Not only are instructors Craig Barlow and Jeff Gallagher of the High Performance Golf Institute at Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas former Tour players, they are also certified hall of famers. The duo have been recognized for a lifetime of golf excellence and giving back to the game of golf. –By Brian Hurlburt, Founder, www.lasvegasgolfinsider.com – photo – Jackie Gallagher-Smith, Jim Gallagher, Jr., Jeff Gallagher.
“Our High Performance Golf Institute is very fortunate to have two instructors with the experience of Craig Barlow and Jeff Gallagher in all phases of the game,” says Eric Dutt, Reflection Bay director of operations and a 2009 Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame inductee. “They have decades of experience in teaching and also the extremely important playing experience on the PGA Tour and what is now the Korn Ferry Tour. The knowledge they impart on students is invaluable. For them also to both be recognized by very respected halls of fame validates everything we appreciate about them, what they do, and what they have done.”
Barlow, a Southern Nevada native, was inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
Gallagher is fresh off his latest enshrinement. He was inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in November 2022, and in 1998 was inducted into the Ball State University Hall of Fame, where he played golf prior to turning professional.
“The Indiana induction was very special for a lot of reasons,” Gallagher says. “When I was inducted into the Ball State Athletic Hall of Fame, I couldn’t attend the event because I was still playing professionally. But this time, I was able to go to Indiana, give my speech and, most importantly, see a lot of friends, family and people that I grew up with and haven’t seen for a long time. To share stories with so many people that night was very memorable. it’s very special to be inducted into a hall of fame of any sport.”
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The Gallaghers are arguably the first family of Indiana golf. Prior to Gallagher’s induction, his brother, Jim Gallagher, Jr., and his father were inducted into the hall of fame. And joining Jeff in 2022 as an inductee was his sister, Jackie Gallagher-Smith. The Gallagher family has also been named the National Golf Foundation Golf Family of the Year and the PGA of America Golf Family of the Month in past years.
“The thanks goes to our parents, they’re the ones that put the time in for us and gave us the opportunity,” Gallagher says. “It was fun growing up having my father teach us. He never pushed us and that was the greatest thing. He said, ‘I’m here to help. If you want help, that’s great. If not, you can figure it out on your own. It has been fun to think back to all of the junior tournaments we played in and so many memories came back. My mom was the one who drove us around to the golf courses in different cities around Indiana while dad worked as a club pro. Those are nice memories.”
According to the Indiana Hall of Fame bio, Gallagher won the Indiana Boys State Junior Championship (‘82) and then went on to play collegiate golf at Ball State University. During his time at Ball State, Gallagher was a 4- year letterman, two-time All-MAC selection, and captured two collegiate titles. Gallagher also finished runner-up at the 1985 Indiana State Amateur.
After his collegiate career, he followed in his older brother’s footsteps and turned professional in 1987. During his time as a professional, he captured the 1991 Korn Ferry Cleveland Open and the 2000 Korn Ferry South Carolina Classic. In the Cleveland Open, he outlasted eventual Major Champion and Ryder Cup Captain, Tom Lehman, by one shot. He added a runner-up finish in the 2009 Rex Hospital Open where he lost in a playoff. He amassed 34 Top Ten Finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour and an additional six top 10 Finishes on the PGA Tour. All totaled, he played in over 400 PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events.
He also played on the PGA Tour Champions and has competed in four U.S. Senior Open events, including a 17th place tie in 2019.
“Recognition like this proves hard work pays off,” Gallagher says. “When you have peers recognize you, that is very humbling.”
Gallagher also says his wife, Kim, and daughters, Meredith and Allison, were always supportive and are part of the honor.
Reflection Bay Golf Club , home of the HPGI, is located in Henderson’s Lake Las Vegas resort community. The Best of Las Vegas Gold winner for 2019 golf courses is consistently recognized as the top resort course in Henderson. Built in 1998, Reflection Bay was designed by 18-time Major winner Jack Nicklaus and is designated as a prestigious Jack Nicklaus Signature Design. It is one of only three Nicklaus-designed courses in Southern Nevada.
The HPGI is a state-of-the-art teaching program with an expansive practice area.
Barlow and Gallagher are available for lessons while custom club fittings are available with Bradley Keyer and Brenden Bergan.
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