About
Who We Are and What We're About
What We Do
We are a passionate group of professionals who are eager to serve your golf instructional needs. We rely on personal experience and modern technology to help you improve your game. We can create any program tailored to your golf needs through private/group instruction and fitness.Who We Are
We are about improving PNW golfers and providing a one of a kind experience here in the PNW when it comes to golf instruction.Our Staff
Alex Dunlop
Owner of The PNW Golf Academy, Alex is a Seattle native, his background includes competitive and recreational exposure to the game of golf for 20 years. He attended the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He competed for two years for the Washington State Cougars as well as studied Professional Golf Management at the University of Colorado where he completed his PGA class “A” certification. He is extremely passionate about all aspects of the game of golf and is eager to help promote the game through building relationships, teaching, and competition. He enjoys teaching every level of golfer and believes in using Trackman and V1 Slow Motion Video Analysis to help in your improvement. Alex was the youngest ever winner of the Western Washington Chapter’s PGA Teacher of the Year award and the first from The Golf Club at Newcastle.
Derek Berg
Derek Berg grew up & currently resides in Duvall, WA with his wife Candice, & their kids Trase & Tatum. He graduated from Cedarcrest High School in Duvall. Upon graduating he earned a golf scholarship to The University of Washington, where he played golf all four years & graduated in 2003.
Derek has worked at the Academy since opening in 2019, since previously working at Sahalee Country Club.
Derek has competed on the Gateway & All-American Tour, The NGA Tour, & PGA Tour Canada.
Here’s a little about Derek in his own words: “I absolutely love the game of golf! Having been involved in the game for the last 27 years now & being around so many talented individuals, I feel like I have a lot of knowledge that can help all levels of golfers get better & enjoy the game more. I love sharing this knowledge & enjoy being around those who are as passionate as I am for the game.”
Recent Results:
-2019 Northwest Open Champion, 2021 Northwest Open Runner-Up
-2021 WA Open Runner-Up
-2021 WWCPGA Champion, 2022 Runner-Up
-2022 PNW PGA Championship
-PGA National Club Pro Participant (2020-2023)
Matt Fonner
Matt Fonner graduated from the University of San Diego in 1999. From 2000-2003 he played different mini tours in California, Florida and Arizona. He earned his Canadian Tour card in 2004 and from 2004-2009 he played competitively in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He qualified for U.S. Open Sectionals twice and won twice on the Pepsi Tour in 2007.
In 2009, Matt moved from San Diego to the Seattle area with his wife Andrea. In 2011 and 2012, Matt was a realtor on Mercer Island and helped coach the Mercer Island JV Golf Team with Alex Dunlop. From 2013 to present, Matt has been a stay at home Dad of twin girls. His passion and love for the game, especially instruction, has not taken a backseat. In 2016 Matt Became TPI Certified and continues to find ways to further his knowledge of the game he loves.
Vicky Tsai
Vicky Tsai, a former D1 golfer, is a single-handicap who is fluent in both English and Chinese (Mandarin). Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Vicky started playing golf at the age of 14. She received a four-year full scholarship to play for the University of Idaho in 2018 after moving to the United States. During her college career, she appeared in all the tournaments on the season, and earned 2nd Team Big Sky 3 years in a row.
In May 2023, Vicky completed her degree in Marketing-PGA Golf Management and is currently finishing her 10-month internship at the PNW Academy.
Vicky works with golfers of all levels, especially beginners and children. She is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of golfers by bringing a fun and practical approach to her lessons
Tyler Claybrook
Tyler is originally from Snohomish WA and has resided in Seattle the past 10 years. He played Collegiate Golf at Bellevue College and competed in all levels of Amateur golf before turning Pro and dedicating his life to teaching and growing the game of golf.
He spent the past 5 years at GOLFTEC where he led the Seattle Region in lessons taught over that time span while helping hundreds of golfers improve and reach their goals.
His enormous passion for helping other golfers of all skill levels reach their full potential remains steadfast, while continuing to reach his own goals and full potential in his own game.
Tyler is Currently in PGA Associate in LEVEL 2 and is actively working towards Class A Membership in 2025
Tyler will teach out of Seattle in the offseason and at both Seattle and Newcastle in the summer
Blake Snyder
Blake Snyder, Seattle native, grew up competing right here in Washington. After graduating from Seattle Prep he played for the Washington State Cougars, where he was the team captain for his senior season. Following graduation, he spent 7 years playing on various tours around the world. Those tours include the Asian Tour, PGA China Series, Mackenzie Tour, & the Japan Tour.
In 2022, Blake started teaching fulltime at the PNW Golf Academy. His teaching style pulls inspiration from many great players & coaches over his long golf career. He also encourages his students to think outside the box while developing & applying new skills, preaching shot selection & creativity. Blake considers himself a student of the game who loves learning all its intricacies & is passionate about growing the game.
Recent Results:
-2022 Western WA PGA Player of the Year
-2022 WA Open Runner-Up
-2022 PGA Match Play Champion
-2023 WA Open Champion
Jamie Hall
5-year touring pro
Jamie is originally from Seattle & has played competitive golf for 16 years, where he excelled at locally at Seattle Prep. He attended both the University of Hawaii at Hilo & Seattle University where he competed on both D-1 golf teams while also receiving all conference awards at both schools. After college Hall spent 5 years competing on various professional tours across the US and Canada where he was able to win 4 times.
Even though he hasn’t given up competing, he is now shifting his focus to teaching! Jamie is excited to bring his prior knowledge of the golf swing to all levels of golfers and share his experience at events with our competitive golfers.
Ari Acuff
Ari brings an incredible wealth of experience as a former Division I golfer who played collegiately for 6 years. Originally from Missouri, she competed at the University of Kansas for 4 years before earning her Master’s degree at Georgia State University. While at Georgia State, Ari shattered records, including the lowest 54-hole tournament score and the lowest single-season scoring average. 🏆
With her background as a high-level competitor, Ari is passionate about helping golfers of all levels improve their game. Her teaching focuses on golf biomechanics, Trackman technology, and video analysis to provide a modern, effective approach to instruction. Ari works with everyone—from beginners and juniors to experienced players—and she’s excited to share her passion and knowledge to grow the game for all.