Meet Megan Rasmussen, Director of Instruction at The Citrus Club

Megan Rasmussen, Director of Instruction at The Citrus Club in La Quinta, California.

Megan Rasmussen’s passion for golf took root in her Oregon childhood, inspired by her grandmother who led a ladies’ golf group. When Rasmussen was 11, her grandmother and grandfather—both avid golfers— introduced her to the game and she was hooked.

Rasmussen went on to have an impressive high school golf career, finishing in the top four in state all four years and claiming the individual state golf champion title in 1997. Her talent earned her a spot on the University of Oregon’s (Ducks) women’s golf team. Turning pro in 2003, she moved to Los Angeles, where she worked as a teaching pro at Wilshire Country Club.

Rasmussen (left) at 2005 U.S. Women's Open playing a practice round with Annika Sorenstam.

During this period, Rasmussen competed in various events on tours such as the Futures Tour and the European Ladies Golf Tour. In 2011, following the birth of her son, Rasmussen took a break from competitive golf and moved back to Oregon. She was ready to return to Southern California when a timely opportunity arose in 2014: her longtime mentor and swing coach, Bryan Lebedevitch, Director of Instruction at PGA WEST® Golf Academy, informed her of an opening for an assistant golf professional at The Citrus Club.

Today, Rasmussen serves as Director of Instruction at The Citrus Club in La Quinta supported by an “incredible” golf staff. In addition to one-on-one instruction, she runs the Operation 36® program, a golf development and coaching program designed to help beginners and players at all levels learn and improve their golf game.

Operation 36 students at The Citrus Club, La Quinta, California.

The program involves thrice-weekly sessions, as well as four-hour Academy classes where Rasmussen focuses on specific subjects and related golf drills. In 2022, the Operation 36 organization honored her with its Coach Impact Award for her commitment to golfers and the positive impact she is making on the game of golf. In addition to Operation 36, she also runs the tournaments and events, and offers clinics for the 9 Is Fine Group ladies’ golf group.

9 Is Fine Member/Member Guest Day 2024 "Lemons! Lemons! Lemons! Pucker Up & Putt" 2024. (Photo credit Robyn Seymoure)

Rasmussen loves teaching; especially when her students reach out to her to let her know when they’ve hit a milestone.

“My students are not shy,” she laughs. “They’ll wave their arms, yelling at me from across the driving range, ‘Megan, I did this today; my driving is so much better.” She adds: “I love when they get to the point that when they do something well on the golf course, they can’t wait to tell me.”

Rasmussen has an affinity for helping women learn, play and improve their golf games. She sees all types of successes—from female students who have overcome mental golf anxiety to those who have markedly improve their golf performance, lowering their handicaps.

She would like to see more golf retailers focus on personalized club fitting for women rather than directing them to a set of standard women’s clubs just because the clubs are lighter or shorter.

“From what I’ve experienced working with women golfers, for many of them, their clubs don’t fit them correctly and this has impacted their play,” she explains. “Clubs need to be customized for each person because everybody’s different.” For exceptional fitting, she often refers students to Charlie Rodi, the Master Club Fitter at PGA WEST® Golf Academy.

Rasmussen has observed first-hand the numerous benefits that women who play golf reap, from physical aspects like boosting their balance and coordination to personal growth, including enhanced confidence and resilience.

Members of The Citrus Club's 9 Is Fine ladies' golf group.

“I’ve seen multiple women start from the beginning and be scared to move into the 9 Is Fine group. Then they become comfortable and move up to the 18-hole group.” she says. “They meet new people, and they build new relationships that last a lifetime.”

She praises the ladies’ golf groups at The Citrus Club for their creativity, hard work and commitment to the community. For instance, establishing and devoting their time to hosting an annual golf tournament that raises funds for a local cancer facility.

The Citrus Club's cancer charity tournament where Rasmussen hits drives for donation.

Although the number of women playing golf is growing, Rasmussen believes that the golf industry can do more to encourage women to get involved in golf. For instance, events need to clearly specify the skills levels of the players they are intended for.

“When you market to attract female golfers, you have to make sure that they feel comfortable,” she says. “So clear communication and organization are essential, and you want to keep it fun too,” she says.

Rasmussen takes joy in the experience of golf as a continual learning process whether you’re a beginner or a master instructor. Every day on the course is a different experience and, as all golfers know, some can be frustrating, which is an opportunity to build resilience.

“What I love about golf is that you’re always learning—how to play the game and adapt to its variabilities every day,” she says.