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22 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | NOVEMBER 2020 | Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed some new faces in the Golf Shop here at Sun Lakes. We wanted to give you a little background on them so we compiled a list of questions and their answers so you can get to know them a little better. Brian Garlington, PGA, Director of Golf Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I was raised in La Junta, Colorado which is a small town in southeast Colorado just east of Pueblo and attended College at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Go Buffs! I now live on the border of Bermuda Dunes and La Quinta for the last 15 years. Tell us about your family… I have been married to my beautiful wife Brandie for 20 years and have three kids, Madison (27), Allison (17), and Cody (16). My oldest daughter Madison has her culinary degree from Art Institute of California and is now changing careers and attending the College of the Desert to become a teacher. My youngest daughter Allison is a freshman at the University of Washington in search of a Biology degree. My son Cody is a Junior at La Quinta High School and is really into computers and gaming. My wife Brandie is a Paralegal and is currently a stay-at-home mom. When did you first start golfing and what do you like about it the most? I was a baseball player for as long as I can remember and didn't get into golf until I was a freshman in high school. I was lucky because I could play both sports in high school since our golf season was in the fall and baseball season was in the spring. My dad was my coach growing up and taught me how to play the game, for which I am forever grateful. I have a hard time answering what I like most about golf because there are just so many things that I love about it. I love the challenge of trying to beat my best round, the interesting people you come into contact with who are just as obsessed with the game as you are, the competition, hitting that shot that even you can't believe you pulled off, sinking that 75 foot double breaking putt downhill, just so many things! How did you get into the golf business? I first got into the golf business after working a year after college as a sales rep for a copier and fax company. I absolutely hated what I was doing and wanted to do something that I was passionate about which was GOLF! So, I quit my job, picked up the phone and called all the golf discount houses looking for work in the golf industry. My first golf job was working for Nevada Bob's Discount Golf in 1994. After working retail for a few years, I was still wanting more so I decided to pursue becoming a Golf Professional. I was lucky enough to be hired by Denver Country Club in Denver, Colorado as the third Assistant Golf Pro and went to work on becoming a PGA Professional. I would work the summers in Colorado and the winters in the desert at the Lakes Country Club. I went back and forth for about four years in which time I met my wife Brandie and decided to stay out in the desert full time. I received my Class A Membership in the PGA while I was at the Lakes Country Club and took my first Head Golf Professional Position at Soboba Springs Country Club in 2002-2004. Since then I have worked at a few places in the desert including Indian Wells Country Club as the Head Professional for five years, Toscana Country Club and most recently at Bermuda Dunes Country Club as the Director of Golf for the last five years. What is your teaching philosophy? My teaching philosophy is a simple, straight-forward approach that stresses the fundamentals. My objective is to help my students improve their skills and develop their abilities. I find the greatest strength of their golf swing to build around and identify and change the biggest weakness that is limiting their success. My students will know and understand what will occur during the lesson and will be given reasons for my suggestions and instruction for change. What are your goals for Sun Lakes golfers as well as the various clubs? I have a long list of goals for our Sun Lakes golfers which I won't mention them all now, but I will tell you that my number one goal is to bring the FUN back to Sun Lakes. I want to get the community more involved and playing golf more often. We have such a great facility here that is being underutilized and not reaching its full potential. How are we going to get more members playing golf you may ask? We will create great events that are so much fun that they will want to make those homeowners who are not participating want to participate. These events may include Friday Night Scrambles, Horseraces, Nine and Wines, Clinics, Golf Expo and Demo Days, Play with the Pro days, etc. As far as the clubs are concerned, I want to be able to help with all the events from start to finish, and make it feel more like a country club. COVID-19 has put a big damper on things and have made the clubs take on all the responsibility of the tournament work themselves. My goal after all of this is to take most of the burden off the tournament coordinators and have the golf staff facilitate all the club events. Meet the Golf Pros: Questions & Answers