Students – LSM Golf Schools / Lisa S. Miller, PGA Instructor

Recent Top Students

Jillian
Fracolla

Do not confuse Jillian’s quiet demeanor as having anything to do with the way Jillian plays golf! This gifted athlete is a force to be reckoned with in just her third year playing this sport. Crossing over from hockey and soccer, golf has been a somewhat easy transition for Jill, however it has not come without patience and hardwork. It is because of her work ethic and dedication to becoming the best player that she can be, that she is being recognized as the LSM Student of March.

Somewhat of a perfectionist, Jillian commits to two lessons a week and endless hours of practice both at home in her garage, and at the driving range (indoor in the winter). Her beautiful golf swing is a testament to her work ethic and not only has she developed the swing, she also has a great understanding of cause and effect as it applies to her swing. This empowers her as a player and will serve her well as she heads off to college in a couple of years.

This student teacher relationship is special for both of us. Jillian has been a bright spot in my life as she always comes to the lesson with a smile on her face, ready to work hard, and it has been fun to watch her mature into a fine young woman. As she prepares to apply to colleges to follow her dreams, I am proud of her and happy to have been a part of the process. I have every confidence that she will have a lot of success in her life, but in the meantime, keep an eye out for her name around town in all the local and national tournaments. Good luck Jill!

Dineen Notman

Mature, focused, driven, and hardworking are all qualities necessary to become the top in any field. This months student, Dineen Notman, has achieved that status in the Syracuse area for womans golf.Anyone that has had the pleasure of spending time with this special teenager knows that she is the exception, rather than the norm. Mature beyond her years, one forgets her young age as we watch her challenge herself in many arenas to reach goals that are set amazingly high.

Whether working out at her favorite gym, hitting endless golf balls working on her swing, or logging hours at the local pros hop to make a little extra cash, Dineen gives it 100%. Never one to shy away from responsibility, she is a tireless promoter of golf as is evident with her relationship with junior golfers and with her peers. ?Her sunny disposition and confidence in herself are qualities to make her one of central New Yorks finest players. Her future is bright and her options unlimited because of her talents, and most important her attitude and work ethic.? I have enjoyed working with this special talent, and look forward to watching Dineen reach her goals in golf and in life. She is a special person and she teaches me as much about life as I teach her about golf!

Dineen is, and continues to be a real pleasure to work with.

Link here for
our interview
with Dineen!

Erin and Morgan



Sisters, sisters, sisters!!!!?? There is so much fun and joy to share life experiences with ones siblings. It is with this frame of reference that we announce this months sister students of the month!? Erin and Morgan McDermott grew up playing golf together and the friendly sister competition has sharpened both of their competitive golf skills.Coming off a successful second season on the West Genesee golf team, we see both of these girls as assets to their team and individuals that are tops in the local golf arena. While individuals in their approach to the game, they are different in their strengths and weaknesses. Morgan has a carefree approach that allows her to shrug off adversity and helps her to be consistent in her ability to score. With her long lean body type, she generates a lot of power with the width of her swing, and her fearless commitment to speed gives her maximum distance when she swings.? Her competitive spirit was groomed quite young and as a 7^th grader she was a top 5 player on the girls varsity team. This helps to round out her golf abilities and as she continues to work on her short game she will see her scores only go lower and lower. She is a joy to teach and understands that lessons and practice are important to her achieving her goals. Morgan will be playing in both local and national tournaments this summer so keep an eye out for this fine player as she just begins to show us what she is capable of! Good luck Morgan!Erin is the thinker in the family. Her strategic approach to her game and her need to know mentality helps her to understand what she needs to do to continue to improve her golf game. Her background in competitive swimming has given her the edge to know what it takes to win and she understands that practice is a huge part of performance. Erin was recognized last year as most improved player as she found her way into the top 5 spot of the West Genesee golf team. As a student she has been fun to watch as she achieves her goals and then sets higher expectations of herself. She is not afraid to work hard and comes to every lesson focused and ready to interact with questions that she may have regarding her golf game. Erin will play local tournaments this summer and though swimming is her passion we hope that golf stays a big part of her life as she certainly has the talent to go as far as she would like. Congratulations to both girls on all of your achievements and I look forward to working with both of you as you achieve all of your goals both on and off the golf course.?

Kathy and Larry Deskin

One look at this couple and you can understand why this is the first students of the month for LSM Golf. Kathy and Larry have not only dedicated themselves to each other and to raising their 7 children, but their approach to improving themselves likewise in golf has earned them this months award!!While Kathy has been a student of mine for quite sometime, it is only in the past year that Larry has gotten involved, and the two of them come together for their lessons. Practicing is the norm and to see them out at the Golfers Dome practicing indoors once or twice a week is refreshing to any instructor. The winning combination of weekly lessons off-season with at least one additional practice session will produce benefits once the season begins.

Equipment changes for both have occurred this winter with both of them being fit for drivers with our launch monitor. Both are students of the game and recognize that an edge can be gained with attention to these details.

As an instructor, it is always an hour that I look forward to. They arrive positive and ready to learn. They have arrived ahead of their scheduled hour and both have warmed up. They come prepared with questions possibly regarding the last lesson or an aid they have seen on the Internet and they have a strong interest in the short game. I am able to focus on getting them to the level they would like to play golf at and dont have to waste my time and theirs coaching them to practice and work on the short game.

Over this past year I have seen much progress in both of their swings and a renewed confidence for them to trust it once they get to the golf course. Kathy has recently agreed to play in a ladies member guest in Arizona which is a great step for her in trusting her abilities, while Larry is gearing up to beating his son in one of their matches this summer.

Good luck to both of you, Kathy and Larry. I have every confidence that you are and continue to be, prepared to improve yourselves and meet all of your goals. Congratulations!

Mary Carmody

Mary Carmody has it all!!! A tremendous athlete, Mary participates in many sports throughout the year, and we are pleased to recognize her for her golf.? To be a success in golf, one has to have a good sound repeating golf swing, a good short game that comes with dedication to practice, and the mind to confidently trust what you know when it matters most in competition. These attributes are most evident in Mary Carmody.

As Marys instructor it has been a pleasure to watch her develop as a player. Her work ethic makes every teacher look better and her understanding of her golf swing will take her through the difficult times that each of us encounter while playing this wonderful game. In my business, I have had a lot of opportunity to teach young female adults — but Mary is special. She has talent above and beyond the average and fortunately Coach Pace recognized this as he recruited Mary to Longwood College to play Division One golf in the fall. Coming from the Northeast, this is a tremendous achievement and I couldnt be more proud.

As we prepare for the future, Mary is dedicated to making her swing more efficient and recognizes the importance of her short game. As we work together throughout this winter and into the season, I look forward to our lessons and seeing Mary get herself ready to achieve her goals. It is special to be a part of this process and I know that she will be an asset to Longwoods golf program. It is for her recruiting accomplishments and hard work that Mary has been named this months student of the month. Congratulations Mary!!!!

Anne Gowin

See what Anne
has to say!

During a recent fall program with LSM golf schools, Anne proudly announced that she and a couple of students in the class had played Drumlins East and she had had a hole in one on the 8^th hole!Her excitement and enthusiasm for this feat caught my interest. Our students come to us for many different reasons. Not all are interested in qualifying for the tour, and it helped me to remember that we teach to promote the game of golf and help our students meet their needs, hopefully having fun along the way.

Anne recognized the value of instruction and had participated in a short game and full swing school earlier in the season. Her attitude towards improvement, accompanied by her sense of humor made her a class favorite. It is these kinds of things that help me to make learning fun!

Back again in the fall for a tune up, Anne was beginning to spend more time playing and was able to give good feedback as to what she felt her needs were to improve. LSM Golf and the PGA of America have dedicated themselves to growing the game of golf through the Play Golf America program. Anne could most certainly be a poster child for this program. Her dedication to instruction, accompanied by her attitude towards the process of achieving her golf goals has earned Anne this months student of the month. Congratulations Anne!!!!