Taylor Crosby, lead golf instructor at The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake OconeeThe Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee, has been named by Golf Digest as one of the “Best Young Teachers in America for 2023-24.”
The “Best Young Teacher’s” list is featured in the February issue of Golf Digest and editors said this year’s “competition was fierce. We’re confident we’ve identified the instructors under age 40 who are making the biggest impact on the industry—and in more ways than ever, with the growth of digital and social media.”
Crosby played collegiate golf for both the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University. While at Georgia, the Athens, Ga., native played alongside current PGA Tour standouts Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk, and Brendon Todd. After graduating from N.C. State, he played on mini-tours, served as a head golf professional, and caddied on the Korn Ferry Tour.
He began his teaching career in 2011 at the Jim McLean Golf Center in Fort Worth, Texas. To now be named one of the country’s top young teachers is beyond an honor.
“When I first heard, to say I was excited doesn’t do it justice,” Crosby said. “It’s always nice to be recognized for your efforts and I’m really proud to receive this honor in association with Reynolds Lake Oconee.”
In 2019, Crosby joined the instruction team at The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee, one of only two TaylorMade Kingdoms in the world where guests can receive a full game improvement experience that includes instruction, club fitting and club building onsite in a TaylorMade Tour Trailer.
“This is a second-to-none facility and I really enjoy working with the golfers here to improve their game,” he said. “We have a good mix of players, from Reynolds Lake Oconee Members to collegiate golfers to elite junior golfers from throughout the country.”
When working with his clients, Crosby said he uses his varied experiences in the game to help them try to avoid the mistakes he made on the course. Further, he is a proponent of focusing time on course management and the mental aspects of competitive golf to create a more complete player.
About the Golf Digest honor, Crosby said he particularly appreciates that it said, “The only exact commonalities of the instructors on this list are that they’re all under 40, and they all have a real knack of making golfers better.”
‘That’s what it’s all about – making my clients play better and taking their games to the next level,” Crosby said. “And I also am thrilled I made the list now because I’ll turn 40 next year!”
He credits his wife, Natalie, for always supporting him in his career endeavors, which didn’t always come with financial certainty in his early days. “She’s always been there for me and our family, sometimes having to serve as both mom and dad,” Crosby recalls. “It helped put me in a position to make my career a success and now enjoy more time with my family.”
The Crosbys have two children — a son Witt, 5 and a daughter Collier, 2.
“I know I’m speaking for our entire membership when I say how proud we are that Taylor has earned this honor from Golf Digest,” said Tim Hong, Chief Operating Officer, Reynolds Lake Oconee. “He has made a big impact in his four years for the Reynolds community and The Kingdom, and will only continue to do so going forward.”
