Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Bannon.
Hi Rob, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Rob Bannon, and I’m the founder and owner of TPG Golf Performance Center in St. Johns, Florida. My path to golf coaching is a little different from most. Before launching my coaching career, I spent 21 years on active duty as an Army aviator, followed by another eight years as a civilian test pilot for the Army. Over nearly three decades of service, the military taught me how to problem-solve, lead, and mentor — skills that naturally carried over into coaching. When I finished flying in 2016, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to coaching full-time. I used the G.I. Bill to attend Keiser University, where I earned a degree in Golf Management. Golf has always been a huge part of my life — I grew up playing competitively and competed collegiately at Saint Leo College in Florida before setting the game aside to focus on my military career. In 2010, when my son Casey developed an interest in golf, I started coaching him and rediscovered both my love for the game and my passion for teaching. Watching him progress as a player reminded me how rewarding it is to help others grow and achieve their goals. That experience inspired my next chapter. In 2016, my wife and I founded TPG Golf, and in 2019, we broke ground on our own performance center at Cimarrone Golf Club in St. Johns. Today, that’s where we coach players daily — helping them reach their goals, both on and off the course.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business from scratch is never a smooth road. For me, one of the biggest challenges early on was simply getting the opportunity to prove myself. I’ve always considered myself a bit of an outsider in the golf coaching world. I didn’t come up through the traditional path — working in pro shops or serving as an assistant at country clubs. So early on, I had to work hard to get players to believe in me and in the value I could bring to their game. In this business, the formula is actually pretty simple: if you help people get better, word spreads, and your reputation grows. But building that kind of trust and credibility takes time. I was very fortunate to have great players and talented coaches around me who supported and challenged me along the way.
My wife, Traci, was also a huge part of that journey. She gave me the confidence to take the leap and reminded me that this was the right path — even when it wasn’t easy. Once I started coaching high school players and young juniors, I realized how much I loved it and that I could truly build a career out of helping players grow. A major turning point for TPG Golf came when the ownership group at Cimarrone Golf Club partnered with me and gave me the opportunity to build our own performance facility on their range. That partnership helped us take the business to the next level and turn a passion into a thriving coaching center.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about TPG Golf performance center?
We opened TPG Golf Performance Center with one goal in mind — to bring PGA Tour–level coaching to players of all skill levels. From day one, we wanted to create a training environment built around technology, expertise, and communication. Inside our performance center, everything is designed to help players improve more effectively during their lessons. We use Fusion radar systems, pressure mats to measure how players move and use the ground, high-speed cameras, and multiple display screens for real-time analysis. We also invest in the latest training aids and, just as importantly, we have a team of highly certified, educated, and experienced coaches. When all those pieces come together in a single one-hour lesson, the results for players can be remarkable.
Our goal is simple: for every player to leave our facility with a clear understanding of how to get better — not just what to fix, but how to progress. And we strive for our coaches to be the best communicators in the business when it comes to delivering that message. Including myself, we currently have four coaches on staff at TPG Golf:
Jim Ragland, a longtime golf professional in the Jacksonville area, who’s been an incredible resource, mentor, and friend. He brings a wealth of experience to our team.
Sara McKevitt, who’s been with us for about three years. She plays professionally on the Epson Tour, and when she’s not competing, she coaches our juniors and beginners — bringing fresh energy and insight to her students.
Giulio Castagnara, who lives full-time in Italy and works on the Ladies European Tour with Alessandra Fanali. Giulio provides both in-person and online coaching support, visiting our facility a few times a year, and serves as a great resource and brand ambassador for TPG Golf worldwide.
We’re proud of our brand, our coaches, and our players. Everyone here shares the same vision — to help golfers reach their potential and enjoy the game at the highest level. Our motto says it best: Play Well.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
It’s always tough to predict what the next five to ten years will bring. No one could’ve foreseen the surge in golf participation that happened after COVID — it was truly an explosion. The real driving force behind that growth, in my view, has been younger players in their 20s and 30s who have really embraced the game. What’s different now is that this generation isn’t just playing golf — they’re investing in lessons, learning the technical side, and taking advantage of new technology to get better faster. We’ve also seen a big shift toward indoor golf. More players are practicing and competing on simulators — whether that’s in their homes or in new indoor facilities popping up in retail spaces. It’s especially popular in northern areas where the weather limits outdoor play for much of the year. I think that trend is only going to grow.
Golf traditionally takes four to five hours to play, and people today just don’t always have that kind of time. I see the game continuing to evolve toward shorter, more flexible formats — experiences that fit into one- to three-hour windows, allowing players to practice, play, and socialize all in one setting.
In the instruction side of the business, AI and advanced technology are going to have a huge impact. We’re already looking for ways to integrate those tools into our coaching to stay ahead of the curve.
For the professional players we work with, one of the biggest upcoming challenges will be opportunity — whether emerging players are willing to spend several years grinding it out on mini tours to try to reach the PGA Tour. It’s only becoming more competitive to break in. Hopefully, over the next few years, the system continues to evolve to create more pathways and opportunities for young players coming out of college.
Pricing:
- $ 150 per hour Adult Lesson
- $130 Per Hour IroN/Wedge club fitting.
- $85 per 1/2 hour lesson.
- $110 per hour Junior Lessons
- $150 per hour on course short game coaching
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tpggolf.org
- Instagram: @tpggolf
