Tim Cooke
Tim enjoyed success on the golf course as a junior and went on to compete at the University of Virginia where he was a team captain during his final season. While at UVA, Tim realized that golf was always going to be an integral part of his life, and it was at this time that he decided to lay the foundation for a future career in golf instruction. Unlike typical golf instructors, Tim began his career in the academic realm completing a Master’s degree in Pedagogy from Virginia in 1999. This study, tailored to the teaching of golf, broadened his knowledge of not only the golf swing but also the fields of exercise physiology, motor learning and sport psychology.
In addition to his role at GOLFPREP Tim is the Director of Instruction at Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island, SC. Long Cove Club is widely considered the best private course in the Hilton Head area with an active golf membership. As the Club’s first dedicated teaching professional Tim runs multiple programs to fit all the membership’s needs. Long Cove has a growing junior program under Tim’s direction that has resulted in three different juniors winning the Men’s Club Championship title. Prior to arriving at Long Cove Club Tim worked at the prestigious Wade Hampton Golf Club, in Cashiers NC, where he was able to transform the instructional program in an exclusive golf setting. Tim’s teaching was so well received at Wade Hampton, where he served as the Head Professional/Instructor, that he taught 20 times the number of lessons as the previous professional staff.
Tim is constantly working to develop his teaching skills and further his knowledge of the golf swing. In 2009 Tim was awarded Master Professional in Instruction status by the PGA of America. At the time there were only 167 Master Professionals in Instruction making up less than 1% of PGA professionals. The average age of Master Professionals is 56 and Tim was 33 when he achieved this distinction. Also, due to his work with junior golfers Tim was recognized as a US Kids Top 50 Instructor for 2009 after receiving Honorable Mention status in 2008. Tim also was named to Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers list recognizing the Top 40 instructors under 40 for 2010/2011. He is certified with the Titleist Performance Institute and Science and Motion Putting. Tim also enjoys writing and his instructional articles have been featured in Golf Illustrated and Golf Digest.
Simon Cooke
Simon brings with him 14 years of experience as a golf professional. His teaching career has gone from a successful career as a touring golf professional where he trained under David Leadbetter and competed on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour, South African Tour, amongst others, and had three professional wins. Having won at all levels of golf, Simon’s combination of playing knowledge and understanding of the swing separates him from the average golf instructor.
A graduate of the University of Virginia (’96), he earned All-American status three times, was named 1996 ACC Player of the Year and recently received the distinction of being named one of the 50 Best Golfers in the History of the ACC.
Simon is known in the Hilton Head area as the “Short Game Specialist” due to his extensive work with the SAM Putt Lab and certification from Science and Motion.
Jack Dean
Jack offers students the perfect balance of energy, personality, knowledge and experience that you find in every great teacher. His background in golf instruction – at private, public, and academy facilities – along with his deep passion for helping golfers achieve their goals and dreams in golf, as well as life, make him the perfect fit for Golf Prep.
Jack competed as a collegiate golfer for three years at Georgia Southern University where he also earned a degree in business. In 1992, Jack moved to Hilton Head to pursue a career in golf. After time working at Melrose, Country Club of Hilton Head and Old Carolina as a Golf Professional, Jack decided to narrow his focus solely to teaching the game of golf.
Jack launched his teaching career in Bluffton as the Head Teaching Professional at the Belfair Learning Center and worked directly under Krista Dunton who is a “Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher”. While at Belfair, Jack was elected and became a “Class A Member” of the PGA and fine tuned his teaching skills with daily private lessons, clinics, supervised practice, short game schools, junior camps, club fitting and repair, and golf demonstrations.
Jack then broadened his teaching experience back on the island while overseeing all of the instructional programs for Sea Pines Country Club. During his time at Sea Pines, Jack volunteered for the Hilton Head Island Junior Golf Association as their Tournament Director, running all the tournaments, as well as the Pro-Pal Program for Hilton Head. In recognition of all of his work and contributions to the Hilton Head Island Junior Golf Association, he was awarded “Assistant Golf Professional of the Year”. Prior to joining our team at Golf Prep, Jack also spent three years as the “Director of Instruction” for the Junior Players Golf Academy here on Hilton Head Island.
Dr. Bob Winters – Sports Performance Consultant
Dr. Robert K. Winters is an internationally recognized sport psychologist, author and professional educator. He is the President of his own performance enhancement company located in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Winters completed his Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia and served on the athletic coaching staff for eight years. He is a former collegiate and touring professional with over 40 years of competitive experience. His professional clientele’ consists of touring and amateur golfers from 58 countries around the globe and he has been equally successful working with men’s and women’s collegiate sport teams, as well as business executives, corporate groups and private clinics and individuals.
