Peachtree Corners, GA – The U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute is once again proud to recognize the best kids coaches in the world through the 2025 Top Kids Coach and Master Kids Coach awards.
“The coaches that are being recognized with these awards stand out because they realize that coaching kids is a unique challenge, but also a wonderful opportunity,” said Dan Van Horn, the President and Founder of U.S. Kids Golf. “They understand it’s not just about teaching specific skills, though that is very important, but it’s also about how to instill a lifelong love of the game. The ability to do both is really the best measure of a kids coach, and this year’s honorees do it the best.”
This year’s Top 50 class consists of coaches from 20 states and 10 countries.
Presented since 2004, the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Coach award is widely recognized as the pinnacle achievement for junior golf coaches worldwide. Award recipients are chosen based on their contributions to youth golf in their community. These contributions include but are not limited to coaching players ages 12 and under, use of the Player Pathway in advancing their players, creativity, engagement with parents, communication, and organization.
Additionally, 12 coaches will be honored as Master Top 50 Coaches. Coaches achieve the Master Kids Coach status upon earning the Top 50 award for a third time. “Becoming a Master Top 50 elevates your place in junior golf to the highest level of coaching,” noted Van Horn. “It shows a longevity, commitment, and results that will impact families and the entire golf community for many years to come.”
All coaches will be recognized at the annual Top 50 Awards Ceremony on the Main Show Stage during the 2026 PGA Show in Orlando, Florida
Top 50 Kids Coaches, Class of 2025:
Luke Allen……………………South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Yang Bai………………………Rosemead, Calif.
Luke Baker…………………..Spring, Texas
Gene Bakkum………………Oakland, Calif.
Candice Bromley………….Nottage, Wales
Robin Campbell……………Aberdeen, Scotland
HouKuan Choi……………..Shreveport, La.
Philippe Corsaletti………..Villeneuve Loubet, France
Jeff Cowell…………………..Southern Pines, N.C.
Edward Doherty II………..Hingham, Mass.
Jonathan Dudley………….Greensboro, N.C.
Daniel Fowler………………Atlanta, Ga.
Stefanie Giacchini…………Lexington, Ky.
Travis Glass………………….Niagara Falls, Canada
Scott Guzinski………………Virginia Beach, Va.
Casey Hall……………………Mountain View, Calif.
Chad Johansen…………….Bristol, Ill.
Dawn Kachel………………..Onalaska, Wis.
Sean Kirschenberg………..Victoria, Australia
Stephanie Kolbas……………….Eagle, Neb.
Nicholas Korns…………………..Grand Blanc, Mich.
Nicholas Langelotti…………….Bronxville, N.Y.
Jacob Lehman……………………Rye, N.Y.
Catalina Mackelfresh………….Enniskerry, Ireland
David Maslen…………………….Chicago, Ill.
Mack McConaha………………..Dublin, Ohio
Alistair McNaughton…………..Dornoch, Scotland
Ric Moore…………………………Pasadena, Calif.
Clay Myers II……………………..West Palm Beach, Fla.
Rushi Oza………………………….Davidson, N.C.
Clayton Pendergraft……………Lemont, Ill.
Andrew Pratt……………………..Auburn, Ala.
Jay Reid…………………………….Mooresville, N.C.
Ezequiel Ruiz……………………..Buenos Aires, Argentina
Grady Santoso……………………Tangerang, Indonesia
Marius Schutte…………………..Hung Yen, Vietnam
William Smittle…………………..White Plains, N.Y.
Matthew Stoughton…………….Johnson City, N.Y.
Master Kids Coaches, Class of 2025:
Jimmy Bayne…………………High Point, N.C.
Ryan Benton………………….Dothan, Ala.
Travis Fowler…………………London, United Kingdom
Andrew Gerlach…………….Hilton Head, S.C.
Jerrel Gill………………………Coral Gables, Fla.
Megan Johnston……………Ridgedale, Mo.
Katie Manlolo……………………..Kapolei, Hawaii
Chad Moscovic……………………Frisco, Texas
Joseph Portfilio…………………..Bloomfield Hill, Mich.
Eva Rogers…………………………Medinah, Ill.
Matthew Rueb……………………Bismarck, N.D.
Jonathan Shoffner……………….Humble, Texas
For more information on the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Coach Award, visit: https://foundation.uskidsgolf.com/about-our-coaches
About U.S. Kids Golf
Founded in 1996, U.S. Kids Golf is the world’s leader in golf for young players. The company serves every aspect of golf for kids, including award-winning equipment, hosting tournaments worldwide, and training golf professionals in best practices for player development. In equipment, the company offers five distinct systems of clubs in eleven sizes. These products have revolutionized junior golf, perfecting fitting clubs for growing bodies and eliminating the need for cut-down adult models.
The U.S. Kids Foundation, begun in 2001, now hosts more than 2,300 tournaments globally – including the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships held annually in Pinehurst, N.C. The U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute has trained 7,000 golf professionals around the world with coaching techniques to help kids have fun learning the game. The Foundation also owns and operates Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, N.C., a “Living Laboratory” for incubating new ideas to make golf a better game for everyone.
Since 2018, U.S. Kids Golf has been honored by the National Golf Foundation as one of the “Top 100 Businesses in Golf” based on influence, innovation, and social good, among other criteria. For more information, please visit www.uskidsgolf.com
Connect with U.S. Kids Golf:
Website: www.uskidsgolf.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USKidsGolf
Instagram: www.instagram.com/u.s.kidsgolf/