PGA Golf Instruction

Joel is the Head Golf Professional and Director of Instruction at West Lafayette Golf and Country Club.  He has been a PGA Member since 2002 and joined WLGCC in 2013. Joel grew up in a big golfing family in East Tennessee. His father, Jay Baumgardner was a great golfer with over 100 amateur wins. Joel’s two older brothers were also very skilled golfers with Jay 3^rd winning a State Tournament team title in 1979.  Joel and his wife Jacquie, have one child, Lily who is a swimmer at the University of Indianapolis. Joel played his collegiate golf at Elon College, graduating in 1991.  Joel has been a golf instructor since 1995, where he gave lessons as an Assistant Professional at Fox Den Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Joel worked for four years for the Boy Scouts of America where he trained and learned how to work with youth. Joel developed a passion for working with kids and this has continued to this day with his junior golf programs.

From 1996 to 2003 Joel worked with over 500 students at Fox Den Country Club, Lafayette Country Club, and Coyote Crossing golf course. In 2003, Joel became the Head Golf Professional at Harrison Hills Golf Course in Attica, Indiana. During his 10 years at Harrison Hills, Joel developed many junior golfers and ran numerous junior camps with hundreds of kids learning how to play golf.

-4  Year coach for Attica Girls Golf Team

-hosted every year- Indiana Mountain Dew Junior Golf Championship

-hosted girls state open

-hosted junior state open qualifier

-2003 –started teaching collegiate level golf classes each semester called “Golf: For Business and Life”  at Purdue University

-2009 –Indiana PGA Section Junior Golf Leader Award Winner

-2009-2011 Indiana PGA Section Board Member

-In 2013 Joel joined West Lafayette Golf and Country Club where he became the Head Golf Professional and Director of Instruction. Joel has attended the PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit and also has attended many teaching and coaching summits with the Indiana PGA. One of the best things that Joel learned at these meetings how important technology is in todays golf world. Joel utilizes the V1 video system for those wanting swing analysis.  During the winter months Joel utilizes Tee Off Golf Driving Range in Lafayette, and Net Par in West Lafayette which utilizes the Track-Man system which is the best in the golf industry.

-First Tee Program Leader

-PGA Junior League Golf Teams- 13u and 17u

-Directed ladies leagues and instruction programs

-Operated many junior camps and clinics with over 500 kids attending

-2013-2015- Central Catholic Middle School Golf Coach

-2015-2017- Central Catholic Girls High School Golf Coach

-2018-Present-West Lafayette Junior High Golf Coach