GOLF ACADEMY & LESSONS

Tim Mitchell is a 20-year professional, TPI Level 2 Golf Instructor and has served as the Director of Instruction at multiple Leadbetter Academies throughout North America. Recognized as a Golf Digest Best Teacher in Your State, Tim is a firm believer that students should not seek to have a perfect golf swing. Instead, Tim encourages students to search for a game that allows them to control the golf ball – and better scores will follow.

Utilizing many of the game’s most respected and state-of-the-art teaching devices (including Trackman, BodiTrak and SAM PuttLab) to accurately measure his students’ technique, Tim develops a simple game plan to improve his students’ abilities to execute better golf shots. Tim has been privileged to work with many talented golfers, helping produce a Junior Ryder Cup Participant, a Two Time Junior National Amateur Champion, three Division I All American collegiate golfers and a two-time winner on the European Tour.

Hae-Yoon Jung-Kim, a member of the Southern California Section PGA and one of more than 30,000 PGA of American Golf Professionals. joins a special group as the 454th PGA Member and 13th woman to earn Master Professional status in 2025. She achieved her designation in Teaching and Coaching.

A PGA of America Member since 2009, Jung-Kim was involved with golf from an early age, playing in many junior events around the world. At age 15, she left her native Korea for the Kooralbyn International School in Australia for three years to learn English and play competitive golf. Upon completing high school, she came to the United States and attended the University of California, Irvine, and competed on the women’s golf team. After graduating in 2003, Jung-Kim played on the Futures Tour for two seasons.

Hae-Yoon Jung-Kim began her teaching career in 2005 as a PGA Associate, working as a coach for The First Tee of San Diego and serving as the Site Director for LPGA-USGA Girls Golf. She then joined Pelican Hill Golf Club^® in 2008 as an Assistant Golf Professional, where she gained experience in all aspects of the golf industry, including operations and instruction while she successfully earned her PGA of America Membership in 2009.

In 2012, she became a full-time instructor at The Golf School of Tustin Ranch, and in 2015, she moved to Oak Creek Golf Club. Hae-Yoon earned her PGA Certified Professional status in 2016 and returned to Pelican Hill^® in 2020.

Justin Smith is a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Instructor and a Class A PGA Member. He excels at finding the most efficient way for each client to swing the golf club however unique the situation is. Justin’s passion to teach is rooted from the joy and excitement his students get from surpassing their goals and producing consistently solid golf shots. When not at Pelican Hill^®, he can be found with his family and friends at the beach or walking down main street at the happiest place on earth with his soon-to-be wife. 

Karen Tucker is an award-winning PGA Golf Instructor that has been teaching for over 20 years. She was elected as a PGA Member in 1997 and LPGA Member later in 2014. Her most recent accolades include the 2020 PGA Player Development Award for the Southern California Section, recognizing exemplary achievements in player development and growing the game. Her past awards include 2010 Club Fitter of the Year, Southern California, Metropolitan Chapter and 2009 Club Fitter of the Year for the entire Southern California Section. 

Also known for individual, semi-private and group instruction, she has been an instrumental part of the Pelican Hill^®’s weekly and monthly clinics, private group events and corporate events. She expresses a true enjoyment for teaching all levels of golfers from tournament players to beginners.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business-Marketing-Professional Golf Management from Ferris State University.