Renée O'Higgins, PGA, LPGA
Renée O’Higgins is a nationally recognized golf instructor with a track record of excellence in both coaching and golf education. Explore her professional honors and published work below.
Professional Recognition
2023 SFPGA Teacher of the Year
Renée was honored as the 2023 South Florida PGA Teacher of the Year, becoming the first female instructor ever to receive this prestigious award. This recognition reflects her lifelong dedication to coaching, mentoring, and advancing the game of golf.
From juniors to seasoned players, Renée’s passion for instruction is rooted in helping every golfer find clarity, confidence, and consistency. The award is not only a reflection of her mission, but also of the thriving community she has inspired and nurtured over the years.
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Professional Recognition
GOLF's Teachers to Watch
Renée O’Higgins has been named one of GOLF Magazine’s Teachers to Watch for 2026–27, a national honor that recognizes instructors who are shaping the future of the game through their expertise, dedication, and passion for teaching. This recognition reflects Renée’s continued commitment to helping golfers of all levels improve and enjoy the game, while showcasing her leadership as one of the country’s most promising instructors.
As part of this distinction, Renée will also be recognized in the November–December issue of GOLF Magazine.
additional Awards Spotlight
GRAA Top 50 Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals
2013 - 2024
US Kids Golf Honorable Mention
2013
SFPGA Growth of the Game - Southern Chapter
2015
Golf Digest Best Young Teachers
2016 - 2024
Golf Digest Best in State - Florida
2017 - 2025
SFPGA Player Development Award - Southwest Chapter
2020
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Steady Your Putting
Published March 6, 2022 - Golf.com
One of the main ingredients to a sound and repeatable putting stroke is keeping your hands as inactive as possible. Most great putters drive their strokes by “rocking” their arms and shoulders without activating their hands and wrists. I’m not saying that the wrists shouldn’t hinge as you putt, but rather, that they shouldn’t be the dominating motion. [...]
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publications
How to Improve Your Contact with Every Club
Published July 5, 2019 - Golf Digest
I'm going to assume you don't need my advice to hit a putt solidly. That's pretty easy to do. But what about the rest of your game? If you're honestly assessing it, are you making great contact most of the time on your drives, irons, pitches, chips and bunker shots? Yep, you can hit bunker shots solidly—you're just hitting the sand, not the ball. And the same logic applies: Better contact means better results. [...]
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The Most Important Thing for Junior Golfers
Published October 22, 2022 - Golf.com
For parents eager to get their children into golf, it can be difficult to know what to focus on. Should kids take lessons right away? What should they learn first? How important are the fundamentals, like proper grip and posture?
Full disclosure: These topics are currently top of mind for me, because I’m hoping to foster a love of the game in my six-year-old as soon as possible. [...]
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Published July 29, 2021 - GRAA
Five Questions with Renée
California-native and five-time GRAA Top 50 [...] Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Renée O’Higgins has called Florida home for almost two decades, spending the past three years at Quail West Golf & Country Club in Naples. She had been teaching in Maine over the past few summers, but stayed local this year, and thus had some time to highlight many of the great growth of the game initiatives that she’s put in place during her time at Quail West. [...]
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GolfDigest+
Instructional Videos with Subscription
Instructional videos with Renée can be found on GolfDigest+ with a subscription. "Golf Digest Teachers - 12 Days to Better Golf."
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Kind Words
Renée, On behalf of the Chapter Board, please accept or congratulations on being named the 2023 Southwest Section PGA Teacher of the Year!
You have provided outstanding service as an instructor. You were selected based on your efforts in promoting golf, use of teachings, involvement in junior golf activities, teaching techniques, and your peers have selected you. This is quite an achievement with over 1,900 Section PGA Professionals.
Congratulations again, and well deserved!
Just wanted to pass along our sincere gratitude and appreciation to you for taking the time to present and share your knowledge with us and our peers. The information you shared was informative and spot-on. We plan to implement some of what you shared to enhance our offerings.
— Royal Poinciana Golf Club