Testimonials

Testimonials for Pat Goss

Luke Donald: PGA Professional Who Earned the World’s #1 Ranking in June 2011 in the Official World Golf Ranking

Pat Goss is Luke’s short game coach and was his collegiate coach at Northwestern University from 1998-2001

Pat has greatly impacted my golf game and helped me maintain a positive and healthy perspective in all aspects of my life. You know he’s a good teacher when you’ve been struggling for weeks and then he gives you a tip, something small. Then, suddenly, you’re puring it. He has also been very valuable in the development of my short game and putting. Since I turned professional we have continually worked on my short game fundamentals and creating better practices. My improvements in all short game statistics are directly attributable to this work. Those who work with Pat thought the Wildcat Golf Academy will benefit greatly from his experiences teaching at the college level and his work on the PGA Tour.”

Steven Levitt: American Economist
Author, Freakonomics & Superfreakonomics
Time magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006

“Pat has been a wonderful teacher for me, helping me in all facets of my game. My full swing, short game, and putting have all improved, and I have a much better understanding of my game.  Pat also helped me understand how to practice better. As an Economist, Pat’s approach of how to systematically improve always resonated with me.  Consequently, my handicap dropped, and I have enjoyed the game more than ever.”

Testimonials for Jeff Mory

Brad Hopfinger: Played Collegiate Golf at the University of Iowa, 2008-2011, All-Big Ten 2011, 2011 Illinois State Amateur Champion

“Jeff has been instrumental in my development as a golfer. I have worked with him since my freshman year of high school and every year I have worked with him my game has continued to improve. He has helped develop my golf swing, short game, and mental toughness. His advice and positive support were essential as I made the transition from junior golf to the college game. His instruction is still helping me improve today, and I look forward to continue getting better with his help. I can confidently say I would not have been able to have the same level of success without his help.”

David Greenspahn: President/CEO, The Orchard Group

“By working with Jeff, I have gained a true understanding of a good golf swing begins with balance and posture.”

Testimonials for Sam McKenney

Bill Callahan, 4 Handicap: Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC

“Working with Sam has allowed me to gain a  better understanding of the game of golf, tee to green.  That increased understanding has resulted in a significant improvement in my game and overall enjoyment that comes from playing well.   If you are serious about improving your game, you should work with him.  Sam is a pleasure to work with and a true professional.” — Bill Callahan

Chuck McDonough: Vice President & Global Controller of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD/“World Bank”)

“Sam McKenney is a terrific golf instructor. He has helped me improve all parts of my game from the full swing to the short game. Sam has an excellent eye for spotting areas for improvement and then effectively communicating how to make changes to address those issues.”

Blake R. Johnson: President, The John Buck Company

“I was hoping to keep Sam to myself but I guess the secret is out. Sam quickly and easily improved my kids swings so I thought ‘why not me?’. Sam works on my fundamentals in the Spring and gives me long term goals for the year.  Last fall, my swing was completely out of whack and I needed an emergency tune up. After only 20 minutes in a one hour session, I was cured. I’m not overly technical so I appreciate that Sam is able to simply explain swing fundamentals and demonstrate what I need to do in order to swing on plane.”

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Corporate Clinics

Need a new way to connect with clients? Brush up on your golf skills so you can prepare your game for business meetings on the golf course?

The Wildcat Golf Academy, co-founded by Northwestern Director of Golf and Player Development Pat Goss, and Conway Farms Director of Golf, Jeff Mory, is now offering Corporate Clinics where you can hone your golf skills for the course. You can use this clinic as a team building event with your co-workers or a client-based gathering to develop relationships.

WGA instructors will teach the basic fundamentals of full swing, short game and putting and help you improve your game.

Pricing is dependent on the number of participants. You can choose between a 90 minute or two hour clinic. Catering options are available as well.

For more information on how to schedule a Corporate Clinic, contact Lisa Jones, lisa@wildcatgolfacademy.com.

Staff

Pat Goss

Co-Founder, Wildcat Golf Junior & Adult Academies
Northwestern University, Director of Golf and Head Men’s Coach

At a Glance

• Named one Golf Magazine‘s “Top 100 Teachers In America” – Just one of three collegiate head coaches on the list
• Short game and putting coach for Luke Donald, who earned the world’s No. 1 ranking in June 2011 in the Official World Golf Ranking
• 18th year as Northwestern Men’s Golf Coach and 6th year as NU’s Director of Golf, earning oversight of both the men’s and women’s golf programs
• 2012 Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year
• Short game and putting coach for Trevor Immelman (former Masters Champion and won web.com Tour playoff event in 2013); Gary Woodland (PGA Tour winner in 2013); and Keegan Bradley
• In 2002, Golfweek tabbed him as one of its 40 individuals under the age of 40 who have an impact in the golf industry
• Golf Week‘s National Coach of the Year in 1997 and four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year
• Directed Northwestern to four Big Ten titles (1999-2001, 2006), five individual Big Ten Championships in that time (Luke Donald, 2000 and 2001; Chris Wilson, 2006; Eric Chun, 2009; David Lipsky, 2010), and seven top-30 NCAA national finishes in the last 14 years
• NU has won 34 tournament titles in Goss’ tenure, including three consecutive Big Ten Match Play Championship titles from February 2010- 2012.
• Has former players playing on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, European Tour, Challenge Tour, Canadian Tour, NGA Hooters Tour, Asian Tour, and the Gateway Tour.
• Additional Wildcats who have played for Goss and earned their PGA Tour Cards: Jess Daley (2001); Tom Johnson (2006), Chris Wilson (2009)
• Coached two active Wildcats to berths in Major Championships, with Dillon Dougherty earning a spot in the 2006 Masters and US Open and Eric Chun qualifying for the 2010 British Open
• Written instructional articles for Golf Magazine and Golf Digest and appeared twice on Golf Academy Live in 2006
• Played collegiate golf at Northwestern under WGA co-founder Jeff Mory
• Also served as Mory’s assistant coach at NU from 1992-96

Pat Goss

Pat Goss Northwestern Golf Coach photographed on Monday November 22. 2021 ©Charles Cherney Photography

Pat Goss

Pat Goss

Co-Founder, Wildcat Golf Academy
Northwestern University, Director of Golf and Player Development

At a Glance

• Named one Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Teachers In America” – Just one of three collegiate head coaches on the list
• Coached Luke Donald for over 20 years including when he earned the world’s No. 1 ranking in June 2011 in the Official World Golf Ranking; he held the No. 1 ranking for 56 weeks
• 32nd season coaching at Northwestern including as an assistant coach, head men’s golf coach and director of golf and player development for the men and women’s programs
• Under his leadership, the golf programs have won a combined seven Big Ten Championships and finished 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th 9th and 10th at the NCAA Championships
• 2012 Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year
• Short game and putting coach to Webb Simpson. Webb and Coach Goss began working together in 2015. Under his tutelage, Webb finished 4th, 1st, and 2nd from 2017-19 in Scrambling on the PGA Tour and 5th, 3rd, and 5th in Sand Save Percentage during that same period. He won the Players Championship in 2018, the Waste Management Open and the RBC Heritage in 2020.
• Coach for all facets of game to PGA Tour member, Dylan Wu.  Dylan is in his third season on the PGA Tour and finished 86^th in the FedEx Cup in 2023.  He won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2021 and was a former All-American at Northwestern.
• Short game, wedge and putting coach to PGA Tour member, David Lipsky.  David is a former winner on the DP World tour, Asian Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.  He is entering his third season on the PGA Tour and has been coached by Coach Goss all through his college and professional career.  He was a former Big Ten Champion and All-American at Northwestern.
• Has done short game and putting with PGA Tour players Trevor Immelman, Gary Woodland, Patrick Cantlay, Matt Fitzpatrick, Scott Harrington, and Nick Watney, as well as LPGA players Peiyun Chun and Danielle Kang. He has also done work with current multiple Korn Ferry Tour players
• Golf Week‘s National Coach of the Year in 1997 and four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year
• Has former players playing on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, European Tour, Challenge Tour, Canadian Tour, PGA Tour China, Japanese Tour, and Asian Tour.
• Current PGA Tour alumni include Luke Donald, Matt Fitzpatrick, Scott Harrington, David Lipsky, and Dylan Wu
• Additional Wildcats who have played for Goss and earned their PGA Tour Cards: Jess Daley (2001); Tom Johnson (2006), Chris Wilson (2009), Scott Harrington (2019-2021)
• Coached two active Wildcats to berths in Major Championships, with Dillon Dougherty earning a spot in the 2006 Masters and US Open and Eric Chun qualifying for the 2010 British Open
• Written instructional articles for Golf Magazine and Golf Digest and appeared twice on Golf Academy Live in 2006
• Played collegiate golf at Northwestern under WGA co-founder Jeff Mory
• Also served as Mory’s assistant coach at NU from 1992-96
• Co-inventor of the Putting Board with current WGA Director of Player Development Sam McKenney
• President of Board of Governors, The First Tee of Greater Chicago 2016-2019

Jeff Mory

Jeff Mory

Co-Founder, Wildcat Golf Junior and Adult Academies 

Head Golf Professional, Conway Farms Golf Club

At a Glance

• Conway Farms Golf Club-Director of Golf 1997-present
• Northwestern University- Men’s Golf Coach 1990-97
• Teacher to top collegiate players at Stanford, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Purdue, South Carolina, Kansas
• Ranked 11th best instructor in Illinois in 2016 by Golf Digest
• 1994 Big Ten Coach of the Year
• 1982 Illinois State High School Champion

Sam McKenney

Sam McKenney

Director of Player Development

Coaching and Playing Experience

• Director of Player Development for the Wildcat Golf Junior & Adult Academies
• Under his guidance more than 15 WGA are playing or will play Division I Golf and 9 are competing at the Division III level. Division I institutions include: Northwestern, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Marquette, Colgate, Creighton, Dartmouth, Fairfield, Santa Clara, Villanova & Virginia
• Among those list of students are the 2016 Illinois Women’s State Amateur champion, 2016 Western Women’s Open champion, 2015 Illinois State Junior Am champion, 2015 Chick Evans champion, & the 2014 Midwest Junior Golf Association POY
• Volunteer assistant for both the men’s and women’s golf teams at Northwestern University; the Wildcat Women’s Team was the 2017 National Runner Up
• Teaching Professional with over 18 years of experience who has instructed professionals, top high school and amateur players both locally and internationally
• Certified as a Master Golf Fitness Instructor through Greg Rose, the co-founder of the Titleist Performance Institute and as a certified C.H.E.K. Golf Biomechanic
• Worked with some of the nation’s top instructors — including Mike Bender, Robert Baker, Doc Holliday and Robert Powers
• IPGA Tournament Champion

Sam has tutored players who play or have played collegiate golf at the following institutions:

Division I: Northwestern, Colgate, Creighton, Dartmouth, Fairfield, Iowa, Lehigh, Marquette, Miami of Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Santa Clara, Villanova, & Virginia

Division III: Bates College, Bentley University, Bowdoin, Illinois Wesleyan, Lake Forest, Loras, Middlebury, Redlands, Rhodes College, Rochester, & Rollins College.

TIM STRENG

Lead Instructor/Coach

Teaching/Coaching Experience:

• Assistant Golf Instructor, Wildcat Golf Academy  (2014-present)
• Volunteer Assistant Coach, Northwestern Men’s Golf Team (2014-present)
• Assistant Golf Professional, Kemper Lakes Golf Club (2011 – 2013)
• Organized and instructed junior camp of approximately 60 Kemper Lakes Junior Golfers
• Assistant Golf Professional, Old Marsh Golf Club, FL (2010 – 2014)
• Attended coaching/teaching seminars from top instructors including Chuck Cook, Martin Hall, Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett, Kevin Smeltz, and Jerry Tucker
• Volunteer Assistant Golf Coach, Western Illinois University (Fall 2009)

Playing Experience:

• 2015 IPGA Assistant’s Champion
• Competed on various mini tours including, NGA Golf Tour, eGolf Tour, Gateway Golf Tour, Moonlight Golf, and Minor League Golf Tour
• Competed in 2010 PGA Tour Qualifying School, Port St. Lucie, FL
• Missed qualifying for 2008 U.S. Open by 3 strokes, Conway Farms Golf Club
• Tied 12^th – 2012 Illinois Open Championship, Hawthorn Woods C.C.
• Tied 6^th –2007 Illinois State Amateur Championship, Ironhorse Golf Club
• Named by the GCAA (Golf Coaches Association of America) to the Ping All-American Honorable Mention Team (2007).
• Mid-Continent All-Conference honors all four years at Western Illinois University

Joe Zawaski

• Worked with some of the world’s top coaches including Grant Waite, Barry Cheesman, Lee Miller, George Gankas, Marcus Potter, and Tim Streng
• Competed in events on the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Australia, and PGA Tour China
• Won 7 times as a professional, including events on the Florida Pro Tour, West Florida Pro Tour, and the Moonlight Tour
• Missed Asian Tour cut finals by one shot is 2020
• Also shot 58 (-12) in competition

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