Dan’s passion for golf developed at a young age when he began caddying in 7th grade at Midlothian Country Club. Dan’s 10-year caddie career helped him develop an understanding of how the game needed to be played and what was needed to play at a high level. After graduating from Marquette University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Dan ended his caddying days and began working at TransUnion. After 4 and a half years, Dan decided that his passion lied in golf and that he wanted to get back into the golf business.
He left TransUnion in 2010 and worked seasonally at Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills, Illinois while beginning his PGA Apprenticeship Program. After his first season ended at Boulder Ridge, he traveled to Key Largo, Florida where he spent 4 winter seasons working Outside Operations at the Ocean Reef Club. His next summer was spent at LaGrange Country Club before landing at Ruth Lake Country Club in 2012. He was hired as a Seasonal Assistant and advanced to Second Assistant and then First Assistant. In 2014, Dan completed his PGA Apprenticeship program and became a member of the PGA of America. In 2018, Dan became the first Director of Instruction at Ruth Lake. As the Director of Instruction, Dan is in charge of the junior golf program, PGA Junior League, individual and group lessons for men, women, and juniors, as well as group clinics. When Dan began running the junior golf program in 2012, the program had around 70 participants and as of 2021, the program has over 150 junior golfers. Dan’s passion lies in junior golf but enjoys helping anyone that wants to improve at golf!
Philosophy
Dan has taught students at every level, from beginners to aspiring tour professionals. Dan tailors his coaching style to fit the needs of the player in front of him. This is not a one size fits all approach. Each student faces different hurdles they must overcome in golf and it’s the coach’s responsibility to recognize your skills and tap into those strengths. Whatever your goals may be, I can develop a program that will help you reach them.
There are certain factors and key positions in the golf swing for producing the necessary impact for consistent ball-control. The coach must develop an efficient and repeatable motion based on the student’s own movement patterns. Utilizing a student’s physical strengths allows them to shoot lower scores and enjoy the game more. Through the use of skill assessments, on-course training and the necessary technology, we can discover the strengths and weaknesses and build a plan to optimize performance. While knowing the path to reach any destination is critical, so too is understanding the important factors at each stage of development in order to get to your destination. Adopting a long-term focus with each student is crucial for learning how to improve.
As a passionate learner, Dan continues to pursue educational opportunities with a focus on skill acquisition and competitive player development. Dan has earned certifications in TPI Level 2, Stack & Tilt, Penn State Biomechanics of Golf, BodiTrack, K-Motion, US Kids Golf, and Operation 36. This education has created a foundation to help each student reach their golfing potential.