Ramona High graduate to coach boys golf

By Bill Tamburrino

Michael Gainey is the new boys varsity golf coach at Ramona High School, replacing Jerry Patenaude who resigned in December.

Gainey is a 1995 graduate of Ramona High School. He played three years of golf under coaches Ed Schwartz and Rick Hardiman.

Upon graduating from RHS he entered the golf industry and is a certified PGA apprentice. Gainey is also a certified personal trainer.

“I hope to continue the success that the previous golf coaches have established,” said Gainey. “Coach Patenaude did not leave the shelf empty. He built a solid base and we have several good golfers entering the program. My main focuses will be golf fitness and swing instruction. I will try to use my golf experiences to help the players with their swings and mental and physical approaches in order to get an edge. Our practices will by highly structured.

“Fitness is very important in golf. Every big time PGA pro has a strength coach. Strength is really emphasized in college so we are going to introduce it at our level.”

Gainey is a personal trainer at Ramona Fitness Center and has expertise in strength, conditioning and flexibility. The fitness center recently added a golf simulator and swing analysis program, useful tools for improving a golf game.

“I remember trying out for JV golf and not doing very well. But I got the bug and got encouragement, and now I can give some of that back,” said the new coach.

At one time when Gainey worked full time in the golf industry he had a 2 handicap.

His handicap is still in the single digits.