John Stahlschmidt, TPC Sawgrass

John Stahlschmidt has a rich and lustrous golf
background both as a player as well as a golf
instructor. After completing a successful collegiate
golf career at the University of Alabama, John
turned his passion for the game to an instructional
capacity, with tenures at Resort Golf Schools and
ESPN Golf Schools.
John Stahlschmidt
Senior Head Instructor
Director of Operations
TOURAcademy
TPC Sawgrass
World Golf Village
Notable Students
Paige Mackenzie
Marcy Hart
Samantha Richdale
Dan Patrick
Ken Kellaney
John currently teaches players from the PGA,
LPGA, Nationwide and Futures Golf Tours. John
has also been featured on the Golf Channel, The
Today Show, ESPN.COM, PGATOUR.COM, and the
Golf Channel.com.
John also writes instruction pieces regularly for
Golf Tips magazine as he was just featured on the
cover, the Arizona Golfer and Jet Set Magazine.
John enjoys teaching golfers from beginners to
touring professionals.
9 QUESTIONS WITH JOHN STAHLSCHMIDT
Q: What’s sweeter: Breaking par (72) or beating Auburn in football?
A: Beating Auburn in football, of course.
Q: What’s your fondest memory as a player?
A: Qualifying for the U.S. Amateur in 1996 and nearly making it to Match Play [John missed by two
shots]. My father caddied for me, too, which was kind of fun.
Q: You also competed against Tiger Woods in a junior event?
A: It’s known today as the Big “I” Junior Classic. I had made a hole in one in the second round to
make the cut but I didn’t have a good third round. In the final round I teed off first on the 10th hole
at Pinehurst No. 7 and I was just making the turn when Tiger was teeing off on the first hole. So
I got to play nine holes behind Tiger. We all knew who he was. I mean he won nearly every junior
tournament.
Q: What do you remember about the first time you broke par (72)?
A: I was 12, and it was at my home course in St. Louis, Old Warson Country Club. I was playing in
the group behind Hale Irwin, who was a member, too, and I beat him that day. I shot 69 and he shot
something like 70. We talked about it afterwards. He congratulated me on a good score.
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest teaching achievement?
A: It happened just a few weeks ago. One of my students, Samantha Richdale, got her first win
with me helping her. It was on the CN Canadian Women’s Tour. She shot 65 on the first day, with
eight birdies!
Q: What’s the best tip or piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: It’s a quote I read from Hank Haney. It says, “No one cares how much you know, until they know
how much you care.” What it means is that your students are only going to buy into what you’re
trying to teach them when they know that you’re in it for their best interest. You show a genuine
interest in seeing them improve.
Q: What question do you get asked most by your students?
A: How do I become more consistent?
Q: And your answer?
A: I would say you need a game plan for improvement, and you have to work toward that game
plan. It’s a process that takes time and there are going to be ups and downs, but at the end of the
day you have to stay the course. You can’t change your game plan because you had a bad hole or
bad round. You have to stick with it.
Q: What made you get into teaching?
A: Growing up and playing golf, I know how frustrating the game can be and how it can give and
take away. The reason I got into instruction is to help people reach their true potential, whether
that’s to win a professional event or break 100 for the first time. I just really enjoy the satisfaction
that comes along with watching people succeed in the game of golf.