On the 27th of June 1979 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Patrick was born an only child. His great grandfather arrived in the United States from Kiev. His Grandfather served in the US Army during World War II, in a search light battery and as a "tunnel rat" in Okinawa. His grandmother served on President Kennedy's campaign, her brother, Patrick's great uncle was a sergeant in the US Army. One of his uncles served his country in the US Army, his son Patrick's cousin also served in the US Army. A second uncle in the US Air Force, and his father an armorer, and ammunition ordinance disposal technician in the United States Marine Corps, in which he would follow in his footsteps. His mother worked many jobs in different industries ranging from engraving to leather belt manufacturing.

 

As a Christmas gift one year when he was approximately 11 years old, he was given a putter return and a four iron from his mother, because, hey, a golf club is a golf club, right?! Come spring he was outside hitting golf balls into houses, garbage cans, and garages. He took to a nearby park to hit balls with no obstructions,and he was hooked. A short time later his father took him to thrift stores  to find golf clubs to make up a set. With his dad, he went to parks and local high school football fields to hit balls.

​

There came a time when the two outgrew the parks, and ventured to the par three courses. Golf didn't last long as he was a kid, friends and BMX took precedent. His family moved from Milwaukee in 1994, to Hancock, Wisconsin where he would graduate from Tri-County High School. He wouldn't take to golf again until after graduating high school, and enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 1998. After completion of boot camp in San Diego, Ca., he would attend the Fire Direction Control man  course in artillery school aboard Fort Sill, in Lawton, Oklahoma.

 

After having been stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms, Ca., he again found the itch to play golf. With absolutely no knowledge of golf equipment or what he was doing, he would blindly purchase golf clubs that were completely wrong for him, and begin to find his swing. In 2000, he was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, where he did not have his clubs. He would rent clubs on occasion, but ultimately, he would purchase his first set of Mizuno irons, and work on his game any chance he got. He was selected to play on the Marine Corps team in the Commander's Cup golf tournament, that pitted the four different branches of the military against each other, where his team would finish runner up.

 

After returning to the United States, he continued his pursuit of the game. In 2002 he re-enlisted in the Marines Corps and was assigned to Instructor Battalion aboard Camp Barret at Headquarters Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia, where he would act as Assistant Operations Chief, in Artillery Instructor Battery. He would also be tasked as Sergeant of the Guard aboard Camp Barret, encompassing the Weapons Training Battalion, the D.E.A. training facility, and the F.B.I academy. Due to an unfortunate accident during a training exercise, he was honorably discharged in 2006 under medical circumstances. During and as a direct result of his military career, he would endure a shoulder injury, ruptured discs, damaged nerves, three back operations, a broken wrist, two knee operations, minor hearing loss, tinnitus, and a shattered finger. The military can be sort of tough on a guy...

​

Having been away from his family for several years, he chose to move back to Wisconsin. All this time working on his game when time and his body would allow. As a 100% disabled veteran, he found camaraderie in the Veterans Golfers Association (VGA). He played several events in the mid-west and would finish at the top of his flight at the regional tournament at Blackwolf Run, propelling him to the VGA National Championship at Fallen Oak, in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he would finish runner up in "B-Flight" in 2016. Again in 2017 he would qualify for the VGA National Championship by way of the regional tournament at Harbor Shores golf course in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In 2009 he became a shareholder and member of Waushara Country Club in Wautoma, Wisconsin. He would go on to become a club champion several times over, and volunteer much of his time to helping the club. From raking bunkers to mowing, helping with cleanup following storms, he thought there had to be more he could do.

 

He decided to dive in deeper and become a golf instructor. He moved to Florida to attend The Golf Academy of America (GAA) where he was at the top of his class maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he would leave GAA and enroll and graduate from Keiser University College of Golf, in West Palm Beach, Florida. While home on spring break, he and his fiance' Sheena were going through some boxes in the basement. They found one of his grandparent's photo albums. In it they found pictures of both his grandfather, and grandmother swinging a golf club. Turns out, it was not uncommon for them to play golf in his family.

 

While attending Keiser University, Patrick was sought out and offered a position at Club Craft in the Joey D training facility in Jupiter, Florida, where he was afforded the opportunity to build custom golf clubs, where some of, and THE BEST amateur,  professional, and elite junior golfers in the world, either train or have equipment worked on.

 

He would return to the Wautoma area, to offer his services as a Mitchell Golf Associate Certified Club Fitter/Repair Technician, a Master teaching professional under the Professional Golf Teacher Association of America, a Titleist Performance Institute certification, and a graduate of Keiser University College of Golf. With experience as a player, club builder, and instructor, he has built PZ Golf @ The Shank Shack LLC. to help you play better, and HAVE MORE FUN.