Nashville isn’t the only town sending slicers to Dunigan. In fact, his most common inquiry from new students is how to fix a slice. Dunigan is happy to oblige, promising and delivering immediate improvement for just about anyone he works with. “I try to help students understand the design of the golf club and how that dictates how it should be swung,” says Dunigan, who’s been teaching for over 10 years. “They need to learn how the club path and the club face determine where the ball goes, so we need to work on educating their hands to control the club properly,” he adds.

Once an accomplished tennis player ranked 34^th in the country, Dunigan suffered a torn rotator cuff that forced a career change. He’d played golf in college at Binghamton University in New York; it seemed a natural switch. Dunigan even lived in a VW camper for a year playing Mini Tours all over the country to refine his game and build experience. He probably had some fun, too.

“I just love to swing the club,” says Dunigan, who enjoys every aspect of the game but believes he is best at driving the ball. He proved this in one event in particular on the North Atlantic Tour. He faced a tight fairway with OB right and OB left on the 16^th par 5 that he really needed to birdie. His drive was long, just inside the right OB, and he made the green with his second shot, leaving him two putts for that birdie. It helped him finish 8^th after he unfortunately doubled 17.

Whenever he struggles on the course, Dunigan just tells himself to stop trying so hard. Usually, things smooth out. He might say the same to his students, who are appreciative of Dunigan’s positive outlook and good humor about the challenging game of golf. “I’ve had students tell me they finally understand how it works after a lesson with me,” says Dunigan. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping someone understand.”

Residing in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife Francine (a talented artist), Dunigan gives his lessons at Curt Schilling’s Golf Center in Kennett Square. Dunigan and Francine share their home with dog Bogey, who loves to chase golf balls. “They just don’t last very long,” chuckles Dunigan, whose favorite course to play is Ballybunion. He had a hole in one there this past spring. When he’s not on the lesson tee or out on the course, you might find Dunigan playing tennis or hockey, but for the most part, he’s committed to helping golfers improve.