Virginia Golfer September / October 2014 | Page 24

Nevertheless, he has been a highly respected teacher of the game for most of his adult
life. And one of his proudest accomplishments
was turning Leslie into a decent player in her
own right. She has become a much sought-after instructor as well, even if she’d never
seriously picked up a club until her early 20s.

Couple
Complementary

by LEONARD SHAPIRO

photos by ANDREW HARNIK

The husband and wife teaching team of Mark and Leslie
Guttenberg are helping golfers enjoy the game, thanks
to their past experiences and a special bond

I

t is not your typical backyard. Then
again, Mark and Leslie Guttenberg are hardly your typical married
couple. Both are widely-regarded
professionals and are almost always
included at the top of any list of
the best teachers in Virginia over the last
few decades. And some of their finest work
occurs just behind the friendly confines of
their secluded home just outside Aldie in
Loudoun County.
Open the back doors and the untraditional, albeit a range rat’s dream, unfolds in the
form of a compact 50-yard-long practice
range, complete with two artificial turf tees
and a target green just before the yard ends
and falls off into a heavily wooded forest.
There are chairs and an umbrella covered
r