PGA Staff | The College of Golf | Keiser University

PGA Staff

 

Eric C. Wilson, PhD, PGA Master Professional
Campus Director, The College of Golf

Dr. Eric C. Wilson is a PGA Master Professional in Instruction, one of 430 out of 28,000 PGA Members and Apprentices. Being a member of the College's PGA faculty allows him to live, work, and play in Port St Lucie, home of the PGA Education Center, where he trains both PGA Members and Apprentices.

In 1996, Dr. Wilson became Campus Director for the San Diego Golf Academy (SDGA), and later was the Campus Director at three of the four SDGA campuses, opening two of them from inception. He was listed by Golf Digest Magazine as one of the best teachers in South Carolina for six years in a row, and has over 12,000 hours of classroom teaching experience and has given over 10,000 individual golf lessons.

Dr. Wilson's Achievements include:
•    1994 - Horton Smith Award for the Southwest Section of the PGA
•    2002 - Bill Strausbaugh Award for the Carolinas Section of the PGA
•    2005 - Horton Smith Award for the Carolinas Section of the PGA
•    Adjunct Faculty PGA's PGM Program (Since 1994)
•    Certified Professional Program Mentor (one of only 30 PGA Members)
•    PGA Master Professional Faculty (one of only 17 PGA Members)
•    Chairman of Special Olympics Golf Committee for North America.

Brian Hughes, PGA Master Professional
Program Director, The College of Golf

Brian Hughes is a PGA Master Professional in Instruction. Mr. Hughes comes to Keiser University after working for the San Diego Golf Academy, Carolinas Campus since 2004. He is an expert in golf education, having graduated from the Golf Academy of the South as Valedictorian.

During his time at the TPC Avenel in Potomac, Maryland he assisted in the operation of six PGA TOUR events and played an integral role in the club being named one of Golf Shop Operations Magazine’s top 100 Golf Shops for five consecutive years. Later, as Head Golf Professional at the Golf Club at Yankee Trace in Centerville, Ohio, Brian was twice named the Southern Ohio PGA Merchandiser of the Year and was an extremely visible member of the community. Mr. Hughes went on to help develop two more facilities, Jericho National Golf Club in New Hope, Pennsylvania and Musket Ridge Golf Club in Myersville, Maryland. He brings to The College of Golf at Keiser University a wealth of educational, golf operations and tournament experience.

TJ Tomasi, Ph.D. PGA Professional, Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher
GOLF Magazine Articles by Dr. Tomasi
Golf With TJ Tomasi.com

Dr. Tomasi is one of the most published professionals in the world with articles that appear in all the major golf magazines including Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and Golf Tips Magazine. He is the author of a weekly syndicated golf page called Insider Golf that appears around the world as well as the author of 13 books.  He is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher and has held that distinction for a number of years. Recently, Dr. Tomasi was appointed as the Program Director for Golf Magazines Top 100 Organization.  He is also an authority on biomechanics and has been a presenter at educational seminars hosted by MIT in Boston, the PGA of America and the LPGA. He was the adjunct instructor at the Merrill Lynch Skins Game in Palm Springs in 2005 featuring Tiger Woods, and Annika Sorenstam and he does numerous golf outings for major corporations such as Wachovia, Pioneer and Deutches Bank. In 1999, GOLF Magazine appointed Dr. Tomasi chairperson of their worldwide Science & Golf Research Committee in order to find the most innovative and exciting research in golf. Dr. Tomasi holds a Ph.D. in Education, a Masters Degree in Education and an undergraduate degree in Sociology. It is estimated that he has given over 50,000 lessons.

David Wixson, PGA Certified Professional

David Wixson is a Certified PGA Professional, a distinction currently held by less than 3% of golf professionals in the nation. 

A graduate of Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Wixson began his professional career as assistant golf professional at Spring-Ford Country Club near Philadelphia before going to Doral Resort and Country Club where he had the unique privilege of studying the teaching methods of three top 100 golf instructors: Jim McLean, Jimmy Ballard and Kevin Walker.  Mr. Wixson joined the Marriott Golf organization, working at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama.  was later named the Director of Instruction at Marriott’s Stone Mountain Golf Club, and also served as Senior Instructor of the Faldo Golf Institute at Marriott’s Seaview Resort.  Since 2003, Mr. Wixson has operated Golf Perfect, LLC and served as Lead Golf Instructor for both MC’s Golf Academy and National Golf Schools in the Atlantic City.  Mr. Wixson brings to The College of Golf more than 20 years of professional experience in the golf industry and a true passion for the game, both of which he looks forward to sharing with our students.

 

Donna White, PGA Professional, Class A LPGA Tour Division/Class A LPGA Teaching and Club Professional member, Top 50 Teacher

Ms White’s tenacity and commitment to excellence drives her passion to promote the game of golf to any and all ages and abilities. Her students vary from beginner to tour player. She is an instructor for the LPGA Player Development program, a national program in which LPGA and PGA club professionals attend to improve their golf skills two times a year and conducts corporate golf schools in the U.S. and Canada. A native of North Carolina, Donna enjoyed a successful junior, amateur and collegiate career winning many titles including the 1976 United States Women’s Amateur Championship in 1976. While attending the University of North Carolina-Greensboro she teamed with Candy Sibbick to win the 1973 Women’s Two Person National Championship. Transferring to the University of Florida in 1974, she won multiple collegiate titles and graduated in 1976 with a BSPE degree with certification for grades K-12.

Professional Highlights

  • Winner of three LPGA tour events and ranked top 20 LPGA money winners 5 times in career
  • 2010 Top 50 Women Teachers in America (Ranked #11): Golf Digest
  • 2009 Top 100 Teachers: Golf Digest
  • 2008-2009 LPGA Top 50 Teacher’s List
  • 2008 LPGA National Professional of the Year Award
  • 2008 LPGA Southeast Section Professional of the Year Award
  • 2007 LPGA Ellen Griffin Rolex Award recipient
  • 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002 “Top 50 Teacher”, Golf for Women Magazine
  • 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee: UNC- Greensboro
  • 2003 Merchandiser of the Year, LPGA Southeast Section
  • 2002 Merchandiser of the Year, Public Facility, PGA SE Chapter
  • 1999 “LPGA Professional of the Year” nominee
  • 1986 Inductee into Palm Beach  County Sports Hall of Fame
  • University of Florida, first female athlete Hall of Fame and Letterman’s Association inductee

Frank Longabucco, PGA Certified Professional

Frank Longabucco, Certified PGA Professional, was elected to the PGA of America in August 1998. A graduate of Rider University in New Jersey with a BS in Finance, he began his golf professional career as an assistant golf professional at Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation Florida, and worked at several other golf clubs in the state over the next several years. As a head golf professional he brings a wealth of knowledge in all areas of golf operations and has been recognized for his customer relations skills. Mr. Longabucco became a Certified PGA Professional in Golf Operations in August 2006, and was additionally Certified in Instruction in 2011.

He specializes in short game instruction, and believes that balance, tempo and a great short game are the key elements in scoring. Mr. Longabucco was winner of the 2003 SECSFPGA Pro-Pro Chapter Championship and 2007 SECSFPGA Pro-Pro Classic. Mr. Longabucco is truly excited to be part of Keiser University’s College of Golf and looks forward to sharing his knowledge in the classroom and on the golf course with our students.

John Callahan, PGA Professional

John Callahan, a graduate of Stonehill College in Massachusetts, earned Class “A” membership into the PGA of America in 1970. A fine player, Callahan is a former winner of both the Vermont PGA Stroke Play and Match Play Championships and was a member of the Tournament Players Division of the PGA in 1977 and 1978.

Callahan has been the Head Golf Professional at private, public and resort courses, and since 2007 John has owned and operated The Callahan Golf Learning Center in Colchester, Connecticut. All through his career Callahan’s passion has been for teaching people the game of golf. He has given over 30,000 lessons to players ranging from beginners to PGA and LPGA Professionals. In 2011 Callahan’s teaching acumen was recognized by Golf Magazine which named him “Adjunct-Top 100 Golf Instructors in America”, one of only seven so named from thousands of nominees throughout the country.

Jane Reynolds, PGA and LPGA Professional

With over 30 years of experience and memberships with both the PGA and LPGA, Jane Reynolds brings a unique perspective to the College of Golf faculty as a seasoned Rules of Golf expert.

Ms. Reynolds played three years on the University of Alabama golf team, two as the team captain before graduating with a B.A. in Political Science. During her amateur days in Alabama, she won the Alabama State Women’s Championship four straight years. She has also played in two U.S. Women’s Opens, one as an amateur and the other as a professional.

In 1990, Ms. Reynolds joined the LPGA Tour staff as a Tournament Rules Official, where she spent almost twenty years organizing and officiating hundreds of LPGA Tour events. Jane holds the distinction of being the first woman appointed to serve on the PGA of America Rules of Golf Committee and in that role, she officiated several PGA Championships. Ms. Reynolds also received a PGA Masters Specialty Certification in the Rules of Golf. She continues officiating Legends Tour events and also the LPGA T&CP National Championship.

As part of the College of Golf faculty, Jane looks forward to sharing her knowledge and passion for the Rules of this great game we all enjoy.

Greg Martzolf, PGA Master Professional

Greg Martzolf is the Director of Golf and General Manager of The Legacy Golf Club in the PGA Village at Port St. Lucie, FL. Mr. Martzolf graduated from the University of New Orleans in 1986, where he played on the golf team and was a Division 1 scholarship recipient. Mr. Martzolf was elected to membership in the PGA of America in 1991 and eventually served as Senior Manager of Member Education for the PGA of America Education Department. He attained PGA Master Professional status in Golf Operations in 2004 and PGA Master Professional status in General Management later that same year. He is one of only thirteen PGA Master Professionals in the world to hold more than one PGA Master Professional designation. As the Director of Golf and General Manager of The Legacy Golf Club, Mr. Martzolf is responsible for the successful management of the operations, golf instruction, maintenance, food and beverage, tennis, swimming pool, and membership services.