Pearson has participated in numerous local, state and national Pro-Ams and individual tournaments. He once led after the first round of the Senior/Junior at PGA Nationals, having made nine birdies in his 18 holes of play. Pearson won the Michigan Assistants Championship and the Michigan State Pro-Am. He first picked up a club at age 12, and he absolutely loved it. The next three decades saw Pearson play at Lake Fenton High School, Ferris State University and in numerous tournaments as an amateur and professional.

"I made an ace while shooting the number I needed to pass my Player's Ability Test for PGA membership," recalls Pearson, whose motivation comes from competing with his peers. While playing in a Pro-Am in Alexandria, Minnesota, Pearson birdied four of the first five holes, finishing with a 68, good for a tie for first place. On days like these, Pearson remembers looking up after hitting an iron shot and noticing that the ball was exactly on line and exactly the distance he was going for. Pearson's favorite shots to make are good iron shots.

When it comes to teaching, Pearson is very patient with his students. He always gives them a set of drills or movements to practice, helping them improve the motion they worked on. He recommends beginners first get a form grip for proper hand placement. He shows intermediate players a step/swing drill that helps develop proper weight transfer. Advanced players will work on their short games and do ladder drills with Pearson.

Everett Schultz, a member at the Vineyards Country Club in Naples, Florida, where Pearson teaches half the year, sought help from Pearson as he wasn't hitting his irons very well. "He was transferring his weight poorly (reverse pivot)," says Pearson. "After two years of lessons, we went to a pro-am member-member at Pelican Bay Club in Naples. On the 16th hole, a par 3, I put a 7-iron within two feet of the flag. He followed by putting his shot in the hole." In addition to the satisfaction of hitting a good iron, Schultz won the hole-in-one prize: the Lincoln Mercury Mountaineer parked next to the tee.

Pearson practices his own game by starting at the green and working his way back to the full swing, and he uses ladder drills. His pre-shot routine is similar to that of Jack Nicklaus: start behind the ball, pick an intermediate target, aim the clubface, align body to clubface, waggle and swing. Pearson's "golfing hero" was Johnny Miller, and he also likes to watch Nick Price, Tom Watson and Le Trevino hit the links.