The PGA Professional - October 2019

The

Professional T H E

O F F I C I A L

P G A

M E M B E R S ’

M A G A Z I N E

Volume 15 Issue 9 October 2019

DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER Changes to the CPD system unveiled

BROADENING THE MEMBERSHIP Your questions answered

Taking stock of Black Friday BEST FOOT FORWARD Shoes with style and comfort

High performance coaching: Master PGA Professional Steven Orr

The

Professional

CONTENTS

OCTOBER 2019

THE OFFICIAL PGA MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE Editor: Jane Carter PGA News and Features: steven.carpenter@pga.org.uk adrian.milledge@pga.org.uk

Equipment and Trade Editor: Nick Bayly nick@goodenough-bayly.co.uk

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Contributors: Phil Barnard, Philip Dye, Antje Derks, Ben Foster, Jack Wells and Angela Youngman Photography: Getty Images Editorial Assistant: Kelly Lewis Design: Barbara Stanley Advertising Sales: keith.foster@pgapublishing.co.uk ben.foster@pgapublishing.co.uk Recruitment Advertising: recruitment@pga.org.uk PGA National Headquarters Centenary House The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield West Midlands B76 9PT Tel: 01675 470 333 Fax: 01675 477 888 The Professional Golfers’ Association Limited accepts no responsibility for the products or services offered by the advertisers in this publication nor does it necessarily agree with any views expressed, statements or claims made by the advertisers in this publication. ©The Professional Golfers’ Association Limited 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photography and recording, without the written permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be addressed to the copyright holder (PGA). ® PGA is a registered trademark of The Professional Golfers’ Association Limited Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332).

Registered company 02653887

FEATURES 14 CAREER DEVELOPMENT The new Continuing Professional Development programme outlined 18 THE PGA CUP Heartbreak in Texas INSIDE THE PGA 7 PGA NEWS A round up of what’s happening across The PGA and its regions

TRADE

COACHING

25 TRADE NEWS All the latest product launches and retail news 32 EQUIPMENT Putter fitting systems 36 TRADE Q&A Titleist Product Specialist Nick Sharples 37 RETAIL Black Friday promotions; excess stock 40 APPAREL Footwear

13 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Changes to the PGA Membership categories explained 16 WOMEN’S PGA CUP Preview of the inaugural competition INTERNATIONAL 20 WORKING ABROAD Focus on China

TRAVEL 44 DESTINATION GUIDE Coaching in Costa de la Luz 45 DESTINATION GUIDE Long haul to magical Mauritius

48 OFFERS Top European deals

The PGA Professional

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50 THEORY Club fitting 52 BUSINESS Going it alone PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 55 MASTER PRO Q&A Steven Orr, director of coaching at the Cranfield Golf Academy MARKETING 56 ATTRACTING THE MILLENNIAL GOLFER Ways to get younger generations playing the game MEMBERSHIP

47 TRAVEL BUSINESS Try an overseas Pro-Am

Front cover: Master PGA Professional Steven Orr, p55

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32

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www.linked.com/company/ professional-golfers-association

58 YOUR BENEFITS A selection of special deals and offers brought to you by The PGA RECRUITMENT 62 SITUATIONS VACANT The latest job opportunities in the UK, Ireland and overseas FINAL THOUGHT 66 ANGELA CULHANE Chief Executive, Prostate Cancer UK

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www.instagram.com /thepga

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Business rule #1 Surround yourself with good company

Helping the golf industry do business

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F RO M T H E C H I E F E X E C U T I V E CO LU MN

Taking the pathway to change Robert Maxfield reflects on the year so far, the response to changes announced to the Membership categories in recent weeks, and the newly revamped CPD programme outlined this month.

C

hange within any organisation is challenging. golf business has changed and will continue to do so. It is The PGA is no exception but as we pause and vital that the Association offers support and direction to our reflect on the year so far and the busy winter Members so that you can continue to develop as individuals period ahead, we are on track to where we want to be. and as a workforce to take the game forwards.

Our continuous goal of improving the personal and We are aware of the importance of communication to our professional lives of our Members remains our focus. Recent Members to build consensus and understanding. So, this announcements of the broadening of our Membership month, we answer questions we have received specifically categories and this month, the revamp of our continuing around the Membership categories and what it means for professional development programme, continues our work at existing PGA Members and those coming into the Association a pace. next year. We will continue to answer questions as they arise We have been delighted with the response. The and communicate through this magazine, PGA Connect and introduction of a Business Management category has been by email. especially welcomed by the ever growing number of PGA Communication is two way and we would ask you to Professionals already working in management positions. It is contact us with any queries, concerns or even encouragement long overdue. Members as we continue down being able to use the this pathway of change.

PGA brand as well as Whilst sometimes the Crest has also been challenging, it is exciting well received. It is a and if we are to develop powerful brand – your as an Association fit for brand, widely recognised the next 100 years, it is a as a mark of quality pathway we need to take. throughout the world of golf. The ability for Commiserations to our Members to share The PGA team captained in that recognition is a

by Cameron Clark in huge step forward for the the recent PGA Cup in Association.

America. Whilst not At the Regional the result we hoped Meetings at the start of Robert Maxfield watches the PGA Cup action with Robert Coles for, it was a fantastic the year, we announced performance by Clark changes to our Continuing Professional Development and his side to take it right down to the wire on the final day.

(CPD) offering. Again, many felt these were long overdue.

An away match is never easy and especially in the gruelling As promised, we have spent the last few months refining heat of Texas. But after many years of one-sided matches, the programme and, in this issue – the first of a series of GB&I are now competing at the highest level and the return forthcoming articles – we outline what it means to those match at Foxhills in 2021 will undoubtedly be another already engaged in CPD. fiercely fought contest.

Sadly, not enough of our members do engage with CPD and that is something we are focussed on improving. Changes to content, the better use of digital channels, and the ability for you to control your own path to personal and professional Robert Maxfield development, are examples of a key change in direction. The Chief Executive

The PGA Professional

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P G A N E W S

Tributes paid to Beverly Lewis BEVERLY LEWIS, a PGA Master Professional

Romford; Langdon Hills Golf Club, Bulphan;

and the Association’s first female captain, has

Garon Park Golf Complex, Southend-on-Sea;

passed away at the age of 71 following a long

and Brentwood Park Golf Club, Brentwood.

and brave battle against leukaemia.

This wealth of experience and the respect

Beverly is one of just two women to attain

with which she was held in the game made

PGA Master Professional status but it is no

her a natural choice to become The PGA’s first

exaggeration to say she became a ‘master’ of the

female captain in 2005.

many facets of the golfing world she tackled

“She was highly respected in the Association

after taking up the game as an 18-year-old.

and the game, had a wealth of experience and

Having learned its rudiments on a pitch and

the Board was unanimous in its agreement

putt course in her native Essex, Beverly was the

when we put her name forward,” revealed for-

county’s ladies amateur champion within four

mer PGA Chairman Dr Phil Weaver.

years. She joined Thorndon Park Golf Club,

“It was a ground-breaking move at the time

Brentwood, 12 months later and remained a

and Beverly was stunned. Initially she thought

member for the rest of her life.

Beverly turned professional in 1978 and was a founder member of the Women’s PGA, an

it was a wind-up! But, as we expected, she Beverly Lewis was Captain of The PGA between 2005-2007

proved to be an outstanding captain.”

Robert Maxfield, The PGA’s chief executive,

organisation she chaired between 1979 and

and the effortless and easy-to-understand way

also paid tribute and added: “Beverly showed

1981, and in 1986, four years after becoming a

she imparted it resulted in her broadcasting for

what could be achieved by PGA Professionals.

PGA Professional.

the BBC, Australia’s Channel 7 and ESPN.

“In doing so, she was a credit to the

She won two WPGA events during her

She also contributed to golf magazines,

Association and the world of golf. She was

eight years on tour before turning her atten-

wrote 10 books on the game’s technique, was

unfailingly courteous, friendly, willing to pass

tion to coaching – for the English Ladies’ Golf

an accomplished and in-demand after-dinner

on her extensive knowledge of the game and

Association, county teams and players of all

speaker and, more recently, became a qualified

always generous with her time.

abilities, from aspiring young professionals to

R&A referee.

club members.

Beverly’s extensive knowledge of the game

“On behalf of The PGA I extend our heart-

In addition, Beverly was a PGA Professional

felt and sincere condolences to Ken, her hus-

at four clubs in Essex: JJB Golf Centre,

band, wonderful family and legion of friends.”

Silverbug extends PGA Partnership IT SUPPORT specialist Silverbug has

the Premier League football club Wolver-

PGA Executive Director – Commer-

strengthened its growing reputation in golf

hampton Wanderers and is also involved

cial – Liam Greasley, commented: “We

by agreeing to extend its PGA Partnership

with Gulf Racing.

are delighted to further extend our PGA

status for another two years.

Partnership status with IT support specialist

The Milton Keynes-based firm, was

extension, Dan Bland, Silverbug’s managing

founded in 2002 by Owen Daley and for

director, said: “I’m thrilled that Silverbug

“The PGA welcomed Silverbug to its

more than 17 years, it has delivered busi-

will continue its relationship with The PGA

growing family of PGA Partners two years

ness-shaped technology solutions to a variety

for another two years.

ago and during that time the Association

of industries.

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Commenting on its PGA Partnership

Silverbug.

“We are delighted to be associated with

and our Members have benefited from their

Silverbug is a trusted partner with some

such an historic and prestigious brand. The

knowledge and experience in dealing with

of the biggest names in IT and has been

extension highlights the fantastic working

complex IT issues.

advising The PGA and its 8,000 Members

relationship we now enjoy with the Associ-

on a variety of IT needs.

ation and its 8,000 Members.

“Effective and efficient IT systems and the rapid resolution of any problems are key to the

The company already has strong sporting

“This partnership aligns with our goals of

successful running of a business in the 21st

links with football and motor sport. It is

providing first call IT services to more and

century and Silverbug are one of the leaders

the current official junior kit sponsor of

more companies all over the world.”

in the field when it comes to IT solutions.”

October 2019

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N E W S PGA

PGA Members among the winners at Wentworth

(Left to right) Tom Cockbill, Sally Hinton-Lewis, Alan Johnston, PGA Chief Executive Robert Maxfield, Alex MacGregor, Brian Mudge, Iain Fulton, Ivan Oliver

A PGA Professional whose efforts to get

Iain Fulton, a PGA Professional at Belton

youngsters into golf include trawling car boot

Woods Golf Club, Lincolnshire, was the

sales to find clubs for them has won the Golf

recipient of an individual award. He won the

Foundation’s most prestigious award.

Sinclair Award, which is presented to a PGA

Ivan Oliver, who is attached to Scarborough

Professional who, as a direct result of his or

South Cliff Golf Club, Yorkshire, and supports

her efforts, has made a major impact in the

multiple clubs on the county’s coast and East

development of grass roots junior golf.

Riding with coaching, has been presented with the Sir Henry Cotton Award.

He received it during the Golf Foundation’s annual awards ceremony at Wentworth on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship.

Fulton said: “I’m surprised and very honoured. I love what I do – adult coaching gives me satisfaction but there’s nothing like seeing a youngster love the sport like I do.”

Elsewhere, Alan Johnston and Sarah Sutcliffe

The award is presented to an individual who

were instrumental in Tickenham Golf Club

has demonstrated meritorious service to junior

near Bristol winning the Burroughs Award for

golf for a sustained period.

its success in encouraging young people with

Oliver, 45, ticks all the boxes in that respect.

disabilities, particularly autism, to enjoy golf.

Each year he provides around 16,000 children

Sally Hinton-Lewis and assistant Tom

with access to golf through various activities he

Cockbill played a key role in the team at Close

delivers within the local schools, community

House Golf Club, Northumberland, introduc-

and at the golf club

ing more girls into golf via the Girls Golf Rocks

Oliver also uses less conventional meth-

programme.

ods and venues to promote the game. He also

The Critchley Award went to Alex

visits car boot sales to source clubs for youngsters

MacGregor and the team at Addington Court

to use.

Golf Centre, near Croydon, for its success in

“My aim is find access so that everyone can

creating opportunities for young golfers and

play and engage with as many children as pos-

developing junior players, including those from

sible,” said Oliver, who spends in the region of

disadvantaged backgrounds or with disabilities.

70-80 hours a week coaching and promoting

The work of Brian Mudge and the team at

the game. “It’s the future of our game and it will

Overstone Park Golf Club, Northamptonshire,

be in a really strong place if we can achieve that.

in creating a successful scholarship programme

“My aim is not necessarily to produce good

that has resulted in a significant increase in

players but enable children who would never

junior membership was rewarded by the

get the opportunity to play the chance to do so.”

Bonallack Award.

The PGA Professional

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Manchip reflects on Lowry win IT’S THE pep-talk that has already gone down in Irish sporting folklore. An anxious Shane Lowry and PGA coach Neil Manchip meet on the Wednesday of the Open Championship week at Royal Portrush for ‘a bit of a chat’.

So what words of wisdom did Edinburgh-born Manchip pass on before Lowry famously lifted the Claret Jug? “We chatted through a few scenarios,” said the 46-yearold. “At elite level, if you are playing well, have a good strategy and are in a good frame of mind, there’s an opportunity to compete.

“It was a quite amazing week when you think back on it. Saturday, with the brilliant weather, and Shane’s great finish and then Sunday, you don’t normally get crowds acting like that except at a Ryder Cup. It was amazing all through that Sunday.”

Manchip has worked with Lowry since the Offaly man came into the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) coaching programme as an amateur in 2006. He’s a friend, a mentor, a counsellor and a confidante.

“Anyone that really knows Shane knows how good he is and knows how much heart he has,” Manchip added. “We didn’t know when he would win a major. They are hard to win. It was a gradual thing for Shane working through how he deals with the situation.

“But he has a knack for winning big events. The Irish Open as an amateur, winning the Bridgestone, winning a Rolex Series event and now the Open Championship. To beat Tommy Fleetwood by six shots is some achievement.”

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P G A N E W S

The Iron Golfer returns to the saddle PGA PROFESSIONAL Luke Willett is aiming

Luke Willett is preparing for another charity adventure

to complete a unique 10-day golfing challenge to cycle to all 14 Open Championship venues carrying his clubs on his back and playing a full 18 holes on each course.

‘The Great British Open Challenge’ may seem Everest-like as 34-year-old Willett, also known as The Iron Golfer, seeks to highlight the adventures that golf can offer people, but the cause he is working for could not be more grounded.

imaginations. I’m delighted that I will be able to

Willett, who is based at Hampstead Golf

raise valuable funds for the Golf Foundation; we

Club, has carved out a reputation for taking on

all want more young golfers in Britain and all

remarkable ironman-style golfing tests and his

the money I collect will go towards getting them

latest goal is to play 252 Open Championship

playing the sport.”

holes during an 804-mile bike journey around

Willett’s golfing career is full of adventur-

Britain. The odyssey for Luke will start at

ous accomplishments. In 2018 he completed a

Carnoustie in Scotland on October 18 and end

three-mile swim at the foot of Scafell Pike in the

10 days later at Royal St George’s Golf Club in

Lake District, followed by a gruelling ride that

Kent, home of the next Open Championship.

took in England’s steepest road Hardknott Pass

Willett

is

fundraising

for

the

Golf

Foundation, the national charity that works to

and finished off with 18 holes at Windermere Golf Club, all in a single day.

change the lives of young people by introducing

In addition, Luke completed a cycling and

them to golf. He said: “I believe that this chal-

golfing marathon that covered 130 miles from

lenge will help make the sport more appealing

Silloth on Solway Golf Club in Cumbria to

to young prospective players and will ignite their

Goswick Golf Club by the North Sea.

Solheim Cup coaching A TEAM of 11 PGA Professionals provided

Alex Mollin, who was also part of the R&A

free coaching to the public throughout the

Swingzone team at The Open Championship

2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles.

at Royal Portrush.

While Catriona Matthews’ European side

Mollin said: “It was an honour to be given

produced one of the most dramatic victories

the opportunity to represent The PGA at

on the course, behind the scenes a team of

another prestigious event. Proud to work

dedicated pros helped people of all ages, ability

alongside a team of great pros doing what

and gender sharpen up their game.

we love.”

Among the coaches over the eight days was PGA Professionals working at the 2019 Solheim Cup

Marcus Bell, director of coaching for Zen at Bawtry Golf Club, commented: “What a great week. I loved coaching on the Ping SwingZone and proud to represent The PGA and Bawtry Golf Club. Fantastic atmosphere and great to see so many people enjoying lessons from

Shacklady wins back-to-back with SkyCaddie SX500 FOR THE second week in a row PGA Professional David Shacklady has tasted victory on the Staysure Tour while relying on his SkyCaddie SX500 for yardages.

Shacklady, who represents Mossock Hall GC in Ormskirk, won last weekend’s Druh Belts presents Paris Legends Championship by Renault Z.E. after a playoff with home favourite Jean-François Remésy at the Racing Club de France La Boulie course.

With South Africa’s James Kingston in third place and Wolverhampton’s Peter Baker finishing fourth, both using the tour-proven SkyCaddie SX500, three out of the top four finishers in last weekend’s event used the award-winning new GPS device.

With each day’s pin positions loaded into his SX500, Shacklady – who no longer uses the yardage books which are available at each Tour event – knew exactly what club to take to attack the flag.

His SX500 also gave him instant, accurate yardages to all hazards, landing areas, run-outs, lay-up points and major green contours from wherever he was standing – even from behind trees.

The 52 year-old Englishman also won the previous event on the Staysure Tour, The Sinclair Invitational, at Hanbury Manor earlier this month.

The €30,000 prize money from Paris elevates him into fourth place on the Staysure Tour Order Of Merit, and into a close battle with Philip Price, Bernhard Langer and Paul Broadhurst for the overall title.

our top team of PGA coaches.”

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October 2019

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Jason Broadway - PGA Professional West Cornwall Golf Club

my support Team Graphic Designer Business Development Consultant Central Invoicing Executive Buying Terms Manager EMP Marketing Editor

Foremost Golf For more information contact our National Business Development Manager, David Murch +44 (0) 7712 842 720 • david.murch@foremostgolf.com

P G A N E W S

On the move The latest PGA Member appointments across the UK, Ireland and overseas

End of an era for Keys Richard Keys has ended a 26-year association with Oundle Golf Club to become the new PGA Professional at Outdoor Recreation in Huntingdon.

The 53-year-old began at Oundle in 1993 and has been instrumental in attracting new members to the Northamptonshire club, which was awarded GolfMark, a seal of approval for junior and beginner friendly facilities, in 2013.

Marathon man JAMES WRIGHT, head professional at Penn

Marathon man James Wright

Golf Club, Wolverhampton, has completed 31 marathons in 31 days to raise money for the appeal to save Acorns Children’s Hospice in Walsall from closure.

The 39-year-old completed 26.2 miles every day in August to raise funds for the hospice.

He clocked up an impressive 812.2 miles over the course of his marathon challenge, running some days after finishing work in the evenings.

His effort has raised over £7,000 for Acorns.

“This is a charity close to our hearts and I knew I had to play my part to help raise some money towards Acorns fundraising appeal”

Wentworth hires Cox Ian Cox has landed a new role at the prestigious Wentworth Club in Surrey.

Having previously been based at Wisley Golf Club, Cox, 46, makes the short move to Wentworth to become the facility’s development director.

New role for Michael After spending almost two decades as a golf coach at Mentmore Golf & Country Club, David Michael has taken his first steps in golf management. The 55-year-old has started a new chapter in his career as an assistant manager at Aylesbury Golf Range.

In other transfer news…

• In the North region, Sam Law, 31, leaves his role as head professional at Hickleton Golf Club to take up the same position at Sandhill Golf Range.

Another departure at Hickleton sees Jak Lee leave the Yorkshire venue to join Kingswood Golf Centre.

• Steve Purves has enjoyed almost two decades as a club professional at Leeds Castle. The 52-year-old joined the Maidstone-based club just after the turn of the millennium but 19 years on he moves north of the border to North Berwick Golf Club. Also in Scotland, Howard Carson, 31, begins a new coaching role at the University of Edinburgh, in the faculty of the Institute for Sport, PE & Health Sciences.

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said Wright. “When I heard the charity needed help it spurred me on to do something about it – and this challenge is what I came up with.

“It’s been an epic month but now it’s now

Appeal was launched in July and aims to raise

time to put my feet up and give the legs some

£2 million to save the hospice, which the

rest. Hopefully my runs will inspire other

charity had initially proposed for closure due

people to take up their own fundraising chal-

to lack of funds.

lenge in aid of this fantastic charity. It doesn’t

The money will safeguard the long-term

have to be as crazy as 31 marathons in 31 days

future of the hospice and fund care provided

– every little helps whether large or small.”

to children and families until the full amount

The Save Acorns Black Country Hospice

of new Government funding is reached.

Johns completes golden hat-trick A PGA Professional who was once told

Alison’s health continued to deterio-

she had just five days to live has struck

rate and following tests, she was rushed

her very own golden hat-trick at the

into the world renowned Addenbrooke’s

World Transplant Games.

Hospital, in Cambridge.

Alison Johns, who is a teaching pro-

She continued: “The doctors there

fessional at Woodhall Spa Golf Club,

told

Lincolnshire, triumphed at the Close

my liver but they didn’t know what. I

House Golf Club in Newcastle.

thought I was going to die. I went from

The games are held biannually and Alison has now played in the last three – and won a golfing gold in each one.

me

something

was

attacking

being fit and healthy to that. My mind was scrambled. The clock was ticking.”

Two donor livers were rejected but a

Her latest success comes 10 years

third – on the fifth and final day – saved

after a life-saving liver transplant. Alison

her life. Alison has made the most of

went to the doctors with flu-like symp-

what she describes as a her ‘gift of life.’

toms and her back was covered in spots.

“There is not a day that goes by

“The doctor told me I’d got flu and

without me feeling grateful towards

told me to take antibiotics.,” recalls

my donor,” she added. “The transplant

Alison, who played on the Ladies’

saved my life and for that I will always

European Tour in the early 1990s.

be thankful.”

October 2019

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N E W S PGA

You can now pay your PGA membership on monthly direct debit

DECEMBER 2020

It will soon be time to renew your PGA Membership and you can now pay your subscriptions by monthly Direct Debit*.

If you would like to take advantage of this new payment method the full details will be included in your renewal notice, which you can expect to receive early September.

Your PGA Membership continues to provide: Access to PGA Benefits - your online platform for accessing a suite of benefits Free personal public liability insurance provided for Members within the EU A bespoke employment and business support service through the Business Relationship Officer programme, as well as free legal advice provided by ARAG plc Complimentary access to prestigious golf events – including The BMW PGA Championship and The Open * Only available to UK and Ireland Members

GCMA 2019 Conference THE GCMA Conference returns for a one-of-a-kind event for golf club managers and superb networking for everyone aspiring to move into this role.

This is the industry’s only gathering that is specifically tailored for golf club managers, and it only happens every other year.

Following the success of sold out GCMA Conferences in the past, the 2019 edition from November 10-12 promises to bring together golf club managers and industry professionals from around the UK and Europe, for a programme of inspiring keynote speakers and industry led break-out sessions.

The full line up of speakers and phenomenal schedule of this autumn’s event is headlined

by Ross Matheson, The All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) who’s keynote will set the tone for the entire event with his

• Across the Irish sea, 32-year-old Brendan Walton has left Roganstown Golf & Country Club having opted for a move to Portmarnock Golf Links as their new club professional.

• In the West region, Darran Clark takes up a new post as head professional at Ridgeway Golf & Country Club. The 44-year-old had previously spent more than four years in a similar role at Aberdare Golf Club. Elsewhere, Daniel Keitch, 29, exits Clevedon Golf Club where he was an assistant professional for more than two years to become a PGA Professional at Brean Golf Club.

• There have been several moves in the south region, with the most notable coming at Knole Park Golf Club following their recruitment of James McGilvray. The 31-yearold had previously spent seven years in a similar role at Birchwood Park Golf Club. Elsewhere, Colton Alleyne-Davis is the new assistant professional at Cottesmore Golf Club, while Luke Briars joins Core Golf.

• In the Midlands, nine years as group operations manager at Chelsfield Lakes Golf Club comes to an end for Colin White. The 40-year-old is now general manager at Whittington Golf Club. Julian Mellor, 48, is now a head professional at Stratford Park Hotel.

• An 18-year spell at Sprowston Manor Golf Club is over for 49-yearold Guy Ireson who is now a club professional at Wensum Valley Hotel. Also in the East region, Scott Wood, 33, begins a new role as head professional at Radlett Golf Club.

Ryan Wingate is now deputy golf director at Ipswich Golf Club, while Carl Parker is now a club professional at Old Ford Manor Golf Club.

• Tower Links Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates has hired 41-year-old Andrew Pilfold as its new director of golf.

session entitled: In Pursuit of Excellence.

This inspirational and informative two-andAmy Yeates was crowned GCMA Manager of the Year in 2017

The PGA Professional

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a-half day event takes place at The Cotswold De Vere Water Park. To reserve a place please visit www.gcma.org.uk/conference.

If you would like to feature in this column, or would like to highlight a new appointment, send details to membership@pga.org.uk.

11

prostatecanceruk.org/PGApro

Help us stop prostate cancer being a killer Prostate cancer kills one man every 45 minutes – the time it takes to play three holes of golf.

Let’s support a cause relevant to our members.

Andrew Murray, PGA Professional and Prostate Cancer UK ambassador

5878

Partner Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332). Registered company 02653887. ® PGA is a registered trademark of The Professional Golfers’ Association Limited.

N E W M E M B E R C AT E G O R I E S T H E PG A

Your questions answered Tristan Crew, Executive Director – Member Services, answers some of your queries regarding the latest changes to the broadening of PGA Membership categories announced last month Q Why is The PGA considering

would access a modular course to become

corporate PGA brand for use by individual

broadening the Membership

PGA Members purely as a PGA Coach rather

Members.

categories?

than undertake a full three-year education

A We know that around 28% of our Members

programme to become a PGA Professional.

Q When will current PGA Members

are in management roles and therefore it is

The cost and intensity of this qualification

be able to utilise the new PGA

incumbent on us to support this group as much

will be equitable to the current foundation

Professional and PGA Coach brands?

as any. Developing a Business Management

degree to ensure that there is no degradation

A From the 1 November 19 if Members have

Division (BMD) will not only allow us

in standards.

renewed their subscription.

appropriately but will also allow us to influence

Q Will there be a handicap entry

Q There are three new brands and the

those individuals that employ our Members

requirement for PGA Coach?

Crest. Who can use what and when?

and with it, influence the wider golf industry.

A Yes, PGA Coach applicants will need to a

A PGA Professional – can use PGA

handicap of four or under for males and six or

Professional and PGA Coach plus the use of

Q How do I get into the Business

under for females – the same requirements to

the PGA Crest from the 1 November 19.

Management Division?

become a PGA Professional.

to support the entirety of our Members

A Through attaining The PGA Business

PGA Coach – Once this category has been launched PGA qualified coaches will only be

Management Qualification or by submitting

Q Will individuals with the PGA Coach

a portfolio of experience, qualifications and

qualification be able to compete in PGA

achievements against the set membership

tournaments?

category has been launched members of the

qualification criteria.

A Yes, these individuals will be professional

Business Management Division will only be

golfers forming in the professional division

able to use PGA Business Management logo.

Q How are you going to regulate

of The PGA, therefore they will be able to

access for the industry workforce?

compete in PGA tournaments.

A We are conscious that PGA Professionals

able to use the PGA Coach logo.

PGA Business Management – Once this

AMATEUR STATUS Q Will I be able to relinquish my

have gone through a stringent testing period

Q When will The PGA start to accept

professional status and still call myself

culminating in a formal academic qualification

Members in the new categories

a PGA Coach/Professional?

and additional PGA requirements. Entry

of PGA Coach and PGA Business

A No, only members in the PGA Professional

into the BMD will be controlled by the

Management?

division will be able to coach or compete for

development or accreditation of similar

A The qualifications and the support services

money and call themselves a PGA Professional

educational packages or by the recognition

for the new Membership categories are

or PGA Coach.

of previous training and/or experience. For

currently being identified with the aim to start

the latter, entry into Membership will still be

accepting new Members by October 2020.

Q How do I get my amateur status back?

controlled by membership committees and each potential Member will need to gain the

BRAND/CREST

A Through the R&A. We are in

recommendations from two PGA Professionals

Q Why are we changing the Member-

communication with the R&A to try and

alongside meeting stringent membership

accessible brand?

identify an expedited route for those wishing

qualification criteria.

A The current crest is not used as widely

to return to amateur status.

as The PGA would like. Member feedback Q Why are we offering a separate

would suggest that the current crest is dated

Q Can I return to amateur status and

coaching qualification and speciality?

and difficult to embroider. We would like

still coach for money?

A We recognise that a number of individuals

PGA Members to take great pride in their

A No, The R&A regulations regarding amateur

join the programme to specifically coach.

Association and use the brand as widely as

status do not allow amateurs to coach for

We feel that there are several individuals who

possible. To this end we are modifying the

money.

The PGA Professional

| #makinggolfhappen

13

F E ATURE M E M B E R E D U C AT I O N

The New CPD System

As the golf industry continues to change, it is important that The PGA provides an ever evolving offer and support around Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Here we outline the changes to the current CPD system coming into effect this month.

A

s a professional association, it is vitally important that we have a Membership that is engaged in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), remaining up-to-date, and at the forefront of our industry. The industry demands this and it is becoming increasingly evident as more and more employers, deployers and customers are looking to identify and engage with those industry professionals who are committed to developing themselves. Furthermore, regular engagement in targeted CPD should enable us all to do a better job, create new opportunities and have a rewarding career.

With these points in mind, we feel it is our duty to provide you with a CPD system and offer that is fit-for-purpose and enables you to stay at the top of your profession.

It was apparent from the Member Survey that Members engage in various forms of CPD but for many there were certain aspects of the existing CPD system that meant it was difficult for them to engage with it. There was also a clear divide between what PGA Members were doing and how they were being recognised for their efforts.

14

In previous communications and at the 2019 Regional AGMs, we discussed these issues surrounding the current CPD system and put forward a proposal, which was well received. In light of this, on 1st October 2019, we will therefore be launching a new CPD system that we feel will: • Be more rewarding and flexible.

• Provide you with more choice and control over your CPD. • Encourage you to take greater ownership of your development.

• Encourage you to carry out a greater and wider variety of learning and development activities on an annual basis.

• Be streamlined and straightforward to complete.

• Be built on trust.

• Enable you to distinguish yourself more clearly from those who are not committed to CPD. The rest of this article provides a summary of the significant changes to the CPD system and a brief overview of how the new CPD system will be introduced and operate.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE CURRENT CPD SYSTEM Removal of CPD Points The new system still requires you to meet or exceed a set level of CPD activity each year, however, the new system uses hours and standards as measures, rather than points.

Wider forms of CPD Activity Within the new system, more varied forms of CPD activities are recognised. However, more emphasis will now be placed on ensuring that the CPD you undertake complements and enhances your practice.

The activities that are now recognised as ‘professional development activities’ are organised into four broad categories: • Formal Learning – qualifications, 1-day events, seminars etc.

• Professional Activity – Lecturing, Refereeing, Examining etc.

• Work-based Learning – On-job training, new projects etc.

• Self-Directed Learning – reading books, listening to podcasts etc.

October 2019

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M E M B E R E D U C AT I O N F EAT U R E Accredited Register An Accredited Register will be launched on 1st November 2020. The register will be an official list, maintained by the PGA Member Education Department, of all PGA Members who have indicated that they have met and continue to meet The PGA’s CPD standards on an annual basis.

In order for you to first join the register you must first submit a CPD record that meets The PGA’s CPD standards. However, those Members who achieved or maintained class ‘AA’ status at the October 2019 CPD classification regrade will automatically be added to the register in November 2020.

Self-Certification of CPD Status Once on the register, your status will renew on a yearly basis as long as you annually declare that you have met the standards for the previous year.

Under the new system, you will be responsible for maintaining your own CPD records.

This change will provide you with a greater opportunity to decide for yourself: • What constitutes valid CPD activity, and, • How much time to attribute and record for each CPD activity you undertake.

Although you will now be expected to maintain your own annual CPD record, you will not need to submit your records each year unless they are selected for a random audit.

To maintain integrity and confidence in the system, the Member Education Department will carry out a rigorous auditing process to ensure those joining and those on the register are meeting the PGA’s CPD Standards.

Introduction of the CPD Year Rather than achieving the set minimum requirements over a rolling three-year period, Members engaging in the system are now asked to meet the standards each CPD year (1st November to 31st October the following year).

Phasing out of A/AA status It is clearly apparent that the golf industry does not fully appreciate and understand the difference between class ‘A’ and class ‘AA’ status. Once the register is launched, class A/AA will be replaced by ‘Non-Accredited’ and ‘Accredited’ to differentiate between Members on the Accredited register from those Members who are not on the register.

The 2019-20 CPD year will be the last year A/AA statuses are used.

Timing of Achieving Accredited Status From 1st November 2020, you will not have to wait for an annual reclassification to join the register and gain Accredited status. As long as you declare and can demonstrate, through submission of a CPD portfolio that you have met the PGA’s CPD standards for the current year, you are eligible to join the register at that point.

New Learning Platform In the near future we will be launching a new CPD platform to host a more comprehensive and convenient CPD offer and provide you with a way of recording the CPD you undertake.

Although we have no plans to scale back

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IN 2019/20?

Currently class ‘A’ status after the 2019 1st October Regrade If you’re currently a class ‘A’ status Member and would like to join the Accredited register on 1st November 2020, you must maintain and submit a CPD record for the 2019-20 CPD year (1st October 2019-31st October 2020) that meets the PGA’s CPD standards. The deadline for submissions is 15th October 2020.

Currently class ‘AA’ status after the 2019 1st October Regrade If you’re currently a class ‘AA’ status Member you will automatically be added to the Accredited register on 1st November 2020. You will not need to submit a CPD record for the 2019-20 CPD year but you must still maintain a record for the year in case your records are audited in the future.

The PGA Professional

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WHAT ARE THE PGA CPD STANDARDS? The PGA holds four CPD standards that registrants are expected to accomplish on an annual basis: Standard One Meet or exceed a set level of various forms of professional development activity that may improve or benefit their current or future professional practice.

Standard Two Maintain a true and accurate CPD record of their professional development activity.

Standard Three Retain and maintain satisfactory evidence to support their CPD record.

Standard Four Take part in an audit if requested.

Members will need to engage in a minimum of 15 hours of professional development activity from at least two of the CPD categories each year.

The CPD year has been changed to end 1st November to coincide with the end of Membership renewal (31st October). Members will be encouraged to self-certify at the same time as renewing their subs.

on the face-to-face learning we deliver, we hope the online offer will provide more options for Members to engage in CPD.

In the next issue Further details of these standards and how to achieve them is explained in next month’s edition. A more comprehensive overview of the New System can be found within the Jobs and Career Development area of the PGA website.

15

PGA A TO P GURNAM A C U P E NTS WO M E N ’ S P G A C U P

Texas scramble

Representing Great Britain and Ireland in the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup has been a prime target for the team’s members, writes Adrian Milledge.

Tracy Loveys – Captain, Bigbury Golf Club

Suzanne Dickens, Thorpe Wood Golf Course

Alison Gray, Ormskirk Golf Club

Heather MacRae, Heather MacRae Golf

Maria Tulley, Eastbourne Downs Golf Club

Hazel Kavanagh, Impact Golf at Leopardstown

he five members of the Great Britain

right rather than hope for a captain’s pick

said: “I’m honoured and proud to be appointed,

and Ireland team that will compete in

and did so by winning the Women’s PGA

especially as I’m the first.

the inaugural Women’s PGA cup in

Professional Championship at the end of May.

T

Texas later this month made no secret of their desire to earn selection.

Maria Tulley was a case in point. Having

“I was determined to make the team when I first heard about the WPGA Cup last year,” she recalled.

“I would have liked to have got in the team but this is the next best prize. What’s more, I don’t have the pressure of playing.

“As for the team itself – I don’t think I could

been beaten by Suzanne Dickens in a play-off

“And playing in it became one of the targets

have wished for a better line-up. They were the

that determined the final place in the team

I set myself when I was diagnosed with cancer

top five in the points table for selection and I’m

to be selected on results in this and last year’s

and needed surgery.

very, very pleased.”

Women’s PGA Professional Championship, she admitted: “It really hit me after an hour or so.

“I had to stop on the journey home and shed a few tears. It ruined my weekend.”

“At one stage, I thought I would have to rely

Loveys will captain a team in a competition

on a captain’s pick, but being able to play in the

that, although sounding like the men’s PGA

WPGA Championship before my operation

Cup, but with a very different format.

enabled me to achieve my goal. I’m delighted.”

It will be contested at Barton Creek, Texas,

Monday morning, however, brought a

MacRae, Tulley and Dickens will be joined

and in addition to the hosts and Great Britain

happy ending when Tracy Loveys called her

by Hazel Kavanagh, Ali Gray and Loveys, the

& Ireland, teams from Australia, Canada, and

with the news she had made the team as the

non-playing captain.

Sweden are due to take part.

FIRST CAPTAIN

DIFFERENT STROKES

Had the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup been

Similarly there will be no singles, fourball and

Diagnosed with cervical cancer in March,

contested a decade or so ago then Loveys,

foursome matches that comprise the men’s

the 35-year-old Scot saw competing in the

who recorded a hat-trick of Women’s PGA

match.

Women’s PGA Cup as a goal to aim at follow-

Professional Championship victories from

Instead, each of the five team members will

ing surgery in June.

2008–2010, would surely have been a shoo-in

play three rounds and the best three scores in

for selection.

each one will count for each country, with the

captain’s pick.

Yet, when it comes to happy endings, Heather MacRae trumps them all.

DETERMINATION Moreover, she was determined to qualify by

16

Reflecting on her non-playing role as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland quintet, she

winners determined by the lowest combined three-round total.

October 2019

| www.pga.info

PGA A TO P GURNAM A C U P E NTS T H E P G A C U P

GB&I fall just short in Texas A history-making comeback denies Great Britain & Ireland a third consecutive PGA Cup victory. Steven Carpenter looks back at an unforgettable week in Austin, Texas.

T

he United States produced the most thrilling of PGA Cup comebacks to regain the Llandudno International

Trophy at Barton Creek Resort, but once again this one-of-a-kind team event demonstrated this is more than just a golf tournament.

In a match full of twist and turns from start to a dramatic finish, two great nations came together to celebrate golf, but more importantly, highlight the important role of a PGA Professional on both sides of the Atlantic.

Both captains spoke passionately about how the PGA Cup represents what both associations are all about – growing the game at all levels.

This was without doubt one of the most thrilling contests between Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) and the United States.

On paper, Cameron Clark had assembled one of the strongest ever GB&I teams, which

Beaten by a history-making comeback: The Great Britain & Ireland team with the PGA Cup trophy

included several former European Tour players.

This was a team bidding to make history once more. Their sights were set on achieving

at the par five 12th to register Great Britain & Ireland’s first point of the competition.

an unprecedented three consecutive PGA Cup

In the afternoon foursomes, Cort, 45,

wins. The United States however had other

teamed up with Alexander Wrigley and the

plans. They were determined to claim their first

GB&I duo sealed another important point for

outright victory in the competition since 2011.

Cameron Clark’s team.

What followed was one of the most thrilling contests between two great nations.

Reflecting on his Friday performance, Cort said: “I got on a roll with Jordan (Godwin), I got a few up early which always helps then just

BIRDIE BLITZ

continued going forward. He’s a great player.

After acclimatising to the Texas heat, GB&I

I made some birdies and so did he so it was a

were raring to go come the Friday morning

great combination.

fourballs and one player in particular was on

“I think foursomes is a nice, chilled out

a one-man mission to retain the Llandudno

match. Alex (Wrigley) and I seem to get on well

International Trophy.

and we’ve got a similar game so it really panned

Matthew Cort picked up three points out of four at Foxhills Club & Resort in 2017. After

Scottish duo Alastair Forsyth and Paul

qualifying through the PGA Play-Offs back

O’Hara claimed a half point in the fourballs,

in November, the Beedles Lake professional

while Forsyth teamed up with Robert Coles in

almost single-handidly led the GB&I charge

the foursomes and despite being three up with

to the Americans in sweltering conditions at

as many holes to play, they had to settle for a tie

Barton Creek Resort.

against Ben Kern and Ben Cook.

Playing alongside PGA Cup debutant Jordan Godwin, Cort picked up six birdies and an eagle

18

out well.”

This left the United States with a 5-3 overnight lead heading into Saturday.

Matthew Cort and Jordan Godwin embrace

29th PGA Cup results USA

Session

GB&I

14

Overall

12

2½

Friday Morning Four-Ball

1½

2½

Friday Afternoon Foursomes

1½

0

Saturday Morning Four-Ball

4

1

Saturday Afternoon Foursomes

3

8

Sunday Singles

2

October 2019

| www.pga.info

T H E P G A C U P PG A TO U R N A M EN TS COURAGEOUS COMEBACK Having made the cut at the BMW PGA Championship just a few days before the 2019 PGA Cup and having picked four points at

Barton Creek Resort’s Foothills course proved popular with both teams

Foxhills in 2017, Robert Coles was rightfully singled as a one of GB&I’s key threats.

After collecting half a point on Friday, Robert Coles led the fightback on Saturday as the visiting team produced the best performance by either side on a Friday or Saturday since 2003.

Coles won both of his matches with 2015 winner Alex Wrigley and debutant Alastair Forsyth as Clark’s side moved four points ahead

‘‘

of their rivals after winning seven out of their eight matches. hind a little, but to get out there and really put one to them was fantastic,” said Coles.

“It’s tough playing in a PGA Cup. You have to earn your points and although I think it was a big win, we got in front and they were strug-

The bond between The PGA and The PGA of America is strong and will always remain so

‘‘

“I had a tough day on Friday and we fell be-

gling to match it so we played it pretty good.”

One of the highlights of day two was Paul

Then, rookie Alex Beach scrambled to gouge a chip from a sidehill rough to within 10 feet and make his birdie putt. Those 1-up wins set the stage for the hosts to capture eight of 10 Sunday singles matches.

It is the first time the Americans have won outright in the competition since 2011 and it was a bitter pill to swallow for Clark’s side who had put everything into the challenge but they

O’Hara’s hole-in-one attempt which landed just

looked down and out, but seemingly against all

came up just short in a thrilling contest in the

inches away from hole three as he teamed up

odds they went on to win the match 14-12 fol-

Texas heat.

with fellow Scot Forsyth to claim one of seven

lowing a dramatic finale in the singles matches.

The PGA Cup is more than just a golf event.

Having experienced coming from behind

It stands for a friendship that the history books

Elsewhere, the ever reliable Matt Cort con-

himself to secure a draw in the competition in

will show spans back four decades. But in truth,

tinued his impressive PGA Cup run in Texas by

2013 at Slaley Hall, Richard Wallis took to the

it showcases the close bond between the two

winning both of his matches alongside debu-

task in hand and added to GB&I’s points tally

oldest golf organisations.

tant Jordan Godwin and Alex Wrigley.

early in the afternoon.

wins for Great Britain & Ireland.

Wallis’ victory put the visitors 11-6 in front HISTORY MAKERS

but there was trouble brewing with the singles

Clark was determined to claim a record third

leaderboard displaying more red than blue.

If ever there was an advert for the PGA Cup, this was it. This thrilling contest had everything.

Sadly for GB&I, there had to be a loser.

Alan White, Chairman of The PGA, added:

consecutive victory in the competition, however,

Wallis said: “2013 was similar in that I went

“This was my first PGA Cup match and before

it was the United States who cemented their

out and got off to a great start so today was

travelling here I was told just how good the US

name in the history books after producing the

pretty much the same. My intentions were to

Team would be, and indeed both teams have

greatest comeback in the competition’s history.

get in his face really early. Every time I looked

been outstanding.

Trailing 10-6 overnight, the United States Alex Wrigley and Robert Coles fist pump

up at the scoreboard I was hoping I’d see more blue than red.

“We’re devastated. Half the job was done and

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est comebacks in the history of the PGA Cup.

maybe we were a little too relaxed. All credit to

“But of course, it takes two great teams to

the Americans, they came out all guns blaz-

make a match, so we must also acknowledge the

ing. It’s just a real shame because of the effort

wonderful efforts of the Great Britain & Ireland

Cameron Clark and the whole PGA have been

team and our Captain Cameron Clark

brilliant.”

The PGA Professional

“My congratulations go to the USA team and their captain on producing one of the great-

“The bond between The PGA and The PGA

The ignition point for the Americans hap-

of America is strong and will always remain so;

pened in a 45-minute span on the par-5 18th

we now look forward to welcoming everyone to

hole. Bob Sowards holed a blind downhill pitch

Foxhills Club and Resort in two years time for

for eagle for America’s first point of the day.

30th PGA Match.”

19

P G A TO URNAM E NTS T H E P G A C U P

The class of 2019 We take a look at how each of the 10 Great Britain & Ireland players performed throughout an action-packed week at the 2019 PGA Cup at Barton Creek.

Robert Coles W3 L1 H1

Alastair Forsyth W2 L1 H2

Frustrated with his performance on the opening day but went on to win twice on Saturday and was one of only two players to win in the singles matches.

Trusted to hit the first tee shot on of the competition, Forsyth featured in all five sessions and picked up an impressive three points on his PGA Cup debut.

Matthew Cort W4 L1 H0

Jordan Godwin W2 L1 H0

Great Britain & Ireland’s standout performer at Barton Creek Resort was unbeatable on both Friday and Saturday in both the fourball and foursomes.

Great Britain & Ireland’s youngest player impressed in both the fourball sessions by picking up maximum points.

David Dixon W0 L4 H0

Craig Lee W1 L3 H0

Maylands Golf & Country Club, Essex

Beedles Lake, Leicester

Enmore Park Golf Club, Somerset

2015 PGA Cup winner David Dixon failed to pick up any points from his four matches this time around in Texas.

Mearns Castle Golf Academy, Glasgow

Barnehurst Golf Club, Kent

Craig Lee Golf Studio, Stirling Played in four matches on his PGA Cup debut and earned Great Britain & Ireland one point in the Saturday foursomes.

Captain’s comments “I’m hugely disappointed. We had such a great two sessions on the Saturday to get into the position we got to. Whether we got a little bit too complacent I don’t know. I don’t think it was. I think we all knew we had a job to do but it just didn’t quite happen.

“It’s been a fantastic experience. The way America have hosted us has been brilliant. The golf course has been amazing, the way we’ve worked as a team has been brilliant and I don’t think we could have done anything differently. The guys all came into the event on form so it was just one day where it didn’t quite work.

“This has been huge for me. Anyone who captains their country in any sport it’s a huge honour. I couldn’t have been prouder standing up there during the opening ceremony on Thursday. I’m very proud of my team. It means so much to be looking after a team of friends.

They all did brilliantly but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

20

October 2019

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T H E P G A C U P PG A TO U R N A M EN TS Great Britain & Ireland individual points Four-ball

Foursomes

Singles

Total

W-L-T

W-L-T

W-L-T

W-L-T

Matches

Points

Robert Coles

1-1-0

1-0-1

1-0-0

Matthew Cort

2-0-0

2-0-0

0-1-0

3-1-1

5

3.5

4-1-0

5

David Dixon

0-1-0

0-2-0

4

0-1-0

0-4-0

4

0

Alastair Forsyth

1-0-1

Jordan Godwin

2-0-0

1-0-1

0-1-0

2-1-2

5

3

0-0-0

0-1-0

2-1-0

3

2

Craig Lee Jason Levermore

0-1-0

1-1-0

0-1-0

1-3-0

4

1

1-0-0

0-1-0

0-1-0

1-2-0

3

1

Paul O’Hara

1-0-1

0-2-0

0-1-0

1-3-1

5

1.5

Richard Wallis

1-1-0

1-0-0

1-0-0

3-1-0

4

3

Alex Wrigley

1-0-0

2-0-0

0-1-0

3-1-0

4

3

Jason Levermore W1 L2 H0 Little Channels Golf Centre, Chelmsford

Won his only fourball match alongside Richard Wallis but lost out in his other two outings in the foursomes and singles.

Planning ahead Foxhills Club & Resort will host the PGA Cup again when the match returns to the UK in 2021. The venue’s director of golf leisure, Chris Fitt, was in Texas to find out what Foxhills can learn from Barton Creek Resort.

“I’ve had time to get the perspective from the

Paul O’Hara W1 L3 H1

NL Leisure/Colville Park Golf Club, Motherwell One of only four players to feature in all five matches, O’Hara came away with oneand-a-half points on his PGA Cup debut.

Richard Wallis W3 L1 H0 Canterbury Golf Club, Kent

Picked up wins in both the fourball and foursomes and stormed to a brilliant victory in the singles matches on Sunday.

players and have been able to get some really valuable feedback from them. For the players, this is the highlight of their careers so really they are the most important people to impress with this event.

“My course manager, David Wyborn, also managed to spend some time with the Director of Agronomy at Barton Creek Resort, accompanying him on early course set up. The course has been presented immaculately, which whilst a tough act to follow, we’re confident we will match it in 2021.

“I’ve been able to spend some time with Barton Creek Resort’s director of golf and general manager and asked them questions about the venue, their membership and how they prepared for the event. The hospitality and service has been outstanding wherever we have been, something which the US do really well and all UK clubs can

Alex Wrigley W3 L1 H0

Hartlepool Golf Club, Hartlepool Wrigley can be pleased with his second PGA Cup outing having come away with three points from a possible four. A popular playing partner.

The PGA Professional

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learn from.

“Our PGA Cup preparation starts now. Dave and I have already discussed some ideas for the golf course. Foxhills will see a £7million pound redevelop project of our country club facilities over the next 18 months. The PGA Cup brand will be a key part of our marketing and sales strategy to continue to raise the profile of our club.”

21

The Chinese way

The explosion of golf in China has created a wide range of opportunities for PGA Members to develop their careers, although job seekers should be prepared to face many cultural, corporate and linguistic hurdles along the way

Haotong Li is inspiring the next generation of Chinese to take up golf China’s Mission Hills is the world’s largest golf resort with 12 championship courses

W

ith a population of 1.5 billion and one of the fastest developing economies in the world, China’s growth over the last decade or so has been at an almost unimaginable speed. With over 650 cities currently boasting populations of over one million, and with the construction of roads, houses, shopping centres, offices and factories being hard pressed to keep up with demand, China is going flat out to eclipse America as the global superpower.

While it will be no surprise to learn that long hours and low wages don’t allow for expensive and time-consuming hobbies such as golf to be pursued by bulk of the population, the expansion of China’s wealthy elite over the last two decades spawned a fast and furious course development programme, with memberships at one of the country’s 600-plus golf clubs highly prized and as keenly traded as shares on the Chinese stock market.

While the first championship courses were built in China around the mid-1980s, primarily in the southern province of Guangdong near Hong Kong, golf courses have

22

now sprung up in and around all the major cities, with dozens of clubs located in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen all helping to serve the estimated three million Chinese that have taken up Sheshan International is is one of China’s premier golf golf in the last 20 years.

clubs and a host venue for the WGC-HSBC Champions

SLOWDOWN But with the rapid increase in the number of courses, serious environmental issues have been raised. And, in a country with a chronic lack of water and diminishing land resources, there has been a significant pull back on further golf development, with few new courses being given permission unless supported by housing and business infrastructure, while over 120 courses have been shut down in the last seven years as the government cracks down on those facilities that were not constructed with the correct permits. A ban on course construction was first issued by the

government in 2004, and again in 2010, and new laws are now making it even harder for golf projects to get the green light unless they can show significant economic benefit to the local region.

Despite the slowdown in golf development, October 2019

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WO R K I N G A B ROA D : C H I N A I N T ER N AT I O N A L GOLF IN CHINA BY NUMBERS

Juniors are the driving force in the growth of the Chinese golf market with qualified coaches in high demand

1985

Year first golf course opened in China

10

Number of golf courses in 1994

240

Number of golf courses in 2006

658

Number of golf courses in 2019

100

Number of courses in Beijing area

358,000

Number of registered golfers

3 million

Estimated number of casual golfers

0.07

Percentage of population that play golf regularly

10,000

Staff employed by Mission Hills, the world’s largest golf club

12

Number of courses at Mission Hills

2002

The year Zhang Lian Wei became the first Chinese player to win a European Tour event at the Singapore Masters

£50,000

Average cost of annual golf club membership

£25,000

Average salary in Beijing

200

Average visitor green fee in US dollars

Shanshan Feng, currently ranked inside the world’s top 20, was the first Chinese player to earn an LPGA Tour card

there still remains tremendous potential for growth within the current set up, while an increasing number of coaching academies, indoor studios and multi-tiered driving ranges are proving hugely popular with the younger generation of Chinese keen to learn The PGA Professional

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the ways of the Royal & Ancient game.

Many of the under-25s have been inspired to take up golf after watching the numerous tour events that have been hosted in China in recent years, including four renewals of the World Cup at Mission Hills, the WGCHSBC Champions at Shensen, and the Volvo China Open in Shanghai, which has been a fixture on the European Tour since 2004.

The Ladies European Tour has also been a regular visitor to China in recent years, while the LPGA Tour brought its first ever event to China with its staging of the LPGA Buick at Qizhong Garden in Shanghai last October.

The success of home-grown players like Zhang Liang-wei, Liang Wen-Chong, Wu Ashun, Haotong Li, Shanshan Feng and Yu Liu, have also served to ramp up interest among China’s youth.

WORK OPPORTUNTIES The demand for tuition, and parental desire to give their children the best coaches, has presented plenty of opportunities for qualified instructors willing to move out to China and pass on their skills, and the 70 PGA Members currently working in the country is proof that the demand is there. However, pupil progress is often slower than you would find in the UK and elsewhere, as many students don’t have the chance to practice between lessons, or test out their skills in a real golf course environment.

Visas and work permits are harder to come by than they once were for foreign workers, with a bachelor degree almost becoming a

pre-requisite for potential job applicants, especially in more senior roles. Other factors such as experience in the industry and level of expertise are also taken into consideration.

Speaking fluent Mandarin is not essential in the golf club environment as privileged children learn English from an early age at school. However, learning to speak even the basics will help not only when applying for positions, but when trying to build trust with Chinese people and for general living.

Other work opportunities lie in director and club management roles, with many of the top clubs operated by international firms such as Troon and IMG, although it is not uncommon for these to come back under Chinese control once the initial set-up phases are complete. Other course developers operating in China include Orient Golf International, a fast-growing mid-range developer, and the Forward Management Group, the company behind China’s top-rated course, Shanqin Bay on Hainan Island, a Ben Crenshaw design that first opened in 2011 and reportedly boasts a joining fee of $1 million.

Given its distance from the UK, the cultural and social differences, the complexity of the language, and the enormous amount of red tape required to gain entry into the country, China remains a big challenge for anyone considering working there, but the career potential for those with ambition is there for all to see, as are the rewards.

Turn to page 25 for PGA Member experiences in China.

23

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October 2019

| www.pga.info 

WO R K I N G A B ROA D : C H I N A I N T ER N AT I O N A L

PGA Members’ experience Andrew Laird, Director of Golf Sheshan International Golf Club

“I’ve been lucky enough to work in various foreign

countries over the last 15 years, including Spain and Dubai, but always wanted to see what it might be like to work in the Far East. The game is relatively new in China, so there are opportunities for those that are willing to give it a go.

The club I was previously working at in Dubai was going to close and within a week I came across a job advert for the role of Director of Golf at Sheshan International.

Knowing they had a major tour event, the WGC-HSBC Champions, and the fact it was in Shanghai, persuaded me apply for the job. I moved out here in July 2017, and consider myself extremely fortunate to be working in such a high profile role at one of Asia’s most internationally renowned golf venues.

I’d say the best part of working here is being in such a fast-paced and dynamic country. Every day it feels like there is something new and exciting to see and do.

Learning about Chinese culture, and learning a language that is spoken by so many people, has also been hugely fulfilling.

On the flip side, the language barrier can make life very

Graham Hill PGA Professional, Birdie International Golf Academy, Guangzhou

“I’ve been working

at a golf academy in Guangzhou since in December 2018, and am really enjoying living and working in China.

The language is difficult, but it’s definitely worth learning, and it certainly helps when giving lessons to kids – which takes up 95% of my time – and even more so when you’re out and about in the city going about day-to-day life.

The working hours are long and people work very hard here, but the Chinese people are very friendly and I’ve been made to feel very welcome. Guangzhou is a busy city, but transport systems are good and it feels very safe, with little crime. The only downside is the limited variety of food choices!”

difficult at first, but after putting some effort in, it does get easier. Also, the sheer amount of people here, especially in Shanghai, was quite daunting when I first moved out here. Being Andrew Laird so far away from friends and family is also tough.

The golf clubs and academies currently operating are successful and there are still plenty of opportunities over here, so I would say the industry is in pretty good shape.

They aren’t building many new courses now, however the facilities that are operating are successful, with more people, especially juniors, taking up the game.

I’d advise any PGA member thinking of coming here, or anywhere else abroad, to ‘go for it’. Working overseas has been invaluable in terms of the new ideas and knowledge it has given me, and that has been reflected in my career progression. I would also highly recommend working in China, but come with an open mind, be prepared to work hard, and get ready to learn Mandarin!”

Michael Dickie Chief Executive, Michael International Golf Academy, Shanghai

“I came out to China 15 years ago on what was meant to be a working holiday,

and I’m still here! I did my PGA training at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, but always harboured hopes of working overseas.

I spent five years working at the Shanghai David Leadbetter Academy, and then set up my own business, the Michael International Golf Academy, which now has two venues in Shanghai.

The first two or three years were really tough, as I didn’t have a lot of students and couldn’t speak the language. I was teaching all day and then going out in the evening to attend networking events to meet new people and find new students. I speak the language fluently now and have even commentated on a few golf tournaments for Chinese TV in Chinese.

A lot of people come here expecting it all to happen very quickly, but stability is important, so you need to stay in one place and build up your reputation, which I’ve gradually been able to do. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in coaching China’s amateur and national teams, and have worked with a number of young players, including Li Haotong, Lin Xi Yu, Jin Cheng and Shi Yuting.

The growth of golf in China is slow yet steady, and I expect that the challenges facing the game in the West will soon hit here too, but the junior market is very healthy. Chinese kids are very disciplined and are hard workers, and they are prepared to push themselves to do their best, so they make great students.

I’d recommend any PGA member to give China a go, but only if they’re prepared to put the time and effort in, learn the language, and respect the culture.”

Shanqin Bay in Hainan Island is rated China’s No.1 course with a reported joining fee of $1m

Michael Dickie with former pupil Jin Cheng

25

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T RA DE N E W S

Cleveland launches HB Turbo woods CLEVELAND’S NEW Launcher HB Turbo

around a stepdown crown and sole, with a

woods are aimed at golfers without preten-

channel cutting into the front part of the sole

sions of making it on Tour, but who want to

to increase flex at impact.

enjoy distance gains across the board.

Cleveland Golf ’s senior product manager

Eschewing adjustability in either the hosel

Brian Schielke said: “We think we can get

or with weights, the driver boasts a cup

better performance by focusing on the spe-

face that has been redesigned for a higher

cific needs of the average avid golfers. They’re

COR over a larger impact area, while the HiBore crown has been redesigned to lower the centre of gravity even further for better launch conditions. A counter-balanced shaft

Cleveland’s Turbo Launcher driver is designed for straight-hitting distance

relocates weight to the grip, allowing for a

The standard model (9°, 10.5° and

looking to step up there and just launch it.

We’ve squeezed discretionary weight out of duce one of the most forgiving drivers we’ve

version (10.5° only) offers even more antislice technology.

12°) features a slightly closed face to

The Launcher HB Turbo fairway woods

encourage straighter hitting, while a draw

(15°, 18°) feature a cupface that wraps

ever made.”

At retail from October 18, the driver has an RRP of £309, while the fairways woods are £199.

adidas doubles up the dials

Callaway bares its teeth with Mack Daddy 5 Jaws wedge

BOASTING NOT one, but two BOA dials, adidas’s new Tour360 XT BOA shoe promises new levels of locked-in stability and comfort. In what is a first for the golf shoe market in Europe, adidas has added a second dial to its BOA design to create a more customised fit and improved support.

Commonly used in cycling, the double dial design allows for fit adjustability in two parts of the shoe. The top dial secures the fit around the collar and tongue, while the lower dial provides micro-adjustability from the middle to the bottom of the instep. Featuring a Boost midsole for increased energy transfer, and a cleated X-Torsion outsole for enhanced grip, the XT BOA is offered in white and black colour options and has an RRP of £179.95.

CALLAWAY HAS launched a new range of high-performance wedges under its Mack Daddy franchise. Designed by Roger Cleveland, the Mack Daddy 5 Jaws wedges boast a new, sharper-edged MD5 Jaws wedges feature groove configuration that combines Groove in Groove technology with Callaway’s groove-in-groove face technology for superior spin and precise control. Groove-in-Groove Technology places a milled surface texture inbetween each main groove. This, combined with the new Jaws groove, significantly increases spin on a variety of shots.

While the Mack Daddy 4 wedges had a The range is offered in five different bounces 5-degree groove wall angle on lofts from 54 to 60 degrees, the Mack Daddy 5 is 37 degrees, which generates 11% more spin (+500rpm) with a lower, more controlled launch angle, especially on shots from 30-40 yards.

Similar to its predecessor, the lower-lofted MD5 wedges (52-46 degrees) will have a less aggressive groove for controlled spin on full shots. A surface texture pattern is also milled into the flat parts of the face to increase the contact points between the cover and the grooves.

Made from mild carbon steel, the MD5 wedges are available in 46°-64° lofts in platinum chrome or a tour grey finish. There are five different bounce configurations, including a new low-bounce W Grind and an updated C Grind, to make it easier to play a variety of greenside shots. RRP: £149.

The twin-dial BOA system creates an even more locked-in feel and superior fit

28

flight the ball into the wind – they’re simply

every corner of the clubhead in order to pro-

heavier head, which is designed to further increase swing speed.

not looking to hit fades around the dogleg or

October 2019

| www.pga.info

N E W S T RA DE

Foresight Sports to host technology workshops FORESIGHT SPORTS is hosting a series of workshops across Europe to educate golf professionals on how to make the most of advanced swing analysis technology to maximise their business revenues.

Hosted

in

association

with The Golf Lab, the scientific establishment set up by respected Canadian coach Liam Mucklow, the two-

Liam Mucklow will be hosting Foresight Sports’ technology workshops

day Golf Lab Certified Golf Engineer workshops will be held at Foresight

devices, so they can fully appreciate the

Sports offices in Guildford on October 14-15

benefits and opportunities to grow their

and at HoleInOne Fitting facility in Munich,

businesses,” said Mucklow.

Germany on October 17-18.

The workshop consists of four core modules

During the workshops, Mucklow will share

designed to help professionals better under-

his extensive knowledge of cutting-edge golf

stand the strengths and limitations of the latest

teaching technology and showcase various

technology devices and how to structure them

systems from Foresight Sports, Swing Catalyst,

to provide maximum benefit for their clients.

K-Motion and Gears. The emphasis will be

These are coaching with 2D video, coaching

on how best to interpret data for the most

with 3D motion capture, ground reaction

effective results.

forces and launch monitors.

“We’ll be walking participants through

For bookings, and a 15% discount code,

the inner workings of the latest teaching

visit www.foresightsports.eu/event-workshops.

TaylorMade shines a light on Patina putters TAYLORMADE’S new TP Patina putters get their name from the finish that combines black nickel and copper that oxidises over time.

There are seven models in the range – three blades (Soto, Juno and Del Monte) and four mallets (Ardmore 1, 2 and 3 and Dupage).

Replacing the TP Black Copper collection, Patina putters feature a black sightline and a thicker aluminium Pure Roll insert which improves sound and feel off the face, while also optimising roll.

Each model comes with two sole weights, which can be moves to fine tune feel, and are fitted with a Superstroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip as standard, as well as a KBS CT-Taper Stepless Chrome shaft, which reduces twisting at impact.

The TP Patina Collection is available in 34- and 35-inch shaft lengths in both RH and LH models, with an RRP of £239.

Nippon launches tip-soft Neo shaft NIPPON SHAFT has unveiled a new iron

It also features a slightly reduced grip size,

shaft designed with more flex in the tip

helping to increase peak trajectory and spin,

section to promote a higher ball flight and

resulting in controlled additional distances.

softer landings.

Featuring a 95g swingweight, the Neo is

The new N.S.PRO 950GH Neo has been created to meet the demands of modern,

available in R, SR, S and X flexes in 3-PW lengths.

There are seven head options to choose from

larger iron heads that tend to have a lower centre of gravity. With strong lofts and larger faces, these irons demand shaft designs with both rigidity and flexibility, optimally distributed via thickness and material-shaping technologies.

The Neo’s mid-section is more rigid than Nippon’s N.S.PRO 950GH and has a greater amount of flex in the tip section.

The PGA Professional

| #makinggolfhappen

29

FOR SALE TRACKMAN 3e

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Accurately records every single shot and tracks the ball all the way through.

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N E W S T RA DE

Golf Pride unwraps Pro Only putter grips

The Pro Only family of putter grips offer improved feel

GOLF PRIDE’S new range of Pro Only put-

an angled profile with a wide, flat paddle front

ter grips come in three distinct Tour-inspired

and an angled back, while the 88cc Green Star

shapes, offering the highest degree of respon-

model is the heaviest at 86.5g and offers an

siveness and feel.

oval shape with an arched paddle front and a

The heightened feedback is created by the

Srixon rolls out new AD333 ball THE NINTH generation of Srixon’s two-piece AD333 ball features an all-new FastLayer Core, which starts soft in the centre and gradually becomes firmer around its outer edge.

FastLayer helps generate maximum distance without sacrificing feel at impact, and works in tandem with the ball’s 338 speed dimple pattern, which reduces drag for a more penetrating ball flight, to help deliver more distance off the tee.

The updated ball also features Srixon’s Spin Skin technology with Slide-Ring Material, a urethane compound that coats the cover and increases friction at impact for more stopping power on every shot. It is available in Pure White and Tour Yellow. £24 for 12, srixon.co.uk

slight upper hand flared back.

use of a proprietary tuned rubber material

“Many people find it surprising that 70%

with offers a new level of precision feel for

of the top 30 putters on Tour prefer a smaller

better distance control on greens of all speeds.

size putter grip,” said Bruce Miller, Golf Pride’s

The 72cc Pro Only Red Star weights 74.5g

product manager. “They prefer it because it

and boasts a horseshoe shape with an arched

allows them to gain greater feel, feedback and

paddle front for thumb placement and a slight

control. The Pro Only models deliver those

pistol kick in the back for hand heel pad place-

Tour-preferred shapes with three uniquely

ment. The 81cc Blue Star model (82g) features

optimised performance options.”

American Golf acquires Stromberg

American Golf has purchased UK-based golf apparel brand Stromberg in a move that strengthens the nationwide retailer’s offer of high quality, affordable golf apparel.

The decision to purchase Stromberg marks a new chapter for American Golf as a brand owner, under the new company American Golf Brands Limited. AGBL will continue to supply Stromberg’s existing network of approximately 200 pro shops throughout the UK, a move that broadens the company’s penetration into the UK market.

Existing and future orders from the Stromberg range will continue to be delivered directly from stock.

For all future enquiries contact Richard Taylor, American Golf’s Director of Business Development, at richard.taylor@americangolfbrands.co.uk.

The PGA Professional

| #makinggolfhappen

31

T RA DE P U T T E R F I T T I N G S Y S T E M S

Putting perfection We take a look at the latest putting analysis systems that will help raise the bar of your fitting and coaching operations

Science And Motion Puttlab Used by over 2,000 qualified golf coaches and tour players worldwide, Science & Motion Sports’ PuttLab is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and accurate putting analysis systems in the world.

Using ultrasound sensory analysis, SAM PuttLab analyses more than 50 parameters of the putting stroke and displays the results in easy-to-understand graphic reports to help coaches, and golfers, discover strengths and weaknesses to develop improvements and encourage more efficient and effective training strategies.

The data, when used with SAM fitting protocols, also offers a complete solution for professional putter fitting.

Each relevant putter aspect is diagnosed in an interactive step-by-step process. The software provides automatic data analysis and suggests suitable options, with results

SAM PuttLab can be operated inside and out

with different putters.

Perfect for use in a indoor

displayed in specific graphic reports. The EasyFit protocol

studio for fittings under a

is a one-measurement process using a length fitted putter,

controlled environment and

while the PerfectFit protocol is a two-measurement process

outdoors and indoors for

using the customer’s putter in the first step. Both provide

coaching, SAM PuttLab is a versatile and powerful tool to

a complete fit on grip, length, loft, lie, head, balance and

grow your putter sales and coaching income.

weight and offer are able to directly compare performance

www.scienceandmotion.com

Quintic Ball Roll Quintic Ball Roll utilises a high-speed

data capture. The V2.4 is a ball-only

camera to track the putter and golf

system that tracks the ball at impact,

ball throughout the impact zone.

capturing at 360 frames per second,

The system automatically measures

and is ideal for putter fitting; the V3.4

over 45 parameters, both graphically

captures data on the club and ball

and numerically. The data is instantly

throughout impact at 360fps and can

displayed within the software for

be used for fitting and coaching; the

immediate analysis, review and

v4.4 captures clubhead and ball data

intervention.

at 720fps, while the V4.4 Research

Designed for putting coaching and

system captures at 1,080fps for the

custom fitting, and used by most

most detailed analysis of clubhead and

the range and standard deviation

putter manufacturers in their R&D, the

ball impacts.

for easy comparison of putters and

Quintic system requires a minimum

Among the vast array of data

putting technique.

area of 4m x 2m and can be used

collected includes back and side

indoors and outdoors with the same

spin; skid; bounce; roll; swing path;

putting coach based at Old Fold

degree of accuracy.

tempo; lie, attack and shaft angle, face

Manor Golf Club, is one of many

rotation. The system can measure the

PGA Professionals who has a

average of up to 200 putts, including

Quintic system in his arsenal of

There are four different systems, each offering different levels of

32

The Quintic Ball Roll system can be used for coaching and fitting

James Jankowski, a specialist

October 2019

| www.pga.info

P U T T E R F I T T I N G S Y S T E M S T RA DE

Golf Swing Systems CAPTO CAPTO Putting is a putter coaching and fitting system that gives golfers immediate and accurate data on their putting in real time and in real conditions.

Distributed in the UK by Golf Swing Systems, the CAPTO Putting analysis system, which costs £1,650, is being bought and used by a growing number of PGA Professionals for use in their coaching, as well as a tool for putter fitting.

CAPTO Putting comprises a small base unit which is attached to the putter

CAPTO in action, with data (bottom)

shaft and sends back key data to your laptop or mobile every 3.3 milliseconds to offer detailed, real-time analysis on any length or type of putt. The unit, which weighs just 47g, boasts four built-in sensors and a gyroscope capture over 30 elements of the putting stroke, include loft, lie and shaft angle, swing path, angle of attack, speed, acceleration and tempo.

CAPTO software is compatible with Windows, MacOSX, Android and iOS and the unit can send data wirelessly to monitors up to 50 metres away, making it ideal for use on an outdoor practice green, as well as for indoor studios.

Marcus Radmore, the PGA Professional at Ingrebourne Links, and a specialist putting coach, is one of a growing number of UK Professionals to have invested in the system reaped the benefits of its ground-breaking technology. He said: “Capto has completely changed my outlook on putting and made me realise how many variables there are through its brilliant use of parameters that are easily read on the tablet screen. It’s extremely portable and can be taken onto a putting green or used indoors without much hassle.

I recently took it with me to a leading academy in Spain, and it serves as my mobile putting studio..” www.golfswingsystems.co.uk

Foresight GCQuad Essential Putting Analysis Launched last year, Foresight’s Sports Essential Putting Analysis programme transforms the GCQuad from a launch monitor into a putting launch monitor. With just a couple of clicks in the Quad’s interface, putter specific data is displayed on the LCD Quintic data

screen, as well as any connected laptop or mobile device, allowing the

coaching technology tools. He

functionality to be used both indoors

said: “As a specialist in putting, the

and out.

comprehensive data provided by

Foresight’s putting ball data

As you’d expect, the putter data

Quintic allows my technical beliefs

has a small overlap with the data you get from a

to be backed up by evidence. The

driver or an iron, but the majority of measurements

advantages it has over its competitors

are specific to putting, including ball speed, launch

include the fact that no devices need

angle, launch spin, carry, skid, time and distance

to added to the putter itself, so its

to roll, roll spin, total distance and push/pull. Using

characteristics remain the same; while

a variety of face stickers, it can also measure

no other software provides as detailed

clubhead speed, smash factor, club path, angle of

data about the ball, arguably the most

attack, face angle and lie angle and impact loft.

important data to know.”

Foresight GCQuad’s Putting Analysis system

www.foresightsports.eu

www.quinticballroll.com

The PGA Professional

| #makinggolfhappen

33

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T RA DE I N T E RV I E W

Q&A Potty about Scotty Titleist Product Specialist Nick Sharples talks about his passion for putters and putter fitting and explains what makes Scotty Cameron designs stand out from the crowd What first inspired you to work

fast cars, fighter jets, and tour pros. There are

with the Scotty Cameron brand?

three key areas; the design of five different head

I’d have to say my passion for putting. I’ve

shapes being more compact with soft sculpted

been very lucky to work with some great

contours. From the alignment side there is

putting coaches since my early days in golf and

variety of options, including triple-milled sight

this really gave me the drive to pursue a career

dots, new flange setups, wider toplines and the

in golf, specifically in putting. Also, one of

bright colour lines.

the first putters I had as a junior was a Scotty

From a performance aspect, all Phantom X

Cameron Studio Style which I still have to

putters are precision-milled, multi-component

this day.

mallets offering optimal weight distribution leading to more forgiveness and feel. It also

What do you enjoy most about your

Titleist putting specialist Nick Sharples

role as a Titleist Product Specialist?

features a new Pistolero Plus grip, which is less tapered in the lower hand that the standard

Educating all levels of golfers about how correctly

eye line, for example. The length of the putter

fitted equipment will improve their game.

really defines the player’s eye line relative to the

Pistolero grip.

Phantom X has been well received at retail

golf ball, which can massively dictate the arc

and the feedback from the events I’ve hosted

What’s the most important thing

of the stroke. We look to get a player’s eye line

since the launch have been very positive. With

you’ve learnt about putters since

between one and two inches inside the ball to

nine different models in the range we can really

working for Titleist?

create the natural arc of the stroke.

dial in what the golfer is looking for when

Firstly it has been great to learn from Henry

wanting a mallet design.

Byrne, Scotty Cameron’s rep on the European

What makes Scotty Cameron

Tour. Working under Henry has given me an

putters stand out?

How much time do you spend

insight to what the best players are looking

Ultimately it comes down Scotty himself. His

talking to PGA Pros about the

for when it comes to their ‘gamer’. This has

goal is to create the finest milled putters in the

benefits of a Cameron putter?

helped create a better understanding of the art

world. Every bit of detail is covered from the

A huge part of my role is to spend time with

of putting and product knowledge to take into

engineering and design, with every Cameron

our retail partners to educate and provide a

my consumer days across the UK and Ireland.

putter being precision milled to extremely

greater understanding of the brand, its roots

tight tolerances all aspects of the putters are

and the range of the current putters.

How important is it to get custom

consistent for every single golfer.

fitted for a putter?

Of course, the Scotty Cameron website has a wide range of reading material too.

Putting is a very important aspect to any

Phantom-X putters are the latest in

golfer’s game. The coolest part of our education

the Scotty Cameron range. What are

which has some great content from Scotty

process is the way we fit a tour pro, a PGA pro,

their key design features?

himself, as well as our Titleist University,

or an amateur golfer is exactly the same. The

Scotty’s inspiration for Phantom X came from

which can help develop both fitting and

key areas we look at are shape, length, toe flow, weight, loft and lie. Scotty Cameron himself

There is also the Cameron YouTube page

product knowledge.

The putter market is very competitive,

likes to call this the ‘Art of Putting’. Having

however by stocking the Scotty Cameron

a putter that will suit your stroke will lead to

brand in store a PGA pro will have the one

more consistency and more putts holed.

of the leading manufacturers in both blade and mallet designs in the market. Having the

36

How does the way a golfer putts

option to fit and educated your members for

influence what putter will suit them?

the correct spec of putter will help improve on

Set up can influence a lot of things such as

the most important areas of the game.

October 2019

| www.pga.info

R E TA I L WATC H T RA DE

Taking stock of

Black Friday Once regarded as the beginning of the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy, ‘Black Friday’ has lost favour with many retailers, especially those in the golf industry, many of whom are now adopting a more customer-orientated approach that focuses on adding value rather than cutting prices

‘‘

It makes no sense to offer the new Autumn/Winter lines in a sale when, in a few weeks’ time, it would all sell at full price as Christmas gifts

Black Friday sales at Asda in 2013 saw fight breaks out over TVs

has impacted on the golf industry at club level, Crossover Technologies talked to three PGA Professionals about this annual event – which this year falls on November 29 – to find out how they go about maximising sales at this busy time of the year.

Carl Bianco, PGA Professional, Woking Golf Club

Carl Bianco, Head PGA Professional, Woking Golf Club, Surrey “I totally ignore Black Friday from a retail point of view. My view is that club professsionals have to identify their audience and focus on maximising the opportunities from that chosen market.

“We don’t want to create a new market for our shops where customers expect discount sales and then wait for them in future trading cycles. It makes no sense to me to offer the new Autumn/Winter lines in a sale when, in a few weeks’ time, it would all sell at full price as Christmas gifts.

“I specialise in offering high quality performance goods for a demanding and specific clientele. I don’t think these

Many golf retailers are turning their backs on Black Friday-style sales in favour of offering added value through extra services like free gripping and wedge gapping

The PGA Professional

almost year-round discounting by many high street shops and online retailers, Black Friday is no longer the cash generator it once was, and in recent years has resulted in heavy losses as retailers trip over themselves in a race to the bottom on price.

In order to uncover how Black Friday

‘‘

W

idely recognised as the unofficial start of the month-long shopping frenzy that leads up to Christmas, ‘Black Friday’ – and its new online friend ‘Cyber Monday’ – have now become firm fixtures in the UK retail calendar since their arrival on these shores some 10 years ago.

But while Black Friday started out by grabbing headlines for the heavy discounting of electrical goods by major high street retailers – and the images of customers fighting over 60-inch TVs – these flash sales, which traditionally take place at the end of November, quickly spread to a wide range of product sectors, including many golf retailers and pro shops, all of whom were hoping to make a fast buck from panic-induced purchases.

Since those heady days, and the onset of

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37

T RA DE R E TA I L WATC H discerning customers will be tempted to impulsively buy because of a Black Friday sale, and I’m not going to upset my customers who paid full price by offering the same goods heavily discounted. There’s plenty of business out there, and I certainly don’t want to focus on attracting the high turnover, low margin end of the market into my store.

“The timing of Black Friday very often coincides with my end of summer clearance sale, where I price to get my investment back, ready for reinvesting in newer stock lines.”

Stuart Disney, Head PGA Professional, Mendip Golf Club, Somerset “Years ago, I would follow the Black Friday trend and put on a huge sale of products over a weekend, just to turn stock over, but this had a really negative effect on my business. We found ourselves doing deals on product that we hadn’t anticipated and the effect on my margins was profound.

‘‘

A Black Friday sale can have a purpose of reducing dead stock, but it highlights poor initial buying decisions

‘‘

Joshua Harvey, PGA Professional, Edgbaston Golf Academy

“Another downside, of course, is that educated customers will hold off on purchases, and wait for your Black Friday sale.

“I haven’t done anything for Black Friday for the last two years and it hasn’t hurt me at all. Instead of reacting to external events like this, I now look at my stock levels and whether I need to clear anything prior to Christmas.

“Last year, I did a club MOT weekend at around the same time as Black Friday. It was a great weekend, with lots of free services on offer. We asked members to come into the shop and we offered advice on their equipment. We did a few trolley services, re-spiked lots of shoes, and if a member wanted a full set of grips, we might do a deal on it. This ‘value-add’ approach really sowed a seed when it came to servicing, or upgrading kit. In terms of turnover, it wasn’t amazing, but it definitely put us to the forefront of customers’ minds.”

Joshua Harvey, PGA Professional and Retail manager, Edgbaston Golf Academy, Birmingham “At Edgbaston Golf Academy, we no longer offer a Black Friday sale, due to our stock being better managed, and therefore not having any clearance stock. Instead, we take advantage of the raised customer expectation for offers and sales, to provide our services free of charge, such as custom fitting and gapping sessions. This strategy allows us to up-sell other products, such as hardware and grips, and definitely helps attract new customers, among members and visitors, for the following months.

“Years ago, when our stock holding was

riday F k c a l B Tips Black Friday can be a good way of getting rid of unwanted or excess stock, but usually at the expense of margin. You’ll often find that although your turnover will be up, the money in your bank is the same.

If you have excess stock, can you sell it before the start of the season? If Christmas is normally good for you, do you really want to damage that in November with a big sale?

BF Tip: Have a look at your figures from previous years and compare them to the months around Black Friday. November is traditionally bigger than October, but smaller than December.

BF Tip: If you have a stock turn of less than 2, you’re below the national average and holding onto too much stock. In this case, a Black Friday sale might be good to help turn stock over.

slightly higher, we marketed and advertised a Black Friday Auction, whereby members could come into the shop over the weekend, knowing what products were available in advance, and place a bid. This generated a lot of conversation and interest between members, and when some members entered into a bidding war, we were able to make a higher profit margin, than if we were to just sell the item at a single sale price.

“I find that while discounting might gather some interest, it sets an expectation that things will be discounted in the future, and is likely to damage your margin. Yes, Black Friday can have a purpose of reducing dead stock, but it highlights poor initial buying decisions. Therefore, we’ve now realised if we spend more time analysing what has gone well, and how we need to change in the future, we should not need to offer reduced stock in our sales.”

Your XPOS system works out your stock turn for you and can help you decide whether a Black Friday sale might be good for your business. For advice, please get in touch with our Support Team. DM us on Twitter @CT_HelpTeam or contact us via the CHAT button on our website crossovertec.co.uk Follow us on social.

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October 2019

| www.pga.info

R E TA I L WATC H T RA DE

Managing excess stock Your summer apparel ranges should be a distant memory by now, but if you do still have old product hanging around, Crossover Technologies retail expert Mark Hopkins has some timely advice on what to do with it and how to avoid it happening again

E

xcess stock can have a negative effect on your retail business, and whatever your reasons for leftover products at the end of the season, one thing’s for sure – a surplus of stock can seriously damage your bottom line.

Firstly, any excess or dead stock will likely force you to heavily discount items, leading to a reduction in margin and profit. Not only that, it ties up capital you could otherwise re-invest in new stock, and takes up space in the stock room, or shop.

Ask yourself, do you want to store or clear your surplus stock? If the answer is ‘store’, just make sure there’s enough space in the stock room to hide it away until the right time next year. But if you’re looking to get rid of your surplus products, there are several things you can do to make sure you get it right.

Organise sale rails to make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for

Retail expert Mark Hopkins (left) discusses excess stock with Martin Balfour, the Head PGA Professional at Donnington Valley in Berkshire

1

Make sure you know which items are actually ‘excess’. A good ePos will show you. Try the ‘Unpopular Products’ report in XPOS.

want to come to the sale, think about this before planning any promotional activity and change your message according to who you want it to appeal to.

2

AVOID EXCESS STOCK NEXT SEASON There are several reasons why you could find yourself with excess stock this autumn. To avoid surplus stock in your shop again, I recommend adopting a ‘Just in Time’ approach.

It’s really using the model of how we buy electric trolleys. We buy one, we sell one.

Thankfully, the message of reducing stock is hitting home, and following the ‘Just in Time’ model will pay dividends next year.

Firstly, pros are not left with huge amounts of stock to discount at the end of the season.

And secondly, by working in a more efficient way, retailers are looking at what is selling in their shops and ordering the correct quantities. Therefore, cash is freed up that would previously have been sitting on the shelves.

Use the reports in XPOS to keep on top of what is and isn’t selling. You then start to make decisions based on facts and not guesswork.

Set targets for your shop. What do you think you can get rid of in the next two weeks? Set your staff a challenge.

Make sure they’re educated about the sale items, and see which staff member can sell the most. If there are specific types of customer you want to sell to – men, women, beginners, advanced – your sales team should tailor their conversations to direct customers to specific items.

3

Try refreshing your store by moving things around. This will catch customers’ attention and make them discover new parts of the store.

4

If you’re putting on a clearance sale, make sure you market it well or you’re missing an opportunity. You could just send out a general newsletter, but if there are specific groups of people you

For a detailed look at your shop business, and help with planning and budgeting, book a Business Health Review with retail expert Mark Hopkins. Get in touch via mark.hopkins@crossovertec.co.uk. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn

The PGA Professional

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39

T RA DE F O OT W E A R

If the shoe fits...

Style, design and comfort are the most important factors in the purchase of golf shoes and this season the leading companies are working hard to offer all three.

C

omfort definitely rules the roost when it comes to golf footwear.

Although price and design are important considerations, comfort and durability come first when choosing new shoes. After all, a round of golf can equal around 4 miles of walking which can be very hard on the feet.

“Consumers are getting increasingly demanding, and are not willing to forego any one characteristic of a shoe to prioritise another. Comfort is desired by every golfer and it is expected. The demands on a golf shoe are very diverse, and often opposing and as such it takes skill, knowledge and golf-specific experience to be able to deliver on this such as walking flexibility for comfort combined with structure and stability for swinging. Unlocking the perfect fit and performance features will lead to a happy golfer,” said Richard Fryer, Director of FootJoy’s Footwear Product Management.

Technology and performance materials are playing a major role in providing the ultimate in comfort for golfers. From anatomical lasts to waterproofing, the golf shoe is the focus of pioneering footwear adidas Tour 360 XT PRIMEKNIT shoe

technology. ECCO’s BIOM® last is based on scans of over 2,000 feet, so as to mirror the contour of the human foot thus producing the most natural fit.

Over at adidas, the focus has been on the introduction of Primeknit technology designed to improve performance and comfort while helping the environment through the use of recycled materials. adidas Footwear manager, Leigh Goode explains.

“Prime Knit is a technology name for one piece, knitted upper used to make the primary outlook. We don’t line with another fabric, all the technology is in the weave and we add our treatments to it. This means it can stretch to any shaped foot, and are highly breathable, and use a hydrophobic yarn which repels water while internal films protect 100% from the rain.”

POP AND SOLE Black and white remain strong colours in golf shoes, although more colours are appearing, whether it be highlight shades or full block colours.

Red, yellow, green, purple are often used as to provide highlights on uppers, along

with sole edgings. This year, the adidas Tour360 range includes one style with a bright red sole, and top highlights contrasting vividly with the more traditional white and grey.

LEISURE PREMIUM When it comes to price, golfers are prepared to pay premium prices for good quality shoes that meet all their requirements, especially if opting for shoes that can be worn for general leisure as well as a round of golf.

Having a wide range of shoes and brands from which to choose is proving equally important for customers.

Accessories such as socks, shoe cleaners and shoe bags are also providing useful sales opportunities for golf retailers, likewise the most basic items of all – laces.

Having a good range of accessories on sale in store ensures golfers will visit the store regularly, and make it their automatic choice when needing fast access to new equipment and clothing.

Golfers want to keep their shoes in tip top condition and PING has noticed that shoe bags are becoming a key accessory with

‘‘

Golfers are prepared to pay premium prices for good quality shoes that meet all their requirements

‘‘

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October 2019

| www.pga.info

Spikes vs spikeless The debate over spikes vs spikeless shoes continues, although the signs are that spikeless shoes are gaining ever more supporters as the number of spikeless styles is growing steadily.

FootJoy’s Richard Fryer says, “Spiked and spikeless was a significant purchase differentiator at the beginning of the decade – either golfers wanted the traction and grip from a spiked shoe, or were happy to forego some of the performance for a more casual silhouette. As technology has progressed, we are able to create technically spikeless outsoles, that deliver all the necessary performance for golfers playing at the highest level.”

STICKING POWER Wearing spikeless shoes no longer means any loss in traction or stability. Manufacturers are focusing on ways to combine both comfort and performance into a golf shoe. At adidas for example, the new TOUR360 XT PRIMEKNIT incorporates forging technology enabling greater stability to be created midfoot without adding extra weight. adidas believes that textiles are a key feature in footwear development, focusing on where to add stretch and where structure is needed. Leigh Goode points out that, “Golf shoes undertake a lot of tension when the golfer swings and the requirements are quite different to a normal walking stride.”

HYBRID REVOLUTION Over at ECCO, Marketing Manager Timo Vollrath says, “many golfers are switching from traditional cleated models and even on Tour you can see many more players opting for spikeless or hybrid shoes. The hybrid revolution is one of the biggest changes in golf equipment and our range of outsole platforms and midsole designs provide the perfect balance between dynamic comfort and grip.”

The PGA Professional

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F O OT W E A R T RA DE

FootJoy Surround fit and performance, complete with athleticinfused styling are key features of all-new FJ Fury in smart blue colouring. It incorporates a Dual Density TPU outsole for enhanced stability and turf grabbing traction; an FTF+ Midsole for maximum comfort and cushioning, FlexGrid MLC for medial and lateral control, plus OthloLite ‘Impressions’ Dual Density FitBd offering cushioned comfort mirroring the shape of the foot over time.

The FJ Flex provides exceptional on/off course versatility and performance using innovative on/off course traction through new Versa-Trax rubber outsole technology and maximum breathability delivered by lightweight engineered mesh uppers. The use of ultra cushioned Fine Tuned Foam (FTF) FitBed ensures exceptional cross over comfort.

Other popular ranges include FootJoy’s Pro/SL leather men’s spikeless shoes possessing a perimeter weighted outsole for superior stability and Fine Tuned Foam for supple cushioning. The Superlites XP is a lightweight athletic, performance spikeless shoe with synthetic uppers and a waterproof membrane layer. TPU inserts ensure traction and durability along with a soft EVA midsole for comfort.

The All-New FJ Fury with athletic styling

FJ Flex with the new Versa-Trax rubber outsole

FJ Men’s Superlite shoes

FJ PRO/SL classic leather spikeless shoes

golfers wanting functionality combined with a desirable brand name.

And what of the future? Footwear is set to be one of the most innovative sectors of golf fashion over the next few years. Greater use of recycled materials and textiles are being predicted, along with a greater focus on fashion.

SNEAKING IN STYLE Timo Vollrath, Marketing Manager ECCO Golf, said: “We see fashion and lifestyle trends making their way into golf. The trend towards more sneaker style shoes which can be dressed up and down to any style or occasion is something we will definitely see more of in future.”

FootJoy’s Richard Fryer agrees. “The consumer has more power than ever before, and it is their tastes that are driving the direction of golf footwear. One trend is for more casual, ‘sneaker’ like styling, but without

foregoing any of the required on course golf performance. We’re constantly researching consumer trends, particularly outside golf, travelling to cities like New York, LA, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Paris to ensure that we are on top of the latest fashion trends, and using our experience of making golf shoes to make sure they are applicable to golf.” adidas is already promising something unusual for the coming year. Footwear Manager Goode says, “The shoe wall is starting to appear the same, brands are staying safe and at adidas we’re committed to innovation and shaking things up!

“We’ve listened to golfers and they’re asking for something new. If we look at the shoe wall, everything can blur into one.

In 2020 we’re going to stand out from the crowd with a brand new shoe no one has ever seen before.”

Clearly, it is a matter of quite simply – watch this space.

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T RA DE F O OT W E A R

ECCO

TOUR360XT-SL white shoe with red highlight

Innovative technology combine with natural yak leather to create new levels of performance and comfort in ECCO’S BIOM® COOL PRO shoes. The shoes are available in both male and female styles.

The BIOM® Natural Motion last system ensures that the shoe provides a totally anatomical fit, with a-low-to-theground sole structure for ground responsiveness when out on the course. A T.PU EXHAUST GRID is built into the midsole providing larger, angled openings scooping air in and channeling it directly to the sole of the foot providing a more comfortable shoe. The shoes are 100% waterproof due to the use of GORE-TEX® SURROUND® materials, which also provide 360º breathability keeping feet dry and comfortable.

As an extra benefit FLUIDFORM ™ technology is used to bond the upper and outsole unit, thus creating a one-piece shoe without any use of glue or stitching. This lightweight construction provides greater flexibility and durability/ ZARMA-TOUR® spikes provide superior traction while a rotation line on the toe enhances agility on the course.

TOUR 360XT-SL in conventional black

adidas Tour 360 XT PRIMEKNIT textile upper close up

TOUR360 XT-SL sole

ECCO Biom Cool Pro range

adidas

Duca del Cosma Soft premium Nappa leather is used to make these stunning Duca del Cosma golf shoes. Orange adds a colourful touch to the men’s Belair, while the women’s Marquessa comes in an animal print highlighted in metallic gold. Both styles feature Airplay outsoles designed to combine functionality with fit providing cushioning across the whole sole area, along with 5mm nubs perfect for generating progressive stability during a swing.

Duca Del Cosma’s Marquesa Animal/gold print shoes

Duca Del Cosma’s Belair style

42

New to the adidas range are textile based PrimeKnit styles which include plastic reclaim material from the oceans within the yarn material. TOUR360XT PRIMEKNIT is a medium fitting shoe, incorporating an eight-cleat TPU Puremotion outsole, X-Traxion secondary lugs, a Responsive Boost midsole, Thintech EXP cleats, 360Wrap for support and an INSITE® Sockliner to provide additional fit and balance.

TOUR360XT-SL is available in both regular and wide fit, with a leather and microfibre synthetic upper. It incorporates a spikeless Puremotion outsole, X-Traxion primary lugs, and a Torsion X stability bar, 360Wrap to support the foot plus a full grain leather heel lining.

PING Hardwearing 300 denier polyester complete with a durable PU coating on the bottom ensures PING’s shoebag is long lasting. The capacious bag fits all shoe sizes up to size 12, as well as any accessories such as spare laces with ease. The bag incorporates a hidden mesh cut out preventing moisture build up. The Reflective zipper pulls enable the bag to be easily used at any time of day.

October 2019

| www.pga.info

POWER AND Finesse COMES FROM THE FEET

ducadelcosma.com

enquiries@ducadelcosma.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)7970 499142

T RAV EL D E S T I N AT I O N G U I D E

Coaching in Costa de la Luz For great, value-for-money golf, look no further than the Spanish region of Costa de la Luz. Sharing a border with the sleepy eastern Algarve, the sun-drenched Andalusian destination is home to one of Spain’s most popular golf resorts and coaching break venues, Precise Resort El Rompido 5★.

El Rompido has some great facilities

The resort boasts two

The 5★ resort is set

STAY Nestled in a picturesque fishing village and surrounded by the National Wetlands Wildlife Preserve, El Rompido is one of the most outstanding resorts in the region and boasts 196 modern rooms, a sports club, four bars and restaurants and a beautiful spa.

Whether you’re enjoying a game of golf on the resort’s magnificent 36-hole golf course, tapas by the marina, or making the most of the year-round sunshine on La Flecha del Rompido, the five-star hotel offers a little slice of Mediterranean heaven.

With great value half board & all-inclusive packages its easy to see why this 5* resort is our most popular Spanish pro travel venue.

PLAY El Rompido benefits from two 18-hole golf courses on-site and the excellent Olazabal design Monacilla is only a short drive away if you fancy venturing out for a day away.

The two Alvaro Arana designed courses, the

stunning courses

al park

in a beautiful nation

North and the South, will provide a challenging but fair test for your group.

The North course is spectacular, with the opening holes skirting around the wetlands, before opening out to afford magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean.

By contrast, the South Course, built in 2003, is set amid orange and pine groves.

Built to USGA specifications, the course provides an enjoyable test, making maximum advantage of the beautiful natural setting.

COACHING FACILITIES El Rompido boasts some of the most comprehensive practice facilities in the region.

With plenty of space for large coaching groups, The excellent facilities include 2 grass range areas, a dedicated Excellent practice facilities at El Rompido 80-metre long short game area, 2 putting greens and a large short game green with bunker. An area of the range can be reserved for Golfbreaks customers if you are planning on a coaching break.

GETTING THERE Faro Airport (Portugal) is situated approximately 60 minutes from El Rompido. Daily flights take off from most major UK airports with airlines such as Jet2, Ryanair, EasyJet & British Airways to name a few. The average flight time is just under 3 hours.

TOP TIP The most popular times for pro groups to travel are between September and November and late February and April. Situated on the Atlantic coast the climate is Mediterranean, with very mild winters making it a great destination for coaching breaks to kick start the season!

PRO PACKAGE • 4 nights Half Board • 3 rounds of Golf • FREE airport transfers (when staying for 7 nights and 5 rounds) • FREE room upgrade (subject to availability) • FREE Unlimited Golf (selected dates) • From £369 per person • Pro goes FREE with 7 amateurs and earns 5% commission

For more information on how the Golf Pro Travel team can help please contact 01753 752 880 or email pga@golfbreaks.com @Golfbreaks_Pro @golfbreaks_pro_travel

44

October 2019

| www.pga.info

D E S T I N AT I O N G U I D E T RAV E L

Magical Mauritius A tiny tropical island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, golf in Mauritius is absolute paradise. With turquoise sea, white sands and emerald fairways, it’s little wonder that it is fast becoming a popular long-haul favourite amongst pro groups looking for a luxurious trip with a difference.

STAY One of the most popular resorts on the island, particularly amongst pro groups, is the 5* Constance Belle Mare Plage.

Located in Poste de Flacq on a stretch of one of the most stunning beaches, the highly acclaimed resort offers an extensive array of amenities with no less than 6 trendy bars and 7 restaurants found on-site. With a wide variety of international cuisine on offer, there will be something to please even the pickiest members of your group.

A trip to the hotels fine dining restaurant, Blue Penny Cellar, is also a must for your group at least once during your stay. The exclusive a la carte restaurant is located in a sophisticated wine cellar and houses around 15,000 bottles of wine from more than 1,300 wineries around the world!

Legend, the latter being home to the Staysure Tour’s seasonal finale, the MCB Tour Championship.

The Legend golf course, designed by South African Hugh Baiocchi, is located along one of the most beautiful beaches in Mauritius and right outside the hotel. The 6,579-yard course, built to USPGA specifications and surrounded by water and laid in the heart of an indigenous forest, will provide a stern but enjoyable test for each member of your group.

The 6,500-yard Links course, is a

PLAY The stunning resort boasts two 18-hole championship golf courses, the Links and The resort is set on 2km of stunning beach

The Links course is USPGA standard

Complimentary balls are on offer at Belle Mare Plage for coaching groups

Great second course at Belle Mare Plage

challenging 18 hole course also built to USPGA specifications. In contrast to the Legend course, the Links has been laid out over beautiful undulating terrain with raised tee boxes and greens. Facing the setting sun, it is perfect for an afternoon round after coaching your group in the morning.

COACHING FACILITIES Both courses are well equipped with excellent practice facilities including a range, practice area and putting green if you are planning on offering tuition for your members. Unlimited balls are complimentary, and an area of the practice facilities can be reserved on request for your group.

GETTING THERE Located on the north-east coast of the island, it is only a 60-minute transfer from Sir Rangoolam International Airport or a 15-minute helicopter ride!

Ten flights per week operate out of London with British Airways, Air Mauritius and Thomson Airways all providing direct flights.

The average flight time is 12 hours to Sir Rangoolam International Airport.

TOP TIP Travel between November & March, where temperatures reach up to 28 degrees, giving you the perfect opportunity to escape the UK for some winter sun!

PRO PACKAGE • 7 nights All-Inclusive • 7 rounds of Golf • FREE range balls and buggies • From £1,470 per person • Pro goes FREE with 7 amateurs and earns 5% commission

For more information on how the Golf Pro Travel team can help please contact 01753 752 880 or email pga@golfbreaks.com @Golfbreaks_Pro @golfbreaks_pro_travel

The PGA Professional

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45

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B U S I N E S S T RAV E L

Try an overseas Pro-Am

Were you Inspired by the recent Solheim Cup? If you have never experienced an overseas Pro-Am then these events are a great way to take a small group of members or clients away to experience a golf break with a competitive edge! With free places for pros, guaranted prize funds and winter sun, what’s not to like about playing in a Pro-Am!

What format do Pro-Ams normally take?

Pro-Am events are generally a group of 4 players, made up of 3 amateurs and 1 professional. Most Pro-Ams usually take the form of an Individual Pro Strokeplay and a best 2 from 4 stableford for the team event.

The events can last anywhere from 3 days to a week and offer a great opportunity to escape the UK for some Winter sun!

What’s in it for you?

• Earn Money The majority of Pro-Ams have a guaranteed prize fund for professionals ranging anywhere from £4000 upwards. If you have a good week you can easily pick up a nice cheque, and as most prize funds pay out lower down the leaderboard, you’re still guaranteed to make money even if you have an off week!

• Play golf Playing in Pro-Ams gives you the opportunity to experience some of the best golf courses in the world and experience it with a group of your members who will undoubtedly be talking about the tournament to their friends and colleagues for years to come.

• Amateur experience This is worth its weight in gold as your team will be singing your praises to everyone who wants to listen on their return home and provides you with the opportutunity to create a life-long bond with your team-mates. For a lot of amateurs, to play golf in a competitive environment on some of the best courses in the world with their home professional is their ultimate golfing experience and provides them with bragging rights over their fellow members back at the golf club.

QDL John Drummond – Pro-Ams are great for bonding with your members

Pro-Am – Play some of the world’s best courses

• Enjoy the sun Who doesn’t enjoy playing golf with the sun on their back whilst its freezing cold back at home?! I can guarantee your members do!

Pro-Ams represent the perfect opportunity to escape the cold and dreary winter to enjoy playing some fantastic golf courses in shorts and t-shirts!

Simon Lilly, PGA Professional at Staverton Park Golf Club says, “I’ve done many Pro-Ams over the years and it’s a great way to get away through the winter, bring a group of guys which I coach back at home and to

spend some time with them and to see how they are playing on the course.”

GOLFBREAKS INTERNATIONAL PROAM Has reading this whet your appetite?

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Golfbreaks International Pro-Am at Aphrodite Hills • 5th – 9th February 2020 • 4 nights bed & breakfast, 3 rounds of golf • Welcome and prize giving dinners • £8,000 Professional prize fund (based on 20 teams) • Excellent amateur prizes • Plus many more extras • Amateur price from £949 • Pro goes FREE with a team of 3 amateurs

Aphrodite Hills is host to Golfbreaks International Pro-Am in 2020

For more information on how the Golf Pro Travel team can help please contact 01753 752 880 or email pga@golfbreaks.com @Golfbreaks_Pro @golfbreaks_pro_travel

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47

T RAV EL O F F E R S

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October 2019

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Pro Travel Early Birdie Exclusive has been extended...

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COACHING T H E O RY

Fit for purpose

F

Philip Dye and Jack Wells discuss the lofty topic of club fitting

or PGA Professionals involved in custom fitting or coaching it is important to understand how golf club specifications interact with the swing characteristics of players to produce the ball flight. There are a wide range of club specifications which can be altered to optimise performance. Some of these specifications will have more of an impact than others and many of these specifications are misunderstood by the general golfing public.

One specification that continues to cause confusion is the club loft, which is made even more complicated with the dominance of adjustable hosel driver designs in the market place.

Loft is an important fitting specification which influences the initial vertical launch angle, spin and speed of the golf ball which all combine to effect distance and trajectory.

Given that increasing distance is the predominant request from golfers looking to lower their handicap and the way in which driving distance is being promoted as a key factor to scoring, it is important that coaches and custom fitting practitioners are aware of the actual lofts being used by the players they work with. But how do we know what the loft of any particular driver actually is? The most obvious answer would be to check the stated loft that is usually written on the sole of the club. However, research has demonstrated that manufacturers stated lofts rarely match the static loft measurements when measured in a traditional loft measuring device. Another suggestion would be to measure the loft angle using an appropriate measuring gauge, but due to the sole radius (both heel-to-toe and leading-to-trailing edge) and sometimes complex sole features, placing the driver in the correct position can be difficult.

Added to this is the roll on the clubface and so variation between measurements, especially between different individuals of varying levels of experience seems inevitable.

50

In order to establish the loft angle, the club needs to be placed in the correct lie angle position and this can be achieved in a number of ways.

The clubhead can be positioned so the grooves on the face are parallel to the base of the measurement gauge.

1

2

The head may be positioned so that the apex of the heel to toe sole radius touches the base of the measurement gauge. This method would be recommended when the grooves are not parallel to the apex of the heel to toe sole radius or when the sole radius is not uniform.

3

The head can be positioned to touch the base of the measurement gauge with the centre of the sole vertically in line with the centre of the face and then tilted so the distance from the base of the gauge to the toe and heel side ends of the sole are the same distance up from the base of the measurement gauge.

Having established the proper lie angle, the head must be positioned to measure the loft.

In the past, wooden drivers were produced with a flatter sole plane between the leading and trailing edge. The driver would be positioned so that it was resting on the major

flat portion of its sole or in its natural playing position. With modern drivers, a more pronounced sole radius and intricate sole designs make finding the proper position to measure the loft angle more complicated.

There are two ways to establish the correct position to measure the loft.

The head can be positioned so that it sits on the major flat portion of the sole or its predominant position of rest when placed on a flat level surface.

The club head can be positioned so the club face is in a square position.

1

2

Either method then makes use of a protractor to measure the loft formed between the angle of the shaft and pitch of the face.

While this sounds simple, an accurate measurement can be difficult to establish given the curvature of the club face.

In order to establish any differences in the manufacturers stated lofts and the reliability of measurements taken in an appropriate measuring device we asked six PGA Professionals to measure the loft of a modern driver using a loft and lie machine produced

by Golf Works.

METHODS AND RESULTS The driver utilised for this experiment came with manufactures specifications stated as 10.5° loft and an ‘average’ lie angle of 58°. We asked participants to measure and

Table 1: Indicates the individual loft and lie scores for each PGA Professional along with the mean values and the range Club

Static lie angle (˚)

Static loft angle (˚)

1

62

15

2

59

11

3

59

11

4

58

11

5

59

9.2

6

49

11

Mean

57.67

11.37

Range

49-62

9.2-15

October 2019

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T H E O RY COAC H I NG PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS For Coaches and Club Builders:

Figure 1: Method used to establish lie angle

report what values they obtained for static loft and lie measurements (see Table 1).

From this information, only one PGA Professional’s measurements corresponded to the manufacturers lie angle, with none of the PGA Professionals agreeing with the manufacturers stated loft. Despite this, the mean values are very similar to those reported by the manufacturer. Interestingly, there appears to be a large range in the values obtained which varied by 13˚ for the lie angle and 5.8˚ for loft. This suggests that each Professional is utilising different techniques to analyse these static measurements.

Informal discussions with participants after the measurements were reported confirmed that different methods were being used to establish the static loft measurements.

When measuring the lie angle, all participants positioned the driver so that the grooves were parallel to the base of the measurement gauge (Figure 1).

Interestingly, a number of participants commented on how upright the club appeared to sit in the measuring device and all agreed that this would not resemble the playing lie angle that would be required

when swinging the club. This caused a few participants to question their initial reading and this may go some way to explaining the differences in the lie angle measurements reported.

When measuring the loft angle, only one of the participants soled the driver on the major flat portion of the sole (Figure 2) and all others chose to square the clubface (Figure 3) before reporting their measurements.

The participant who soled the club reported a static loft of 15° and this higher measurement is consistent with the method used based on previous research that has looked in detail at the static loft measurements of modern adjustable drivers.

For those participants who squared the clubface before taking the loft, the measurements reported were generally consistent and close to the manufacturer’s markings on the sole of the club. This is not unexpected as many manufacturers often state that their loft measurements are an indication of the dynamic loft delivered at impact when the clubface is square although this is not the case with the model tested here.

Figure 2: Driver soled with open clubface

Figure 3: Driver positioned with square clubface

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Despite the inconsistencies reported here, experienced club builders using a standardised procedure when taking their own static loft and lie measurements can be effective and a high level of consistency was demonstrated with one participant who measured the test driver several times. An important factor here is ensuring that the procedure is repeated on the same loft and lie gauge as there are often inconsistencies between devices, especially if they have not been calibrated correctly. It may also be advisable to measure the static loft of drivers by rotating the clubface into a square position once the correct lie angle has been established. In this study this method produced consistent readings which were much closer to the manufacturers stated loft and this may help to reduce the amount of confusion for players and develop trust in both the equipment being fitted and the PGA Professional making the recommendations and adjustments.

For Players:

For players’ looking to find the most appropriate driver loft for their own game, the wide range of driver lofts available, differences between brands and manufacturing tolerances, the ideal loft is becoming more and more difficult to establish. Having the loft of your driver checked by an experienced club builder is the best way to establish an accurate loft specification for your driver. The most important thing to consider is the performance of your driver rather than whether or not the specifications provided by club builders are in-line with the stated specifications provided by manufacturers. The best lie angle and loft for you will be those that regularly produce the desired ball flight and distance you require.

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COACHING B U S I N E S S

Going it alone Mark Tungate is the head professional at Caldecott Hall in Great Yarmouth. He speaks to PGA Business Relationship Officer Sam Carr about how he has built his business by engaging with the public and attracting new members to the club.

When you first decided to focus on coaching as a business and a career choice, what were your primary goals?

I qualified in 2006 and I was working under a head PGA Professional and another Assistant.

My pro after a year. I applied for the job and got it.

I continued on a paid retainer up until three to four years ago. The situation at my club changed, the owners wanted me to take a new shop on and carry on the role with no retainer. I then had to weigh the situation up and I realised it wasn’t viable if I wanted to make money.

I quickly set out a plan to try to attract and look at different audiences in the coaching environment. I went into the community and started working with a variety of health organisations, leisure facilities and tried to build a business around that, other than traditionally in the shop and coaching. I went out to look at a different group of people to coach.

Mark Tungate gives an indoor coaching lesson to one of his many amateur golfers

How did you change your approach and adapt to the non-

week and it helped me increase my profile.

helped me increase my followers on social

traditional coaching role?

I’m still riding on that wave on the back of

media and anyone who had a lesson was on

I didn’t have any experience at all. Initially

that experience. It was hugely beneficial. I

the list.

it was difficult, but I gradually found my

was in local and national news before, during

footing and started to build up my contacts

and after the event. I didn’t have much social

What has been your greatest

of influential people in the area. These were

media training but working at The Open

challenge after focussing on

all types of people in influential positions who opened up new avenues for me.

What has been the most beneficial personal development experience?

Working at the 2017 Swingzone at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale opened my eyes to coaching on national stage. It put me in contact with my peers and it opened extra avenues to explore. It was a hugely enjoyable

52

‘‘

Working at the 2017 Swingzone at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale opened my eyes to coaching on national stage.

‘‘

doctors, people who worked in the council,

coaching as your main source of income?

Losing my retainer and basically starting again, that was when I thought ‘where do I go’ and ‘how do I build this up’. The core membership at my golf club really supported me and helped me build my position up, whereas now I’ve got regular income and I haven’t got to worry too much about getting the work because the work is there regularly.

That was my biggest concern when I had my initial change.

October 2019

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B U S I N E S S COAC H I NG

those core members?

We had regular meetings when I lost my retainer. I put all sorts of coaching days out there; learn golf in a day, chipping evenings, and social events tied in with that. I was very much trying to move away from the standard lesson approach. I wanted people to socialise and feel part of a group and that’s been a huge success. We’ve had a laugh during the lessons as much as we have after them too. I now run my own golf societies on the back of these groups and we go away to various clubs and enjoy ourselves that way. It’s hugely enjoyable and profitable at the same time.

‘‘

I was very much trying to move away from the standard lesson approach. I wanted people to socialise and feel part of a group and that’s been a huge success.

‘‘

What did you do to engage with

at the club. They’ll continue to have lessons, buy equipment from the club so that’s repeat business.

How do you engage with new clients/customers who may not have considered playing golf before?

I’d just have a chat to them first. I’d take them for a walk around the club. You can enjoy this game for as little or as much as you want. It’s not your standard playing 18 holes of golf and then you go home. We’re really trying to accommodate for everyone. People are busy now but it’s about creating that friendly

In the club we’ve created a rookies group and

environment which is still a tough thing to

How has your coaching business

I’ve now got a PGA Level One volunteer who

achieve because there’s still that perception

model been successful?

works under me. She runs a rookie playing

around the game and a golf club that it’s a

I want to create a relationship with the

group. I will coach and then on a Saturday

‘closed shop’.

customer. If I get people into a group and

morning they will come to the club, go for

they go off and are friends with each other.

nine holes on our par three course just to get

What are current aspirations with

That’s creating a friendly and inclusive

the social engagement. That’s been fantastic.

your coaching business?

environment, that’s priceless from a business

There is nobody in our area who has got

I’ve restricted myself to being on my own. I’ve

point of view. If you look at my position, I’m

that. We’ve had 50-100 people taking part

done all of my coaching by myself and filled

the gateway into the golf club. I’ll meet and

in that now and most of them have gone

my time. I think I’d like to expand my brand

greet, then take them all through the club.

into membership, so that’s fulfilling my role

into people teaching for me, then I can get out more and put myself into a project more rather than spreading myself thinly over lots of areas.

What key tips would you give new coaches trying to establish their business?

From my experience going from a traditional club professional and trying to aspire to that, I think the newly qualified pros have got to look outside the box. Go into the community, look for pots of funding and find out how that can be used in the golf world.

From my experience you’ve just got to work hard, know the right people and be in the right places to go and find that. That took me a while to suss that out and I’m still learning because the ‘funding pots’ are ever changing and there’s a lucrative market there. That’s where I’d focus.

Mark Tungate was speaking to PGA Business Relationship Officer Sam Car. Get in touch with Sam to find out how your regional BRO

Mark Tungate (right) pictured with former England cricket star Kevin Pietersen

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can help you. Email sam.carr@pga.org.uk

53

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I N T E RV I E W PER S O N A L DEV ELO PM ENT

Q&A High performance coaching From a healthy sibling rivalry to learning more about the game through his own research, PGA Master Professional Steven Orr, director of coaching at the Cranfield Golf Academy, has established himself as one of the most respected golf coaches in the UK.

very lucky that the R&A have allowed me to use their facility and Dr Steve Otto has been very generous in helping me understand the data. It’s been an interesting journey and is still ongoing and I’m enjoying sharing the findings with other PGA Professionals.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

As well as day to day coaching I am an England golf regional coach and I really

What inspired you take up the

enjoy working with the squad of players I

game?

have. They are aged between 13 and 17, and

I think the fact that my dad was a very keen

PGA Master Professional Steven Orr

golfer definitely helped and also the fact that

handicaps between 1 and +2. I have 30 days with them through the year and find the role

my brother started at a similar time set a

How proud are you to be one

really rewarding. I also travel a fair bit each

few things off in motion: competitiveness,

of the first PGA Members to

year in various coach education roles. I’m a

a great club environment and just a gradual

undertake the UKCC Level 4

golf developer for the R&A/PGA of Europe

fascination with the game.

Certificate in Coaching?

and the projects they send me on to various

Yes, it was an enjoyable journey through the

different countries are hugely enjoyable and

Your older brother David is also a

PGDip at Birmingham University. It was a

rewarding.

PGA Professional. Did you enjoy a

definitely critical moment in my coaching

healthy sibling rivalry?

life so far. It really made me step back, look at

What’s the best bit of advice

David is always someone I’ve looked up to.

myself as a coach and how I made decisions,

you’ve received?

He played for Scotland as an amateur and

what learning sources I drew from, and the

To help someone you must first help yourself.

won multiple times as a professional as well.

importance of having an evidence base to

This has stuck with me for some time, the

He has always had a very individual way of

what you do as a coach.

idea that you have to walk your talk.

doing things and that has influenced how I

As a coach if I’m working with a good What led to your decision to focus

player and I’m asking them to hit a certain

on strike location on the club

shot, it’s important to me that I can hit

How did a round of golf with

face and factors that can impact

that shot. It’s the same with the short game

Bubba Watson change your career

distance and control?

workshops I do. It’s important to me that

path?

I always felt quite competent in the area of

I demonstrate what I’m talking about in

I’ve been lucky to play with three Ryder Cup

short game myself, much more than I ever

front of my peers. Otherwise I feel I’m just

players over the years; Bubba Watson and

did with my long game. So I wanted to just

sharing information rather than experience.

Soren Hansen at college in America and Peter

take a look more closely at that area of the

So my message to coaches particularly is

Hanson in a tour event. All three of them

game. Having been in academia for the last

that if we are helping a golfer on a journey

played at a level way above me, even at a

eight years, I’ve become more critical and

of improvement, then we should also be on

younger age. I think it cemented my desire to

my interest in research has really increased.

that journey ourselves. It adds much greater

go into coaching and pursue a different path

And it was apparent that there has hardly

depth to your coaching and makes you more

from playing. As I work with a lot of aspiring

been any empirical research done on short

authentic as a person.

young players and professionals today, I think

game, certainly compared to long game.

my experiences as a player have really helped

So a starting point a few years ago was

What would you have done if you

me in terms of understanding the things that

understanding the effect of where the ball hits

hadn’t been a PGA Professional?

are important to be successful and also the

the face on a wedge shot on launch angle,

That’s pretty easy – I would have definitely

standard required.

carry, smash factor, spin rate etc. I’ve been

gone into the army.

coach a lot.

The PGA Professional

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55

M A R KETING

Attracting the millennial golfer Antje Derks looks at ways to get younger generations playing the game

Arrange access to equipment for anyone seeking to give golf a go

W

to corner and tap into this potentially very lucrative market of buyers.

The millennial generation is made up of adults who came of age around the year 2000, and depending on the source you

Not only do the millennials make up over a quarter of Britain’s working population, they also love to do everything online.

DIGITAL NATIVES Millennials will shortly become the largest age demographic group in the UK overall, meaning that no marketer – whether from a large or small business – can afford to ignore their spending power and should seek ways

use to determine the millennial generation’s exact age range, it usually refers to people born between around 1980 and the mid-1990’s.

‘‘

‘‘

56

hile golf is a sport that really is open to all, most local clubs tend to host a substantial amount of older, wealthier clients – business men, retirees and the like. Sure, there are pockets of youth that are enthusiastic at every club, but more can – and is – being done to attract a new generation of players to clubs. However, the traditional face of golf is changing and as a result so must your marketing strategies. Golf clubs up and down the country need to shake up their marketing to attract younger players in order to continue to thrive and drive the game forward.

They followed on from Generation X and preceded Generation Z, and are perhaps the most interesting of the 20th century’s generational demographics, as millennials grew up during a period of fast advances in tech.

In marketing, they’re often referred to as digital natives.

Not only do the millennials make up over a quarter of Britain’s working population, they also love to do everything online.

And that’s where you need to be marketing – and selling – to them. That said, they are notoriously distrustful of standard advertising and promotional content, so you need to be savvy in your approach.

Millennials are also in a fairly unique position in terms of their net worth and financial standing. Whilst this demographic makes up the largest sector of the UK workforce and theoretically has a large combined disposable income, this doesn’t tell the full story. Many millennials don’t feel that they October 2019

| www.pga.info

M A R K ET I N G

COMPARE THE MARKET For millennials who are struggling to pay rent or a mortgage (or save for a mortgage while paying rent) purchasing decisions of all types aren’t made lightly and tend to be undertaken only after a significant amount of research and comparison, which isn’t easy to sway with traditional marketing because, as already noted, they’re chronically suspicious of adverts and marketing claims.

So how to attract them? Well, by working WITH your club, there are a number of ways that you could get them onto the course and into your shop. Firstly, if we consider that money can be an issue, then why not start a social media campaign to let would-be golfers in your area know that they can borrow a set of clubs for free with every PGA lesson. Most people look at the amount of equipment you need to play golf and might assume they can’t have a go without having clubs. It’s your job to

Engage with millennials via their preferred media platforms

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get the message out that that’s not the case.

Maybe you already do offer free loan of clubs – but are you getting that message out there effectively?

Then there are the different versions of ‘golf’ that are now available at some clubs.

Now I will admit, I didn’t know these variations existed until my teenage son was invited to a game of footgolf at our local club because one of his mates – who plays golf – was having his birthday party there.

According to him, it was ‘ace’ and he wants

‘‘

Most people look at the equipment you need to play golf and might assume they can’t have a go without having clubs.

‘‘

will ever be able to afford to buy their own home, or that saving for a deposit is likely to take many years of sacrifice; leading to one of the common nicknames for the millennial demographic being “generation rent.”

to do it again. Other clubs have installed disc golf on their courses, which allows more people to come and be active by engaging in a variation of the traditional game.

Some traditional golfers might balk, but ultimately it’s getting new blood through the door and some may then convert into actual golfers. In terms of marketing, this is made for Instagram and why not offer the birthday boy a free lesson or have one as a prize for the winner? Everyone loves a bit of competition.

MAKE IT SOCIAL Most of us are time poor these days. People struggle to fit in the sports they love and their socialising. Why not run a couple of social tournaments at your local club that are open to everyone. You could have an under 16 tournament and then an under 35. Make it clear in your marketing material that it’s for locals and that inexperienced golfers are most welcome. By scheduling tournaments of this nature, you give people a chance to book it into their calendar and gather some friends to join in the fun. These marketing ploys mean that golf will begin to lose its exclusive image and become a sport

that everyone can enjoy if they’re able to participate in a more informal way.

Your target market – young adults – are on more than one social media site. Imagine if they took a photo of your course posted it on Instagram. Or, imagine if you had happy participants posting some great images of their amazing day at a social tournament or after a mad game of footgolf. This is money-can’t-buy advertising and posts like these are an opportunity for you and your club to comment and thank the customer for choosing your course. Going the extra mile when you have a golfer promote you on their page will encourage them to come back. Not everyone is sure how to measure how well their social media pages are doing, so I will look at social media optimisation in a future article.

Lastly, inbound marketing is one of the newest ways of attracting customers.

Creating content on your website which educates golfers will bring them to your website. Most people take to the internet to find answers, from “Where can I play golf in XYZ” to “How to hit my driver straight.” or “Where can I get a golf lesson and borrow clubs?” If you provide the answer, you are not only promoting your golf operation but labeling yourself as a leader in golf knowledge.

In the end, golf hasn’t changed massively since it began, but the population is changing and in order to keep clubs going and professional coaches in jobs you need to change your mindset. By adding new styles of play and enriching the sport with incentives for new players, the game will grow while keeping the history strong and securing its future in ever-changing times.

Millennial-friendly ??? ✓ Be savvy in your approach to this sceptical demographic

✓ Promote different versions of the game to help dispel myths

✓ Raise awareness that equipment can be borrowed

✓ Organise social events that are open to everyone, whatever their level of experience

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P G A M EMBERS H IP YO U R B E N E F I T S

Save now with your PGA Membership Your PGA Membership entitles you to a whole host of discounts. To access all these benefits and more, log on to pga.info/members and Select ‘My Benefits’.

This month’s highlights include Savings on Cottage Holidays From the Yorkshire Dales to the jaw-dropping coastal scenery of North Devon; the cloud-piercing summits of the Lake District to the fairytale-beautiful waterfalls of Snowdonia – CottageStayUK has 14,000 properties across the UK to choose from. PGA members can save up to 10% on cottage and short break holidays*.

PGA Business Relationship Officers (BRO’s) The BRO’s are in place to support you, The PGA Member.

They are here to help forge stronger links within the industry and provide PGA Professionals with a free service designed to support and improve the personal and professional lives of our Members.

The PGA recognises the wide range of roles undertaken by Members. Each meeting will vary, and a wide variety of support is provided including but not limited to: • Business Health Check

10% saving on National Trust Gift cards

• Contracts & HR

Treat your loved ones to days out, country cottage breaks, a spot of lunch, cream teas, shopping trips, and entry to special places with a National Trust gift card*.

• Marketing & Retail advice

Discounted family days out With 32 venues to choose from, there’s plenty of fun to be had at a Merlin Entertainments attraction this year. Attractions include: Alton Towers Resort, LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, THORPE PARK Resort, Madame Tussauds London, Warwick Castle, LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester, the Dungeons, SEA LIFE and many more*.

Limited time offer: Brand new discount card and app TOTUM PRO is a new discount card and app for professional learners and members of The PGA. This discount card and app will give you access to great discounts on food, fashion, technology and great days/nights out. For a limited time only, The PGA members are offering the new card at a discounted rate of £14.99, (saving you £5.00) for a 15 month membership. *Terms and conditions apply to all benefits. See website for details. Offers subject to change without notice. *Merlin Entertainments – © 2019 DreamWorks Animation LLC. LEGO, the LEGO logo, DUPLO and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2019 The LEGO Group. Saving based on individual walk up admission price. The offers are not available on the day, cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, is subject to availability and tickets must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of visit. All prices are dependent on the date of visit, prices and opening dates are subject to change without notice. Please check the attraction website for open and closed dates before you visit. Where available, two-day tickets must be used on consecutive days. Proof of company, employment/membership may be requested on arrival. *PGA Benefit web pages are managed and run by Parliament Hill Limited. Within those benefits are some benefits negotiated directly by The PGA, and these are identified on the benefit web page.

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• Negotiating Retainers • Business Reviews • The business of coaching support • Developing customer relationships • Identification of targeted training courses and educational opportunities • Building relationships within your golf club and/or facility For more information, contact tina.banner@pga.org.uk or call 01675 470 333.

ARAG If you live in the UK and ROI, free legal advice is available from ARAG plc. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0330 303 1846.

PAYE/National Insurance advice BDO LLP offer a free helpline to members. Contact michael. hepburn@bdo.co.uk or call on 0131 347 0355

Public liability insurance Cover is included in your subscription fee. Contact emma.hadlow@pga.org. uk or call 01675 470 333 for your individual certificate. For any claims contact Howden on 0121 698 8050. Visit the dedicated PGA insurance site at: pgainsurance.co.uk

VAT advice For support with golf-related VAT issues, contact stephen.phillips@pga.org.uk or call 01675 470 333 October 2019

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YO U R B E N E F I T S PG A M EM B ER S H IP Health and Wellbeing Support The PGA is committed to providing support for its Members and offers access to a 24/7 service provided by Insight Healthcare. A totally confidential helpline which is manned by trained counsellors who can provide help and advice on any matter that is causing anxiety, concern or depression. The service is also available to Members’ close family and employees.

If you feel you or someone close to you needs help, the number to call is 0333 000 2082.

Some of the issues that Insight Healthcare support include:

The helpline is open Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm, Wed 7pm - 9pm *Calls are recorded for training purposes only.

Only available in the UK. Confidentiality is maintained between callers and Prostate Cancer UK.

Personal issues such as trauma, abuse, phobias, relationship difficulties, family problems, bereavement, loss, coping with illness, pregnancy and childbirth, personal development, sexuality, caring for others, money worries and self-esteem.

Work-related issues such as interpersonal difficulties, work/life balance, stress, change in role/responsibilities, managing a team, high workload, disciplinary/grievance matters, performance management/ review, redundancy, harassment/bullying, job security and timemanagement.

IT Services by Silverbug* Offering members a free IT health check of their business; up to three months free managed IT services when taking out a contract with an option to leave within the first three months if you change your mind. For more information contact 0207 078 3795 quoting PGA.

Birdietime

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE

WE’LL HELP YOU EARN MORE FROM YOUR GREEN FEE REVENUE

Offering members a free, 1-hour marketing consultancy session to identify practical step to increase your tuition revenues. To book your session, email info@birdietime.com or visit birdietimepro.com to learn more about our online booking and payment system

Card Payment Services by First Data*

In partnership with The PGA, GoPlayGolf is designed to help you and your golf club benefit from the ever increasing numbers of golfers booking golf on-line.

Preferential rates to PGA Members for accepting credit and debit cards. Call 0330 123 1241 quoting PGA.

6 BENEFITS TO YOU, THE GOLF PRO

Smarter Golf Energy

• Increase your green fee revenue • You pay less commission • You control the price • Bringing new golfers to you by providing an additional distribution channel • Works seamlessly with existing tee time booking systems • You don’t need an online booking system to benefit

Turf Maintenance Equipment

by Toro

email: info@goplaygolf.co.uk for information

Helping you use energy more efficiently and sustainably, cut down on utility overheads and help individuals’ chip away at their home energy bills, all for the betterment of the sport. Visit smartergolfenergy.co.uk

Huge savings on cordless 40V PowerPlex handheld tools, perfect for home owner use and a special offer on our new Prostripe Rear Roller Mower for your clubhouse surroundings.

For more product information, visit http://toro.com/powerplexuk and http://toro.com/prostripeuk To place an order on these limited offers or learn more, please share your contact details at pgamembers@toro.com

More Members’ benefits overleaf ! >> The PGA Professional

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A D V E R T O R I A L

59club VENUE SPOTLIGHT

The Scandinavian Golf Club After almost three years of unprecedented growth, David Shepherd, Chief Executive – The Scandinavian, reflects upon the power of 59club survey data and handing decision-making power back to his members

Arriving at The Scandinavian Golf Club, one is instantly impressed by the natural beauty of the surrounding forest, just half an hour from Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. The unique charm of the destination, and the quality of its Old and New Courses, contribute much to its consistent placement towards the summit of Continental Europe’s ‘best of’ lists.

When David Shepherd arrived at the club as Chief Executive in 2016 having previously occupied the Director of Golf position at the highly rated Monte Rei, he was fully appreciative of the scale of expectation upon his shoulders.

David refrained from taking immediate action and instead set about listening and learning to formulate a strategy that would see this ambitious club achieve the heights it desired. This process of staying receptive to the thoughts and opinions of others has characterised his time at the club, aided by the introduction of 59club member surveys.

The Scandinavian Golf Club’s Chief Executive David Shepherd

The Scandinavian Golf Club near Copenhagen, Denmark

He continued: “Prior to gathering survey data, we were losing between 12-17% of members each year for the first few years of operation. Last year, we reduced that to less than five percent and we forecast that to be the same this year. Sometimes growing membership takes priority, but there is no point gaining members while losing others.

“We had to address recruitment and retention. To that As David explained: end, 59club staff training has also helped “The club had accepted us by initialising a formal sales enquiry and the fact that losing new member integration process. After this more than 10% of the we turned to my59 survey winter our membership hopefully will be full.” membership every year software... to understand what (which is the Danish The club’s progress was recognised with average) was OK. It’s would make our members The Scandinavian achieving a ‘my59 Service very hard to gauge Excellence Award’ at the 9th annual 59club opinion from everyone more loyal to the club Awards Ceremony in March this year. without data, so we turned to 59club and “I would highly recommend 59club to every their my59 survey golf club,” David added. “If you are not software to appreciate a full view of the membership to make listening to the views of the silent majority, you are not sure that this didn’t happen again. We wanted to understand able to make valid decisions. You can’t take the opinions what would make our members more loyal to the club. of a few vocal members to the board and ask for change.

You can’t argue on the basis of one member’s opinion.

“The first survey we delivered collated over 1,000 individual

‘‘

‘‘

member comments and although you can’t react on every single perspective, you can identify reoccurring feedback, and you can definitely pay attention to themes.”

The resulting implementation of member feedback saw even seemingly insignificant suggestions taken into account, and many members ideas acted upon. 59club’s membership surveys enabled David to give the members a certain degree of ownership for the club’s decisionmaking processes. The results speak for themselves.

“The Scandinavian leadership team now relies on the data provided by my59. Having hard evidence to back up our decisions and development proposals is taking the club to heights it has not previously reached.”

Your regional 59club representative is waiting to discuss your needs and build a clear strategy for you to advance.

Visit www.59club.com for more information.

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October 2019

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YO U R B E N E F I T S PG A M EM B ER S H IP For more detailed information and to take advantage of these and other fantastic deals, visit the PGA Benefits site today via www.pga.info/members

Golfplan from A-Plan Insurance*

from A-Plan Insurance

Members can earn £20 commission for each client introduced who goes on to purchase a Golfplan policy. For further information about becoming an Introducer, please contact the Golfplan team on 01527 868 160 or email info@golfplan.co.uk

SkyTrak Become a SkyTrak Show Case Dealer and earn a bonus 40% affiliate fee on your first sale and 20% fee on any future sales. Call 01844 296358 or email sales@skycaddiegps.co.uk for more info.

Rangefinder by SkyCaddie PGA Members save over £150 on the new SkyCaddie SX500. Call 01844 296358 or email sales@skycaddiegps.co.uk for more info.

Golf Trolleys by PowaKaddy 15% off trade price for account holders, personal use trolley. Call 01795 473 555 or email sales@powakaddy.co.uk quoting membership number.

Huxley Golf Incentive programme of up to £500 in commission when recommending customers to purchase an allweather home putting green. Call 01730 829 608 or visit huxleygolf.com

Personalised Luggage

by Asbri Golf PGA Members receive 20% off our luggage range. To view the full range visit www.asbrigolf.co.uk/pga-members-luggage. Please contact sales@asbri.co.uk or 02922 678 842 quoting ‘PGA Crested Luggage’.

LG Special offers on selected LG products for PGA members. For the most up-to-date offers, log into member benefits, select the ‘Shopping’ section.

BMW* Exclusive contract hire rates on a selection of BMW and MINI models through BMW Group.

Visit bmwpgasales.co.uk, call 0207 514 3599 or email pgasales@bmw-issd.co.uk

Golfbreaks.com Access to bespoke golfing packages for you and your clients through the dedicated Golf Pro Travel Team. Benefit from the best rates in the market. Receive a five per cent commission on your booking.

For an exploratory meeting at your club contact Ben Foster on 07471 034 852 or email pga@golfbreaks.com

Virgin Atlantic Flights Offering all PGA Members discounted airfares across the whole network, with checked golf bag clearance (subject to availability). Contact the Traveleads sports team on 0113 242 2202 or email pga@traveleads.net quoting your PGA membership number.

Travel Insurance

by Staysure* 20% off travel insurance for members and their families as well as £10 every time someone takes out a policy on your recommendation.

For every 10 policies sold in 1 calendar month, we will give you an additional £100. For more info log into member benefits, select the ‘Finance & Insurance’ and ‘Over 50s Travel Insurance’ section.

Aphrodite Hills Golf & Spa Resort 25% off for members on holiday residences public rates and 20% off hotel package rates (terms apply). For availability and prices email: Hotel Packages – reservations@aphroditehills.com Residences – reservations_mgr_AH@atlanticahotels.com For pro coaching groups, check with PGA Travel Partners.

Antalya Golf Club Attractive, all-inclusive rates for members and family.

For The Sirene Hotel contact: volkan.cavusoglu@sirene.com.tr For Kempinski The Dome Hotel contact: erdinc.isbir@kempinski.com

Argentario Golf Resort & Spa 20% off the flexible rate on www.argentariogolfresortspa.it Bespoke packages for members and clients. For availability and prices email booking@argentarioresort.it or call +39 0564 810292 quoting PGA Member.

Slieve Russell Golf & Country Club 20% off B&B rates on www.slieverussell.ie For availability and prices email slieve.reservations@slieverussell.ie on or call +353 49 952 6444 quoting membership number.

For more information log on to PGA Benefits via www.pga.info/members †Discount only applies to the base premium of your travel insurance quote and does not apply to any medical screening premiums where relevant. Offer ends 31 December 2019. Terms and Conditions apply. ±£10 for every travel insurance policy sold, plus an additional £100 for every 10 policies sold in 1 calendar month. Please allow up to 45 days to receive your cashback. Cashback will be paid to you directly via The PGA. If the policy is cancelled within the 14 day cooling off period no payment will be made. Offer ends 31 December 2019. ††Pay directly in the hotel; flexible cancellation policy; valid only in low and mid-season; the discount can only be applied on the flexible rate and not on other rates or special offers. Terms and conditions apply to all benefits. See website for details. Offers subject to change without notice. *Only available to PGA Members in the UK. PGA Benefit web pages are managed and run by Parliament Hill Limited of 3rd Floor, 127 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6BT who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for non-investment insurance mediation under registration number 308448. Details can be checked on the Financial Services register by visiting the FCA’s website at https://fca.org.uk/register. Within those benefits are some benefits negotiated directly by The PGA, and these are identified on the benefit web page.

The PGA Professional

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SI TUATIO NS VACANT re c r uit m en t @ p g a . o r g . u k Balcarrick Golf Club Director of Golf / PGA Professional We are looking for a PGA Professional to take on the management, promotion and development of the club.

The role will include the operation of the Pro Shop and the administration of the club.

Balcarrick is a members’ club, located in the Donabate peninsula, close to Dublin airport and Dublin city. The club was established in 1992 and offers a high quality 18-hole course, clubhouse, pro shop, an indoor swing studio and a practice ground including a short game area and putting green.

Key responsibilities will include: • Management and administration of the club.

• Development and implementation of marketing campaigns to increase revenue.

• Operation of the Pro Shop, including golf retail business, equipment repair, custom fitting and front of house services.

• Delivery of golf tuition including initiatives aimed at recruitment and retention of members and development of a Junior section.

• Administration of competitions.

If you would like to be considered for this opportunity to partner with an ambitious club, eager to enhance its offering and exploit its potential, please apply by email to balcarr@iol.ie.

Closing date is Tuesday 29th October.

The club will provide further information in confidence to interested, qualified applicants and seek detailed proposals.

Fynn Valley Golf Club, Suffolk Director of Golf

Fynn Valley Golf Club, England Golf’s Most Welcoming Club 2017 and the most exciting new venue in Suffolk seeks dynamic, motivated PGA Professional with first class people & communication skills, a flexible “can-do” attitude and sound commercial acumen to join our golf team.

Duties to include: • Club Membership Growth, Liaison and Retention.

• Liaise with the marketing team to create promotions and interest.

• Engage with all golf customers with a view to increasing sales of golf days, corporate days and membership.

• An engaging and enthusiastic golf coach with the ability to grow own client base.

• To deliver outreach projects to attract more customers to the Club.

• Work with the Head Professional in scheduling and delivering a comprehensive range of golf coaching for all categories of golfer.

• Grow the golf client base in all areas – beginners, children, golf days, membership and more.

• We anticipate a 50/50 split Management Role/Coaching Time.

A fantastic opportunity for the right candidate, basic salary plus attractive bonus package with OTE £25-30k plus teaching.

Email your c.v. and covering letter to Jenny Holmes jenny@fynn-valley.co.uk today!

Golf Club Managers’ Association seek a Professional Development Manager

The GCMA is seeking a Professional Development Manager to join the association from the beginning of 2020. The role delivers a platform of educational tools and services to both our existing membership and those aspiring to enter golf club management. We provide a number of residential training courses, as well as administering the ASQ L5 Diploma in Golf Club Management.

We are seeking to recruit someone who understands the role of the golf club manager, but who also has the vision and creativity to develop new and innovative educational and training platforms. The association is based at Bristol & Clifton GC, and whilst a certain amount of attendance will be required at HQ, it is probable that the post-holder will be remotely based.

Applicants should send a CV and covering letter to Bob Williams (CEO), GCMA, Bristol & Clifton GC, Failand, BS8 3TH or to bob@gcma.org.uk. Visit gcma.org.uk/jobs for more information.

Application Deadline: Monday 14th October 2019 62

October 2019

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re c r uitm en t @ p g a . o r g . u k S I T UAT I O N S VACA N T

OB Sports, Dumbarnie Links Kingdom of Fife, Scotland OB Sports began in 1972 when Orrin Vincent became the Director of Golf at a new facility called Edgewood Tahoe. Orrin handpicked a unique team of experts to assist him - individuals whose talents encompassed all aspects of the golf business. Under the title of OB Sports, this team began managing, building, and consulting for additional facilities throughout the country.

OB Sports Golf Management is pleased invite applications for the General Manager position at Dumbarnie Links. Crafted by noted golf course designer and former Ryder Cupper Clive Clark, Dumbarnie Links is set to open May 16, 2020. The course is located on Scotland’s East Coast in the Kingdom of Fife along the north shore of the Firth of Forth, just 9 minutes from St Andrews, the Home of Golf.

Dumbarnie Links is built upon land that is part of the historic Balcarres Estate. Its 345 acres of genuine sandy links land offers unobstructed views over the Firth of Forth, a 10-mile wide stretch of water, offering views of Muirfield, North Berwick and Edinburgh. The General Manager will direct and oversee all aspects of club operations, golf course maintenance, golf operations, merchandise, food & beverage, human resources, and accounting. Responsibilities will also include all the club’s activities and relationships between guests, associates and the community. The General Manager has the ultimate responsibility for first class service delivery, maximum guest satisfaction, and financial performance.

The candidate will have: Remuneration: • At least five years experience in a management role of similar or greater capacity within a commensurate golf course.

• Excellent communication, organisational, and marketing skills and the ability to interact well with guests, staff, and build solid relationships with the golfing community.

• A degree with hospitality, business or management focus and/or requisite certification from The PGA, GCMA or CMAE. • Demonstrable experience of budget development, fiscal management, strategic planning, staff management and a strong knowledge of the rich history of the game of golf in Scotland and around the world.

• Experience in new course and facility construction and opening of new operations.

• Strong leadership skills including recruiting, developing and retaining quality department heads and staff with a proven track record of detailed training programs.

• Experience of successful caddie programs as well as of working with third party booking companies and operators.

The PGA Professional

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• £75,000 – £85,000, commiserate with experience and knowledge.

• Bonus potential up to 10%.

• Professional subscriptions.

• Relocation package negotiable.

Contact: Matt Molloy mmolloy@obsports.com

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SI TUATIO NS VACANT re c r uit m en t @ p g a . o r g . u k Hinckley Golf Club, Leicestershire - Self Employed Head PGA Professional

Founded in 1894, Hinckley Golf Club enjoys a beautiful location in the heart of Leicestershire’s countryside.

A shareholders club run by the members, Hinckley is a welcoming and friendly venue with one of the best courses in Leicestershire.

Hinckley Golf Club has an exciting opportunity for an experienced PGA Professional to lead his/her own team to deliver an excellent service in Golf Operations, through a Service Level Agreement. Providing: Retail, Custom Fitting, Coaching, Front of House Services and managing all golfing matters on behalf of the club.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the relevant skills and competencies to lead a team and deliver the services listed above.

Key responsibilities will include: - Establishing and operating a well-stocked golf shop - Ensuring all staff consistently deliver excellent service to visitors and members at all times.

- Taking personal responsibility for customer service excellence throughout the operation.

- Acting as an ambassador for the club at all times.

-Grow the Junior Academy to be a centre of excellence and enhance the schools programs.

-Promote ‘New to Golf’ initiatives -Working closely with the club Directors on sales and marketing strategies for the club, focussing on income generation.

-Organising buggy hire through the season for the club.

-Ensuring competition responsibilities are carried out on competition days and ensure presence at the major events.

-Managing the Online booking facilities and being proactive with the tee time offers.

The successful candidate must also be: - A self-motivated high achiever with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills.

- An effective communicator with presentation skills.

- Able to work closely across all sections of the organisation, including external visitors and societies. With an overall focus on excellent customer service.

- Competent in providing detailed monthly Board reports and adding value to the Boards strategies.

- IT literate with excellent numeracy skills.

- Experienced in developing and implementing Marketing Strategies.

If you would like to be considered for this exciting opportunity please send a cover letter and CV demonstrating your suitability and experience to Steve White, Development Director spw648@btinternet.com Closing date: 11th October 2019

Dun Laoghaire Golf Club Dun Laoghaire Golf Club, venue of the Curtis Cup in 2016, is located on the border of counties Dublin and Wicklow and only 5 minutes from the M11.

The Club has a thriving membership of 1600 members and boasts 27 holes, a 13 bay driving range, short game practice area, a gym and an Academy building which offers a terrific opportunity for year round coaching and a excellently located Pro Shop.

The position of Dun Laoghaire Golf Club Professional is being offered on a retained basis with a service level agreement, working closely with the General Manager and supporting the golf committees.

The role will involve: • Developing tuition programmes to suit the various needs of the Club members and teams, while growing Junior participation.

• Operating an appropriately stocked golf shop, providing expert advice, high quality custom fitting and club repair service.

• Delivering a high level of support in golf operations.

• Becoming an effective partner to the club management team.

• Working in partnership with the Club to help maintain Dun Laoghaire Golf Club’s premier Golfing status.

The Person will have: • Drive and charisma to succeed, and be a key player in the future of the Club.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Class AA PGA membership or higher.

• A track record of continuous personal and professional development.

• A comprehensive knowledge of the rules of golf.

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To apply: Please submit a covering letter highlighting your motivation for the role, your past successes, your relevant experience and reasons why you should be considered for this role in one of Ireland’s leading Golf Clubs, along with an up-to-date CV to Justin Lowry generalmanager@dlgc.ie Closing date for applications Friday 25th October

October 2019

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re c r uitm en t @ p g a . o r g . u k S I T UAT I O N S VACA N T Greenburn Golf Club - Club Professional An opportunity has arisen for the position of PGA Professional at Greenburn Golf Club located along the M8 Corridor in the village of Fauldhouse in the Breichwater Valley, handily situated halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

This is an exciting opportunity for a forward thinking and innovative PGA Professional with a desire to develop the tremendous potential of the club.

The candidate must be a fully qualified PGA Professional, who can deliver and develop all aspects of golf operations.

Required experience includes: • Operating a professional retail shop, providing excellent front of house customer service.

• Club competition administration including timesheet set up and management.

• Provision of high-quality golf tuition to members and visitors.

• Working closely with the management committee to promote and sustain the development of the club.

• Promotion of open & invitational events as well as booking visiting parties to help increase the club’s revenue streams.

This is an excellent opportunity for candidates to further develop their career in the golf industry.

Portstewart Golf Club Portstewart Golf Club are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated Qualified Assistant Professional. This is a superb opportunity to work at a highly acclaimed private Members’ Club and DDF Irish Open venue.

The successful applicant will have a passion for golf and retail, be enthusiastic, flexible, good communicator, team player, with excellent organisational skills. The individual should be competent in operating computer systems, be able to build relationships with customers, members & visitors alike and assist in coaching.

To apply, send your CV and cover letter to judy@portstewartgc.co.uk

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES UK AND IRELAND Shirley Golf Club, Solihull

To apply or to find out more about the role email: administrator@greenburngolfclub.co.uk Applications should include your CV and be marked as “PGA Professional Application”.

Closing date for applications is 16 October 2019.

Full Time Coaching Position with Cranfield Golf Academies Do You Have The Drive & Mindset To Grow The Ladies Game & Beginners across all sectors?

Golf Kingdom is offering an Amazing Opportunity to Build a Coaching Business at the UK’s Premier Family Golf Centre. The role will be a mix of individual and group lessons across all sectors, but most suited to someone with a particular interest in developing participation in the Ladies game.

The successful applicant will get access to CGA’s leading personal and coach development training program.

Interested? Please email: Rebecca@golfkingdom.net to receive an application form and further information.

Closing date for applications is 25th October

New starter or Year 1 Assistant required. Minimum 30-hours per week. Ideal candidate will be hard working, punctual, trustworthy and self-motivated. This is a demanding but very rewarding position at a busy pro shop and golf course. Excellent training covering, business, coaching, club repairs, custom fitting and buying.

Please apply with CV to stuart@uniongolf.co.uk Redlibbets Golf & Country Club

Looking for likeminded PGA Professionals to join our team. The facility offers an indoor studio with SkyTrak launch monitor open until 9PM, 240-yard driving range, 18-hole golf course with use of buggies, large short game area and large putting area.

To apply, please email golfacademy@redlibbets.com.

Worldham Golf Club

Worldham Golf Club is looking for a PGA Trainee/Registered Assistant. The role will consist of some shop hours alongside coaching the junior and academy programmes. Fantastic opportunity to learn how to run a successful coaching business.

Please email CV to andrew@worldhamgolfacademy.co.uk Kilworth Springs Golf Club, Leicestershire

Exciting opportunity to join the Professional team at Walton Heath Golf Club.

Prestigious Surrey golf club, seeks an enthusiastic assistant to join their highly skilled, forward thinking professional team.

This role is a fantastic opportunity to work at a club that regularly hosts major events, with significant earning potential.

Working as an Assistant at Walton Heath is a proven, excellent first step on the ladder and an opportunity to develop your professional and golf operational skills which are vital for career progression.

Apply with CV and covering letter by email to Simon Peaford, Head Professional at: speaford@waltonheathproshop.co.uk

The PGA Professional

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Fantastic opportunity at Kilworth Springs Golf Club for a registered PGA Assistant or someone looking to start a career in Professional Golf.

30+ hours a week available with Junior coaching opportunities. Job will entail dealing with memberships, corporate days, competitions and other general roles.

Please send CV and covering letter to owalmsley@kilworthsprings.co.uk Calcot Park Golf Club

PGA Trainee needed at Calcot Park Golf Club. 3-4-day weeks in the busy Professional’s Shop performing retail, club repair and service duties to members and guests. Fantastic opportunities to play and build your coaching business at this premier Private Members Club in Reading.

CV/Covering letter – Gareth Johnston at gareth@garethjohnstongolf.com 65

COLUM N F I N A L T H O U G H T

How your community is helping stop prostate cancer being a killer Whether it’s raising funds or raising awareness, Angela Culhane wants to see Prostate Cancer UK at the heart of your club

N

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early 50,000 men will join a club they don’t We want every PGA Professional, want to be part of this year when they hear the words every golf club and member “You have prostate cancer”. across the land to understand And there’s more bad news. our cause is their cause.

Prostate cancer is killing one man every 45 minutes in the UK – the time it takes to play three holes of golf.

Some men are more at risk too – men with a family history of the disease, black men and men over 50. This last risk factor, particularly, puts male golfers at high risk of prostate cancer considering the core male demographic playing the game.

Unfortunately, this means prostate cancer exists in every golf club in the UK. But there’s also good news. We want to make sure Prostate Cancer UK, with the help of PGA Professionals, exists in every golf club too.

Whether it’s displaying health information posters in the The golf community will raise nearly £1 million for Prostate cancer this year locker room, hosting “Man of Men” badges for a donation on the club bar or hosting a golf day your community is already detailed and technical but sometimes people just need helping fund lifesaving research, and highly valuable support someone who understands, to talk things through. services for anyone concerned about prostate cancer.

Thanks to the golfing community we will raise nearly £1 million through golf this year – that could fund our MEN, WE ARE WITH YOU Specialist Nurses for a year – which is incredible.

The journey a man and his family take following a prostate cancer But there is more to do. We want every PGA diagnosis can be very different. Some experience minimal effects on Professional, every golf club and member across the their lives, but for many, it is a life-changer. Even men living with the land to understand our cause is their cause, where to disease for many years will often face agonising uncertainty about get help, and how they can show their support. treatment choices, fear of the disease progressing and the side effects Our mission is to stop prostate cancer being a killer, of treatment. and keep as many golfers in the game for as long as With hospital clinics often struggling to cope with the possible. And we can’t do this without you. ever-increasing number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and a critical shortage of Specialist Nurses working in the field, families can often be left in the dark.

That’s where we come in. Our team of Specialist Nurses offer a free confidential service to anyone who needs it, when they need it.

Last year we spoke to over 15,000 people on the phone (0800 074 8383), LiveChat, via social media and email, answering thousands of questions from those living with Angela Culhane or concerned about the disease. Often the questions are Chief Executive, Prostate Cancer UK

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| www.pga.info

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO EARN MORE FROM YOUR GREEN FEE REVENUE Showcase your golf club to over 3 million GB&I golfers, instantly increasing opportunities for promotion and tee-time bookings.

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PGA is a registered trademark of The Professional Golfers’ Association Limited.

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