Advisory Board
Chip Beck, PGA
Chip Beck is a player known for his contagious enthusiasm and positive attitude. Beck made his initial mark on the PGA Tour in 1988, recording his first two wins at the Los Angeles Open and USF&G Classic. Chip maintained his excellent playing record, winning the 1990 Buick Open. However, it is not a PGA Tour Victory that made Chip Beck a legend in golf. In his third round at the Las Vegas Invitational in 1991, Chip recorded the second 59 in PGA Tour history and forever etched his name into the golf record books. In August 2003, Chip accomplished another historical feat. During the second round of the 2003 Omaha Classic, Chip recorded the first ace on a par-4 hole on the Nationwide Tour.
Chip added his fourth career victory in 1992, with a win at the Freeport-McMoran Golf Classic. He followed with a stellar 1993 in which he finished second at the Masters and earned a Ryder Cup berth, the third of his career. He represented the United States well at the Belfry that year, beating Barry Lane in a singles match to help secure the Cup.
Chip is looking forward to making his Champions Tour debut in September of 2006. Until that time, Chip will continue to play competitively on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours. When Chip is not playing, he gives speeches and golf clinics at corporate outings and charity events throughout the country.
Cindy Rarick, LPGA
Cindy Rarick’s vast golfing experience and expertise makes her a valuable addition to the Golf Academy Advisory Board. A member and touring professional with the Ladies Professional Golf Association
LPGA since 1985, Ms. Rarick has won the Chrysler-Plymouth Classic, the LPGA Corning Classic, the Northgate Computer Classic, and is a four-time winner of the World Wide Championship of Pro-Am Golf. She is the Playing Editor of Golf for Women magazine and has produced golf instructional and fitness videos. Ms. Rarick is a golf commentator for NBC Sports and The Golf Channel. She is actively involved in the Tucson Roadrunners Junior Girls Golf Club, the Hawaiian Junior Golf Association, and has been an honorary chairwoman of the March of Dimes. Ms. Rarick is a graduate of the University of Hawaii, where she attended on a golf scholarship.
Todd Sones, PGA
A Class A PGA member since 1983, Todd Sones is the owner of Todd Sones Impact Golf Center in Vernon Hills, Illinois, ranked fourth among golf school in America by Golf Magazine. He is also the founder of the Coutour Golf Putter Company. Mr. Sones has won the Illinois PGA Teaching Professional of the Year Award as well as the PGA Horton Smith Award. He holds the patent for the Tri-Fit Method/Tool for custom-fit putters. He currently writes instructional articles for Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, and Golf Tips. Mr. Sones has also written the instructional books Lights Out Putting and Saving Par: How to Play the 40 Toughest Shots in Golf. He is also a featured instructor for The Golf Scene on Fox TV and ESPN Radio.
Gilbert R. Stenholm
Gil joined Spencer Stuart in 1980 after five years with Booz Allen & Hamilton in Chicago. Previous experience included roles in human resources, management development and sales with General Foods, Baxter Travenol Laboratories and Masonite Corporation. He also had experience with Russell Reynolds. A senior consultant of the firm since 1985, Gil serves a wide variety of clients in consumer goods, media, industrial and healthcare products/pharmaceuticals. He also has completed a variety of key functional searches involving marketing, sales, finance, human resources, information systems, legal, and research and development. In addition, Gil conducts consulting projects that involve organizational and compensation benchmarking projects, and is a member of the Board Services Practice and the Strategic Leadership Services Practice. Gil is a graduate of Bob Jones University and a former U.S. Army officer.
The following list of PGA professionals and industry experts are helping the Golf Academy of America keep current with trends in the golf industry.
Brent Krause, PGA
2007 PGA Professional of the Year
2002 Horton Smith Award Winner
Jim Brotherton Jr, PGA
2003 PGA Professional of the Year
Ken Morton Sr, PGA
1998 PGA Professional of the Year
1995 Horton Smith Award Winner
2002 Junior Golf Leader
1990 & 1998 Merchandiser of the Year
Paul Reinking, PGA
2003 Bill Strausbaugh Winner
Steve Napoli, PGA
2002 Bill Strausbaugh Winner
Jock Olson, PGA
2002 PGA Professional of the Year
Dave Normand, PGA
2001 Horton Smith Award Winner
Mark Darnell, PGA
1979 & 1986 Merchandiser of the Year
1986 Horton Smith Award Winner
Ken Lindsay, PGA
1983 Professional of the Year
1987 Horton Smith Award Winner
Charlie Lanzetta, PGA
2001 Junior Golf Leader
Keith Schneider, PGA
1990 Merchandiser of the Year
Larry Starzel, PGA
1985 Horton Smith Award Winner
Bob Barrett, PGA
1986 Merchandiser of the Year
Steve Braley, PGA
1982 Merchandiser of the Year
Perry Dickey, PGA
Billy Detlaff, PGA
Jim Richerson, PGA
Paul Levy, PGA
Jim Hart
Dave Phillips, PGA
Scott Cain, PGA
Jon Drago, PGA
Cathy Harbin, PGA
Brad Redding, PGA
Fabian McIntrye, PGA