Donn Levine

Donn began playing golf at age 12, and was soon playing to a one handicap and shooting consistently in the 70's, while playing competitive junior golf at a high level. However, at the age of 19, his dream of playing college golf was derailed when he developed the yips. While his game from tee to green was fine, putting was consistently a nightmare. This resulted in a lost of confidence and a waning interest in the game. Somewhat discouraged and busy with family life, raising Michelle (now 42) and Scott (39), Donn played very little golf for the next ten years.

As the years went by, Donn renewed his passion for the game and read a Golf Digest article that described a practice putting technique which worked well for him.  When he had a chance to meet Bernhard Langer (the undisputed poster child of the yips) at the 1987 U.S. Open, he thought about telling him about this novel method, but didn't want overstep the boundaries of golf etiquette.  A year later, Bernard began using the same technique which would later became known as the 'Langer' method.

After playing successfully for about fifteen years, Donn started once again to experience the yips.  He went back to the drawing board and the result was a new found confidence through left handed putting.  By 2007 he was playing to a four handicap and was determined to step up his game to the next level.

Working with PGA Professional Matt Flenniken, Donn was taught to 'Plan, Visualize and Commit' to each shot.  Donn coined the phrase 'PVC', visualizing the white irrigation pipe.  Six weeks later, Donn had reduced his handicap to 1.5 and won the 2007 Stanford Club Championship.
 
A few years later, the yips once again reared it's ugly head, but this time in his chipping and pitching game.  Through trial and error, Donn came up with numerous, creative solutions to finally solve the problem once and for all.  With his new found solutions, he was encouraged by countless friends to share his techniques and published "Outwit the Yips: Proven Tips to Free the Golf Mind".  His book is not a detailed analysis of the research, nor a glorification of the horrors which are inflicted on so many players.  It is a practical guide to physical and mental techniques to overcome the yips.

Donn has also spent much of his free time coaching junior and high school golfers. As head coach of the Northern CA Maccabi Golf Team from 1990-2005, Donn helped his single digit handicap golfers to improve their games by developing their golf course management skills and mental approach to the game.  In 1999, he and his wife, Sara, took eight Maccabi golfers to the UK to compete successfully against a British team at Abridge CC in a Ryder Cup format. 

For the past five years, Donn has been the head golf coach of Castilleja School Girls' Golf Team in Palo Alto, CA, where has compiled a record of 55-4.  All of the girls have their own swing coaches, but Donn improves their scoring, using many of the mental techniques and course management tips described in the book.

An avid supporter of charitable organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, Donn donates lessons to golfers in various organizations.

Donn works as a fee-based financial planner, and is married to Sara Sherman-Levine, a nurse practitioner at Stanford.  With her background in pediatric neurology, she was instrumental in helping Donn learn about focal dystonia, which is a contributing factor for someone with the yips. They have two grandchildren in Colorado, both of whom possess lovely golf swings.