ABOUT RIPTIDE
Golf is our classroom.
Life is the lesson.
Golf has always been a little intimidating — and we built Riptide to change that. Not because the world needed another golf program, but because we believe the game, when taught right, grows something in kids that lasts long after they leave the course.
OUR STORY
Where it all began…
Nikki and Mitch Custenborder grew up loving the game — and never stopped!
Nikki picked up her first club when she was little — before she knew what a handicap was, before she cared about scores. She just loved the feeling of it. That early joy stayed with her, and eventually became a question: why does that joy so often disappear as kids get older?
Mitch played competitive golf through college and spent years coaching juniors. He saw how much the game could give a kid — focus, resilience, the ability to shake off a bad hole and keep going. He also saw how quickly the wrong environment could take all of that away.
So they built the program they wished had existed. Where the game is taught with patience and skill, but the real goal has always been bigger than golf. Riptide is what happens when two people who love this sport decide to protect what made them love it in the first place.
Our Approach
Kids first.
Golfers second.
Riptide isn’t a golf academy. It’s the place where kids fall in love with sport — and parents finally exhale. Serious about growth. Loose about ego. Deeply committed to joy.
Every program, every coaching decision, every interaction is built around one thing: the long-term development of the whole kid. Because we believe confidence, character, and community matter just as much as any swing.
The Riptide way
Every kid gets a real, visible pathway forward. Clear progress. No guesswork.
Positive mindset first. We celebrate the effort louder than the result. Every time.
Families don’t just enroll at Riptide. They become part of something real.
OUR TEAM
Meet the Coaches
The kind of coaches who remember every kid’s name, know when they’re having an off day before they say a word, and celebrate the effort louder than the result.
NIKKI Custenborder
OWNER / HEAD COACH
Nikki is the reason so many kids feel right at home at Riptide. She has a gift for making every child feel welcome, supported, and valued, while helping them build confidence both on and off the course. Nikki graduated from Lynn University with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in Coaching, combining her passion for youth development with a strong foundation in leadership and athletics.
20 YEARs TEACHING
B.S. in Sports Management, Lynn University
MITCH Custenborder
OWNER / PGA COACH
Mitch is the kind of coach who makes hard things feel achievable. He breaks the game down in a way that actually sticks — no jargon, no ego, just clear and honest instruction that meets every kid where they are. He’s been playing and teaching this game his whole life, and it shows in every session.
16 YEARs TEACHING
Competitive collegiate golfer
PGA CERTIFIED
Sarah Spires
Senior Golf Coordinator
Sarah is the coach who meets kids exactly where they are — no intimidation, no pressure, just genuine enthusiasm for the game and the people playing it. She brings a player’s perspective to every session, and kids respond to that energy immediately.
4 YEARS TEACHING
Varsity Golf - Scituate High School
CLUB TEAM - Wake Forest University
