January 28, 2015
Anne Gajda named Top 50 Kids Teacher by U.S. Kids Golf
NORCROSS, Ga. – Anne Gajda, LPGA Teaching Professional at the Fox Hills Learning Center in Plymouth,
Michigan, has been named to U.S. Kids Golf’s annual list of Top 50 Kids Teachers. The Award recognizes the
world’s most outstanding youth golf instructors, and Anne is part of a select group that earned Top 50
accolades among more than 500 applicants.
Since 2004, U.S. Kids Golf has honored the best youth golf teachers with the Top 50 Kids Teacher
Award. Applicants complete an online survey and winners are chosen based on their contributions to youth
golf, such as: experience young golfers; time devoted to teaching youth; innovation, creativity and fun in their
programs; communication; parental involvement; use of a well-organized instruction program and overall
effort to grow the game.
The Top 50 Kids Teachers of 2014 includes golf professionals from 22 states, Canada and Costa Rica.
Each year, award recipients include teachers who work at public, private, resort and municipal courses.
“The teachers and coaches who win this award play an important part in our corporate mission to make
the game of golf for kids,” said Dan Van Horn, President and CEO of U.S. Kids Golf. “Our goal in recognizing
these youth golf coaches is to bot recognize their accomplishments and also to help parents find quality golf
instruction for their kids.”
The Top 50 Kids Teacher Award is administered by the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute, a division of
the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation. For more information about the Top 50 Kids Teacher Award, please contact U.S.
Kids Golf at [email protected].
Top 50 Kids Teachers – Class of 2014
Joseph Anders…Farmers Branch, Texas
Angela Aulenti…Stamford, Connecticut
Mike Berning…Kennesaw, Georgia
Fred Bond…Monroe, North Carolina
David Branstad…Hopkins, Minnesota
Casey Brittain…Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
Michael Bulger…Fairfield, Connecticut
Mary-Lee Cobick…West Palm Beach, Florida
Gary Cressend…Augusta, Georgia
Ray Cutright…Macon, Georgia
Mike Davis…Irvine, California
Mike Dickson…Bethesda, Maryland
Joseph DiDomenico…Pelham Manor, New York
John Dunigan…Malvern, Pennsylvania
Alejandro Duque…San Jose, Costa Rica
Mike Fay…Boyne Falls, Michigan
Jeff Frasier…Gainesville, Georgia
Anne Gajda…Plymouth, Michigan
Linda Gaudi…Fairfax, Virginia
Rudy Gonzalez…Laredo, Texas
Jeremy Green…Salt Lake City, Utah
Jered Gusso…Orlando, Florida
Adam Harrell…Leesburg, Virginia
Rick Heard…Boca Raton, Florida
Chris Holmes…Heathrow, Florida
Brian Jones…Cincinnati, Ohio
Mat Kent…Bedminster, New Jersey
Mark Krizic…Chicago, Illinois
Ralph Landrum…Florence, Kentucky
Andrew Lane…Winchester, Massachusetts
Sean Lanyi…Yorba Linda, California
Doug Lawrie…Burlington, Ontario
Christy Longfield…Bee Cave, Texas
Meredith Loosse…Keswick, Virginia
Corey Lundberg…The Woodlands, Texas
Steve Madison…Avon, Connecticut
Jonathan Mielke…Omaha, Nebraska
Cindy Miller…Williamsville, New York
Andy Miller…Reading, Pennsylvania
John Pallot…Miami, Florida
Ryan Peffer…Tuxedo Park, New York
Jason Peterson…New Canaan, Connecticut
Matthew Primrose…Riverview, Florida
Brandon Ray…Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Dylan Ross…Lerma, Mexico
Tom Shea…Odessa, Florida
Maggie Simons…Charlotte, North Carolina
Mark Summerville…Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
Rick Timm…Centennial, Colorado
Matthew Wilson…Los Gatos, California
Master Kids Teachers – Class of 2014
Dale Balvin…Scottsdale, Arizona
Mark Becker…Oneida, Wisconsin
Justin Blazer…Viera, Florida
Karen Bukowski…Erie, Pennsylvania
Mike Carbray…Oak Brook, Illinois
Dale Claussen…Green Cove Springs, Florida
Jim Collins…San Ramon, California
Kay Cornelius…Chandler, Arizona
Chris Dewar…Reno, Nevada
Michael Doctor…Skaneateles, New York
Berne Finch…San Jose, California
Brian Groszek…St Charles, Illinois
Jon Janik…Trumbull, Connecticut
Joseph Ludeman…Coral Gables, Florida
John Mascari…Wayne, New Jersey
Kammy Maxfeldt…Westport, Connecticut
Cameron McCormick…Dallas, Texas
Valerie Moore…Lake Worth, Florida
Bela Nagy…Vero Beach, Florida
Ryan O’Mahoney…Atlanta, Georgia
Megan Padua…East Hampton, New York
Todd Smith…San Diego, California
Chris Stahlnecker…South Kent, Connecticut
Kate Tempesta…New York, New York
Deb Vangellow…Sugar Land, Texas
Michael Wenzel…Northbrook, Illinois
Wendy Werley Bullock…Rancho Viejo, Texas
Joyce Wilcox…Acworth, Georgia
About U.S. Kids Golf
The U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, a Georgia non-profit recognized as a 501(c)(3) charity, was created in
2001 and provides services that include competition and instruction. The Foundation organizes over 800
tournaments each year for more than 10,000 players, ages 5-18. These tournaments include Local Tours in
more than 50 cities, eight Regional Championships, the European Championship, and the U.S. Kids Golf World
Championship and Teen World Championship, which are held each year in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The vision of the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation is to provide kids and their families the opportunity
participate in the game of golf through instruction and competition. With the belief that family interaction is
critical in the development of young golfers, parents are encouraged to serve as caddies for their kids during
tournaments and to develop positive coaching techniques.
U.S. Kids Golf, LLC is based in Atlanta and manufactures equipment and related golf products
designed for kids. It was created in 1997 when Founder/CEO Dan Van Horn found that his children were
losing their interest in golf due to not having the proper equipment. In addition to more than 4,000 golf shops
and retail locations in the United States, the company’s products also are available in more than 75 countries
worldwide.
###
