Why Golf Digest Keeps Naming Eric Cogorno, and What It Means for Your Game

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Golf Digest publishes several lists of the best golf teachers, and each one picks its teachers a little differently. Instructors vote on the 50 Best and Best Teachers in Every State lists. Golf Digest's editors pick the Best Young Teachers. Eric Cogorno's on all three kinds, and knowing which is which makes it easier for you to size up any instructor's track record. 

A View From the Fringe

After all these years of building Cogorno Golf with Eric, I'm still proud every time I see his name on one of Golf Digest's lists. When I read through the 2027-2028 Best Young Teachers list, I found three of our coaches on it: Eric, Kenny, and JT.

That got me thinking about how hard it is to actually pick a coach. Every instructor's website says the same things, so how's a golfer supposed to tell them apart? A list like this can help, as long as you know what it's really telling you. So here's how I read them.

Golf Digest Names Eric, Kenny, and JT to the Best Young Teachers in America (2027-2028)

The 2027-2028 edition of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America names 197 instructors under age 40, and 77 of them are first-time honorees. Three of our coaches made it: Eric Cogorno, Kenny Leech, who directs Don Law Golf Academy, and JT Thomas.

Golf Digest says these instructors "personify the game's transition from analog to digital." Most of them, it adds, work hard at reaching amateur golfers on social media. Eric's YouTube channel fits right in. And at our schools, video plays a big role in the teaching, too. We film and diagnose every single student’s swing, giving you visual proof of where you’re at and helping you make adjustments much faster. We also upload these videos on a dedicated online coaching space, so you have a personal reference to watch whenever you need a refresher.

How Does Golf Digest Choose Its Best Teachers?

Here's the short answer: instructors vote on two of Golf Digest's teacher lists, and its editors pick the third. The table below shows how each one works, based on Golf Digest's own descriptions, along with Eric's placements.

So what does a vote actually tell you? When thousands of teachers get asked to name the best, the names that come up most are the ones their own peers respect. And I believe that counts for a lot, because it's hard to fake. On the third, the Best Young Teachers list, Golf Digest's editors do the picking, and they pay close attention to who's reaching golfers well with modern tools.

Eric's on all three, in seven editions since 2019. Kenny and JT are both on the 2027-2028 Young Teachers list.

Now, a list tells you how other professionals see an instructor. And your results come from the work the two of you do together, so the next three checks below matter just as much.

How to Choose a Golf Instructor: Three Checks to Run Before You Book

A list only tells you so much. So what else should you look at? Here are the three checks I believe a golfer should run on any instructor before booking, whether it's Eric or anyone else.

1. Track Record

One award can be a moment. But when a golf coach keeps showing up on lists, and different groups of people are doing the choosing, that starts to look like a pattern. I'd look for something that's held up over time and across more than one list.

2. Clarity

Can they tell you what to work on, how to do it, and why it matters, in plain English? If you can, watch them teach before you book. Eric's approach is to find the top one or two priorities for each part of your game, then give you feedback on every rep so you know whether you got it right.

3. Consistency

And great teaching usually comes from someone who keeps showing up. Eric spent his first year of filming with barely anyone watching, and he kept going anyway. I tell that whole story in The Real Story Behind Eric Cogorno's New TV Role.

An instructor who passes all three is a better bet for your time and money. And if you want seven more questions to ask about what a program really covers, I wrote those up in Does Your Golf Instructor Cover Real Course Shots, Not Just Range Swings?

Meet the Coaches: Eric Cogorno, Kenny Leech, JT Thomas, and Steve Sieracki 

Eric Cogorno leads our schools, with more than 35,000 lessons behind him.

Kenny Leech directs Don Law Golf Academy in Boca Raton and coaches full swing at our Florida schools. He's been teaching since 2012, and he's great at reading how your body moves and helping you build a swing that's repeatable and safe to swing day after day.

JT Thomas coaches full swing too, and he joins us for some sessions as his schedule allows. He's spent the last decade coaching everyone from total beginners to professional players around the world, and he played four years of NCAA collegiate golf. JT helps golfers build a swing that holds up under pressure, and you'll probably notice his energy right away. Mike K., a student from one of our schools, said it well: "your positive reinforcement is contagious."

Steve Sieracki coaches full swing as well, and he joins us at Woodstone for some sessions as his schedule allows. Golf Digest lists him as Stephen Sieracki on its Best Young Teachers list, where he's appeared five times, most recently in 2025-2026. It's also named him to its list of New Jersey's best teachers several times, including a No. 4 ranking in 2019-20. Steve's spent more than a decade learning from some of the most respected names in golf instruction, and he keeps things clear. As Dave W. put it, "every 5-10 minutes either Eric or Steve would jump in to quickly reinforce new feels and drill them until we got it." 

What Cogorno Golf School Students Said, and When

Lists tell you how other pros see an instructor. Students tell you what the coaching actually felt like. So here are three students, at three different points after their schools. Every golfer's results look different, and these are three separate stories.

Right After the School

Guy M. wrote to us right after his school: "I came away with an absolutely clear sense for what I was doing incorrectly, and how to do it correctly going forward." He started using Eric and JT's guidance right away, and soon after he had his best round of the season.

30 Days Later

Joe S. checked in a month after his school. He'd played five rounds, and according to his Golfshot app, his handicap had gone from 10.1 to 7.1. In his words, "Eric and JT's guidance on my full swing has been invaluable."

60 Days Later

Marc M. checked in at the 60-day mark. His biggest change was a hip bump in his setup. It gave him better contact and more confidence, and he stopped breaking tees. And here's what he said about Kenny: "Kenny's insights and adjustments on all my full swings continue to pay dividends."

Work With Eric and Our Coaching Team at a 2-Day Golf School

If those three checks matter to you, here's how you can put them to the test. Eric leads our two-day golf schools at Don Law Golf Academy at Osprey Point Golf Course in Boca Raton, Florida, and at Woodstone Country Club in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Kenny coaches at our Florida schools. JT joins us for some sessions as his schedule allows, and Steve joins our Woodstone team the same way. Each school's a small group. We film and diagnose your swing, so you'll leave with clarity on WHAT to work on, HOW to do it, and WHY it matters, and you get on-course coaching both days, too.

Explore the 2-Day Golf Schools

Not ready to travel? Here are other ways to start with Eric's coaching.

Swing Coach app. Record your swing and get feedback built on Eric's coaching, with an AI version of Eric walking you through your practice. It's free for 14 days, no credit card needed, and you can cancel anytime. Try Swing Coach Free for 14 Days

Cogorno Golf Membership. Upload a swing video, and Eric and the coaching team send back a full video analysis within 48 hours. You also get a practice plan that's refreshed every 30 days. Explore Online Coaching

Related Reading:

The Real Story Behind Eric Cogorno's New TV Role, and the One Thing Every Golfer Can Take From It 

Does Your Golf Instructor Cover Real Course Shots, Not Just Range Swings?