Player & Coach
About Jim
Jim Estes, PGA
Jim Estes, a PGA professional with 29 years of experience, is dedicated to helping his students improve their golf game by focusing on shooting lower scores and achieving shots they’ve never managed before. Moving away from quick fixes, Jim has developed a long-term coaching model that emphasizes building connections with his students through personal stories of success and failure, including insights from legendary golf figures like Jim Flick. His coaching philosophy was solidified 7 years ago after consulting with global golf coaches on game growth strategies, realizing the importance of on-course results for student love for the game. This approach has led to significant improvements and emotional bonds within just eight weeks of coaching.
Jim’s coaching successes are highlighted by stories of students achieving their personal bests under his guidance. From Bisi, a beginner who recorded her first bogey, to John Bates, a young golfer who earned a college golf scholarship thanks to Jim’s tailored improvement plans. Other success stories include Larry, an 80-year-old who overcame bunker challenges with perseverance, and young golfers like Torsten and Bryana Nguyen, who found joy and achieved their goals through Jim’s coaching. Jim’s mission is to create a trusting and emotionally resilient coaching environment, fostering improvement and love for golf among his students.
Jim Estes
Professional Golf Career
Estes played college golf at the University of Tennessee and the University of Maryland before turning professional in 1988. His professional career includes time on the Nationwide Tour, where he secured a victory at the 1996 Nike Inland Empire Open, and on the PGA Tour in 1998, achieving his best finish of T-16 at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. Beyond playing, Estes has made significant contributions as a club professional, earning the 1995 PGA Club Professional Player of the Year award from the PGA of America.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Golf Instruction at Olney Golf Park in Olney, Maryland, and is a co-founder of the Salute Military Golf Association, underscoring his ongoing commitment to the sport and its community.