In 1984, Jon earned a Bachelor of Science from Weber State College and then went on to Utah State University where he received a Master of Landscape Architecture in 1989. From 1990 until 2011 he worked as both a design coordinator and senior design associate for Nicklaus Design. In 2012, he began operating his own design firm, Jon Garner Golf Design. Jon has worked all over the world. He spent five years living in China and has worked around the United States and Mexico. He has won several awards for his golf course designs, notably a 2009 Golf Magazine award for the best new private course which was won by Red Ledges Golf Club in Heber City, Utah, and a Golf Digest best new private course in Mexico for La Loma Golf Club in San Luis Potosi in 2008.