November 14, 2026 – Las Vegas, Nevada
Ryan Young, Head Golf Professional at Chambers Bay in University Place, was honored in Las Vegas as the 2026 PGA of America National Player Development Award recipient, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to growing the game.
For the Western Washington Chapter PGA member and Past President, the award celebrates years of creating opportunities for golfers to begin, improve, and find a lasting home in the sport.
Ahead of the presentation, Young admitted the anticipation was becoming emotional.
“I never really thought this day would come and have thought this year was just a dream,” he said. “Not sure what’s going to happen once my name is announced, but I’ll be packing my handkerchief!”
Since founding the Chambers Bay Academy in 2016, Young has built his approach around a straightforward belief: golfers stay engaged when they feel they belong and understand what comes next.
That philosophy took shape in 2015 while he worked with PGA Professional Monte Koch on the academy’s business proposal. Today, the academy offers pathways from beginner classes into ongoing coaching, social events, league play, and tournament preparation.
Young encourages fellow PGA Professionals to introduce those possibilities from the beginning.
“Create goals from the start, market the next program available in their pathway before the current one concludes, and always add different routes for them to take depending on WHY they chose to play golf,” he said.
For longtime student Alan Burg, that approach has made golf part of everyday life.
Burg began working with Young with a handicap above 22. He is now setting goals to become a single-digit golfer. Their lessons have progressed from using a putter around the greens to avoid double bogeys to refining swing positions and controlling spin for more precise shots.
Between lessons, Burg walks the park with his wife and their dog, stopping to practice along the way. Chambers Bay has become their home for golf.
During a recent playing lesson, Burg offered a compliment that stayed with Young. Over their five years together, he said, Young had remained consistent in his coaching philosophy instead of chasing the latest teaching trend. That consistency made it easier to trust the process and commit to their work together.
For Young, those relationships give the national recognition its meaning. Having longtime students interviewed for his award video provided an especially personal reminder of the academy’s impact.
“Their commitment to not only the program but also their belief in me throughout to help them in their golfing journey has been amazing,” he said.
He also expressed appreciation for the letters and emails he received from fellow PGA Professionals around the country.
The academy’s success extends to the team Young has helped develop. He previously credited hiring skilled instructors and investing in their careers as a turning point in its growth.
Among his proudest developments is Matt Montecucco’s Pacific Northwest PGA Section Youth Player Development Award and national award nomination. Montecucco has continued expanding the junior program, while the academy’s teaching staff and programs continue to grow.
“That is what I’m most proud of: to know that what we created will continue to grow well beyond me,” Young said.
Before traveling to Las Vegas, Young shared that his father and brother would join him, along with Chambers Bay General Manager Matt Cohen and fellow professionals Matt Montecucco and Brian Bussinger. His wife, nearing her due date, planned to watch the livestream from home with family.
“To have so many in my corner on an occasion like this makes me appreciate it even more!” he said.
The national award arrives alongside another meaningful chapter for Young and his wife as they prepare to welcome their first daughter. While his commitment to coaching remains, the prospect of fatherhood has given him a new perspective on his future.
“I have always thought that this golf academy would be my legacy, but I was so wrong,” Young said. “My legacy will forever be my family, and I will work on it every single day from here on out.”
The Western Washington Chapter PGA congratulates Ryan on this national honor and thanks him for his contributions to our Chapter, his fellow professionals, and the golfers who have found their place in the game through his work.