John came to Lyman Orchards in 2018 from The Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford, CT.   John was able to learn what it takes to excel as an instructor, merchandiser, club fitter, tournament coordinator, as well as provide a high level of customer service.  John has brought all of those traits as well as exceptional leadership and high organizational skills to Lyman Orchards.

John resurrected the PGA Jr. League program in 2018 and now can boast Lyman Orchards as the largest program in the eastern time zone with over 350 participants in 2024, the 5th biggest group in the United States.  His recent accolades as Youth Player Development Award Winner, Top 50 Kids Coaches in World in 2020 & 2022 and multiple Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals are all reflections of the professionalism as well as success of Lyman Junior Golf.

What got John into Golf: “My Dad brought home a rickety set of clubs with some old used golf balls one day and hung them in the garage. He knew I loved mini-golf and thought maybe I’d enjoy real golf.  Shortly there after I cut 9 holes in the back yard with a potting shovel and made my very own course.”

Biggest Career Influences:  “I’ve been lucky to work under some tremendously talented professionals both in and out of golf.  Working for four years at The University of Connecticut’s Women’s Basketball Office, Geno Auriemma and his staff taught me what it takes to be a winner and how much organization it takes to be your very best on a regular basis.  In the golf world I've had the pleasure of working for the late 2013 LPGA Professional of the Year Kammy Maxfeldt of Birchwood CC, three-time CT PGA Teacher of the Year George Connor, CT PGA Hall of Fame Member Jack McConachie of Pine Valley GC and PGA Head Golf Professional Joe Connerton who is now the head golf professional at The Round Hill Club in Greenwich, CT.  These professionals have helped shape my career and I'm blessed to have them be part of my life."

jdipollina@lymangolf.com

Jon has been part of the Lyman Orchards family since 2013 and is known as one of the best golf coaches for people as shapes, sizes, backgrounds and experience levels.

Jon has developed the Men's Golf (formerly Playing Through) program which invites men specifically to the game of golf.  Men's Golf consists of five levels, each graduating to the next. In 2023, Men's Golf brought nearly 100 students to Lyman Orchards to learn the game in a clinic style fashion.

Jon has been a fixture in the New Haven community and has been the owner and director of the Sound Approach Golf Academy and Studio in Madison since 2004. He is the former PGA Head Golf Professional at Oronoque Country Club in Stratford, Laurel View Country Club in Hamden, and the Alling Memorial Golf Course in New Haven. Jon was the Women’s Golf Coach at Yale University from 1983-1987.

In 1999 Jon was named National Golf Professional of the Year by the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company. Jon has also been a recipient of the PGA Junior Golf Leader Award from the Connecticut PGA. Jon served on the Connecticut Section Board in 1992. That same year he was asked to coordinate and conduct a golf clinic and exhibition for the City of Boston with Tiger Woods and his father Earl Woods.

Jon currently is the head coach of Wesleyan University's Women's Golf Team. He has also coached the Daniel Hand High School Girl’s Golf Team in Madison. He is the Golf Professional for the Shoreline Golf Society. Jon has been an Instructor for the First Tee of Connecticut since its inception.

jwilson@lymangolf.com

Alex joined the team at Lyman Orchards in 2022 after graduating from Penn State University’s Professional Golf Management program, where research on the biomechanics of the golf swing serves as a cornerstone of the curriculum. He completed additional coursework to earn minor degrees and certificates from Penn State in Kinesiology, Sports Studies, Business, and Event Management.

Alex’s commitment to skills development and improvement of players of all ages and abilities has been recognized at the international level as a Top 50 Coach by Operation 36 in 2023 and again in 2024. He develops leading-edge, results-driven programming and lessons as one of only two Golf Digest Certified Instructors in Connecticut. Alex completed additional coursework to become a PGA Teaching & Coaching Specialized Professional, an Operation 36 Certified Professional, a U.S. Kids Certified Coach, a Mach 3 Authorized Instructor, and an EyeLine Elite Putting Instructor. He holds certifications from the Titleist Performance Institute’s Level 1 Body-Swing Connection and Level 2 Fitness, Golf, Power, and Junior Player Development. Alex is SuperSpeed Level 3 Certified, Swing Catalyst Level 1 Certified, and ADM certified. He also obtained a National Coach Certification from the Human Kinetics Coach Education Center.

As captain of Lyman’s PGA Junior League 17U All-Stars, Alex’s teams won back-to-back Connecticut Section championships in 2022 and 2023 and reached the regional final in 2024. He also serves as assistant coach of the 13U All-Star teams, which finished in second place at both the 2023 and 2024 state and regional championships.

In 2023, Alex was selected as one of 15 PGA professionals nationwide to comprise Cohort IX of the highly competitive leadership development program known as PGA LEAD. Locally, Alex serves as chair of the Junior Golf committee and as a member of the Board of Directors of the CT Section of the PGA.

Alex started playing golf when he was five years old. He competed on the U.S. Kids and Connecticut Junior PGA Tours, as well as on a PGA Jr. League team under the direction of award-winning teacher and past-PGA of America President Suzy Whaley. Alex was active at First Tee - Connecticut for 14 seasons as a program participant and junior golf instructor/coach. He became the first in Connecticut to achieve First Tee’s highest level of certification and was named a National Scholar. As a four-year member of the Xavier High School Golf Team, Alex served as co-captain for the CIAC 2018 Varsity Boys’ Division I/Southern Connecticut Conference Championship team.

acavaliere@lymangolf.com

Jason joined Team Lyman in 2020. Jason is a Class A PGA Professional with 25 years of teaching and head professional experience. For 16 years Jason was the head golf professional at Westchester Hills Golf Club in White Plains NY. Jason was only the 4th head golf professional hired since the club’s start in 1913. During his time there, Jason was responsible for overseeing all aspects of golf operations at this prestigious member owned private club. Jason’s focus was creating a friendly and welcoming environment for all members and guests.

Aside from running a demanding men’s program at Westchester Hills, Jason created many successful teaching programs there. He was responsible for building ladies and youth participation that did not exist prior to his arrival. Jason enhanced an active 9-hole and 18-hole Ladies program as well as a junior program including after school clinics, summer camps, while coaching the PGA Junior League teams. These programs created an environment that encouraged young girls and boys to start and continue with participation in the golf community. Many of Jason’s juniors went on to play collegiate golf. He enjoyed teaching large groups as well and had an active corporate following. His “Ladies On The Course” lessons and corporate clinics were always a crowd favorite.

After a move to the Connecticut PGA Section in 2019, Jason has continued to compete in local and regional PGA tournaments. He also enjoys traveling with members and amateurs to Pro-Am tournaments. Jason’s accomplishments include winning the 2021 & 2024 Connecticut PGA Senior Professional Championship, five Metropolitan Section PGA events and a US Open local qualifying medalist. Jason has also recorded 5 hole-in-one scores, most recently in 2023.

jgobleck@lymangolf.com