Meet the Golf Team

John Farrell, PGA

John Farrell has worked at The Sea Pines Resort since January 1989 when he started his career as the PGA Head Golf Professional at the Plantation Golf Club. In May 1991 John became the PGA Head Golf Professional at Harbour Town Golf Links, before being promoted to the Director of Golf, overseeing all three golf courses at The Sea Pines Resort. John has served as the host PGA Professional of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing every year since 1992. In 2021, John became the Director of Sports Operations overseeing all aspects of the golf and tennis operations at the resort.

John graduated from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts with a degree in Business Management. He is a Class A member of the PGA of America (lifetime member).

John has been recognized as the PGA Golf Professional of the Year five times by the Carolinas PGA and has won several other Carolinas PGA awards, including being twice named Merchandiser of the Year. In 2020 John was inducted into the Lowcountry Golf Hall of Fame alongside legendary course architect Pete Dye. John serves as a Trustee of the Heritage Classic Foundation, serves on the Board of Directors of The First Tee of the Lowcountry and is the Class A PGA advisor to the Hilton Head Island Junior Golf Association.

John is the seventh of nine children originally from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He and his wife Jane (a retired pharmacist) reside in Sea Pines and have three children who’ve all completed their educations and are enjoying professional lives of their own.

CONTACT JOHN FARRELL

Harbour Town Golf Links: 843-363-8385

[email protected]

Chris Beck

Born in Boston, Chris grew up in Chicago and the Champlain Valley of Vermont. He has always been a sports enthusiast and is interested in hunting, fishing, skiing and golf, as well as watching his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers every fall.

Chris graduated from the University of Vermont in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Resort and Recreation Management. After a 16-month stint as Assistant Golf Professional at The Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, Vermont, Chris moved to Charleston, South Carolina to serve in a similar position at The Country Club of Charleston. Chris later accepted a position with The Benchmark Management Company as Sports Sales Manager at The Seabrook Island Resort.

In the summer of 1988, Chris accepted a Sports Sales and Marketing Manager position with The Cottages Resort on Hilton Head Island. He joined The Sea Pines Resort as National Sales Manager in 1992. In April of 2008, Chris was promoted to Director of Golf Sales and currently assists with more than 300 groups and 3,000 golfers with 13,000 rounds of golf each year.

Chris and wife, Jennifer, have been married for 35 years and have raised their four children - Taylor, Curtis, Emily and Tessa - on Hilton Head Island. Chris looks forward to putting his 35 years of hospitality experience to work for you!

Contact Chris Beck

Office: (843) 842-1488

[email protected]

Klinton Talmadge

Klinton has been with The Sea Pines Resort since 2016 focusing on golf sales, including reservations for stay-and-play packages, daily tee times and special events. Born in Missouri and a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Corporate Recreation, Klinton specializes in providing golf groups of up to 15 guests with the best experience that The Sea Pines Resort has to offer. Previously Klinton worked as a Tournament Director for nationally ranked junior golf events featuring some of the world’s current and most promising young athletes. He has also facilitated numerous corporate and charity golf events to include some of the best public and private golf destinations domestically and internationally. Klinton is pleased to assist in making reservations for groups ranging from 12-15 players visiting from the following locations: AZ, CT, DE, FL, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MS, MO, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, SC, TN, TX, WA, WI, WY, International

Contact Klinton Talmadge

Leisure Golf Sales Manager Office: 843-842-1864

[email protected]

Tim Cooke, PGA

The Sea Pines Resort’s director of instruction, Tim Cooke is a PGA Master Pro, winner of multiple Top 100 Teacher awards from GOLF Magazine and on Golf Digest’s 2022-23 Best in State list. Cooke is the cofounder of GOLFPREP, an elite junior training academy. He holds a master’s degree in pedagogy from the University of Virginia. 

Cooke has coached dozens of golfers who have made the jump from junior to collegiate golf. He’s worked with or is currently instructing players on the LPGA and PGA TOUR.

CONTACT TIM COOKE

Plantation Golf Club: 843-842-1477

[email protected]

Christen Ginder

Administrative Assistant of Sports Operations Christen Ginder has been with The Sea Pines Resort since 2015, starting as a shop assistant and working her way through the retail ranks at Plantation Golf Club. Originally from Whiteland, Indiana, Christen also serves as the property owner sports program director and handles PGA golf requests.

CONTACT CHRISTEN GINDER

Harbour Town Golf Links: 843-363-8385

[email protected]

Bobby Downs, PGA

Bobby Downs, PGA, hails from Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Ferris State University. Now serving as head golf professional, he has been with The Sea Pines Resort since 2006, following a lengthy tenure at Palmetto Dunes. He has been a Professional Golfers Association Class A member since 1989.

CONTACT BOBBY DOWNS

Plantation Golf Club: 843-842-1477

[email protected] 

Michael Connely, PGA

Originally from California, Michael Connely has been with The Sea Pines Resort since 2017. As assistant head professional at Harbour Town Golf Links, he handles staff job opportunities, PGA golf requests, golf tournament service offerings and tournament inquiries. A Professional Golfers Association of America Class A member since January 2023, Michael also serves as the tournament coordinator with Hilton Head Island Junior Golf Association, PGA Lowcountry Chapter Education board.

CONTACT MICHAEL CONNELY

Harbour Town Golf Links: 843-363-8385

[email protected]

Tom Brown, PGA

Tom Brown, PGA, has been with The Sea Pines Resort since 2017, and currently serves as first assistant golf professional. Originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania where he attended Pennsylvania State University, he has been a Professional Golfers Association Class A member since 2015 and was nominated for the 2021 Lowcountry Chapter Assistant Golf Professional of the year.

CONTACT TOM BROWN

Plantation Golf Club: 843-842-1477

[email protected]

Sean Smith

Sean Smith grew up in upstate New York before graduating from the University of Vermont in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Following a lifelong passion for the game of golf he headed south in the late fall of 2000 after the snow began to fall in Vermont. After returning to Vermont for one last summer he joined the Sea Pines Resort as an assistant golf professional early in 2002.  Sean was instrumental in the creation of the Sea Pines Resort caddie program in early 2007 and became the caddiemaster in 2008.

CONTACT SEAN SMITH

Harbour Town Golf Links: 843-363-8385

[email protected]