Part I: The Early Foundation (Sacramento & Haggin Oaks)

I was raised in Fair Oaks, California, as the youngest of three children. My early life was spent in the shadow of my older brother, Will, who was naturally athletic and social. At a certain point, my mother made a suggestion that quietly changed the course of my life: she felt I needed something that was "just mine," where I could spend one-on-one time with my father away from my brother’s shadow.

My father took me to the golf course. He loved the ritual and etiquette—polishing his shoes and cleaning his clubs the night before a round. My first visual impression of the game was at Poppy Hills; the perfectly manicured mower lines reminded me of a major league baseball field.

One of the most important things my dad did for me was not try to coach me. He believed in finding the right people and letting them teach, a lesson that deeply informs how I work with junior golfers and their parents today.

My formal introduction to the game came at Haggin Oaks from pro emeritus Tom LoPresti, a ninety-year-old living link to the game’s history. His lesson was simple and profound: “High hands”. He had me hit a cardboard box so the club toe would stick into it, then told me to finish high.

My first real coach, Judy Ghilarducci, instilled the discipline of repetitions. She didn’t overteach; she focused on moving through the impact zone properly with abbreviated finishes. When I complained that a proper grip felt "weird," she calmly told me I would get used to it. She was right—sound fundamentals are the only path to consistency.