In addition to teaching The First Tee Life Skills Experience, our chapter provides additional instruction opportunities to middle school and high school age golfers with a goal of competing on their high school and a future collegiate team. We currently have six students playing on local high school golf teams, one alumna playing collegiate golf and another alumna that has turned professional.
Recently, we have forged a new relationship with the world’s top golf instructors and are proud to announce a new partnership with Butch Harmon Floridian. Chapter students who demonstrate a commitment to The First Tee with a goal to play golf at a higher level will be eligible to work with instructors Claude Harmon III and Ryan Crysler at Butch Harmon Floridian. Floridian’s owner, Jim Crane, is a Trustee of The First Tee and a committed supporter of our Chapter and The First Tee national organization.
Through the partnership, The First Tee students will receive special access and programs designed to enhance skill, course management and golf fitness. Instructors from Butch Harmon Floridian will visit Dyer Park throughout the year to work with our advanced students and our chapter will establish a scholarship program for families in need of financial assistance.
“This is a very unique and exciting opportunity for our students because of the generosity of Claude Harmon and Ryan Crysler,” said Carl Mistretta, Chapter Executive Director. “It demonstrates our long-standing commitment to game improvement and forges a partnership with the #1 family in golf instruction.”
Claude Harmon III is in the vanguard of the new generation of golf teachers. Steeped in tradition both his grandfather, Claude Harmon, and father Claude “Butch” Harmon Jr., have been the dominant teachers of their generation. The Harmon family pedigree has been the perfect foundation for Claude to build his knowledge of golf instruction. Claude’s teaching philosophy and methods have delivered lower scores and better, more repeatable swings for seasoned tour players, celebrities, and amateurs of all abilities. Claude is ranked 12th on Golf Digest’s 2017-2018 Best Teachers in America and the Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor list. Claude currently coaches three time major winner Brooks Koepka, US Open Champion Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and PGA Champion Jimmy Walker.
Four Chapter students have started working with Senior Instructor, Ryan Crysler at Butch Harmon Floridian. Ryan is a highly regarded Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf 3 professional ranked on The Golf Digest 50 Best Teachers In Florida List for 2017-2018. Ryan currently coaches PGA Tour players Dominic Bozzelli, Champions Tour players Ken Duke and Barry Lane, and high performing college and junior players. Ryan focuses on simplifying concepts, athletic performance, proper equipment and shot by shot analytics on the course and in practice. Ryan’s business and coaching supports military charities including the Folds of Honor and PGA HOPE.
There are only three Harmon learning centers in the world: Butch Harmon Floridian, The Butch Harmon School of Golf in Las Vegas and Claude Harmon Performance Golf in Dubai. Butch Harmon Floridian includes two Swing Studios, a Scotty Cameron Showcase Partner Putting Studio, private Fitness Center and the new Harmon Short Course. The facility spans 4,500 square feet on its own private practice tee beautifully designed to take advantage of the cool prevailing sea breeze. Featuring serene rolling short game areas and two practice greens, it is designed for any golfer that desires to improve.
