Top 250 Golfer Doctors in America
Ranked by handicap
To take the temperature of our nation's golfer doctors, we wanted to track down 100 of the best. It was a long and difficult operation, but we managed to find them. Here they are—just a fraction of the roughly 100,000 golfers among America's 885,000 physicians
| RANK | NAME | FIELD | LOCATION | INDEX | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas Hanzel | Pulmonary Medicine | Savannah, Ga. | + 2.3 | Lives and plays at The Landings on Skidaway Island|
| 2 | Cris Barnthouse | Orthopedic Surgery | Kansas City, Mo. | + 1.6 | Kansas City Chiefs team doc is former Kansas basketball player |
| 3 | Edward Vomastek | Anesthesiology | Traverse City, Mich. | + 1.3 | Has qualified for U.S. Mid-Amateur |
| T-4. | Hap Pocras | Anesthesiology | Omaha | + 1.0 | Won Little People's Golf Championship at age 13 |
| T-4. | Steve Samuelson | Ophthalmology | Fremont, Neb. | + 1.0 | 2003 Nebraska Mid-Am champ |
| 6 | Jonathan Valuck | Cardiology | Oklahoma City | + 0.5 | North American Medical Golf Assoc. champ in '00 and '04 |
| 7 | Patricia Cornett | Hematology/Oncology | San Francisco | 0 | Curtis Cupper ('78, '88) named her dogs Troon, Ballybunion and Ailsa |
| T-8. | Matt Weresh | Orthopedic Surgery | West Des Moines, Iowa | 0.2 | Three-time Des Moines C C. champ; played in 1982 U. S. Junior |
| T-8. | Dan Whipple | Ophthalmology | Avon,Ind. | 0.2 | Built network of expert consultants through golf |
| 10 | Peter Parker | General Surgery | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 0.3 | Runner-up in '05 N C. Super Senior |
| T-11. | Joseph Andriole | Radiology | Orlando | 0.4 | Has played in U.S., British and Canadian Amateurs |
| T-11. | George Pipoly | Medical Oncology | Toledo, Ohio | 0.4 | Top doc at Sylvania (Ohio) Country Club |
| T-11. | Philip Zambos | Radiology | Flatwoods, Ky. | 0.4 | Reigning club champ at Guyan G. &C C. in Huntington, W .Va. |
| 14 | Bradley Kropp | Pediatric Urology | Oklahoma City | 0.5 | Two-time All-American at Ohio Wesleyan; neighbor of Bob Tway |
| 15 | David Jude | Obstetrics and Gynecology | Huntington, W.Va. | 0.6 | Runner-up in '06 W.Va. Mid-Am; seventh in '04 W.Va. Open |
| T-16. | Richard Ruffin | Orthopedic Surgery | Oklahoma City | 0.7 | Recommends many patients switch from steel to graphite |
| T-16. | Joe Frank Terrell | General Medicine | Brewton, Ala. | 0.7 | Played golf for the University of Alabama in the 1960s |
| 18 | Luke Knox | Neurosurgery | Fayetteville, Ark. | 1.1 | Dad steered him away from a pro golf career |
| T-19. | Mary Budke | Emergency Medicine | Eugene, Ore. | 1.3 | 1972 U.S. Women's Amateur champion |
| T-19. | W. Clark Hargrove III | Cardiac Surgery | Philadelphia | 1.3 | Clinical Dir., Cardiothoracic Surgery, Presbyterian Med. Center |
| T-19. | John Winston Siebert | Plastic Surgery | New York City | 1.3 | Pioneered microsurgery on facial deformities, aesthetic surgery |
| 22 | Sally Voss Krueger | Anesthesiology | Walnut Creek, Calif. | 1.4 | Perennial San Francisco City champ; played in AT&T at Pebble |
| 23 | Terrell Coffield | Radiology | Bennington, Vt. | 1.5 | Uses cross-country skiing to stay in shape for golf |
| T-24. | Joe Lewis | Cardiology | West Chester, Pa. | 1.7 | Son and grandson of golf professionals |
| T-24. | Pem Rosal | Internal Medicine | Smyrna, Del. | 1.7 | Had a hole cut into his office carpet for daily putting practice |
| T-26. | Richard Rink | Pediatric Urology | Indianapolis | 1.9 | Teaches at Indiana University School of Medicine |
| T-26. | Robert Weaver | Urology | Orlando | 1.9 | Specializes in urologic cancer and robotic surgery |
| T-28. | Craig Hopple | Internal Medicine | Toledo, Ohio | 2 | Has won Toledo Golf Assoc. Husband/Wife and Father/Son |
| T-28. | Mark McBride | Orthopedic Surgery | Morristown, N.J. | 2 | Played on Stanford's golf team in the 1970s |
| T-28. | John Van Natta | Psychiatry | Palo Alto, Calif. | 2 | Played for Case Western Reserve; won '02 Stanford Seniors |
| T-28. | Thomas Win | Radiology | Toledo, Ohio | 2 | Often plays solo but made hole-in-one at a health-care event |
| 32 | Grant Liu | Neurology | Philadelpia | 2.1 | Writing a book on brain-eye coordination in golf |
| 33 | Carl Sanfelippo | Urology | Birmingham, Ala. | 2.3 | Ex-caddie attended Univ. of Wisconsin on an Evans Scholarship |
| T-34. | Alan Graham | Vascular Surgery | New Brunswick, N.J. | 2.4 | Chair, Vascular Surgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School |
| T-34. | Ed Lewis | Orthopedic Surgery | Austin | 2.4 | Works on game with Chuck Cook; treats PGA Tour players |
| T-34. | Chris Lombardozzi | Emergency Medicine | Spartan burg, S.C. | 2.4 | All-Ivy at Columbia; mo ved to S. C. with golf in mind |
| T-34. | Ed Reidy | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | Pittsburgh | 2.4 | All-Ivy at Cornell; son of former N Y. State Golf Assoc. director |
| 38 | Paul Wuthrich | Ophthalmology | Bryan, Tex. | 2.5 | Urges use of sunglasses to prevent macular degeneration |
| T-39. | Stan Smazal | Radiology | Englewood, Colo. | 2.6 | Twice club champ at Cherry Hills, three times at Castle Pines |
| T-39. | John Valade | Internal Medicine | Toledo, Ohio | 2.6 | Credits club pros at Sylvania C C. for his improvement |
| 41 | Robert Wharen | Neurosurgery | Jacksonville | 2.7 | Co-investigator, Mayo Clinic Study of the yips |
| 42 | Craig Aronchick | Gastroenterology | Philadelphia | 2.8 | Helped develop pre-colonoscopy pill Visicol |
| 43 | David Sibley | Cardiology | Birmingham, Ala. | 2.9 | Worked with Bob Toski at Ocean Reef, on range at Miami Lakes |
| 44 | Doug Willhoite | Cardiology | Kansas City, Kan. | 3.2 | Frequent golf partner of medical partner Harbrecht (No. T-66) |
| 45 | Gary Ramage | Family Medicine | Watford City, N.D. | 3.3 | Helped improve home course by designing new tees, hazards |
| T-46. | Mike Graham | Orthopedic Surgery | Houston | 3.4 | Specializes in spine surgery |
| T-46. | Robert Sutherland | Orthopedic Surgery | Wyomissing, Pa. | 3.4 | Club champ at Oakmont C C. ('96) and Saucon Valley C C. ('88) |
| T-48. | Mark David Lorenze | Orthopedic Surgery/Sports Medicine | Essex, Conn. | 3.5 | 1983 Connecticut Junior runner-up; 1988 Yale golf captain |
| T-48. | Norman (Butch) Noe | Pediatric Urology | Memphis | 3.5 | Chief, Ped. Urology, Dept. of Surgery, St. Jude Children's |
| T-48. | John Owens | Cardiologist | Woodbury, N.J. | 3.5 | Once resuscitated early golf mentor at a golf banquet |
| T-48. | Richard Rand | Plastic Surgery | Bellevue, Wash. | 3.5 | Aced old fifth hole at Pebble Beach a few days after 1972 U S. Open |
| T-52. | Jeff DeFrancisco | Internal Medicine | Des Moines | 3.6 | Insists on walking and carrying his bag |
| T-52. | Joseph S. Hacker III | Gastroenterology | Newark, Del. | 3.6 | Chair of Legislation for the Medical Society of Delaware |
| T-52. | Girard Robinson | Psychiatry | Cumberland, Me. | 3.6 | Department Chief, Maine Medical Center |
| T-52. | Mark Socinski | Medical Oncology | Raleigh, N.C. | 3.6 | One of many docs who honed skills watching golf on TV |
| T-56. | James Bradley | Orthopedic Surgery | Pittsburgh | 3.7 | Pittsburgh Steelers team doc; says golf is “a catharsis after work” |
| T-56. | Byung Kim | Anesthesiology | Mount Kisco, N.Y. | 3.7 | Former club and senior club champ at Ardsley C C. |
| 58 | Greg Fairlie | Family Medicine | Oklahoma City | 3.8 | Isn't as good as wife, LeeAnn, a plus-1.8 |
| T-59. | Andrew Jaffe | Dermatology | Naples, Fla. | 3.9 | Performs Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancers |
| T-59. | Michael Martin | Internal Medicine | Portsmouth, Ohio | 3.9 | Planning to attend Ryder Cup in Ireland |
| T-59. | Patrick Pasquariello | Pediatrics | Philadelphia | 3.9 | Chronic Fatigue specialist |
| T-62. | Ira Handler | Psychiatry | Butler, Pa. | 4 | Directs Butler Memorial's Gero-Psychiatry Unit |
| T-62. | Richard L. Harris | Infectious Diseases | Houston | 4 | Member, Baylor School of Medicine Hall of Fame |
| T-62. | Stephen Lane | Ophthalmology | St. Paul, Minn. | 4 | Past President, American Society Of Cataract& Refractive Surgery |
| 65 | Sean Duerr | General Surgery | Stratford, Conn. | 4.3 | Performed first laparoscopic gall-bladder surgery in Conn, in 1990 |
| T-66. | Richard N. Baker | Ophthalmology | Houston | 4.4 | Co-founder of biennial match: Champions G.C. vs. Royal Portrush |
| T-66. | David Ewalt | Pediatric Urology | Dallas | 4.4 | One of D Magazine's Best Doctors in Dallas |
| T-66. | James Harbrecht | Cardiology | Kansas City, Kan. | 4.4 | Plays better in match play than stroke play |
| T-66. | Howard Williams III | Anesthesiology | Atlanta | 4.4 | Pain management specialist with many golf patients |
| T-70. | Wiliam Creevy | Orthopedic Surgery | Boston | 4.5 | Member at The Country Club (Brookline) and Kittansett Club |
| T-70. | Mark Wilchinsky | Orthopedic Surgery | Bridgeport, Conn. | 4.5 | Sees double-knee replacement in his own future |
| 72 | John Leonetti | Otolaryngology | Maywood, Ill. | 4.6 | Director, Loyola's Center for Cranial Base Surgery |
| T-73. | Peter Cotton | Gastroenterology | Charleston, S.C. | 4.7 | Caddied for son Andy in '86 and '88 British Opens |
| T-73. | Lee Irving | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Grand Rapids, Mich. | 4.7 | Past president, American College of Osteopathic OB/GYNs |
| T-73. | Glenn Perry | Orthopedic Surgery | Charlotte | 4.7 | Team doctor for NBA's Charlotte Bobcats |
| T-73. | Peter Sneed | Ophthalmology | Leland, Mich. | 4.7 | Agrees with Bobby Jones: Golf is played between the ears |
| 77 | Steven Hotze | Allergy & Immunology | Katy, Tex. | 4.8 | Hormones advocate |
| 78 | Harrison Pierce | Pediatrics | New Canaan, Conn. | 4.9 | Childhood friend of Butch Harmon at Wykagyl C.C. (New Rochelle, N.Y.) |
| T-79. | Douglas Fraker | General Surgery | Philadelphia | 5 | Vice chairman, Dept. of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania |
| T-79. | J. Malcolm Moore | Urology | Little Rock | 5 | Has represented Arkansas in Senior Challenge |
| 81 | Scott Brazer | Gastroenterology | Durham, N.C. | 5.1 | Started playing with his dad at age 4 |
| T-82. | Steven Kahn | Orthopedic Surgery | Cherry Hills, N.J. | 5.2 | Focuses on vascular, oncologic, thyroid and parathyroid |
| T-82. | Daniel Sexton | Infectious Diseases | Durham, N.C. | 5.2 | Part of Duke's Endocarditis Service |
| 84 | Michael Berkoben | Nephrology | Durham, N.C. | 5.3 | Focus is on end-stage renal disease |
| T-85. | Jewell Malick | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Rockwall, Tex. | 5.4 | Finished 12th in '05 Women's Southern Golf Assoc. Senior |
| T-85. | Chester Maxson | Gastroenterology | Jupiter, Fla. | 5.4 | Chief of Staff, Jupiter Medical Center; Medical Dir., Seminole Golf Club |
| T-85. | Robert Solomon | Neurosurgery | New York City | 5.4 | Department chair at Columbia Presbyterian |
| T-88. | Peter B. Anderson | Gastroenterologist | Lebanon,N.H. | 5.6 | Club champ at Montcalm G.C., a top-10 Best New Private in 2005 |
| T-88. | James Beaty | Orthopedic Surgery | Memphis | 5.6 | Specializes in pediatric orthopedics |
| T-88. | Leland Winston | Orthopedic Surgery | Houston | 5.6 | Former Rice football player (All-SWC tackle, 1967-'68) |
| T-91. | Ed Kosinski | Cardiology | Fairfield, Conn. | 5.7 | Interventional Cardiologist, St. Vincent's Med. Ctr., Bridgeport, Conn. |
| T-91. | James Ryan | Cardiology | Columbus, Ohio | 5.7 | Medical Director of First Aid at Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament |
| T-93. | Arthur Day | Neurosurgery | Boston | 5.8 | Director, Cerebrovascular Center, Brigham & Women's Hospital |
| T-93. | Kevin Hagan | Plastic Surgery | Nashville | 5.8 | Repairs cleft lips & palettes at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital |
| T-93. | Michael Hallisey | Vascular & Interventional Radiology | Hartford, Conn. | 5.8 | Has pioneered minimally invasive procedures in Connecticut |
| T-93. | Michael Kennelly | Urology | Charlotte | 5.8 | Director, Urology Department, Carolinas Rehabilitation |
| T-93. | Mitch Storey | Sports Medicine | Seattle | 5.8 | Team doc for baseball's Seattle Mariners |
| T-98. | Hunt Batjer | Neurosurgery | Chicago | 6 | Department chair at Northwestern's Memorial Hospital |
| T-98. | Michael Kaminer | Dermatology | Chestnut Hill, Mass. | 6 | Co-editor, Atlas of Cosmetic Surgery |
| T-98. | Barry Salky | General Surgery | New York City | 6 | Laparoscopic pioneer at New York City's Mount Sinai |
