCCAA State Championship Medalist (69, 70)
-CCCAA 3rd in scoring average
College golf Saint Leo University (SLU):
-Played as number 1 seed
-Medalist at the Indian Bayou Classic hosted by the University of North Alabama (2nd ever NCAA tournament)
-Won the Panther Invitational hosted by Florida Tech
-Team low scoring average
Amateur golf:
-Qualified for US Open Sectionals (2013)
-Qualified for the Florida Amateur Match Play Championship (2013)
-Qualified for the FSGA Florida Open (2013, 2014, 2015)
-Medalist at the FSGA Mid-Amateur Championship Qualifier at South wood golf Club in Tallahassee, FL (2014)
-Round of 16 at the FSGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Loxahatchee Golf Club in Jupiter, FL (2014)
-Champion of the St. Patrick's Day Invitational at Inverness Golf and Country Club (2014,2017)
-Champion of the Manatee Amateur Classic at Plantation Golf Resort (2014)
Other Personal accomplishments:
-3 holes-in-one (Hernando Oaks GC #7, Tahquitz Creek GR-Resort Course #8, Lake Jovita GC-North Course #17)
-1 albatross (The Dunes GC #5)
-Low round of 60 (Saddlebrook GR-Palmer Course)
-Low nine holes 29 (x4)
-PGA PAT Medalist April/2015 (Reunion Resort- 64, 69)
-Low competitive round of 64

1st coaching session is purely evaluation. During this time I will evaluate the golfer's fundamentals and identify the areas in which to focus and develop a plan. If the golfer(s) has/have solid fundamentals (grip, alignment, posture) we will narrow the focus into "problem areas" (short game, long game, wedges, putting, bunker play, etc...). As we progress, we will delve into course management, club selection, shot visualization, breathing/heart-rate control, and pre-shot routine. Focus areas will be personalized based on needs assessment and progression.