Meet Our Pros!
Judy Alvarez PGA/LPGA Master Professional
Head Golf Pro and Teaching Professional
Judy, PGA Certified in Player Development and the 2019 PGA National Patriot Award Recipient, has a wealth of experience creating fun and educational "edutainment" programming around ladies and juniors in addition to men's programs. What is most impressive is her work with Disabled Vets through PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere). In a portion of this program, she is a National Lead Instructor Trainer. She travels the country instructing fellow PGA/LPGA Professionals on how to teach adaptive golf to disabled vets. If you are interested in learning more about this program, email themeadows@pga.com.
Judy has brought and continues to provide PGA Jr. Golf Camps to our juniors, Happy Chippers for ages 7-11, Chics Chip n BYOB Sip, National Women's Golf Day, PGA Jr. Drive, Chip n Putt events, Swings by The Sound golf clinics for adults, Tuesday Tech, Short Game golf schools, and many oncourse programs. In addition, she wrote the non-fiction, short story, touching and compelling book called, Broken Tees and Mended Hearts. A Life Serving Wounded Warriors and Injured Spirits.
Teaching Philosophy:
Whether you are swinging on one or two legs, with one or two arms, from a standing or seated position, you can or can't see or can or can't hear, the ball reacts to your club head at impact. I am impact based and want the shaft leaning forward at the moment of truth - when the club head and ball collide.
Your swing is simply a style and we would work together to enhance your natural talent. I teach from the ground up using the ground as a force plate. The ball tells me what to do to help you correct your swing so you can hit the ball more solid, straighter and get more distance.
Seldom am I overhauling your swing - or surgery. You are usually an "out patient".
I am a holistic teacher and look at your full swing, short game, putting, equipment, course management and strategy, mental game, nutrition, and more.
Whether you are a beginner, looking to go from 9 holes to 18 holes, want to play competitively or socially, a senior, junior, or want to be a club champion, I am here to help you. I specialize in helping the injured (back injury and more) and the disabled.
Learn from the best! Check out our session: "On-Course with Coach Judy!" Click Here!
Rich Doino, PGA Professional, Instructor and Club Fitter
Rich Doino is a Long Island native that became a class A PGA Member in 2003. I started my teaching career at the Engineers country club working under the tutelage of Eric Feltman PGA. I was then invited to teach in Greenwich Connecticut, at the Innis Arden Golf Club, there I became the First teaching professional under the tutelage of Gary Murphy PGA. My experiences have allowed me to cultivate my teaching philosophy.
Teaching Philosophy:
In my eyes, each student is a beautiful blank canvas. There are no two golf swings alike. The way I teach is to adapt the students physical and mental capacities and roll them into a beautiful and functional golf swing. Many people have flaws in their swing that can be rebuilt and perfected. With advanced technology students are assessed an immediate a plan is put in to action. Homework is given to each student to reinforce muscle memory along with knowledge and understanding of the golf swing.
I also teach students how “To Play” golf. Playing golf is often overlooked because being able to swing a golf club well does not necessarily make you a better golfer. Once you enter the realm of working on your swing and your game the possibilities are endless. My goal is to make golf fun and enjoyable. After all it is a game. I look forward to building strong relationships with my students and watch them become the golfer they want to be
“Golf is hard...let’s make it fun.”
Gene Protz, PGA Professional, Instructor and Club Fitter
Gene grew up in western Canada and graduated from the U of Alberta with Chemistry degree. He played collegiate hockey and competed in local as well as provincial golf tournaments. After moving to the United States, he was introduced to the business of golf which lead to an ongoing study of how to teach and play better golf. He has been a PGA member since 1986.
He is a long time resident of Long Island where he was employed at high-end north shore golf clubs. In his most recent position he was an equipment salesman and golf instructor at the New York Golf Center in Hicksville.
He is married with two children and two grandchildren. In off hours he enjoys physical training, cooking, and working on DIY home improvement projects.
Teaching Philosophy:
Swinging a golf club is a disciplined athletic activity that involves making a coil/recoil body pivot to create a slinging motion of the arms. For effective ball hitting, you have a stable center and blend the action of the arms with the pivot to generate power and timing for the ball strike. And finally, you have to learn how to manage the various clubs as tools to control the ball flight.
To become a better golfer, the goal is to work out a swing that is repeatable and functional within your physical limitations. Understanding what to do is important. But the key to developing form is to train the body to move in a specific pattern and sequence. And then to use the sensory feedback from that training to create key feels to build a swing that works for you.
My job as an instructor is to guide you in a program that will enhance your natural physical ability as you develop your golf playing skills.
I enjoy club fitting too and have been fitting for many years.
Call our pro shop at 631-544-0036 or email themeadows@pga.com to schedule your next lesson!
