Don Parker is honored to spend his third season with the Northbrook Park District Golf Programs. “There are big changes afoot, and it’s an exciting time for the Northbrook golf community.” Don takes the Host Professional’s post at Anetsberger Golf Club and is Lead Coach for the Anetsberger Junior Travel Team for 2010. Don starts this season nearing a key checkpoint in his PGA Professional coursework.

Each winter breaks gives Don new insights into his work as a golf teacher. His chief goal this year is simply to encourage the enjoyment of the game and all its challenges. Don believes the two greatest challenges facing golfers currently are keep a positive attitude and making committed choices with each shot. "This is one of the many ways golf parallels life—it’s not about how we prepare ourselves for each round; it’s about how we prepare ourselves for each shot.”

This is a key reason that Don is excited to be at Anetsberger. “I think a big challenge is to find ways to make the most of our time playing, so players need to make the most of their time in practice.

“Anetsberger not only has a fantastic short-game practice area,” Don beams, “it is a fantastic short-game practice facility. It’s an ideal complement to the Sportsman’s Campus for a well-rounded golf program.

Of course, Don looks forward to the season as a teacher and coach. “I’m stoked to start to develop the individual’s game—to take swing and playing concepts and help people discover how they translate best to each player.” With a degree in Education, ten years' experience in public education (including athletic and academic coaching), and continued personal research in learning theory, Don strives to find the clearest ways to convey how all the pieces connect to make up a round of golf. Don teaches from the perspective that with so many factors to the golf swing, simplifying the “how and why” we swing a club is critical to a good learning process.

"If you make solid decisions and stick to them, then you can take credit for the great shots you hit and learn better from the not-so-great shots. Frustration arises easily from not giving something you care about your best effort and then wishing you'd tried harder...or smarter."

Don feels that anyone who is willing to seek help with their golf game deserves his best efforts to help them. Don is ready and eager to help each player find their games as well as to help learners improve at learning,

Don can be reached at Anetsberger, [number] or his voicemail (847-897-3802). You can also contact him through his email, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or on his cell phone at (773) 732-6430.