“Last summer a bear got a moose on one of the fairways out here and we had to escort golfers around the kill site until the helicopter came to lift the carcass away,” recalls Golden. It isn’t so much the stories he tells, but the casual way in which he tells them. Clearly, the Alaskan golf experience is a different kind of challenge. “We have hazards here that no one else has,” notes Golden. “You have to watch out for lynx, bears, moose and so forth. Our hazards can eat you.”

Never mind your short game. Don’t feed the bears.

In spite of the wildlife, Golden says the courses are packed every summer and he’s kept very busy helping golfers improve their games. The season is shorter – June to September – and there are only seven courses in the Anchorage area, not quite enough to support 250,000 residents. So Alaskans tend to seize the moment whenever possible to get a round in before dark or better yet, while it’s always light.

Golden has adapted quite well to his “new” environment, considering he grew up in New York, went to school in Pittsburgh, served as a golf pro in Hawaii and recently got back from a vacation in New Zealand. Where’s his favorite golf course, you ask? Why, it’s the Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Nebraska of course. New Zealand’s courses might be a close second, considering they are “like the finest American courses,” according to Golden. “Every little town over there has a golf course,” says Golden. “And they never mow because there are sheep everywhere.”

At age 5, Golden often caddied for his Dad, who was a dentist and a seven handicap. Naturally, Golden took to the game and soon discovered he had a talent for it. He played four years for the Olean High School golf team in New York and also teed it up in many state amateur events, frequently finishing just shy of first. “I was the 2^nd best golfer in New York state for quite a while,” notes Golden. Later, he joined the University of Pittsburgh golf team and was their captain his junior and senior year. Golden turned professional in 1980.

“I decided to make a career of it because of the people involved in golf,” says Golden. “I was given a gift to play respectably, and when I met the people that came with the game – the teachers, the administrators, the players – I wanted to keep at it. It’s an honorable game. Everyone is conscious of the rules, and playing by those rules evokes honor in people.”

Golden keeps that in mind as he works with golfers every day on the lesson tee. His main objective is to help people relax and enjoy the game; he is committed to taking care of people because he feels honored that they have chosen him to help their game. Golden takes it as seriously as the student wants to take it, out of respect for the game. “I don’t put stress into the equation,” says Golden. “Golf is hard enough. I try to help people enjoy the game for what it is – an opportunity to have some ‘down time’ from the pressures of real life.”

Students come to Golden with a variety of ailments, but most are looking to improve their general skills and avoid playing the right side of the course all the time. “I get my share of slicers who want to stop losing so many balls,” says Golden. In a typical lesson, Golden will talk to the student for a few minutes to get a feel for their personality and how they approach golf, then he’ll watch him or her hit balls for about ten minutes. “If I see anything glaring, we’ll focus on that right away,” says Golden.

Golden recommends all beginner golfers take lessons from a qualified person – someone trained to separate themselves from their own game and focus on someone else’s game. Beginners should practice often. Golden focuses on ball position, alignment and grip pressure for more advanced players. “Players sometimes forget the basics,” notes Golden, “it helps to have someone bring them back into play.” Recently, one of Golden’s student’s entered the San Diego Golf Academy. He decided to do this after working with Golden for two years and experiencing a strong, overall improvement in his play.

When practicing his own game, Golden spends 70% of his time on the short game. With so little time to actually play in Alaska, Golden finds the most difficult part of his game is often having to “re-learn” and hone his mental skills each year, especially for competition. If he gets into trouble on the course, though, he just breathes more slowly and tells himself to relax. “The harder you try, the worse it gets in golf,” says Golden. He can usually count on a good iron shot to get him back on track, but his favorite shot to make is any putt that goes in. “I’m so happy to see that ball disappear,” smiles Golden.

A teaching professional for over 20 years, Golden has given countless lessons and helped so many golfers. “I enjoy watching someone achieve a little bit of success in this game,” says Golden. When he’s not coming to the rescue of a frustrated golfer, Golden’s more than likely out on the lake fishing in peace. Golden resides in Anchorage with his wife, Joy, an obstetrician/gynecologist; their twin sons, Matt and Ryan, are off to college for the moment, so there’s a little more attention for Cappacino, the family dog. You can contact Golden for more information on taking a lesson at jgolden@Alaska.net. Thanks for sharing, Rick!