Staff

Tim Olson enters his 26th year as the Head Golf Professional at Whitefish Lake Golf Club. He is a 4th generation native of Whitefish and his roots run deep in the community and at the golf facility. Tim graduated in 1987 from Whitefish High School and graduated from the University of Montana in 1992. Tim cherishes the life he has built in Whitefish.

Tim’s commitment to WLGC dates back to 1986 where he got his start cleaning carts and picking the driving range. He has worked every facet of the facility and continues to do so on a daily basis. You will often find him in the starter shack, working the counter, picking the range, running carts, and shaking hands. Occasionally you might catch him at his desk. He earned his PGA membership in 1996 and joined the prestigious group of the PGA’s “Quarter Century Club” in 2021 having served 25 years as a member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.

Tim and his staff continue to promote Whitefish Lake Golf Club emphasizing the junior golf program, administering quality tournaments, and boasting one of the friendliest golf shops in the entire country.

Christine “Chris” Newton is an accomplished golfer and PGA Professional with over 30 years of experience in both competitive golf and teaching. A Whitefish native, Chris began her career in the junior golf program under the guidance of Mike Dowaliby, PGA Professional. Her impressive resume includes numerous accomplishments, such as being a runner-up in the Montana State Amateur Championship in 1981 (at age 15), 1984, and 1986, and winning the title in 1985.

Chris continued her golfing career as the number-one golfer and team captain at Weber State College, where she was named MVP for two years. During her time at Weber State, the Wildcats won the Division II National Championship in 1985, and Chris earned recognition as a National Golf Coaches Association Division II All-American. She also competed on several professional tours, including the Women’s Professional Golf Tour, the Futures Golf Tour, the Player’s West Tour, and the Cactus Tour. A highlight of her career was participating in the 1989 US Women’s Open Championship.

In addition to her competitive career, Chris has made a significant impact as a teacher and mentor. She has served as the Director of Instruction and Player Development at Whitefish Lake Golf Club for over two decades. Under her leadership, the club’s Junior Academy has flourished, and she has developed a wide range of programs for golfers of all ages and skill levels. Chris’s dedication to teaching and player development has earned her multiple prestigious awards from the Western Montana Chapter of the PGA, including:

• 2020 Western Montana Chapter Teacher of the Year
• 2019 Western Montana Chapter Golf Professional of the Year
• 2019 Western Montana Chapter Player Development Award
• 2006 Western Montana Chapter Teacher of the Year
• 2006 Western Montana Chapter Junior Golf Leader

Chris was inducted into the Montana State Women’s Golf Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Whitefish Lake Golf Club Hall of Fame in 2018 in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the sport and the club.
As a passionate educator and advocate for the game, Chris continues to inspire golfers of all levels at Whitefish Lake Golf Club, where she combines her extensive competitive experience with her dedication to developing players.

Lyndsie played competitive golf for Whitefish High School and at Division 1 level Montana State University. She is an accomplished teacher and has been honored by her peers with PGA awards as Teacher of the Year, Junior Golf Leader of the Year and Player Development Leader of the Year. Lyndsie has over 20 years of experience in the golf business as a PGA Assistant Golf Professional and Instructor with stints at Riverside Country Club in Bozeman, Montana and Hayden Lake County Club in Hayden, Idaho. Lyndsie teaches all ages and levels of golfer as well as running a successful Junior Academy and programming for adult group lessons. Technology used includes Flightscope, Blast Golf and Sportsbox Ai 3D Video analysis.

Cody is a 5th generation Whitefish native who had a successful high school golf career at Whitefish High School. He returns to Whitefish Lake Golf Club after spending the last 5 years gaining experience across the country and becoming a Class A PGA professional. His stops include Phoenix Country Club, The Summit Club in Las Vegas and most recently Indian Canyon in Spokane where he was an instructor at one of the largest teaching academies in the Pacific Northwest. There, he was a Top 50 Operation36 Coach in the country in 2022, 2023, and 2024. He stays up to date on the latest equipment and swing trends to make sure he can adapt his teaching style to fit the student. He is open to all levels of players with his main goal being to help lower on course scores!

Shelby DeVore is entering her third summer working at Whitefish Lake Golf Club. Shelby learned how to swing a club from her Dad at a very young age and then started playing competitively around the age 10. She played collegiate golf at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX where she was named SCAC Freshman of the Year and received All Conference awards three years in row. After graduating, she was the Director of Marketing and Operations at the Spirit Golf Association. She is currently the Women’s Golf Coach at her alma mater and serves as the Tournament Director for The Spirit International that takes place at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, TX. She has been a member of the LPGA since 2022 and became a Class A member in the Fall of 2024. She has worked several junior camps in Texas and assisted with the Junior Academy. Shelby is great for beginners all the way to competitive golfers looking for more successful finishes in tournaments!