Tim Eberlein, PGA Master Professional, is the Campus Director for the Golf Academy of America (GAA) located in Chandler, AZ. His career path into the golf industry started in the year 1990 when he decided to make a career change. He started playing golf in high school at age 14 and played Division II golf and baseball while he earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from Gannon University in Erie, PA. Having a successful career in manufacturing management, at age 30 he decided to make a career change and pursue golf. He wanted to combine his love for golf and teaching. He acquired his inspiration to be a teacher while instructing high school math for the United States Peace Corp in Gambia, Africa (1996). To fast track his career he decided to attend the Golf Academy of America in San Diego, CA, and earn an Associate’s Degree in Golf Complex Operations and Management.
Upon graduation he worked as a golf professional at Brynwood CC in Milwaukee, WI where he honed his skills as a well rounded golf professional and earned his Class ‘A’ membership in less than 3 years. While interviewing for head professional positions an opportunity presented itself for him to return to GAA in San Diego as an instructor. While advancing his career with GAA he became the Tournament Director, Academic Dean, and then Campus Director in San Diego in 1998. In 2003 he moved his family to serve in his current position as the Campus Director for GAA in Chandler, AZ. To date Tim has given over 10,000 lessons and has over 10,000 hours in the classroom.
When asking him to elaborate on his contributions to the golf industry, he replied, “At GAA, I was able enhance and develop the GAA academic curriculum to meet golf industry standards and assist over 2200 graduates jump staring their careers in the golf industry.” When asked what he was most proud of as a PGA golf professional, he said, “Receiving his Master classification in Teaching and being able to help the golf industry by training future professionals and managers at GAA, serving as a SWSPGA and the satisfaction of interacting with our section golf professionals, the history of the Southwest section is impressive and there are a lot of great professionals here.”
He also took full use of his educational opportunities with the PGA of America and became a PGA Master Professional in Teaching in the year 2000 and received his MBA from University of Phoenix in 2006. Tim is actively involved with the section and has served on the SWSPGA Board of Directors for the last 4 years as the Education Chairperson. He has been the recipient of the SWSPGA Horton Smith Award in 2010 and 2014. He currently serves on the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Rules Committee for high school golf, and is an advisory member on the SWSPGA Governance Committee and ‘Golf Arizona’ magazine.
