Our Staff

Welcome to Optimal Performance Golf, fondly referred to as OPG by its members, patrons and the surrounding community. As President/CEO and co-founder with Julian Ramirez, a dream has become a reality for two golf nuts, who see value in providing a quality experience for every level of golfer who chooses to walk through our doors.

Julian and I met when I joined Medina Country Club in 2018. I was looking to improve my game, or if you ask Julian, get a game, and he was willing to put up with my erratic, over the top swing. So began a journey. Almost every Saturday at 7 am we would meet in the simulators at Medina and grind away. And that is where OPG was born. Our golf and brainstorming sessions began with discussing a small studio on a piece of land I own in Maple Grove, where Julian could fix swings of adults and begin to mold confident young golfers with the correct fundamentals from the minute they pick up a club. Neither of us ever envisioned a 12,000 square foot facility, with 8 simulators, a 2700 square foot chipping and putting green, fitness area, conference room with a bar and restaurant. Some would say we are crazy, and I tend to agree, but our motto is, if you do something, do it right. By the way his teaching has allowed me to be pretty successful on the course. We will not mention that my high handicap and ability to have brief moments of not looking like a hack, helps. But that is not Julian's fault, I am 46 years old and was never that athletic.

As for me, I am an attorney who owns Mesenbourg & Sarratori Law Offices, P.A. located in Coon Rapids, MN. I concentrate on criminal defense and have been practicing for over 20 years. I have a beautiful family who I reside with, in Maple Grove, MN. My wife Jana works at United Healthcare where she corrals resources for the IT world. That skill has come in handy with the executive team at OPG. I have two wonderful little girls, Liliana (Lily) age 10 and Isabella (Bella) age 7.

In closing, I want to thank you for taking the time to visit our website and we look forward to seeing your faces at OPG. Remember you are never too old, too young, or too out of shape to start golfing. Take it from someone who knows. Learning and playing the game I love was one of the catalysts for me losing 110lbs. Check out my Instagram page @psarratori for the before and after photos. Or better yet look at the before and come visit me at OPG, I'll buy you a beer.

Julian Ramirez is a dedicated golf instructor with a passion for nurturing talent and sharing his deep understanding of the game. Julian has been teaching golf since 2013, aiming to instill not just the skills, but also the love for the sport to all his clients.

Julian's own journey in golf began at Santiago Canyon College before transferring to Minnesota State Mankato to play Division II golf. Now, as the director of instruction at Optimal Performance Golf (OPG), Julian oversees the golf academy, guiding players of all levels towards their full potential. During the summer months, he teaches outside at Fox Hollow Golf Club in St. Michael.

Driven by his enthusiasm for golf, Julian finds fulfillment in working with juniors and young adults, nurturing their talent, and fostering a deep appreciation for the game. Through his dedication and expertise, Julian inspires others to excel in the sport he loves.

Welcome to Optimal Performance Golf! I am a member of the executive team with focus on operations. I provide leadership and consultation on finances, marketing, human capital, communications, menu selections, etc. In my day job, I am a Principal Business Consultant at Trissential where I support clients with technology process transformation initiatives. I have a Finance degree from the University of WI - Eau Claire and I obtained my MBA in Strategy from Carlson School of Management at the University of MN. I have two wonderful daughters, Liliana (Lily), age 10, who enjoys playing piano and acting, and Isabella (Bella) age 7, who is a fierce karate kid, basketball player and drummer. Of course, they both enjoy the game of golf.

I am not a golfer...I know, I know. However, I love spending time at OPG. As a mother of young girls, I enjoy playing games like darts, skeeball, mini-golf (Galactic is my favorite. Watch out - the spaceships get involved!), and P-I-G on the short-game area. Everyone in my family is better than I am, and that is ok. I still have a great time and my swing is improving. I also enjoy the atmosphere, sitting at a high-top watching a Packers game, listening to live music on a Friday night, or sitting at the bar enjoying the scratch-made food from Legends 21. This place truly has something for everyone!

Thank you for stopping by our website. We hope you take a moment to stop by and tour our facility. OPG is truly a one-of-kind experience and pictures just can't convey how you feel once you are here.

Taylor played DII college golf at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP). After her college golf career, she became the graduate assistant at CSP, assisting the golf team and earning her MBA. Whilst being the assistant coach she was also a trainer at Acceleration MN and then Lifetime Fitness. Taylor was then the head Men’s & Women’s golf coach at CSP for 7 years. In her final year her men’s team earned the NSIC Conference Championship title and she was named NSIC coach of the year. She is now a full time swing coach and golf fitness instructor.

As the General Manager at Optimal Performance Golf, my goal is to ensure you have a one-of-a-kind, high quality experience. I've been with OPG since the doors opened in March 2021.

I've been golfing my entire life and decided early on to make a career out of it. After graduating from Andover High School, where I competed on the golf team, I attended college and obtained a degree in Golf Enterprise Management from UW-Stout.

I began my career at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids. I was a Tournament Operations Director and managed over 50 corporate outings including Allianz, Medtronic and Tee it Up for the Troops. Prior to joining OPG, I worked at the Medina Golf and Country Club where I met Julian and Paul.

In my free time, I enjoy playing golf with my dad at a variety of different golf courses. When I am not playing golf, I love to ice fish and enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.

Nate has been in the golf equipment business for 10+ years, and a Master Fitter with all major club brands for 8 years. He began his journey as a certified club fitter with Austad's Golf while in college and worked his way up to Master Fitter and GM of the St. Cloud location.

During his many years in the golf equipment business, he also learned how to perfect the craft of club building and club repair, eventually becoming a Master Club Builder!

Nate moved on to become a Midwest Territory Manager for the Roger Cleveland Golf Company, followed by an Assistant Golf Professional with Wood Hill Country Club. He is now part of the OPG team and happy to call it his new home!

Bennett Black is the owner and founder of Golf Specifics. He attended Minnesota State University Mankato, where he golfed competitively and earned a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Sports Medicine. After college, Bennett went on to study golf performance training along with junior golf development with the Titleist Performance Institution. Ever since then, he has been helping golfers of all skill levels, from touring professionals to weekend golf enthusiasts. Bennett specializes in making customized golf fitness programs for his clients with all different goals in mind. One client may want to increase swing speed, while another may focus on weight loss. Using industry-leading physical evaluations and assessments, he is trained to create golf fitness programs tailored to each client's individual needs

Casey’s experience in competitive golf contributes to the many offerings at Golf Specifics. Casey has been a golfer since the age of 6 years old. Growing up in Osceola, Wisconsin, Casey played on the high school girl’s team and went on to win four WIAA state championships.
Success on the golf course earned Casey a spot on the Stanford Women’s Golf Team, where she competed for four years and helped the team win the 2015 NCAA Championship. Following college, Casey played as a professional golfer for 5 years on the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, and Epson Tour and developed a dedication to physical fitness and mental wellbeing.
During her time on tour, Casey trained with Golf Specifics to improve aspects of her golf swing, prevent injury, and get stronger. This training inspired Casey to pursue certifications in yoga teaching, health coaching, personal training and TPI Level 1 and 2 after her pro career. She is excited to use her experience and expertise to help others realize their fitness goals.
“The best fitness plan is one that is fun and engaging. I believe in a personalized approach that caters to individual goals and creates lasting healthy habits.”

Andy Thompson is a certified Flatstick Instructor, Level III AimPoint Instructor and Level II Sam Putt Instructor. He has learned from some of the most knowledgeable putting instructors in the world including Mark Sweeney, David Edel, Christian Marquardt, David Orr and Geoff Mangum.

Sometimes in life you are just in the right place at the right time. In 2005, at the PGA show in Orlando, Andy was introduced to David Edel and that meeting caused him to realize how much there really is to putting and how little most people know.

Soon after, Andy's golf improvement business at the time, purchased one of the first Edel Fitting carts as well as one of the first Sam Putt units sold in the U.S. in order to specialize in putting instruction and fitting.

Andy became an Edel Advisory member and that group included some of the top putting instructors in the U.S., which gave Andy invaluable knowledge that he used to develop his own style of coaching. Andy has worked extensively with Geoff Mangum, who is a gifted putting guru. Sam Putt training with Christian Marquardt, AimPoint training with Mark Sweeney and Flatstick Instructor training with David Orr rounded out his initial training. Learning is never complete, and Andy continues his education as he strives to continually learn new ways to improve his player's putting quickly and effectively.

Andy has worked with multiple tour professionals, college coaches, college players and top amateurs. He also works with players just starting out as well as seasoned players struggling with their putting or who have the yips. (in which he has personal experience.)