Judy Carls never wanted to play the Tour. She loves golf, but she’s always been a coach at heart. Carls has fostered a remarkable career out of sharing her enthusiasm and talent for the game. 

“Golf is a personal challenge,” says Carls, who became LPGA Class A Certified in 1988. “It’s a beautiful environment without age limits.” Prior to becoming certified, Carls coached the golf team at a large high school in Illinois. Subsequently, she was a coach and student teacher supervisor at Cal State Fullerton. Carls now leads a team of teachers at each LPGA Golf Clinic for Women held throughout the summer. 

“The Clinics are great because we are able to effectively help any skill level in a concentrated, one-day program,” notes Carls, who has worked with every level of golfer imaginable over the years. “Just about everyone I teach simply wants to hit it farther, and with a little help, they usually can!” 

Often described by her students as “motivational and fun,” Carls hits the lesson tee ready to share her passion for golf through focused instruction. “I try to help students understand how to ‘swing the golf club’ and not just try to ‘hit a ball’,” says Carls. “It’s amazing what can happen with just that little change in perspective.” Beginners will find Carls easy-going and patient; she likes to make newcomers feel comfortable with the lesson by listening to their goals first. 

“I want to know what they hope to accomplish,” says Carls. “Then I begin to tell them about the game and what we can do to get there. With really new golfers, I always start with putting.” Carls knows advanced players need a different approach. She can easily switch gears for the low handicappers, realizing that improvement for them might be more of a mental thing. 

“Working on your short game is key for lowering scores, but I also try to teach ‘positive self-talk’ to the advanced player,” adds Carls. One of her favorite students has an obvious enthusiasm for the game and is dedicated to routine practice. “Those qualities can make good golfers great,” smiles Carls. 

For as long as she’s played, coached and taught the game, Carls is no stranger to those pesky rules. “I don’t have them all memorized, of course, but I do have a good understanding of how to interpret them,” notes Carls. At one point in her career, Carls was forced to DQ the mother of a college coach and then keep the coach from crying and becoming emotional in front of her players. Ever the professional, Carls handled it flawlessly. 

“I was once given a great piece of advice,” says Carls. “Live each day as your only day and treat others as you would want to be treated.” This has obviously served her well in her many years on the lesson tee. 

Click here to learn more about Judy Carls.