On today's PGA of Canada podcast we are joined by Golf Canada's amateur and young pro squad coach Derek Ingram, who has picked up five PGA of Canada National Awards in his career including a pair of Coach of the Year and Teacher of the Year titles. He currently coaches PGA TOUR winners Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners, who was just named to the Canadian Olympic Men's Golf Team. Host Brendan Stasiewich spent some time chatting with Derek about his career and his approach to coaching at all levels of the game.

On today's episode of the PGA of Canada Podcast, PGA of Canada Managing Director of Digital Content & Communications Brendan Stasiewich sits down with Bob Weeks to learn more about his career in golf media. A member of both the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Bob started his career with ScoreGolf and has since become the face for golf in Canada on TSN. This conversation dives into how Bob began his career in golf media, some stories from the TOUR, how PGA of Canada professionals are helping shape the sport throughout the country and more! 

In this episode, host Mark Roe connects with a legend in the golf industry, former CEO of the PGA of America, Joe Steranka. Joe discusses the evolution of golf during his time as CEO from 2005-2012 and the changes since then. Joe coins professional sport as the 'the original reality TV’ and talks about how can golf capitalize on this at a local level with the PGA professional leading the way. From reality tv to marketing and more, Joe shares just a glimpse of his expertise and the opportunity for PGA professionals to be at the helm of leadership and innovation for golf.

 

About Joe Steranka Steranka Sports + Strategy is the strategy practice of Buffalo.Agency. Headquartered in the Washington, DC suburb of Reston, Va, and conveniently located near Dulles International Airport, Buffalo connects upscale sports and lifestyle brands with discerning audiences around the world. Steranka Sports + Strategy led by Joe Steranka, CEO of the PGA of America from 2005 to 2012. Recognized for contributing to golf’s return to the Olympics, Steranka also led the global development of the PGA brand and built media platforms to elevate the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. His near 40-year career in sports includes work with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Bullets, and sports agency ProServ where he directed communications strategies for Michael Jordan, VolvoTennis, Jimmy Connors, Major Indoor Soccer League and the late Payne Stewart.

We can all benefit from disagreeing just a little more. Going along to get along is going to be far more successful - being a dissenter can be equally as successful. Challenging the status quo can bring much needed change to any organization. These stalwarts are arguing out of compassion with an aim to improve ideas. Andrew Millar sits down with host Mark Roe to share the keys to how being a serial dissenter can strengthen your golf club, business, and mindset.   Andrew Millar considers himself a serial dissenter and has questioned, challenged and argued his way from one job to the next. From Playstation to Swatch to Infiniti and now PVH, Andrew enjoys driving sales and his colleagues a little crazy. He is passionate about the importance of dissent and will argue with anyone who doesn’t agree. Millar holds an MBA from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He is currently growing and curing olives, batches of passata, and plans to someday make homemade wood-fired pizza.

In part II of this podcast, host Mark Roe from TSN and Steve Graves from Creative Golf Marketing delve into trends of PGA professionals elevating themselves into the next chapter of their careers. Focused on the transition to becoming a General Manager, Steve uncovers the key aspects to how PGA professionals can make themselves distinguishable and move from a 'generalist' mindset to specializing in certain fields of becoming more business focused. Steve also discusses the importance for PGA professionals to understand golfer/member acquisition and retention. This and so much more in part II of this podcast with the brilliant mind of Steve Graves.

Steve Graves, current golf professional and President with Creative Golf Marketing since 1990, stops by the podcast to share his knowledge and expertise on how golf has grown over the past couple years. Steve talks about how to grow and create momentum after the pandemic, how to drive interests in golf and how PGA professionals are a BUY now stock.

Stefan Cox, Director of Instruction at the Calgary Golf and Country Club, joins the podcast and talks about how his role has evolved through 5 years at the club, and how he knew coaching and instruction was his passion. Stefan talks about how having a team, with each person having a specific area of expertise is vital for success for the club and promoting your brand. Being clear and concise is Stefan’s key for marketing campaigns, tune in to hear his career and his opinion on the do’s and don’ts in the golf marketing world.

In the journey of working as golf professional, not everyone takes the same route. In this sitdown with Brian Siddle from Strong Coffee Marketing, Luke Rundell discusses his journey after becoming a pro in 2009 and how he eventually moved away from working at courses, and into running his own business In Alberta, training young golfers.

The last two years saw a spike in golf, as it was one of the only activities that allowed us to see others. Luke goes over how these years have influenced his business with all factors.

He goes over the satisfaction he gets training talented young golfers and helping all his students improve. He likes to think he provides the tools for young golfers to succeed and is even starting to see golfers coming to train and learn the game at the age of 6. Tune in to learn marketing techniques and other tips for running a golf training business in this growing market.

In this sit down with Brian Siddle from Strong Coffee Marketing, he is joined by Kyla Inaba from Predator Ridge Golf Resort in British Colombia. This podcast is part of the PGA of Canada Professional Development Series, where all discussions are meant to help improve your life as a golf professional by building your career and give tips to earn a better living. Brian and Kyla discuss her unique journey in golf and how her career progressed.

We also learn about Kyla's Swing Like a Girl is a program, developed for Women to help improve their golf skills from beginners to advanced players. The program has started to gain popularity, not just in BC, but Canada as well. Kyla discusses her involvement with the program and how Predator ridge has adjusted to the last two years.

Not only is Shawn Clement an exceptional player both right and left handed, but he is also the Director of Development at The Royal Québec Golf Club and the founder/ CEO of Wisdom in Golf, a YouTube channel and website with over 900 instructional videos free to watch for the public. Jason Logan, editor of SCOREGolf, talks with Shawn about his ambidextrous play, how it helps him as a teacher, and the start of his Academy Coaching Career with The Royal Québec Golf Club. Tune in to hear how Shawn uses the science of motor skills, anatomy, and statistics to streamline the process of coaching individuals to find their ideal swing.

We’ve all heard the adage that people don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad leaders. So, for young and aspiring club managers to succeed, building effective leadership skills needs to be a top priority. 

 

For Rob Roxborough, relationships are the currency of how he conducts business, and his leadership style focuses on building and nurturing authentic relationships with not only his team but with everyone that he meets along the way.  The human element of leadership is even more essential during today’s unprecedented times than ever before which is why Rob’s ‘making a difference’ leadership style results in him being continually recognized as one of Canada’s most exceptional club industry leaders.

 

Highlights from this podcast episode that you don’t want to miss:

 

4:22 – Learn about how Rob was chosen for the role at Magna Golf Club and what attracted the ownership group to him and led them to bring him on board.

11:51 – Find out what inspired Rob to take on his current role at The Pulpit Club and how it compares to his other stops.

18:44 – Uncover the qualities and traits that Rob believes define his leadership style.

27:47 – Hear about if Rob learned to be a leader from being exposed to other great leaders, or if it just came to him naturally.

37:15 – Get Rob’s thoughts on accountability and why it’s an important part of being a great leader.

47:31 – Find out what structured ways there are to communicate the vision of your club to every single member of your team.

53:50 – Learn about the differences between how you manage your “bosses” versus how you manage your team.

59:11 – What advice Rob has for all the future leaders working in our industry today.

 

About Rob Roxborough

 

Rob is a 25 Year Member Class "A" Executive Professional of the PGA of Canada and has been the General Manager at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ontario since May 2020.  Rob was honoured to be awarded the 2020 Executive Professional of the Year by the PGA of Ontario, and was a finalist for the 2020 Dick Munn, PGA of Canada Executive Professional of the Year Award.

 

Other career highlights and milestones include:

 

• 2015 – 2020: Executive Director, The National Golf Club of Canada, Woodbridge, ON.
• 2013-2015: Chief Operating Officer (COO), Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Ancaster, ON.
• 2001-2013: General Manager & Executive Professional, Magna Golf Club, Aurora, ON.
• 1999-2001: Director of Golf, Deer Creek Golf and Country Club, Ajax, ON.
• Played events on the Canadian Tour, provincial / sectional events, and PGA of Canada Championships.
• Jacksonville State University, NCAA, 4-year varsity letterman. Alumni member of the JSU College of Business, and Gamecock Club Athletic Association.
• Organized, directed, and facilitated fundraising event featuring President Bill Clinton, Clinton Foundation, Magna Golf Club 2001.
• Organized, directed, and facilitated the inaugural Tiger Woods Invitational, Magna Golf Club 2005 (made for tv event).
• Organized, directed, and facilitated several Scotiabank Charity Challenges 2006-2009, annually featuring Annika Sorenstam accompanied by Natalie Gulbis, Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp and Morgan Pressel and the nation’s top ranked junior girls (all made for tv events).
• Organized, directed, and facilitated three Golf Town charity matches, all made for television events 2008-2010 featuring, David Toms, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, J.J. Henry, Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer (all made for tv events).
• 2014- Present, Board of Directors, Mike Weir Foundation mikeweirfoundation.com
• 1999-2000 built from a start-up the Jim McLean Golf Academy at Deer Creek, the #1 ranked golf school program in Canada (National Post) with renowned U.S. based instructor Jim McLean.

 

To contact Rob directly, he can be reached via email at rroxborough@thepulpitclub.com.

 

About Golf Industry Guru

 

Golf Industry Guru is an online education community that helps golf club owners and managers improve their people, their business, and their profits.  GIG’s mission is to connect the people with the knowledge to the people who need it and be the number one online educational resource for every person working in the golf industry around the world.

 

For more information on GIG’s product & services, follow us on social media and please visit us at www.golfindustryguru.com.

 

 

For additional details, please contact:

James Cronk

604-889-4707

james@golfindustryguru.com

As the General Manager and Director of Golf at Revelstoke Golf Course, Dean Jackson takes the concept of growing the game to a whole new level and truly digs into it to improve his bottom line. During his time at Revelstoke, Dean has revolutionized golf in his community, increasing junior members from from 16 to 117 and intermediate memberships to 141 in 2016 to 280 in 2020 and is closing in on 300 for the upcoming season. Jason Logan from SCOREGolf gets down to what type of mindset it took to make this type of change and how other golf professionals can do the same.

Join host Mark Roe for a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Kathy Bishop, an Associate Professor in the School of Leadership Studies at Royal Roads University. Dr. Bishop, an expert in values-based leadership, sharing insights on integrating values into daily operations, shaping organizational culture, and fostering leadership growth.

Don't miss this exploration of leading with purpose in today's complex world. Tune in to "Leading with Purpose: A Conversation on Values-Based Leadership with Dr. Kathy Bishop."

In our 60th PGA of Canada podcast, PGA Head Professional Kate Weir is joined by Ted Talk speaker and CEO/Founder of Experience Investigators™ by 360Connext, Jeannie Walters. Kate and Jeannie expand on Jeannie's keynote presentation at the 2021 Tee Talks Live Digital Series and will uncover topics like how you can resolve your club or facilities micro moments, taking a proactive approach to build trust with your customers, supporting your seasonal employees at golf courses to live your customer promise, how to handle reviews on your club or facility, and so much more.

As part of this podcast, sign up for free downloadable tools to help create a CX Mission and more at YearOfCX.com by visiting www.experienceinvestigators.com.

In the final episode of this eight part series, Brian and the gang focus on your personal brand. People do business with who they know, they like, and they trust. What is your personal brand? What are some of the top tips you can use to build your personal brand and grow your business?

How do you get your message out to your consumer? This podcast, Strong Coffee Marketing, focuses on how to select the right channel for your audience, understanding where your audience 'hangs out', and understanding your consumer personas.

Now that we have a sense of who our consumers are and what makes them tick from the last episode, Brian and the gang look for solutions into what each consumer is looking for and what the value YOU bring as a PGA professional to the consumer.

In Part 5 of this 8 part series, our friends at Strong Coffee Marketing discuss the common client personnas you see everyday in the golf industry.

Part 4 of the Value of PGA Professional with Strong Coffee Marketing focuses on your customers - knowing your customer and know what makes them tick to ultimately increase your bottom line.

Want to champion the idea of coaching to your adult students that are more familiar with traditional instruction?   Today’s guest Sarah Dant has made that transition with her target market of adults, typically 60+ who now love the coaching programs she’s put together.

 

We’ll talk about why Sarah avoids using the words clinic and instruction and how’s she’s been able to build an amazing culture at her club.

 

If you feel intimidated by launching a new coaching program for your students Sarah shares the first steps she took 3 years ago.  It’s a practical example you can look to if you’re thinking  about starting a group coaching for students like Sarah has.

 

ABOUT SARAH DANT

Since 2006, Sarah Dant has taught at Royal Poinciana Golf Club in Naples FL over the winter months and The Golf Club of Tennessee during the summer.

 

Over the past 15 years her coaching philosophy has progressed with influence from Dr Rick Jensen, Henry Brunton, Pia Nilsson, and Lynn Marriott.  Today she spends the majority of her week conducting small group coaching sessions and working with individuals on their personalized programs. 

In part two of this series, Strong Coffee Marketing shares how you can build your customers personas.

In part two of this series, Strong Coffee Marketing talks about the age old question....how can you as a PGA of Canada professional add more value to your customer base.

In this eight part series, Strong Coffee Marketing discusses the value of a PGA professional in the golf industry. Tune into this first episode for an introduction to the invigorating and inspiring series.

Join host Mark Roe in a lively conversation with Allison George, affectionately known as "the wizard of fun," as she shares her unique journey from growing up on the golf course to becoming the General Manager at Toad Valley Golf Course. Discover the dynamic and diverse career experiences that have shaped Allison into a leader in the golf industry.

In this episode, delve into Allison's strategies for success, including how she strengthen Toad Valley Golf Course by introducing innovative programs to the public and staying ahead with modern marketing content. Explore the top components of fun that can transform golf clubs into vibrant community hubs. Listen in as Allison discusses the challenges and barriers she faced in maintaining a fun atmosphere and how she integrates the element of fun within her team. Gain valuable insights into strategies that can be implemented to highlight and focus on fun, ensuring a positive and engaging presence in the golfing community.

Tee up for an insightful episode that not only explores the fun side of golf but also offers practical advice. Join us for "Swinging Success: The Fun Factor in Golf Clubs with Allison George, the Wizard of Fun.”

In this episode, PGA Professional Kate Weir talks with the dynamic, funny, and energetic Shawnee Harle. Shawnee expands on a previous piece she wrote for the PGA of Canada on communication practices, relevant both in sport and business. They discuss four major communication styles with the pros and cons of both, self awareness in coaching and CEOs, the pitfalls that destroys team chemistry and morale, and much more.

Shawnee holds a Masters Degree in Coaching Studies and is a two-time Olympian as the former Assistant Coach for the Canadian Women’s Basketball Team. She has over 25 years of elite coaching and leadership experience including the Rio Olympics in 2016, the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, World Championships in Australia and Turkey, Pan Am Games in Toronto, FIBA Americas in Brazil and Argentina, and the World University Games in China. Team Canada is currently ranked #5 in the world, their highest ranking ever.

Shawnee was the Head Coach at the University of Calgary for 18 years. She joined UC after coaching at Brandon University for two seasons. Prior to that, she served as an Assistant Coach for the University of Victoria for three years as a full time student at the National Coaching Institute.

Back in the day:) Shawnee was a basketball student-athlete at the University of Victoria and a member of two CIS National Championship teams led by coaching legend Kathy Shields. Recently, she worked for Basketball Alberta as the Director of Coaching Development and the Technical Director. Today she is a Master Coach Developer and Master Learning Facilitator for the National Coaching Certification Program where she trains and mentors both advanced and novice coaches from all sports.

Since winning matters not only in sport but also in business, Shawnee has become a sought after corporate coach, life coach, mental toughness coach and motivational speaker. Her vast experience in the elite world of sport transfers directly to the boardroom where success is talent oriented and people driven. She is currently training corporate managers to become wise and insightful while leading their team to winning results.

In this podcast, PGA of Canada member Kate Weir sits down with Kris Hart and NextGenGolf team to discuss initiatives and drivers for millennial in golf. How do we attract more millennial? What do they look for in social engagements? And so much more.

Geno Auriemma is an 11 time NCAA Champion, won eight national Naismith College Coach of the Year awards and was head coach of the United States women's national basketball team from 2009 through 2016, during which time his teams won the 2010 and 2014 World Championships. In this podcast, Geno sits down with PGA of Canada member Kate Weir to discuss millennial, trends in young athletes, getting the best out of our youth, and challenges over his tenure as one of the most successful coaches in college sport. 

If you feel like your members or students aren’t responding to your offers anymore, in this episode you’re going to learn an amazing set up for a workshop that anyone can implement and create a lot of buzz around your course.

 

It’s all about exposing your students to unique viewpoints or specialists outside of your own whether that’s fitness, mental game, short game, or just an instructor that works a little differently than yourself.

 

Instructor Tony Ruggiero shares his structure for a half day workshop, the pricing, and how it’s going for his students so far.

 

ABOUT TONY RUGGIERO

 

Tony is the Director of Instruction at the Country Club of Mobile as well as the Lead Instructor for The Dewsweepers Performance Academy at Sheraton Bay Point Resort in Panama City Beach Florida. Tony’s notable students include PGA Tour Players Smylie Kaufman, Lucas Glover, and Zack Sucher; Web.com Tour Players Sam Love, Tom Lovelady, Robby Shelton and Wilson McDonald. Tony has had students appear on the 2014 and 2016 US Walker Cup Teams, and he currently has 7 players playing in the Southeastern conference. Tony has been the host of the Dewsweepers Golf Show on XM/Sirius PGA tour radio as well as terrestrial radio stations throughout the South for over decade!

 

In 2017 Tony was named Golf Magazines “Top 100 Instructors in America” as well as Callaway’s Top 50 Elite Junior Coach in 2016 and 2015. In 2016 Tony was ranked the #2 teaching instructor in the state of Alabama by Golf Digest. In 2013 Edwin Watts recognized Tony as a Top Instructor.

We sit down to talk with Todd Halpen about his business, how he’s marketing, and what programs are working best for him in Calgary. 

Todd uses a lot of Eduffi with his clients to build stronger relationships and help guide their learning process a bit more as a coach.  He talks about how he’s creating more of a coaching atmosphere by using this piece of tech and it improve referrals from students.

Asking yourself why students aren’t talking about you on social media?  Maybe you haven’t given them the content and stories to make posting and sharing easy.  Todd talks about what kind of posts on Instagram have helped him best reach students and grow his business.

 

ABOUT TODD HALPEN

Todd has spent 27 years dedicated to the game of golf. With an extensive competitive, instruction and business career in the game, Todd’s experience is second to none. Having competed on the PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour, international amateur events, his playing experience gives him an advantage over other teaching professionals that either don’t compete anymore, or never really did.

 

His work building the Swinkey (now Golfers Toolbox) from 2009-2013 has him more connected and researched than instructors twice his age. The Swinkey is the only training tool to receive a perfect score. He continues to train every day for competitive golf, and competes across Alberta and the rest of Canada every year. Not many other instructors can do this.

Learn from 2013 teacher of the year, Rob Houlding as we walk through his evolution of indoor golf facilities and dive into all the details you need to know if you’re thinking of launching your own.  We talk about everything from a set up to just get you started through Rob’s current facility and what his set up looks like today.

First Step: Know your audience!  What do they want and will they be interested in training year round?  Rob's market was (and still is) high performing juniors and elite performers and they were already practicing and playing year round, so adding the indoor facility was a no brainer.

Space and Environment: You control your environment and every aspect of the students experience, make sure to engage and inspire students with your space.  In his first space Rob didn’t pay much attention to the environment and quickly realized it was pretty boring. After that he’s always place an emphasis on making things more “golf like” even though student are indoors. 

Rob shares the exact dimensions and layouts he’s tried over the years and walks through his best suggestions for getting started (plus ideas on budgets as well).

Technology:  We look at what the minimum amount tech Rob recommends and potential budget in place for just getting started with your first facility.  

Business: There’s more revenue that can be generated besides just instruction with an indoor facility.  Rob shares the top ideas that have worked at his different facilities over the years. 

Finance: We run through the numbers and talk about how to make this all work in the real world. 

Welcome to the third episode of "Hit your Second Shot First" with 2017 PGA Teacher of the Year Paul Horton and his close friend, Bruce Dowbiggen. In this episode, Paul and Bruce head to the practice green at Heritoage Pointe Golf Academy for a crash course on Aim Point Putting, Paul's latest news of being affiliated with Golf Channel Academy, a segment of Paul's Pointers, and so much more.

In this episode, Paul Horton and Bruce Dowbiggin head to the teaching tee - they talk about how to prepare for a season of teaching. Paul provides his insights as PGA professionals prepare for the peak season of providing the best lessons possible to your students. Knowing your student, their background, and who they are to mold your lessons over the summer months. Paul also lists the teachers and books who have influenced his teaching and what he recommends to fellow PGA professionals.

In this episode, radio host in Calgary Bruce Dowbiggen sits down with 2017 PGA of Canada Teacher of the Year, Paul Horton. They discuss preparing for the new season - guideance on purchasing new equipment as a customer, assessing Canadian PGA and LPGA players, and much more.

Join host Mark Roe in an engaging conversation with Salimah Mussani, the current Head Coach of the Women’s National Golf Team. Born in Ontario, Salimah's journey from being a standout golfer at Stanford University to a successful professional on the Epson and LPGA Tours is captivating. In this episode, delve into Salimah's remarkable career and her transition from player to coach.

Discover the challenges Salimah faced on her path to becoming the Head Coach of Team Canada's Women's golf team. Gain insights into the intricacies of coaching at the highest level and the importance of staying involved in continuous skill development. Whether you're a golf enthusiast or interested in leadership and coaching, this episode offers a fascinating look into the world of competitive golf and the invaluable role of coaching in shaping champions.

Tune in to "Fairways to Leadership: A Coach's Journey with Salimah Mussani" for an inspiring and insightful conversation that transcends the boundaries of sports and leadership.

This podcast will dive into business of retail and the impact on our business and gives us some ideas on how we can may changes to stay relevant and thrive. James will talk about business disrupters - why you should know who they are and what they are doing.

2017 Ben Kern Coach of the Year, Paul Horton will explore everything from inner game of golf, innovation in equipment, and the influencers who shares Paul's approach. In this episode we learn more about Paul and his background that led him to being named a Top 50 Golf Instructor in America and PGA of Canada Teacher and Coach of the Year. Paul also discusses the impact George Knudsen, Ben Kern, Moe Norman, and others had on his career,  learning from a sport psychology in his father, and career moves he made to lead to his successful career as a teacher and coach amongst many other topics.

  2017 Murray Tucker Golf Professional of the Year Andrew Steep sits down with longtime friend and mentor George Sigurdson, Founder and President and Founder of Sigurdson Financial in Winnipeg, MB. Andrew and George discuss customer service excellence within the industry, outside the indusrtry, and key learnings to ensure your customer is a return customer. As an avid golfer, George shares his experience as a customer in the industry and areas he sees PGA members can improve the experience from his wealth of experience in the financial sector.

You have an awesome program set up for your junior golfers but how do you get people to sign up?  Learn the marketing strategy Will Robins uses to fill up his Path to College golf program and get the word out about his academy.

 You’ll hear some of the core principles of Will’s program they communicate with parents and juniors so they buy into the entire process.  Looking for a good tagline example?  How about Will’s “Champions in golf and life”

 Struggle when it’s time for the sale and the dreaded “pitch”?  We talk through some solid sales advice and hear an example of how to transition someone from interested to sale.

 

ABOUT WILL ROBINS

 A native of the United Kingdom, Will has been passionate about golf his entire life.

 After sustaining an injury that prevented him from continuing his career playing professionally on tour he began teaching golf lessons. He quickly realized traditional instruction did not work, so he developed the coaching program model and got truly amazing results with his average player dropping 11 strokes in just 10 weeks.

 Will helps golf professionals realize the outstanding results he’s been able to achieve while removing the cumbersome administrative work by implementing RGX’s proprietary software system.

What keeps younger boys engaged in the game of golf is probably going to be different than the learning environment most beneficial for girls.  Today we talk with Ann Carroll who is the former Development Squad Women’s Coach for Team Canada and now Teaching Professional at Lambton Golf & Country Club about some ideas for becoming a better instructor and coach to junior girls. 

Ann shares a typical training session breakdown and some of the key elements to keep girls engaged during learning and interested in golf and hopefully answering some of your questions like.

• Should you separate body and girls in programming?
• How should you structure a coaching session to keep girls engaged the entire time?
• What are the different motivational factors between boys and girls golfers?
• How to change coaching and teaching based on age of students
• What does an effective jr coaching session look like?


James Dion, from Dionco is joined with PGA of Canada Professional Alan Carter to discuss the current state of retail and our consumers. Why are so many retailers shutting their doors and does it impact us as retailers in the golf industry? Point of difference is a major concept James sees as an area of growth and opportunity for golf merchandisers and something he goes deeper into with Alan's support. Finally, James shares three megatrends behind the headwinds of the booming world of online shopping and our consumers love for discount shopping and what you can do to overcome or cater to, these growing trends.

James Dion is the founder and president of Chicago-based Dionco Inc. and an internationally known Retail Speaker and Retail Consultant. He is also the Author of the best-sellers Retail Selling Ain’t Brain Surgery, It’s Twice As Hard, Start and Run a Retail Business and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store.

As a Retail Consultant, James has helped hundreds of retailers large and small successfully reposition their retail business, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Hummer, Bata, The Hat Shack, and Living Well to name a few.

John regularly writes on the topic of entrepreneurial intelligence and in this podcast shares a very relevant theme to PGA professionals - how to succeed in a highly competitive markplace. John is a contributor to INC.com and competes with celebrity posters such as Tony Robbins, athletes, actors, and others. We often hear "I don't have time for personal branding." But why is it your competitors have the time? Why are you allowing them to gain the competitive advantage? Find out John means when he says you need to HUSTLE in business to succeed and be relevant in your industry and marketplace.

Successful people always take a longterm view - create great content and give away just enough information that your 'customer' wants more. There is no magic bullet - branding is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the podcast, its a great one!

John White is a contributor to INC.com and the CMO and founder of Social Marketing Solutions. He is also a brand ambassador for beBee (a startup social-media site based on affinity networking with 10.5 million global users). White writes at the crossroads of social media, entrepreneurship, startups, and marketing. Last year, he completed his MBA in marketing. White lives with his wife and two daughters in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The relevancy of the PGA Professional is no more important than it is today. In this energy filled episode, Golf Industry Guru co-founder James Cronk describes what he means by a 'powered-on pro' and the leadership traits and characteristics of the modern day professional. James and host Mark Roe dive into the challenges facing today's leader, how your club become the employer of choice in your market, the evolution of the role of a PGA member, the opportunities in a post-COVID workforce, and much more. Don't miss this invigorating episode that is bound to give you the motivation, energy, and tips and tricks to elevate your role in the industry and beyond. 

About James Cronk

James Cronk is a club industry leader with over 30 years-experience in the golf and service industry. He has presented keynote sessions and workshop seminars at major golf industry events around the world, including the NGCOA National Conference (16 times), the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (6 times including India in November 2019), the European Golf Business Conference (3 times including Portugal 2020), the CMAA World Conference (twice) and many more. In 2022 he was the keynote speaker at the Australian Club Managers Conference in Melbourne.

 

A former golf professional and club manager, James’s has real life experience in the industry, and his success as a leader is evident in the recognitions bestowed upon himself and his teams, including his facility being recognized by Golf Digest as having the ‘5th Best Customer Service in North America’ and being rated by BC Business Magazine as one of British Columbia’s ‘Top Ten Employers’. 

 

His company CRONK GROUP helps clubs and organizations achieve their goals and increase their profits by improving their systems, their service, and their people. In 2022 James and his business partner Scott Masse launched GOLF INDUSTRY GURU, a global on-line training platform for golf clubs featuring tools, tips, templates, videos, and blogs from many of the world’s leading golf and hospitality industry gurus. 

Today we talk about a key learning concept called Challenge Point.  At it’s core an appropriate challenge point will optimize the learning of a student by looking for the optimal level of difficulty to practice with.   We’ll walk through exactly what it means and an example of how it applies in the typical lesson setting. 

A big part of creating a lesson environment with appropriate challenge point involves the type of feedback the student is receiving.  We talk about how to appropriately vary that based on the skill of a level of a student.

 "Conditions that appear to create challenges for the learner often appear to be slowing down the learning process. We’ve come to label those desirable difficulties and they can actually enhance long-term learning.”

 Dr Robert Bjork

 It’s very easy for people to think that our current performance during the training and learning process is an accurate index of learning. Often it’s not only inaccurate, it’s very, very misleading. That’s because conditions that can lead to rapid improvement in performance don’t support learning on long-term.

We talk about some suggestions for maximizing engagement during the lesson so you can make sure your students are learning optimally every lesson. 

 Resources from Dr Mark Guadagnoli and Dr Robert Bjork mentioned: http://golfsciencelab.com/challenge-point/ http://golfsciencelab.com/performance-and-learning-dr-robert-bjork-and-adam-young/

 About Dr Mark Guadagnoli Dr. Mark Guadagnoli has worked in industry and academia for over two decades and has taught at several universities including Harvard University, UCLA, UNLV, and USC. He has been featured in the New York Times and other international publications.

Dr. Guadagnoli specializes in optimizing performance, communication, leadership, and learning and has received numerous awards for this work in (multiple time Student of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and Researcher of the Year) and out of the university. In addition to his university work, Dr. Guadagnoli has had an active consulting practice for nearly 20 years. He has worked in the area of corporate optimization with companies such as Zappos.com, where he developed their corporate university, developed and ran executive off sites, and worked on performance optimizations with their executive team.

Dr. Guadagnoli has also worked with companies such as Bose, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Google, Sony, and Panasonic. Dr. Guadagnoli has published more than 100 articles and abstracts and is the author of two books (Human Learning; Biology, Brain, and Neuroscience, and Practice to Learn, Play to Win). Dr. Guadagnoli’s primary line of research is related to the Challenge Point Framework which has been used to teach surgeons, medical professionals, and others who compete in high stress performance situations.

His model of learning shows that appropriate short-term challenges results in long-term and stress resistant learning. He has been invited to present this work around the world including such countries as Canada, China, France, Germany, and Scotland. Dr. Guadagnoli has also worked in performance optimization with athletes in several sports including the USA Olympic Elite Track and Field Coaches and PGA, LPGA, and Nationwide tour winners.

Dr. Guadagnoli is currently a faculty member at UNLV and Senior Scientist at Triad Consulting, Inc.

Jeff Overholt, of Golf Performance Coaches in the Toronto area, shares with us their take on Winter Camps for juniors in their coaching programs.  We talk about the focus on a full immersion experience with breakthroughs going far beyond just the golf course.  

 We’ll learn how they're helping juniors create better habits and get a better understanding of what it takes to be an elite level athlete off the golf course.  That’s one of the big reasons they’ve found renting a large home for the juniors to stay in, instead of a hotel is so beneficial.  It allows the coaches to control the environment a bit more and creates a more team like atmosphere amongst everyone attending.

“the space between” golf, can have the biggest impacts on trips like this

3 Mistakes to Avoid:

 #1 - Don’t start with too many players.  A large group causes issues with transportation, food, housing, and so much more.  Instead focus on the best fit and create a more personalized experience. Jeff recommends somewhere around 12-16 as a sweet spot for functionality as well as profitability. 

 #2 - Purchase food for juniors instead of going out to eat for every meal.  Not only does it keep food and beverage costs down but making a trip to Costco and picking up groceries allows healthier options. 

 #3 - Don’t book travel for kids, instead allow parents to book their own flights or travel as some will make it a family trip before or after and might want to drive, etc… You don’t want to become a travel agent!

 Jeff talks about these winter / spring camps as being some of the most reward times as coach.  Figure out a way to get stared with this concept and get your students somewhere south prior to the start of the season!

 

MONDAY (Sample day) 7:00am - Breakfast 9:30am - Skill Development at TPC Myrtle

Coaches stationed in three area’s (short game, driving range, and putting green) and players are encouraged to spend a bit of time with each coach throughout the three hours. Players can choose to spend as much or as little time in each area as they require. We like to give them structure but freedom to work within it.

• Station #1: Short Game - How to use the wedge?
• Station #2: Full Swing I - TrackMan feedback / skills evaluation
• Station #3: Full Swing II - Maintenance work
• Station #4: Putting - How to use the eyes?

12:30pm - Lunch 1:15pm - Play 18 holes at TPC Myrtle Beach

Coaches walk 4 - 5 holes with each group

• Front nine - Awareness exercises: Pre-shot routine focused 
• Back nine - 2 person Team Better Ball

6:30pm - Group dinner with DJGT players 9:00pm - Group discussion / debrief at Beach House Topic: Emotional Management 10:00pm - In bed rooms

 

Tom Schellenberg is the General Manager at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Kitchener, ON and has had a world of experiences under the age of 30. In this podcast, Tom shares his insights to becoming one of the youngest General Managers in the country and landing the job at Deer Ridge at only 23 years old.

When approached, aspiring young professionals are often looking for "the answer" to fast-tracking their career to a Generl Manager, Director of Golf, or Head Golf Professional. The fact is, according to Tom, there is no 'secret equation.' Money should not always be the driving force as a young professional, we should be striving for opportunities and experiences. The important skills are building your network of valuable references, building your personal brand, and working hard to open the doors for yourself. Age isn't always a factor - you have to know what you want to do and then believe in it and believe in yourself and above all else, work hard at what you do. 

Tom shares his path to success and key learnings for new professionals in the industry driving to a successful career in the industry.