Golf Digest names the top instructors in the Pacific NW

Golf Digest has released its ranking of some of the top teachers in the states of Washington and Oregon. Jeff Ritter of Pronghorn Resort in Bend tops the Oregon list while Jeff Coston of the Jeff Coston Golf Academy in Blaine tops the Washington list.

On the national level, Butch Harmon is ranked as the top teacher on the list while Mike Adams is second, Mike Bender is third, David Leadbetter fourth and Chuck Cook fifth. Golf Digest does its teaching ranking list every two years.

There are several familiar names on both lists for both states. In Washington, Coston is a PGA Northwest Section major championship winner and has been at his facility at Semiahmoo resort in Blaine for 25 years. He also works with Adams and Bender at golf schools nationally. On the Oregon list, former PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions player Brian Henninger is ranked third. Henninger works out of the Golf Farm in Tualatin.

Here are the top teachers in Oregon and Washington as listed in order by Golf Digest:

Washington: Jeff Coston, Jason Aichele, Craig Welty, Todd Erwin, Christopher Runyan, Derek Siesser, Tom Sovay, Brian Thornton, Rick Fehr, Kathy Gildersleeve-Jensen, Doug Doxsie, Joe Thiel, Bill Tindall, Josh McKinley, Erin Menath.

Oregon: Jeff Ritter, Noah Horstman, Brian Henninger, Bruce Furman, Jerry Mowlds, Grant Rogers, Christopher Smith, Sean Lanyi.