2010 GOLF INSTRUCTION STAFF

Guna Kunjan, PGA        PGA Head Professional     PGA Certified Instructor     Cobra Staff Player     Nike 360* Custom Fitting Team     Titleist-Cobra FittingWorks Specialist Guna returns to Harbor Links for his sixth season, the fourth as the Head Teaching Professional. Considered one of the most respected head professionals in the Metropolitan PGA, he comes to us from The Golf Club at Cypress Creek, in Ruskin, Florida, where he was the head professional. Previous to that appointment, he spent six years with the prestigious Roland Stafford Golf Schools in the Catskills, and in Florida, where he was one of the lead instructors, and one of the golf professionals at Tahquitz Creek in Palm Springs, California.  Guna was also the Director of Junior Golf at Harding Park Golf Course, site of the 2009 Presidents Cup matches. He has been a member of the PGA since 1996.   Mr. Kunjan is instrumental in building what is considered to be one of the best teaching staffs in the area.  Among his many accomplishments here is expanding the EWGA programs at Harbor Links. Guna works with Michelle Low, a standout sophomore starter at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.  Recently, Guna attained the prestigious status of PGA Certified Instructor, one of only fifteen in the state. Personal Teaching Philosophy: I advocate sound fundamentals, emphasizing the grip, alignment, and balance. I stress being connected throughout a swing. The arms should stay in front of the body at all times. The take away should be one piece keeping the elbows the same distance apart. About half way through the swing the right elbow will hinge. On the top of the swing there will be an angle between the shaft and the right hand. Maintaining this angle and turning the center of the body through the hitting area will result in a good lag and eventually producing club head speed. Through the hitting area the right arm will extend and cross over the left arm ending in a high finish with all weight transferred to the left foot. A student should always strive to stay in balance throughout the swing. Swinging within your own speed and capabilities will ensure a good tempo. What's In the Bag: Titleist 909D2 10.5* driver, Titleist 909F2 15* 3-wood, Cobra Baffler #2 & 3 hybrids, Cobra S2 4-pw & w, Titleist Vokey 56-14 and 60-04 wedges, Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 putter.

Forrest Hamlin, PGA       PGA Teaching Professional      15 Year PGA Member     Titleist Staff Player     Titleist-Cobra FittingWorks Specialist   Forrest returns to Harbor Links for his tenth season. He is one of the most respected professionals in the Metropolitan PGA Section, both for his sound teaching and his playing ability. Prior to Harbor Links, he was the first assistant golf professional at the Cedarbrook Club for twelve years.  A follower of the teachings of Hank Haney and Jim Hardy, Forrest is keenly adept at teaching students of all levels, from beginner to advanced golfer.  He is often praised for his ability to break down and simplify the different parts of the golf swing to each of his students in a manner that is easily understandable. Personal Teaching Philosophy:  While there are numerous ideas on how to swing a golf club, I believe the most effective way is to swing the golf club by its design.  A major part of the golf club's design is its LIE ANGLE.  It's this angle that creates the plane angle of the swing, what the clubhead's arc should prescribe.  When the student swings on the correct plane, the clubhead will swing correctly through the ball and turf resulting in the desired trajectory, accuracy and distance. What's In the Bag: Titleist 909D2 10.5* driver, Titleist 909F3 15.5* 3-wood, Titleist 909H 19* and 21* hybrids, Titleist AP1 4-iron, AP2 5-pw, Titleist Vokey 52-08 and 56-10 wedges, Scotty Cameron Studio Style putter.

James Hong      Junior Golf, Player Development     Cobra Staff Player    Titleist Performance Institute    2009 Top 50 Junior Instructors, U.S. Kids Golf    Co-Director, Long Island LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Programs    PGA Apprentice Teaching Professional During his six years here at Harbor Links, James has developed our junior golf programs into one of the best in the tri-state area.  In the off-season, he periodically teaches at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, as well as our flourishing indoor program at Harbor Links.  James is generally regarded as one of the elite teaching professionals in the area, and in 2010 was named as one of the Top 50 Junior Instructors in America by the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation.  James was also named the co-Director of the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Long Island Program, and is a Certified Titleist Performance Institute Golf Fitness Instructor.  He has an impressive list of students, including 2008 U.S. Juniors Girls Championship semifinalist and National Top 10 junior, Stephanie Kim (Wake Forest University); two-time (2007, 2008) Long Island Met PGA Girls Player of the Year, Alice Choi (Georgetown University, Fall '10); 2009 LIGA Women's Amateur Stroke Play Champion, Lois Kim (St. John's University); and two-time Met PGA under-11 POY, Elizabeth Choi.  He is also the instructor for one of Long Island's top high school boys and 2007 Met PGA Long Island POY, Bennett Linsky.  Over his career, James has observed and personally learned from the world's best instructors, such as Dave Phillips, Butch Harmon, Jim Hardy, and Jimmy Ballard.  Mr. Hong is a featured writer for "Golfing Magazine," and he has appeared on NY1, Eyewitness News Morning, ESPN local radio, and Fox Morning and Friends.   Well respected on the college coaching level, he is nationally known for his mentoring program training juniors for college golf scholarships and programs.  Personal Teaching Philosophy: The best golfers always have the best fundamentals. That creates an efficient and repeatable swing.  There is NO ONE WAY TO SWING A CLUB, the methods are infinite (Jim Furyk to Tiger Woods).  But EVERYONE has one way to swing a club efficiently.  To my juniors, I stress the importance of perseverence and focus, as this will lead to success in all factors of life, not just golf. I do not care how many tournaments in golf you win; I care about how many obstacles in life you conquer.  My greatest successes are not the tournaments my students won, but the number of juniors who got the opportunity to go to college because of golf. What's In the Bag: Cobra ZL 9.5* driver, Titleist 909F2 15.5*, Cobra Baffler 19* hybrid, Titleist AP2 710 5-pw, 54-10, 58-04 Titleist Vokey wedges, Scotty Cameron putter.

Nick Nicolich     PGA Apprentice Teaching Professional     Short Game Programs    Nike 360* Custom Fitting Team    Titleist-Cobra FittingWorks Specialist Nick returns for his fifth season as teaching professional here at Harbor Links. Prior to that, he was the head teaching professional for Cantiague Park Golf Course in Hicksville, L.I., where he developed a strong instruction program, and strong following of junior and adult students. Nick has spent time helping LPGA and Champions Tour professionals during his career. Along with being a Titleist-Cobra Fittingworks and Nike 360* certified custom fitter, Nick specializes in short game instruction, and oversees many of the short game clinics and schools that are offered at Harbor Links.  Each season, Harbor Links hosts the "Swing Fore the Health of It" clinics under the supervision of Nick, and in conjunction with the American Cancer Society.  These are free clinics for survivors of breast cancer.  Nick has a very strong core of students from the Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA), including the 2008 Harbor Links EWGA League Champion.  Personal Teaching Philosophy: The more I teach, the more I try to find the simplest way to convey the message. From my earliest days as a player to today, I’ve been a Harvey Penick disciple. Mr. Penick’s words were simple to understand and through his teachings, I was able to find my teaching style. We all know how hard this game is, but I don’t believe that understanding instruction should be hard as well. What's In the Bag: TaylorMade Burner 8.5* driver, TM Burner 3wd 15°, TM Burner Hybrids 19° & 22°, Titleist AP1 710 4-iron, Titleist 710 CB forged 5-pw & gw, Cleveland CG12 56-14 and 60-08 wedges, Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 1.5 putter.