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Meet the Member: Brian McMyler, PGA
Brian McMyler, PGA – Like Father, Like Daughters
Brian McMyler, PGA grew up in Southern California and moved to Plano, Texas his senior year of high school where he joined the Plano Senior High School Golf Team and found success quickly with his new teammates winning the 1989 State Championship. After high school, he enrolled at Stephen F. Austin State University and continued his golf career at the collegiate level.
“When I first got to Stephen F. Austin I could barely make the team. Throughout my four years there I just kept working and getting better so by the time I left I was one of the better players on the team” said McMyler.
Brian earned Southland Golfer of the Year in 1993 to finish out his college career. He, later, continued playing at the Korn Ferry Q-School Tour but most of his time was spent working under the legendary Hank Haney at Hank Haney’s Golf Range. Looking to grow professionally and find a better position full-time, Brian became the Head Professional at Weston Lakes Country Club and got elected as a Member in 2001.
The stars aligned for Brian as he and his future wife, Donna McMyler, both relocated to Houston for work. They were married and had their first daughter, Emma McMyler. Shortly after, the McMylers packed up and moved to their current home of San Antonio, where Brian worked as a Teaching Professional and later the Director of Instruction at Canyon Springs Golf Club for 8 years. During this time, another McMyler joined the traveling trio after their second daughter, Claire, was born in 2007. Brian then accepted a new role at The Dominion Country Club, where he is still a Teaching Professional going into his 11th year.
“I have just enjoyed golf my entire life. I played other sports like soccer growing up as a kid, but golf was always the one sport I was passionate about. When I first moved to San Antonio I thought about getting a different job so I went and interviewed for an insurance position but I realized that wasn’t my style. I didn’t want to wear a suit and tie every day and go door to door trying to sell people something, that’s just not me” stated McMyler.
“Golf is what I do. I get to teach a lot of different people, from my kids to members. It also gives me time to chase my kids around the world, like I am right now.”
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with Emma and Claire competing at a high level in golf. During the time of our speaking with Brian, Emma was competing in the ACC Conference Championship for Duke University. At the same time, back in Texas, his youngest daughter Claire was attempting to qualify for the State Championship with their mother watching.
“It has been fun. We have two big moments happening right now so we don’t want to miss anything. My wife and I are texting back-and-forth right now so we are just playing the role of parents right now.”
The McMyler family have been earning their Frequent Flyer miles lately and have shared some incredible experiences. Emma just got done playing in the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur with Brian as her caddie.
“It was awesome to be able to share that moment with him. He has put a lot of time and effort into my game and helped me develop as a player. Pretty much everything that I know I have learned from him, so to be able to experience A.N.W.A. (Augusta National Women’s Amateur) with him was awesome. It is something that we both had set a goal towards and were working towards so it was fun to get to experience that with him.” exclaimed Emma.
The benefit of having such an experienced Golf Professional as a father has been proven through Emma’s accolades as a player. Before her time at Duke University, Emma was a top-tier player at Xavier University and became the first women’s golfer in BIG EAST conference history to be named Golfer of the Year three straight times. However, golf hasn’t always been Emma’s go-to sport. She took a similar path as her father and grew up playing soccer before the full transition to golf.
“I was fully prepared to be a soccer dad. We were going to the U.S. National soccer games and the Alamodome. I love soccer and grew up playing it so I was all about it. It was around her freshman year of high school where she was playing both sports and started getting good at each of them.” said Brian, “I remember one day Emma asked me, ‘Can I be good at golf?’ and I responded and said, ‘Yeah, you can be good at golf if you want to be.’”
Emma began dedicating most of her time to the game of golf and rapidly increased her ability and talent. The dynamic of her and her father as a teacher got off to a rocky start, but after a short period of figuring out how each other's mindsets worked best, there was no looking back.
“When I was a teenager I was a little bit stubborn and didn’t think he knew all of it. I had to realize that he does this for a living and once when we kind of figured out what we needed from each other we worked well together. I am very analytical and he isn't, so just through time and working together it's been an awesome caddie-father relationship” explained Emma.
“We work well together out on the golf course because I understand how she functions and she understands how I function so it is a lot of fun. We had a couple of times at the beginning where we would get frustrated at each other but that was only about 2-3 times before we realized that we wanted the best out of each other and that I was her biggest supporter so it worked itself out” added Brian.
Brian's journey from a high school golfer in Plano, Texas, to a seasoned PGA Professional and dedicated father is a testament to perseverance, passion, and the power of family. His story underscores the importance of hard work and adaptability, both on and off the golf course. As he continues to impart his extensive knowledge and love for the game to his students and daughters, Brian exemplifies the impact that a supportive and driven mentor can have. The McMyler family's shared experiences and mutual support not only highlight their individual successes but also the profound bond that unites them. As they continue to chase dreams and create memories, their story serves as an inspiring reminder of the impact the game of golf has.
