Tom Patri, One of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America, has been a leading voice in golf instruction for more than 30 years.
Tom has taught at every level of the game, coaching more than 100 PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and PGA Club Professionals, and hundreds of top juniors and amateurs. The game has taken Tom around the world – first as a distinguished player and, now, as one of golf’s most knowledgeable and decorated teachers.
In 1990, he became Director of Instruction at the prestigious Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, where he worked for 11 years at the home of the famed PGA Tour stop, the Westchester Classic. Tom now resides in Naples, Florida with his wife, Denise, and son, Palmer Jackson, and is the Founder and Owner of TP Golf Services.
One of GolfTip’s Magazine Top 25 Teachers in America is just one of many honors. Tom was named one of the Top 25 Instructors in New York State in 1999 and 2000 by Golf Digest, the 1998 Metropolitan PGA Teacher of the Year and the South Florida PGA Teacher of the Year in 2006. He was twice named Southwest Florida PGA Teacher of the Year in 2003 and 2006.
Tom also carries a champion pedigree as a player. He was the 1981 NCAA II National Champion while attending Florida Southern College and was twice named a First Team All-American selection. In the 30 years since, Tom has built a formidable teaching enterprise that has made him a sought-after authority in the game. He has appeared on The Golf Channel, NBC-TV, Madison Square Garden Network and his articles have appeared in such noted publications as Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, Executive Golfer, Golf for Women, Golf Illustrated, Senior Golfer, Petersen’s Golfing and The Met Golfer. He has also been a golf columnist for The Naples News since 2007.
His first book “The Six Spoke Approach to Better Golf Learning” received rave reviews when released in 2003. He is currently working on his second book.
Tom has been privileged to have worked with many greats in the business community and therefore some extremely prestigious corporations. Mercedes Benz, Merrill Lynch, NBC-TV, ABC Family TV, Buick, and Coca-Cola to name just a few.
A career spanning 30 years:
- Grew up in Middle Island, Long Island / Spring Lake Golf Club & Middle Island CC
- Won 1973 L.I. Boys Golf Championship and 2 L.I. Private School Championships
- 1976 MGA Jr. Champion Won 15 Junior events during his junior career.
- College: 2-time 1st team All-American at Florida Southern
- Won 1981 NCAA Division II National Champion- ship (1980 NCAA II National Runner-Up)
- Won 5 Collegiate Events
- 1981 Richardson Memorial Champion (L.I.G.A.)
- Turned Professional after college, played full- time 1981-1988 across the US, Mexico, Canada, Europe and South Africa
- 1988: Teaching Professional worked for John Kennedy at Cold Spring CC
- 13x Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher in America
- Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher in America Alumni
- Head Professional at Bellport Country Club from 1988-1990
- Director of Golf Instruction at Westchester CC, 1990-2001
- Director of Instruction at Friars Head 2006-2015
- Founded TP Golf Services 1993
- 1998 Met PGA Teacher of the Year
- 2006 South Florida PGA Teacher of the Year
- 2006 & 2008 SW Florida PGA Teacher of the Year
- Golf Tips Magazine Top 25 Instructors in America
- Golf Tips Magazine Contributing Editor
- Author of The Six Spoke Approach
- Golf Digest Best Teacher By State (FL) List 2019-20
- Director of Player Development Twin Eagles Club, Naples, Florida
- 2023-24 Best in State (FL) – Golf Digest
- Students have won over 125 Jr, Amateur and Collegiate events
- Tom has coached on the LPGA Tour, PGA Tour, and Champions Tour
- Students of note -Seve Ballesteros, Len Mattiace, David Peoples, Val Skinner, Cathy Johnston-Forbes, Meghan Francella, Missie Berteotti, Melissa McNamara, Hiromi Koboyashi, Min Lee
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