Golf Digest Woman
America's 50 Best Women Teachers
Presenting our biennial ranking of female golf instructors as voted by their peers
There are more than 2,000 female teaching professionals in the United States, and their popularity is growing among women and men--not just because we see more of them working with tour players, but because golfers of all skill levels appreciate their expertise, nurturing and communication abilities.
Golf Digest's biennial ranking of America's 50 Best Women Teachers is based entirely on peer voting. (This year, we had three times more voters than in 2010.) Ballots were sent to all female Class A PGA of America and LPGA Teaching and Club Professional members, as well as the teachers on Golf Digest's Best Teachers In Your State ranking--a total of more than 1,600 pros. We're excited to welcome 12 new teachers to our ranking.
Award-winning instructors Pia Nilsson, Lynn Marriott and Dana Rader top the list again and, like all the pros listed here, offer lessons to the public. Find a teacher near you, and schedule a lesson.
•=New / •=moved up 10 spots or more
1. Pia Nilsson
Vision 54, Talking Stick G.C., Scottsdale; vision54.com
2. Lynn Marriott
Vision 54, Talking Stick G.C., Scottsdale; vision54.com
3. Dana Rader
Dana Rader Golf School, Charlotte; danarader.com
4. Suzy Whaley
TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.; suzywhaleygolf.com
5. Peggy Kirk Bell
Pine Needles Lodge & G.C., Southern Pines, N.C.; pineneedles-midpines.com
6. Gale Peterson
Sea Island Golf Learning Ctr., St. Simons Island, Ga.; seaislandglc.com
7. Cheryl Anderson
Mike Bender Golf Academy, Lake Mary, Fla.;
mikebender.com
8. Carol Preisinger
Kiawah Island Club Golf Academy, Kiawah Island, S.C.; kiawahislandclub.com
9. Sandy LaBauve
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale; westinkierland.com
10. Renee Powell •
Clearview G.C.,
East Canton, Ohio; clearview-gc.com
11. Debbie Crews
Arizona State University/ASU Karsten G. Cse., Tempe, Ariz.; performancemindmanagement.com
12. Carol Mann •
The Woodlands C.C. (Player), The Woodlands, Texas; thewoodlandscc.com
13. Jane K. Frost
Sandwich Hollows G.C., East Sandwich, Mass.; janefrostgolfschools.com
14. Cindy Miller
Wehrle Golf Dome, Williamsville, N.Y.; cindymillergolf.com
15. Nancy Quarcelino
Nancy Quarcelino School of Golf/King's Creek G.C., Spring Hill, Tenn.; qsog.com
16. Karen Palacios-Jansen • Swing Blade Enterprises, Mooresville, N.C.; swingbladegolf.com
17. Deb Vangellow
Sweetwater C.C., Sugar Land, Texas; debvangellowgolf.com
T-18. Patti Benson •
Palm Beach (Fla.) C.C.; palmbeachcountryclub.org
T-18. Kathy Murphy
Bumble Bee Hollow Golf Academy, Fayetteville, Pa.; kathymurphygolf.com
20. Annette Thompson
BallenIsles C.C., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; ballenisles.org
21. Donna White
Golf Professional Services Inc./Okeeheelee G. Cse., West Palm Beach; golfproservices.org
22. Krista Dunton
Berkeley Hall, Bluffton, S.C.; kristaduntongolf.com
23. Julie Cole
Dana Rader Golf School, Charlotte; danarader.com
24. Kellie Stenzel •
Kellie Stenzel Golf Academy, Palm Beach; kelliestenzelgolf.com
25. Kammy Maxfeldt
Birchwood C.C., Westport, Conn.; birchwoodcc.org
26. Judy Alvarez •
The Legends G.C., Franklin, Ind.; judyalvarez.com
