Derek MacDonald
About
Derek is presently the Director of Instruction at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and has been the Head Coach for the Ottawa Valley Golf Association Junior Development Team since 2017. The team is comprised of the top boys and girls in each age category from Eastern Ontario, implementing many strategies that Team Ontario and Team Canada offer such as training sessions, course strategy systems, tournament preparation, sports psychologist coaching on staff, physical training with TPI certified coach, and nutrionist. Although Derek has worked with players from the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Team Canada members, and NCAA players, he takes great pride in assisting the club golfer and developing players from a young age and has coached many juniors to NCAA scholarships.
Derek utilizes his knowledge of many technologies such as TrackMan, force plates, 3D motion capture, and SAM Puttlab to help quantify and measure any change or improvement with his players to help in the progress of player development.
Awards:
2023 PGA of Canada Ottawa Zone Coach of the Year
2022 PGA of Canada Ottawa Zone Teacher of the Year
2021 PGA of Canada Ottawa Zone Teacher of the Year
2018 PGA of Canada Ottawa Zone Junior Leader of the Year
Education: University of Ottawa graduate (2003)
Certified Club Fitter for the following brands: Titleist, Taylormade, Ping, Cobra, Callaway, Srixon
TrackMan Certified Professional
Swing Catalyst Certified Instructor (Level 2)
National Coaching Certification Program
Coaching New Competitors
Coached University of Ottawa Women's Golf Team
Coached Carleton University Men's and Women's Golf Team
Lead Instructor for Golf Association of Ontario (Kingston District) Player Development Program (2009-2010)
Has written articles for Flagstick Golf Magazine and Ontario Golf News, as well as, conducted golf seminars for professionals and amateurs at NGCOA golf shows and on location at ACCRA Golf Shafts headquarters. Derek was part also part of a selected group of coaches in Ontario to help Golf Ontario formalize the Ontario Junior Pathway program.