Inducted into the Pacific Northwest PGA Hall of Fame in 2013
The Jeff Coston Golf Academy opened at the beautiful Semiahmoo Resort in 1994. I started with a video camera and a bag of teaching aids at the far corner of the driving range. Now we have an amazing teaching facility, a wonderful academy building and some of the finest instructors in the world visit Semiahmoo to do summer golf schools with me.
But to me, the Academy began in 1965 during the Seattle Open at Inglewood Country Club. There I was, age 10, with my caddy towel thinking I was going to get a tour bag to carry during the tournament.
There was an amazing figure of a man smashing a golf ball off the tee. I was in awe. I was hooked, all in, never the same. The man was Jack Nicklaus.
Since that day in ’65, I have caddied, played, sought and taught endlessly. Officially, since ’94, I teach beginners to PGA Tour and LPGA Tour Players. High school, college players, state champions, AJGA champions, men, women, young and young at heart. It does not matter. I teach with all my heart, passion, knowledge and experience of the last 47 years. I just want people who want to learn and enjoy the journey to the golf of their dreams.
Some twenty years later it was l985, my first year on the PGA Tour. I was now paired with that same amazing figure of a man. It was the final round of the Honda Classic. Jack Nicklaus had that same waggle and aura of greatness about him. I was again in awe. I had exchanged my caddy towel for a set of golf clubs. I was no longer outside the ropes but standing inside next to greatness.
Another round I will always remember. Walking fairways with huge crowds alongside the greatest player of his time, perhaps of all time. I was hooked, I am all in and I still am.
Nicklaus won “The Masters” in 1986. Amazing! That round in 1985; Coston shot 71, Nicklaus 73. Perhaps equally amazing. Join me on your own amazing journey. It would be my pleasure.
