Mark Blackburn, PGA

Director of Instruction

Phone: 205-986-5152
Email: mblackburn@greystonecc.com

Originally from England, Mark Blackburn arrived in America in 1994 on a college golf scholarship. A multiple Lettermen and Team Captain at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mark received a BS in Coaching. While playing professionally, inconsistencies and injury led to questioning golf’s teaching theories and ideas. The answers transitioned into a teaching taxonomy which applies a holistic sport science approach. Diagnosing poor golf mechanics, then validating those findings, and implementing the appropriate corrections is the key to improved golf performance. Founding Blackburn Golf in 2000, Mark is a Certified PGA Member, TPI CGP LIII & GSEM. Mark continues to work with golfers of all levels as Director of Instruction of The Blackburn Golf Academy at Greystone Golf & Country Club. The Blackburn Golf Teaching Philosophy focuses on each student’s unique functional movement to develop an efficient and repeatable technique for their desired shot pattern. Mark was the Alabama NW Florida Section PGA Teacher of The Year in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2015, a finalist for The PGA National Teacher of The Year 2010-2014, 2016, a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teachers, one of Golf Digest 50 Best Teachers in America, and 2020 PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year. The Blackburn Golf Academy develops and coaches juniors, club golfers, elite amateurs, college and professional clients from around the world. On the PGA Tour clients who have utilized Mark’s coaching include; Kevin Chappell, Chez Reavie, Harris English John Peterson, Tyrone Van Aswegan, Chad Campbell, YE Yang, Andrew Putnam, Hudson Sawfford, Heath Slocum, Robert Karlsson, Arjun Atwal, Bill Lunde, Bobby Gates, Boo Weekley, Nathan Green, Brian Gay, and Richard Sterne." Producing the necessary impact alignments for consistent ball control is always related to the body-swing connection. Lessons follow a holistic approach applying aspects of biomechanics, kinesiology, and psychology through technology. There is no one method or swing style for all golfers. Rather, the instructor must develop an efficient and repeatable motion based on the student’s functional movement screening. Utilizing their physiology, a student will then learn the necessary stability, mobility, and power sources unique to their stroke pattern whether putting, pitching or driving the ball.