The Golf Whisperer
Famous golf instructor Hank Haney, who coached both Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara, has nothing on local golf educator Amanda Beeler.
Beeler, who has lived in Healdsburg for nearly 20 years, is beloved throughout Sonoma County for her ability to help golfers unlock the very best parts of their games. Some of her clients call her the “golf whisperer” or “golf wizard” for the dramatic effect she delivers. Many have lowered their average scores considerably; others have all but eliminated lifelong handicaps.
Almost all Beeler’s lessons unfold at Healdsburg Golf Club at Tayman Park. In addition to delivering indisputable results on the greens, she drives good vibes in the tee box, inspiring trust from clients across the board—even those who aren’t yet old enough to vote.
“Getting a lesson from me is like learning from your best friend who also is teaching you some things about golf.” she said. “Golf is challenging enough, while you’re with me I want you to have a good time.”
After growing up outside of Memphis, Beeler started playing golf when she was 8. She won a golf scholarship to Arkansas State University, and she transitioned into coaching after that. Her first coaching gig was in Memphis with First Tee, a nonprofit that teaches life skills to kids through golf. Eventually, she transferred to run the First Tee location here in the North Bay and moved to Healdsburg in 2005.
Beeler left the nonprofit sector to run her own coaching business in 2007. Later, she named that business Total Body + Mind Golf. She now employs three other coaches.
What she loves about living here: The lack of pretension.
“When I moved here, the questions I was being asked were not, ‘Where do you go to church?’ and ‘Who are you married to?’ but instead, ‘Have you been to the distillery?’ and ‘Do you know what Racer 5 is?’ and ‘What’s your favorite pizza at Campo Fina?’ she said. “It’s such a different world in Sonoma County [than it is in the South]. Here, people are just happy with however you show up.”
Today Beeler’s clients are varied—from hard-core golfers who have been swinging sticks for 50 years to little kids who haven’t even graduated second grade. She offers private lessons. She also offers group lessons through academies for adults and kids alike.
In recent months, she’s even added online lessons through a platform called Skillest.
Recently, Beeler expanded her operation to include classes at Fairgrounds Golf Course in Santa Rosa. One might look at the move as a commitment to growing the business. Beeler prefers to look at it as a commitment to helping more people with their golf games.
“The best part of teaching golf is when it clicks for a player and I get to witness that happening,” she said. “When they can feel themselves doing it, we celebrate right there in the middle of the lesson.”
