Best 14 coaches for Golf lessons near Los Angeles, CA

David Byrne is an internationally experienced PGA Professional and Golf Performance Coach, bringing over 25 years of elite coaching expertise across the United States and Europe. Originally from Ireland, David is a dual member of both the PGA of America and the European/UK PGA, a distinction that reflects his global perspective and deep-rooted knowledge of the game. Known as “The Golf Whisperer,” David has built a reputation for transforming players of all levels—from complete beginners to elite amateurs and touring professionals—by simplifying the golf swing and delivering measurable, lasting results. David holds a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology, giving him a unique edge in performance coaching. He integrates mental conditioning, focus training, and competitive mindset development into every lesson, helping players not only improve technically but also perform under pressure. His coaching philosophy blends athletic movement, body-driven mechanics, and efficient ball striking, moving away from overly technical instruction and toward a more natural, repeatable swing. In addition to his coaching career, David is a published author and co-creator of the golf book “The Swing,” where he shares his insights into simplifying the game and unlocking peak performance. His background also includes experience as a college-level coach, further strengthening his ability to develop players in structured, high-performance environments. A firm believer in combining tradition with innovation, David utilizes advanced technology such as TrackMan, GCQuad, and high-speed video analysis to provide precise feedback and accelerate improvement. He also incorporates golf-specific fitness and mobility training, ensuring his players develop strength, flexibility, and durability to support a powerful, efficient swing. David’s coaching covers all aspects of the game, including: Full Swing (Driver & Irons) Short Game & Scoring Course Management & Strategy Mental Performance & Golf Psychology Competitive Player Development Golf Fitness & Movement Training A former Irish Sports Writers Pro-Am Champion (2016) with a sub-par winning performance, David combines competitive playing experience with world-class coaching knowledge. Now based in Santa Monica, California, David works with dedicated golfers seeking to elevate their game, lower their scores, and play with clarity, confidence, and consistency.

"I was only fortunate enough to know and work with David Byrne for a little over a month before he relocated to California, but that short time made a lasting impact on my game. I truly enjoyed his passion for golf and his genuine desire to help players get better. David often went out of his way to coach me between lessons whenever he wasn’t already busy teaching others—something I greatly appreciated. At 67 years old, I’m not looking to completely rebuild my golf swing, and David understood that from day one. His approach focuses on helping you find a swing thought that works for your swing, rather than forcing a onesizefitsall method. He helped me understand my swing plane and path, and how to consistently get into the right position before impact. After that, his favorite encouragement was always: ‘Turn the corner!’ And it worked. David is a talented instructor, an insightful coach, and an allaround good person. And watch out for his son—just a wee lad with a fabulous golf swing already! David’s passion clearly runs in the family.

Riley Michaelis has been teaching and coaching for 9 years. After graduating from the Golf Academy of America in San Diego in 2014, Riley was immediately hired by the popular destination golf school “Golf Made Simple.” Riley rapidly worked his way up to lead coach, honing his skills, teaching thousands of hours of lessons to golfers of all levels. Riley’s approach is to help players learn the feel of their natural golf swing. Riley helps players truly understand the cause and effects of the golf swing that enhance ball contact and ball flight. Riley emphasizes an even blend of feel and technique, without creating information overload.

"I am a 15 handicap, twice a week golfer. I also spend at least 2 days a week at the range. A few weeks ago, I was watching Riley give lessons to a bunch of kids and they all seemed to swing better better than I do. We struck up a conversation and he really seemed to know what he was talking about, so right then and there, when he finished with the kids, I took my first lesson. He straightened out my weight shift and I was immediately a better golfer. Today, I took my second lesson. Now, I have taken many golf lessons in my life and seen some good and not so good results. Today, working with a new forward press and wrist cock position at address, I was hitting the ball 10 to 15 yards further with EVERY club! Yes, Every club!! This guy knows his stuff!!