Michael Hebron, Class of 2013

MICHAEL HEBRON, PGA
In 1988, Michael Hebron proposed to PGA of America officials the need to bring together teaching professionals to share best practices and consolidate ideas. “Let’s have a Woodstock, a Summit,” Hebron recalled his pitch for the event. As a result, the PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit was born. Last month in Orlando, Fla., the 13th Summit attracted 625 attendees representing 48 states and 12 countries.

A native of New York City, Hebron was inspired by Metropolitan PGA Professionals Bob Joyce and Gene Borek, and later attended the first PGA Business School featuring an instructor who would inspire an industry – the late Bill Strausbaugh. Hebron was elected to PGA membership in 1970, and in 1991, was the recipient of the national PGA Teacher of the Year Award.

Hebron, 70, has been a golf instruction consultant to both PGA Professionals and golf teachers in 16 countries. Over the years, Hebron also founded two international Summits, the Canadian PGA Teaching Conference (1989) and the inaugural European PGA Teaching Conference (1990). His career student list features PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, several national champions in the U.S. and overseas, along with many prep and collegiate players. One of the most respected Metropolitan PGA teaching professionals, Hebron was named to GOLF Magazine’s first “Top 50 Teachers in America” roster. He was recipient of the 1990 national Horton Smith Award for excellence in PGA education. He was the 1982 Metropolitan PGA Golf Professional of the Year, and in 2008, was inducted into the Metropolitan PGA Section Hall of Fame.

Hebron has authored six books and is a longtime contributor to numerous national publications. Hebron presented “See and Feel the Inside Move the Outside,” the first golf instruction book to be accepted as a PGA Master Professional thesis, and has sold more than 100,000 copies. Among his community contributions are providing three continuing education scholarships in three New York high schools, and sponsoring the Metropolitan PGA Women’s Championship and the Long Island Golf Association Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

Hebron and his wife, Patricia, live in St. James, N.Y. They are parents of a daughter, Tracy, a son, Michael, who is a PGA assistant professional in Smithtown Landing, N.Y., and have three grandchildren.