Learning from the Best: Two Golfers Share Their Success Stories

 

PGA WEST® Golf Academy

Growing up in Burbank, California, Dave Davidson's early life revolved around baseball. It wasn't until his 30s that the now–Rancho Cucamonga resident picked up golf—25 years ago—and he's never looked back.

 "I play on amateur tours, which are based on handicap—ranging from scratch golfers all the way up to 30 handicappers," says Davidson. "We compete in our own divisions. It's really fun, I love the competitiveness, and I just totally got hooked."

 

Eager to improve his game, Davidson, a PGA Member, worked with several instructors over the years but felt they didn't fully understand his goals. In 2023, he was referred to PGA WEST Golf Academy Director of Instruction Bryan Lebedevitch and has now been training with him for a year and a half.

What struck Davidson first was how calm and mellow Bryan was, he recalls. "When we started working together, he asked, 'What do you want to do?' I told him, 'I need to improve my game.' He followed up immediately: 'How serious are you about that?' I said, 'Very serious.' Then he asked if I wanted him to suggest changes—even major ones—or just work within my current swing. I told him, 'If you need to change my swing completely, tell me. I'll go through that punishment if it means getting better.' When he asked what I needed most, I was clear: 'Distance—I feel like I have more in me, and I want to unlock it. And I need more consistency. I have flashes of brilliance, but then it falls apart. I don't even know where some of it comes from.'"

During their first session, Lebedevitch had Davidson hit balls to assess his mechanics and made a few adjustments to his stance. By the second session, he introduced something new, warning that it would feel awkward at first but promising that it would pay off.

"He introduced a stronger hand grip, and from the very first swing, it changed my game," says Davidson. "The shot felt pure—solid in a way I hadn't experienced before. Even one pure shot can keep you coming back." And, with that new grip, he adds, "I wasn't just hitting one good shot—I was doing it consistently, over and over. It was mesmerizing. Since then, I've had time to refine it. Sometimes he tweaks the grip, and sometimes I adjust and come back to what works. But that moment marked a real turning point in how I play."

By changing his grip, Davidson added about 10 to 15 yards to his irons and roughly 50 yards to his driver. After that lesson, he went on to win three consecutive tournaments. Since starting with Lebedevitch, his handicap has dropped from 16 to 11, and he's aiming to bring it down into the single digits.

"If you go to him, listen to what he says, and do what he shows you, you will improve your game."

 

PGA WEST® Player Development Program

Moving to Palm Springs with his family in 1963, when he was 13, PGA WEST^® Club Member Gary Armstrong lived on what was then called the Palm Springs Municipal Golf Course. He fondly remembers cleaning golf carts and picking up range balls—getting paid in free rounds of golf. At age 14, he began playing on the Palm Springs High School golf team, continuing through graduation.

Armstrong moved away from the desert in 1971, but he kept playing until age 45 before taking a 20-year hiatus to focus on work and raising a family.

 "When I played when I was younger, I was a pretty good golfer," Armstrong recalls. "I got down to a low handicap, but I really didn't understand the game or what I was doing—I just let my young physical body take care of it, and it worked out pretty well."

"When we moved to PGA WEST full-time in 2013, I was more focused on tennis," he says. "But I kept looking out at all these incredible golf courses—and eventually, I picked up my clubs again. The swing came back to me for a while, but as I got older, that natural ease I once had started to fade."

That's when Armstrong turned to Geoff Dean, PGA, Director of the Player Development Program at the PGA WEST Private Courses.

 "When I met Geoff four years ago and started taking lessons with him, I was impressed with his broad approach to teaching, which was much more than just trying to put a Band-Aid on your swing," Armstrong says.

Dean's program emphasizes more than just technique—it also incorporates fitness. He's TPI-certified and works closely with ACE- and TPI-certified fitness professional Lori Farkas to help students integrate golf-specific fitness into their improvement plans. This includes helping players improve hip mobility to optimize swing mechanics for more power, increase accuracy and consistency, and reduce the risk of injury.

 When not teaching, Dean—a former PGA Tour player—often competes in professional championships across the country. As he continues to evolve his own game, he brings new insights back to his students, something Armstrong greatly appreciates.

"Geoff also focuses on the mental game—what's going on in my head—and we narrow it down to what's important. Using this mental approach, he has improved my game significantly," Armstrong says. "Another gift he's given me is the ability to self-correct when I'm out on the course. I can almost hear him talking in my ear."

 Armstrong used to shoot in the 70s when he was younger. When he started working with Dean, his goal was simply to break 100. Now, at age 75, he's playing in the 80s—and aiming to break into the high 70s again, thanks to Dean's encouragement.

 "I love the game again," Armstrong says. "And I can't wait to get back on the golf course."