Fiddler’s Elbow is a private club located in Bedminster, New Jersey with a longstanding reputation for excellence. It is the only 54-hole golf club in the state. It also serves as the home site for the NJPGA, its Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Golf Foundation. Since opening its doors in 1965, Fiddler’s Elbow and its trustees have been committed to hiring quality staff that they believe set the tone for the club’s culture. They renewed that commitment within the golf department when they hired George Deitz as Director of Golf in 2018.
Not only does Deitz share the belief in hiring quality individuals but his philosophy is to motivate, train and promote them. He believes it is important to give every team member information and training and to empower them to make decisions. In keeping with the club’s mission, he encourages anyone who interacts with members and guests to create “Wow” moments as part of their experience.
Deitz’s first recommendation was to build on its already talented human capital by hiring one of the finest golf instructors in the world. To this end, he recruited Mike Adams who was 2016 PGA National Teacher of the Year and is a member of The World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame among his many other accolades.
Deitz on Adams: Mike is simply one of the top instructors in the world. He is the catalyst to building one of the finest teaching academies in the country. He is a great teacher of teachers and our entire staff is benefiting from his leadership. Mike goes above and beyond in his passion of instructing and educating both students with their golf games and teachers with their understanding of the golf swing.
Today the Fiddler’s academy is considered Best in Class thanks to Deitz’s vision. “Fortunately for me,” he says, “there were some fantastic people already here when I arrived, and the program just needed some direction to achieve its potential.” The teaching staff includes Mark Wood and Kathy Hart Wood, and Head of Junior Development Jeremy Eccles.
Deitz: “In addition to having Mike Adams at the helm, we also have an amazing practice facility and indoor academy complete with the finest state-of-the-art technology. When you include Mark and Kathy Wood (as well as Deitz), we are fortunate enough to offer 4 Top 20 instructors as ranked by Golf Digest in the state of NJ. Mark works with PGA tour pros and Kathy is perennially ranked as a Top 50 LPGA instructor and played on the LPGA tour. Jeremy Eccles was the recipient of the NJPGA Youth Player Development Award in 2020.”
Fiddler’s is also home to acclaimed sport psychologist Dr. Nick Molinaro. Dr. Nick may be best known for his appearances on Golf Channel and other sports shows and has worked with both amateur and professional golfers of all levels, including several players currently on the PGA, LPGA, and European Tours.
Deitz on Dr. Nick: “We are fortunate to have one of the finest sport psychologists available for our students. Dr. Nick is expert at honing the mental skills needed for optimal performance under pressure.”
The Fiddler’s Academy attracts players of every level from all over the globe. As Deitz likes to say “It is most impressive that our students continually come back. They get better and it shows.” When it comes to golf, Fiddler’s reputation is second to none. The entire staff works diligently to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere at the club. Every employee is empowered and encouraged to identify opportunities to create “wow” moments on a daily basis.
Deitz on His Team: “It is truly a team effort. Ryan Buckley has been at Fiddler’s for 10 years. It was an easy decision to promote him to Head Golf Professional. Ryan sets a standard of leadership and is a mentor to the entire staff. He is currently using his CMAA membership to gain knowledge and expertise to further enhance the golf operation.
Head Golf Professional
Our Assistant Professionals all bring a positive energy that is infectious to all with whom they have interactions. They include LPGA Assistant Brandee Poandl, PGA Assistant Wally Kim and Assistant Kelan McDonagh who hails from Ireland. They are joined in 2021 by Danny Harcourt, Tommi Avant and Chris Harkness.
One would have to search long and hard to find a finer locker room attendant than the legendary Eddie Romero. Eddie has been at Fiddler’s since 1993 and he may very well remember the name of each and every member and guest that has ever stepped foot in the locker room. Eddie exemplifies our commitment to making the Fiddler’s experience an exceptional one. Outside Operations Manager Jeremy Coxe is cut from the same mold greeting all players with an uncanny ability to note and remember many details as they relate to our members and guests. He is the first point of contact for golfers and sets a wonderful tone at the club.”
The final piece of the puzzle is the exceptional merchandising team at Fiddler’s. Led by Retail Operations Manager Caitlin Flaherty, they exemplify what makes Fiddler’s Elbow an outstanding club. Caitlin has developed her vision for the retail operations at the club. Today the golf shop has become more like a boutique as members are able to meet their wardrobe needs for almost any occasion. The Fiddler’s logo has become ubiquitous among golfers and a brand that is worn with pride by members.
Caitlin Flaherty
Deitz on his Merchandising Team: “When folks visit the golf shop they walk away going “Wow!” Caitlin possesses an incredible fashion sense that helps her run one of the finest and largest retail operations in the state. Caitlin’s expertise has been recognized on a national level as she was just appointed to serve on the Ralph Lauren Ambassador Board. Bailey Ferrara joined the team in 2016 and has continued to expand her role at the club. She is now the Golf Shop Manager and is a huge asset for day-to-day operations. Merchandiser Amanda Lorenzo, Golf Shop Merchandiser, rounds out the team and continuously helps transform the golf shop into something truly beautiful.
The Fiddler’s mission is “to enhance the lives of members and guests by providing them with “WOW” moments they can’t live without.” This level of standard has been enhanced by George Deitz vision as Fiddler’s Elbow continues to be recognized as one of the finest golf clubs in the country.
