Tim Cusick, PGA, added to Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers in America List
Taylor Coffelt • April 5, 2019
In March, Golf Magazine released their Top 100 Teachers in America list. For the first time, PGA Director of Instruction at Four Seasons Resort and Club Tim Cusick, was on that list. As a member of the Northern Texas Section for 22 years, Tim has worked tirelessly to improve his knowledge of the game and share that knowledge with his students. Tim was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about this honor.
When did you first being playing golf?
My first memory is hitting a ball around in a park with my dad in Erie, Pa. I believe I was about 4 years old.
Did anyone spark your interest in the game?
I grew up in Rochester, NY. There were two seasons winter and summer. In the winter I played basketball and hockey and the summer was baseball and golf. As I got in to high school I gravitated more toward golf. I worked in the bag room at the course my parents were members at. Working there really fueled my desire in golf.
What/where was your first job in the industry?
I took a year off from college after my sophomore year and took a job at Pinehurst Hotel and Country Club. It was called a golf internship. I worked in a different part of the golf operation every month for nine months. I didn’t even have a car. I walked to work every day, to the grocery store, dinner, everywhere. Best job I ever had!
Did you always know you wanted to teach? If not, why did you choose that path?
Teaching came to me as a result of my time at Pinehurst. Hank Haney, Mike LaBauve and Jack Lumpkin were teaching at Pinehurst. I would sit behind them for hours and watch. I get a thrill every time I help someone get better at golf.
You graduated from the Master Professional program in 2018. What drove you to pursue that certification?
It is the top level you can attain with The PGA of America. I’ve always had a thirst for wanting to be the best. It only seemed natural. It also kept me motivated to improve. First to get my Certification in Teaching and then my Master Professional status.
How does it feel knowing Golf Magazine considers you one of the top teaching professionals in the US?
Humbling. There are so many great golf professionals in the country. It’s nice to be recognized.
What are your thoughts on PGA of America Headquarters moving to Frisco?
It’s going to be one of the biggest things in the golf industry for the next 30 years, and we are going to get a ‘front row’ seat to it all. I can’t wait to see the facilities. It will be ‘cutting edge’ for sure.
Where do you see yourself going next (in the industry)?
One of the by-products of getting my Master Professional status is joining the Adjunct Faculty for Teaching/Coaching for the PGA of America. I get an opportunity to speak to the next generation of PGA Professionals in the 3.0 Business Schools. It feels good to give back when you get the chance.
Who is your biggest golf-inspiration?
All the other great PGA Professionals around the country. I take a little away from all of the ones I’m around. I can’t believe how dedicated they are to their craft.
What is your favorite golf memory?
The first time I ever went to the Masters was 1998. I stayed in a house with Mark O’Meara and Hank Haney. That was the year Mark won. It was a very memorable week.
Where is your favorite place you have played?
Augusta National GC. I got an invite to play there almost 30 years ago and turned it down. I got another invite in 2018 and didn’t let that one go by. Augusta is just a magical place. I get goose bumps every time I walk on the property.
Who are your ideal playing partners?
I play the most golf with my son, Carson. He hits it past me and beats me most of the time, but I enjoy each round we play together. It’s fun to give him the experience of playing new courses around the country. I enjoy playing with friends, especially ones I haven’t seen in a while. I probably play more golf out of town than I do in Dallas.
Do you have any advice for beginning golfers?
It’s a very difficult game but an addictive one. Have patience, find a good PGA Instructor and enjoy the game.
What advice would you give to those trying to become PGA professionals?
Being a golf professional is about serving others, and creating lasting memories for our members and customers each time they come to our facilities. When you understand that, the rest is easy.
Woodson and Schaefer (a) Capture Senior Division
Little Secures Senior Division
Six qualify for Senior PGA Professional Championship
Irving, Texas (August 25) – The Nelson Golf and Sports Club hosted two Northern Texas PGA Major Championships this week, the Club Car | XXIO Northern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship and the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship. Clayton Friend claimed the Senior title, and Kim Paez claimed the Women’s title. Kim Paez, PGA Member at Ping Inc., claimed the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship title, carding rounds of 70-72–142. Paez finished the Championship at 2-over-par, winning by four strokes. She began the final round one stroke back of Katie Flinn, director of instruction at Topgolf - Fort Worth, and her 2-over-par final round was enough to come from behind and secure the win. This is Paez’s first victory with the Northern Texas PGA since joining the section in 2025. “I stuck to my game plan this week, which was fairways and greens,” Paez said. “I think I missed only one or two fairways yesterday. I played pretty conservatively, but it paid off in the end.” Reflecting on her final round performance, Paez said, "It was a little bit windier today. It made me calculate a lot more on the tee shots.” It was an up-and-down round for Paez, but she hit her approach on hole 18 to two feet and tapped in for birdie. “The last three holes are pretty gettable, so I just had to remind myself that no matter how the round was going, I was going to have opportunities to close it out at the end.” Next week, September 3-5, Paez joins four other PGA female PGA Teaching, Coaching and Club Professionals from across the country to represent the United States in the fourth Women’s PGA Cup. They will take on Australia, Canada, Great Britain & Ireland, South Africa and Sweden in a 54-hole stroke play format at Carden Park Golf Resort in Chester, Cheshire, United Kingdom. “It is the biggest honor. When I first got my PGA Membership, and I found out about the PGA Cup, it became one of my biggest goals,” said Paez about making the team. “I was constantly checking the rankings, and coming into the KPMG [Women’s PGA Championship] and the LPGA Professionals Championship, I knew I had to lock in and give myself the best chance.” “I am so excited and so proud to represent the Northern Texas PGA as well, so hopefully I make everyone proud,” added Paez. This 36-hole Northern Texas PGA major championship is the fourth of five individual stroke play events that comprise the Woman Player of the Year points standings. The 22-player field competed for a purse of $7,500, and Kim Paez took home $1,050. The Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship was presented by A.PUTNAM and XXIO. The Nelson Golf and Sports Club Par: 35-35–70 Women’s Championship Yardage: 5,878 yards