Core Staff

Sean Foley—PGA Tour Coach

Sean Foley is one of the world’s top golf coaches. His students include PGA Tour players Stephen Ames, Hunter Mahan, Tiger Woods and Justin Rose, as well as LPGA Tour players Lorie Kane and Jessica Shepley. He is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional.

Driven by a passion to help young golfers become the best players and people they can be, Sean is renowned for his ability to connect with students and for turning good players into great ones.

"Having been around Core since its inception, it has been incredibly rewarding for me to see so many young golfers become both better people and players,” Sean says. “As a member of Core's PGA Tour Advisory Board, I work directly with the coaches to ensure that the program delivers beyond the expectations of its students and their parents, enabling players to reach their goals."

James Leitz—PGA Tour Advisory Board

Recognized as one of the world’s experts in ball flight analysis, PGA professional James Leitz brings a passion for science, digital technology and golf to his role mentoring and educating Core Golf Academy coaches.

Leitz is noted for significantly expanding golf’s knowledge base by developing the “Leitz Golf Impact Model,” which is owned by 12 of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in the World.

He is also known for developing the methodology for capturing the most detailed information available today about a golfer’s swing at impact and ball flight by using 3-D Body Motion Analysis and Doppler radar.

A PGA of America professional for more than 30 years, Leitz ensures that Core coaches and students have precise information on club path, face angle, attack angle, launch, ball speed, club speed and other factors that determine ball flight and influence club fitting and swing analysis.

Leitz has been a featured speaker at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on three occasions. He also leads workshops and seminars across North America for golf professionals, produces ground-breaking videos, writes articles, and provides teaching content for Trackman launch monitors.

A multiple winner of professional awards including a lifetime achievement award from the Louisiana PGA, Leitz is Director of Golf at Pinewood Country Club in Louisiana. His junior students have won 22 state championships.

“James Leitz provides us with expertise that is charting new territory and discovering exactly what happens during the golf swing. His knowledge and the mentoring he provides to our coaches ensures that Core’s teaching is based on precise science,” says Tom Jackson, President and Director of Instruction of Core Golf Academy.

Dr. Craig Davies—PGA Tour Strength and Fitness Coach

To compete at the top levels of golf today, a great golfer must be in top physical condition and operate at peak efficiency. No one understands that better than Dr. Craig Davies, who is among the top trainers and physical therapists on the PGA Tour.

His clients include Y.E. Yang, winner of the 2009 PGA Championship, and PGA Tour players Stephen Ames, Sean O’Hair, Hunter Mahan, and Justin Rose.

A certified chiropractor with a specialty in high-performance golf therapy, Craig ensures that all students have proper biomechanics. He also creates individualized golf-specific fitness training programs for each student, provides counseling on proper nutrition for optimal performance, and designs programs to overcome injuries.

Craig has taught golf performance courses to fitness coaches, healthcare providers, and teaching professionals, and is the performance therapist and strength and conditioning coach for the Canadian Junior Golf Association. He is the developer of Golf Exercise Specialist and Golf Performance Therapist certifications.

Back to Top

Jeff Hay—Director of golf operations

Drawing on more than two decades of teaching experience, Jeff Hay ensures the overall experience at the Core Golf Academy is everything the students and their parents dreamed it would be.

“Our mandate is to make the Core Golf Junior Academy the premier development institution for junior golfers, and to develop the best talent and the best people. Our students use their Core Golf Junior Academy experience as a vehicle to succeed in life,” says Jeff, a Canadian PGA Class A professional.

Jeff has worked with outstanding golf instructors such as Ben Kern, Tom Jackson and Mark Evershed. He was the former Head Professional at Canada’s top-ranked National Golf Club of Canada, where he was the lead instructor for the club’s renowned Elite Junior Program developed by the late Ben Kern.

Mark Burke—HEAD COACH

Mark is a passionate golf professional with more than 25 years of experience in the golf industry and has been fortunate enough to have been mentored by some of the world’s best instructors/coaches including Dr. Joseph Parent (author of Zen Golf), Fred Shoemaker (author of Extraordinary Golf) Mark Evershed, and the late Ben Kern. The knowledge and experience he has gained has enabled him to be creative in his coaching and proficient in developing programs specifically designed to match your learning style, help achieve your goals and reach your true potential.

Mark turned professional in 1991 and attained his Class A status with the Canadian PGA in 1998. For the past two seasons Mark has been the assistant coach for the University of British Columbia golf team.

“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” Timothy Gallwey

Donny Lee—Head Coach

Determined, hard working and knowledgeable are just a few of the many attributes that describe Core Golf Instructor Donny Lee.

Named one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers, the PGA Class A teaching professional has a passion for coaching young players. Mentored by Bob Toski and Sean Foley, Donny brings experience and vast knowledge to his own coaching.

Donny also knows how to compete at a high level, having won 19 professional tournaments. Named Male Athlete of the Year in 1999 by Virginia Commonwealth University, Donny has written for Golf Digest and taught at PGA National Resort and Spa in Florida, and at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

Annie Mallory—Head Coach

A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Annie Mallory is engaging, a great athlete, a highly skilled golf coach, and one heck of a communicator.

Even though she picked up her first golf club at age 13, Mallory earned a scholarship to NCAA Division I University of Texas-El Paso, where she was twice named to the second-team of the All Western Athletic Conference.

She played on mini-tours as a touring professional, but she was drawn to coaching where she has enjoyed considerable success working with Core students as well as touring professionals.

Lyndon Wilson—Coach

Lyndon brings tour experience to his role coaching students and ensuring they are fitted with equipment that perfectly suits their physiology and the state of their game. Lyndon custom fits the students, monitors their progress, and builds and repairs clubs for them.

Originally from Essex, England, Lyndon is a two-time British Public Champion, and he has played on development tours in Europe and Florida. Lyndon is also Director of Instruction for Nike Golf Schools and Junior Camps.

Atay Varli—Fitness and Nutrition Coach

Among certified golf trainers and therapists, Atay Varli is a rare find. Atay combines deep understanding of golf as a high-level amateur player and teaching professional with rigorous education and training. A former member of the Turkish national golf team, Atay is a a protege of Dr. Craig Davies, Core Golf’s Director of Fitness and Nutrition, and one of the top trainers on the PGA Tour.

Atay is a physical education graduate from the University of Marmara in Turkey. Atay assesses all Core students and—in conjunction with Dr. Davies—provides individual therapy programs to prevent injuries, address mobility issues and increase general fitness. Increasingly in demand by top amateur golfers and touring professionals, Atay also educates Core students on nutrition that fuels high performance.

Paul Dewland—Mental Performance Coach

Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in performance coaching, Paul Dewland provides Core Golf Academy students with the skills and tools to perform at high levels in virtually all aspects of their lives.

A great communicator and development expert, Paul provides coaching to Core students that enables them to access their sharpened golf skills during the pressure of competition, and how to use their internal faculties to amplify their skills and maximize performance.

Paul works with many of Canada’s top professional, amateur and junior golfers. He is the founder of PureMind Golf, and provides mental-game coaching to players at all levels. Paul also coaches players at the Core Golf Academy at Piper’s Heath in Oakville, Ontario.

Paul is a certified trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and has also helped numerous corporate entities make genuine and lasting changes that have boosted performance and revenues.

Back to Top

Chris Bennett—Director of Sales

With a lifelong passion for golf, business and providing exceptional customer service, Chris Bennett helps junior golfers and their families to take their game and life to a new level with Core Golf Academy.

“For our students to become the best players they can be, we need to provide the best services and be the best mentors we can be ourselves,” Chris says. “From every part of the organization, we strive for excellence.”

With 10 years of experience in the golf industry, including stints at Glen Abbey Golf Club and Virtually Perfect Golf Inc., Chris has an expert eye in swing video analysis and golf technology as well as a wealth of experience in sales and marketing.

Chris is the key contact for junior golfers and their families seeking information about attending Core Golf Academy.

Ijen Huang—Director of Recruiting, Asia

Having raised three highly competitive athletes as a mother, Ijen Huang knows that talent is a small part of success. It’s drive, determination and perseverance that separate the best from the rest.

Ijen is passionate about helping young athletes achieve their dreams, by finding the best training opportunities for them. That is why she represents Core Golf Academy.

“Core enables students to master biomechanics of movement and to develop mental oneness through golf, while shaping life values,” Ijen says. “Students go into Core’s program as eager enthusiasts, and come out as amazing people who play the highest caliber golf.”

Ijen was born in Taiwan and grew up in Canada where she earned a degree in physics from the University of Toronto. Since 1987, Ijen has been creating and operating businesses in Canada, Taiwan, China and the United States. Ijen brings high energy, great management skills and service excellence to her work facilitating her clients’ introduction to the Core program.

For Asian inquiries, click here.

Scotty Anderson—Director of Recruiting, Caribbean

A native of Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies, Scott believes that Core Golf Academy is a perfect fit for junior golfers from the Caribbean. “I feel very much at home at Core’s facility in Orlando, and I know that Caribbean juniors who train there will feel at home, reach the next level and learn important life lessons.

“If you want your child to experience the highest level of training, discipline and etiquette in a supportive environment of warm and welcoming people, Core Golf Academy is a sound investment for your family.”

Working with Core Golf is part of Scott’s goal to raise the standard of golf and instruction in Trinidad & Tobago to greater heights.

Scott graduated magna cum laude in Sports Entertainment and Event Management from Johnson & Wales University, Miami campus where he played on the varsity golf team. He worked and trained at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando and he worked with world-class cricket athletes as Director of Sports at a sports management company in Trinidad & Tobago.

Since 2010, he has been teaching golf training courses. Scott is a V1 Academy faculty member, a certified Professional Club Fitter, and he is starting up the first-ever Professional Golf Association of the Caribbean.

Andres Rodriguez—Director of Recruiting, Colombia

A native of Armenia, Colombia, Andres Rodriguez brings an accomplished golf perspective to his role in searching out junior golfers in South America who will take their games to a higher level at Core Golf Academy.

Andres owns 11 titles in Colombian Amateur play, including the 2002 Colombian Amateur Championship. As a professional with the PGA of Colombia, he has taught at the Guaymaral Country Club in Bogota.

An accomplished instructor and coach, he has also worked at the Junior Players Golf Academy in South Carolina and at Jim McLean Golf Schools in Florida, where in 2007 he won the Jackie Burke Award as the school’s top assistant.

“When I began playing in 1987, it didn’t take long for me to develop a real passion for the game of golf,” says Andres, whose lowest round is 62. “I want to use that passion to help the players at Core Golf Academy improve in every aspect of the game.

Sami Alibasoglu—Director of Recruiting, Turkey

A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Sami Alibasoglu draws on his passion for sport and business to help junior golfers in Turkey explore the limits of their potential.

“Golf is a relatively new sport for Turkey, but there are many great young players who show great promise. I want to help those players to reach their golf dreams at Core Golf Academy,” says Sami.

Sami attended Bogazici University in Istanbul before graduating with an MBA from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia in 1998.

He is currently the General Manager of Guide International Education in Istanbul. In his work in the foreign education sector for 15 years, he has acted as a counselor and provided psychological guidance.

Longy Le Hoang—Director of Recruiting, Vietnam

Longy is of Australian-Vietnamese heritage and is originally from Brisbane, Australia. Longy is a big sports fan who possesses a business degree and comes from a Marketing and Sports Management background. Currently living and working in Vietnam, Longy’s ambition is to combine his experiences and cultural understanding and help raise the standard of Vietnamese golfers to a whole new level.

Longy graduated from Queensland University of Technology where he was captain of the university’s gold medal winning tennis team at the Australian University Games. During his business career, he has worked with prestigious brands such as Porsche, Audi and ePlace.

Brianna Seo—Director of Recruiting, South Korea

A native of South Korea, Brianna Seo went to the United States to play golf and study at the age of 17 because this dual pursuit is impossible in Korea.

Based on that great experience and her knowledge of Core Golf Academy, Brianna believes that Core provides a terrific opportunity for Korean players to not only become better golfers but also more accomplished and well-rounded student-athletes.

Brianna was a member of the golf team at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, which won or finished in the top three at the NCAA Championship all four years she played on the team.

As a student, she studied International Business and worked at Jason Kang Golf Corporation as an intern in 2010. She was an Academic-All American every year of her collegiate career.

Back to Top

Tom Jackson—PRESIDENT

Tom brings more than 25 years of experience in golf—as a coach, mentor, touring professional and golf administrator—to his role as Director of Instruction of the Core Golf Academy.

Tom founded Core Golf based on his conviction that high school age golfers will thrive and grow as golfers and people with PGA Tour level coaching in all facets of the game, world-class education, and genuine care for their overall well-being.

With his encyclopaedic knowledge of the game and experience, Tom has helped develop the careers of some of Canada’s most promising junior, college and young professional players.

Tom developed his coaching expertise as a protégé of the late Ben Kern at the National Golf Club of Canada, and as a tour player on the Australian, Asian and Canadian Tours.

A PGA Class A Professional, Tom is the former Director of Instruction for the ClubLink Academies and the highly successful ClubLink Academy at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario, and former general manager of OslerBrook Golf & Country Club in Ontario.

Tom is also President of Core Golf Academy.

Tim O'Connor—Director of Communications

As a veteran golf writer and communications professional, Tim O’Connor oversees Core Golf’s communications including the website, social media, marketing and relations with media and the industry.

Tim ensures that Core celebrates and communicates the successes of our students, that we tell interesting and entertaining stories about the Academy and its people, and that Core students, families and their friends are kept on informed Core news, events and programs.

Tim has written three golf books, including The Moe Norman Story: The Feeling of Greatness, edited a book on Ben Hogan’s golf swing, and written hundreds of golf articles.

He has also provided professional communications to organizations such as Nike Golf, Canadian PGA, Canadian Professional Golf Tour, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, and more. He lectures on communications at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

Shawn Jackson—Student Service Representative

Shawn takes responsibility for the overall health and fitness of all Core Golf Junior Academy students on a daily basis. A registered nurse and certified trainer, Shawn also oversees our residence students to ensure their safety, well-being, proper nutrition for health and peak performance, and they are enjoying their experience.

Shawn is the direct liaison with parents and Windermere Preparatory School where our residence students live and attend school. For our students, Shawn is a trusted confidante and source of guidance.

In consultation with Dr. Davies, Shawn runs students through their daily workout routines, providing supervision and the latest training techniques. A native of Florida, Shawn is a certified golf fitness instructor (Level I Titleist Performance Institute), personal fitness trainer (International Sports Sciences Association), and owner of Body FX Fitness Training.

Daryl Jackson—Director of Residence

Daryl Jackson is the House Parent for Core Golf Academy with responsibilities for housing, transportation, nutrition and day-to-day life for Core students.

Prior to joining Core two years ago, Daryl was a stay-at-home mom for 20 years. She continues that important role—just to more young people. She loves it, and the students respect and feel drawn to Daryl.

Daryl is a compassionate, patient and caring person who provides support, nurturing and structure so that students have a wonderful time at Core, and their families have peace of mind.

Back to Top