Page 8 - 07.06 p1-56 (Final Print)

INSIDE USGTF NEW PRESIDENT

A NEW ERA
A NEW ERA

IN USGTF HIST ORY
IN USGTF HISTORY
BEGINS
BEGINS

the result of his business acumen and previous
experiences, and this caught the attention of
Bryant, who named Lee vice president of the
USGTF in 2011. In that role, Lee established the
USGTF’s foreign language courses (FLC), which
were based on strong professional ethics and
educational programs, while continuing to
research and spread the latest golf teaching
or 31 years, one man led the USGTF as methods in the United States. This has helped
its president and CEO. That would be foreigners in the United States earn USGTF
Ffounder Geoff Bryant, who in 1989 started certification and continue the organization’s
a revolution in the golf teaching business that progress as a leader in golf.
continues strong to this day. Here is a Q&A with the USGTF’s new
Recently, Bryant said 31 years is enough president, Brandon Lee:
and it’s time to ride off into retirement. Enter
Brandon Lee, who assumed the titles of Q: Why did you want to become president/
president and CEO in February. Lee was CEO of the USGTF?
formerly the director of the USGTF’s foreign A: The USGTF was started with a great mission
language courses and president of USGTF- envisioned by Geoff Bryant. I thought
Korea, among other entities. He also served it was time for a new generation to
as vice president of the World Golf Teachers continue the mission and continue the
Federation, the umbrella group that is development. I worked through the ranks
comprised of more than 40 member nations. as a Certified Golf Teaching Professional,
Lee was born in South Korea and grew up a Master Teaching Professional and FLC
there. As a kid, he participated in many sports course director. It made sense to naturally
due to the influence of his father. Lee’s dad progress into this role.
also got him involved in golf in high school. He Q: What do you see as the USGTF’s future and
later completed his Ph.D in Exercise Biochemistry what are your plans for it?
in Japan. After a career in that field, he came
to the United States and completed the USGTF A: To make the USGTF certification more
certification program in 2005. He began his golf valuable by helping the members
teaching career in Orange County, California, make money through teaching and
in the cities of Irvine and Laguna Hills, where he employment, because the USGTF is
operated a teaching academy. a career choice. I also plan to work
His academy was extremely successful, harder to define what a golf teaching

08
SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro ®