Meet our Golf Instructor

Jay Harris

A former member of the Troy University Golf Team, Jay was the #1 seed for the majority of his career.  He was part of 3 winning teams at tournaments and posted 14 Top 20 finishes in his career including a 2nd place finish at the 2009 Troy Invitational.  Jay was a standout high school player, winning many awards in high school.  He was voted the Times Daily Player of the Year in 2005 while leading Brooks High School to 6 straight State Championship appearances.  Jay was part of the 2000 State Championship winning team at the age of 13.  He won 21 tournaments in high school and made the AHSAA All-State Team 4 years in a row. Jay also works as a Camp Counselor for Camp Butter and Egg.  Jay is from Killen, AL (near Florence) and holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing.  He is currently pursuing his MBA in Economic Development at Troy University.

Q & A with Jay:

What are benefits of learning to play golf?

     Playing the game of golf brings about numerous benefits.  One benefit is that you don't have to be great at the game to enjoy it.  This is one of the very few things in life you can do when you're 8 years old until you're 85 years old.  From personal experience, golf has really done a lot for me as far as getting to spend time with my father.  Golf was a great way for us to get to just hang out and have a great time together.  Another interesting benefit has to do with the business world.  Many CEOs from Fortune 500 Companies get many deals done with salesmen while playing golf.  So while you're out there making birdies, you could also be working and making money at the same time!!!

Must I be a member of a country club to play golf?

     No,golf is a universal game, not a private game.  While some people choose to be part of a private or semi-private country club, many of the best places to play golf are on public golf courses. (just look at where the US Open was played, PUBLIC GOLF COURSE!)  All you need in order to play a public golf course is your golf clubs and a tee time.

What equipment is needed to get started playing golf? 

     All you need to get started with playing golf is your own set of golf clubs.  I find that it's much easier to teach someone how to play golf when they have their own golf clubs instead of rentals.  While rentals are very convenient sometimes, a person who is interested in playing golf will have their own set.  It just makes the person more inclined to putting in the work to be a good golfer. 

Will your lessons include playing golf on local courses?

     Yes, although, the majority of the lessons will be spent inside the training facility.  In simple terms, you gotta walk before you can run!

Are there college scholarships for golfers?

      Absolutely!  I was lucky enough to receive a golf scholarship to Troy University and it helped tremendously in furthering my education.  College golf is one of the coolest things in the world I think.  Just the concept of 5 people teaming up to play on a team in an individual's sport is really exciting. 

Do you teach males and females?