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 New England with 134 participants in 2020, the 10th biggest group in the United States.  His recent accolades as Youth Player Development Award Winner, Top 50 Kids Coaches in World and 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.  I benefited by working for 2013 LPGA Professional of the Year Kammy Maxfeldt of Birchwood CC in Westport, CT who taught me how to be “professional” in every sense of the word.   I was a first hand witness to some of the best golf instruction in the State of Connecticut under now three-time CT PGA Teacher of the Year George Connor.  I had the privilege of working alongside a local legend and CT PGA Hall of Fame Member in Jack McConachie of Pine Valley GC who quite simply loves the game of golf more than anyone I have or will ever know.  Most recently I had the good fortune of being part of The Hartford Golf Club professional staff led by PGA Head Golf Professional Joe Connerton who is now the head golf professional at The Round Hill Club in Greenwich, CT.  Joe gets the best out of you every day with his excitement for the golf business and the attention to detail he brings to everything he touches.  The members of The Round Hill Club are very lucky to have him.  You can’t help but want to run through a wall for him and do the best job possible.”

jdipollina@lymangolf.com

Marissa Kulig Crow enters her eight season as a golf coach here at Lyman Orchards. Marissa is a Class A LPGA Teaching Professional who is 2019 was honored with being named 2019 Teacher of the Year by the LPGA for the Northeast. Marissa and Lyman Orchards have built the most successful women’s golf program in the northeast and one of the biggest and best in the United States with well over 800 women attending the program in 2020 and over 160 women playing in the golf league. Since Marissa started the program at Lyman Orchards in 2013, over 3,800 female participants have gone through her Golf Fore Women program.

Marissa has been in the golf business for the majority of her life with positions ranging from greens keeper, head golf professional, to general manager. She has been a member of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Division since 2001.

Marissa is part of the Callaway Golf staff and is excited and proud to represent the brand. She looks forward to offering club fittings and playing some tournament golf. She is a Certified Putting Instructor with Frankly Golf. Also, Marissa completed her Level II certification with Katherine Robert's Yoga For Golfers. Incorporating yoga into her instruction will complement her style of teaching perfectly and will positively benefit everyone.

In addition to her tenure at Lyman Orchards she served as a golf instructor for the acclaimed Jane Blalock’s Golf For Women Clinics for five seasons and has instructed Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) clinics for nine years (2003-2012).

Marissa is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College with an Associate degree in Business Administration where she competed on the Men’s Golf Team. In 1996 she qualified to compete in the NJCAA Nationals in NC. She transferred to Bryant College in 1997 where she captained the women’s golf team. In 1997 and 1998, Marissa played as an amateur in the Friendly’s Classic which was an LPGA Tour event held at Crestview Country Club in Agawam, MA. In 1999, Marissa won the EWGA Springfield/Western MA Chapter Championship at Oak Ridge GC and continued on to win 1st place, low gross in the Sectional Championship at the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, MA.

Marissa is originally from Granby, MA and resides with her husband Chris and four-year-old
son, Daniel Henry in Westfield, MA.

mcrow@lymangolf.com

Jon has been with Lyman Orchards 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 Playing Through program which invites men specifically to the game of golf. Playing Through consists of five levels, each graduating to the next. In 2019, Playing Through 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

Jason joins the Lyman coaching team for his first season here in 2020. Jason is a Class A PGA Professional with 25 years of teaching and head professional experience. For the past 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 five Metropolitan (MET) Section PGA events and a US Open local qualifying medalist. Jason has also recorded (4) hole-in-one scores.

After sixteen years in Ridgefield CT and very busy careers, Jason and his wife Mary Kate wanted a more family focused lifestyle and decided on a move to the Shoreline from Fairfield County. Jason, Mary Kate and their three children ages fifteen to six years old now are settled in and reside in Madison.

jgobleck@lymangolf.com