golf pro

Today on "Follow Our Lead with Alaina Kearney," I talk with Dan Hershberg, founder and general manager of the Amateur Golf Society of America (AGS). He is a Philadelphia-born entrepreneur who has launched four successful companies in the past 15 years. His ventures include Philly Phaithful, a sports apparel line, and Workhorse Brewing Company, a craft beer business.

While at Workhorse, Dan introduced the Workhorse Tour, a one-of-a-kind amateur golf series that allows members to play competitive, tournament-style golf at their convenience. This innovative concept quickly gained traction, leading Dan to separate the Tour from the brewery and establish AGS. He forged a strategic partnership with the Golf Association of Philadelphia to expand the Tour across three states, offering over 60 week-long events in the 2023 season. The AGS Tour's unique format and booking platform enables amateur golfers to enjoy competitive golf on their own schedule, providing additional playing opportunities and a range of perks to its members.

In this episode, Dan takes us on his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the importance of pursuing businesses he is genuinely passionate about. Despite not having industry expertise initially, Dan relied on his extensive networks and prioritized the needs of his customers and employees. By combining his passion with a customer-centric approach, he paved the way for remarkable success in all his ventures.

To learn more about AGS or to join a tournament visit:  https://www.amateurgolfsociety.com/

The Pitch Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pitch/id1008577710

Watch the episode live on YouTube!

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member.

Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition.

Most of you listening to this are working at golf clubs that are busier than they have been in a long, long time.  Maybe even busier than ever before.  Rounds of golf are high and membership rosters are full.  Now that we’re settled into this new reality, the focus is on retaining all of these golfers so our clubs don’t return to the struggles that existed before this recent golf boom.  

How can we do that?  If you ask Shep Hyken, it’s by creating an amazing customer experience. 

Shep Hyken, calls himself the CAO (Chief Amazement Officer) of Shepard Presentations. He’s a customer service and experience expert and a sought after keynote speaker, as a Hall of Fame Speaker from the National Speakers Association.  For decades, he’s worked with companies that want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. 

As a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author he’s written 8 books focusing on delivering amazing customer service, customer engagement, managing the customer experience and creating customer loyalty.  His new book “I’ll Be Back” on building returning customers, is a perfect fit for the situation in our industry today.  He’s also the host of “Amazing Business Radio”, a podcast where he profiles leaders and their customer service expertise.  

With all this said, Shep is a big golfer and as a member at his local club, he understands the customer experience at clubs from both the staff’s perspective and from the members’.  That’s why this is such a valuable conversation.  There are plenty of takeaways in this conversation to help you and your team build a better service experience at your club.  

GBN is the leading private network for today's most successful PGA Professionals. Exclusive events at premier facilities, vendor partnerships to grow your business, education to increase your knowledge, and access to the top Professionals in the industry are just some of what membership in Golf Business Network will get you. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com to find out more and become a member.

After a successful 30-year career at prominent local company, Jan Receski was ready for a new challenge, not an early retirement. As she was contemplating her next move, inspiration struck following a poor golf club fitting experience. Selecting and trying out new equipment should be a fun and exciting time for any golfer, yet Jan left feeling underserved, misunderstood, and slightly offended. She quickly realized that the local market was lacking in golf establishments that catered to the needs of an increasing base of female players and enthusiasts.

At the height of the pandemic in early 2021, Jan opened OnPar Now, an inclusive and welcoming indoor golf facility that is especially sensitive to the growing numbers of women players. In this episode, Jan talks about how she cashed out her 401(k) and literally put it all on the line to make her dream a reality. She discusses how she navigated a new world of entrepreneurship by fully immersing herself in every aspect of the development of her business. With each meeting and decision made, she grew more confident throughout the process. And today, she continues to live up to her mantra that “failure is not an option.”

If you have any questions or if you’d like to chat, you can reach me at my contact info below. The purpose of this podcast is to share ideas, inspire action, and build a stronger small business community here in Pittsburgh. So please say hello, tell me what you think, and let me know how I’m doing. It means a ton!

YOU CAN REACH ME AT:

Website: https://www.proprietorsofpittsburgh.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proprietorsofpittsburghpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proprietorsofpittsburghpodcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darinvilano

Phone: 412-336-8247

YOU CAN REACH JAN RECESKI AT:

Website: https://onparnow.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onparnow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnParNow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onpar-now

It’s not often that we get to hear a conversation on the issues facing our industry directly from the leaders at the PGA of America.  In the summer of 2021 I had the opportunity to record a conversation with Don Rea, the current Secretary of the PGA, and feel this conversation was definitely worthy of releasing again.  

This was a wide ranging discussion that covered the challenges of recruiting in our industry today as well as goal setting for your future, while profiling Don’s unique rise through the industry to one of the most influential positions in golf today.  If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to go from cleaning carts and picking the range to becoming the owner of the golf course, you need to hear this conversation!

www.golfbusinessnetwork.com

GBN is the leading private network for today's most successful PGA Professionals. Exclusive events at premier facilities, vendor partnerships to grow your business, education to increase your knowledge, and access to the top Professionals in the industry are just some of what membership in Golf Business Network will get you. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com to find out more and become a member.

In today's episode of Athletic Motion Golf: the podcast, we're getting rid of the DREADED Slide once and for all! 

Don't miss Athletic Motion Golf: the podcast with Mike Granato and Shaun Webb!  We have weekly episodes coming and are so excited to share our upcoming episodes with you!

You likely know him now as the Secretary of the PGA of America, in line to be the President of the Association in just a few years.  Don Rea's background and his experience as an owner/operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club have provided him with a unique perspective that we don’t often see in PGA leadership.  He’s a creative programmer, he knows how to build relationships, and he understands the importance of creating a winning culture on his team at Augusta Ranch.  Following from afar, I have been optimistic about what Don can bring to the PGA of America, and this conversation only reinforced that belief.  

What does Don think about one of the biggest challenges we face today as an Association, recruiting and retention?  Let’s find out.  

Keith Stewart has spent over 25 years as a Golf Professional, working his way from an Assistant at clubs like Isleworth, home to countless tour pros and most famously at one point, Tiger Woods, to landing a Head Professional position at a unique club in Princeton, NJ, called Springdale Golf Club.  Along the way he’s been recognized 5 times as a New Jersey Section award winner, including the 2019 New Jersey PGA Golf Professional of the Year.

It was while at Springdale that Keith began to make a name for himself for the innovative ways he communicated with his membership.  We’ve all tried different avenues to get our message out to our members, but have you ever considered creating a radio show?  I bet not. But that’s what Keith did.  Every week he hit the airwaves at the local Fox Sports affiliate as the host of Springdale Golf Live. It was his chance to talk about the club and begin to develop his own voice which led him to where he is today.  

He’s now a full-time host and writer, where he’s using his abilities to tell stories about the game everywhere from the local level to the biggest happenings in golf.  

But in this conversation, we focus on how you can build your communication skills and how you can focus on the development of the people around you. 

www.golfprofessionalgrowth.com

Are you using Golf Genius Software in you Golf Shop and in your events?  www.golfgenius.com

It’s late August, 1996.  I had just arrived at college for my freshman year.  Like most college kids back then with this new-found independence, I was taking the opportunity to sit in my dorm room and stare at the TV, free from anyone telling me where to be and what to do.  Without Netflix, or YouTube, or Prime, we watched what was on TV.  And on this particular Sunday, the eyes of the golf world were fixated on the final of the United States Amateur Championship.  

Over the last few years, Tiger Woods had burst on the scene and captivated golfers with his unmatched talent, prodigious length, and record setting play.  It’s safe to say that no amateur golfer had garnered this much attention since Bobby Jones, some 70 years prior.  Tiger was no longer just known in golf circles, he was a celebrity. 

As I sat on my bed in that tiny room in State College, PA, it was time to watch Tiger take his victory lap through that final match and achieve what no other golfer had ever accomplished...winning three U.S. Amateur Championships in a row.  

But something happened on that path to victory.  A young, fellow college player from the University of Florida, named Steve Scott, was 5 up after 18 holes.  This wasn’t supposed to be the story line.  How could Tiger’s monster drives and the backing of an entire gallery, not take down this opponent?  Was Steve Scott going to be what stood in between Tiger Woods and golf history?  

As many of you know, the legend of Tiger Woods took a huge leap forward that day.  His comeback from that 5 down deficit was everything you came to expect from the most dominant player in our game.  Tiger would go on to turn professional shortly after, would soon win his first PGA Tour event, and eventually The Masters, just 7 months later.  You know the rest.

But as we learn in the episode, all was not lost for Steve Scott that day.  He played as well as he could, taking Tiger Woods to the brink of defeat and during his college days, reached #1 in the amateur golf rankings.  But it’s an episode on the 34th hole of the match that stands out to many.  We discuss what happened and how Steve’s reaction, his sportsmanship and his decision to do the right thing, even in defeat, has benefited him time and time again.  

In fact, it’s the title of his upcoming book, “Hey Tiger- You Need to Move Your Mark Back”, the story of the ‘96 U.S. Amateur and the moment that has defined Steve Scott’s career as a player and now as a PGA Professional.    You can get the book HERE.

www.golfprofessionalgrowth.com
www.golfgeniuis.com

What do you get when you combine a desire for constant improvement, with a passion for the game of golf, the golf industry, and world-class hospitality?  For Jason Ballard, it’s all added up to an already successful career at some of the most renowned facilities in the world.  But the 2020 PGA National Merchandiser of the Year and Head Professional at the esteemed Oak Hill Country Club, isn’t ready to rest on his laurels.

As Jason tells us, he was mentored on his way up in this business to always seek ways to get better and to consistently scrutinize your operation and your own performance to look for new opportunities.  He was fortunate to gain experience as an Assistant Professional at clubs such as Congressional and East Lake and most notably, the Augusta National Golf Club.  

All of that experience led him to his position at Oak Hill, where he’s already been able to host one championship and is looking forward to his next one when the club hosts its fourth PGA Championship in 2023. 

Check out Golf Professional Growth: www.golfprofessionalgrowth.com

Are you using Golf Genius software in your golf operation? Go to www.golfgenius.com

See & Free Studio Episode 13 with the talented Eric Gilliland, a PGA Golf Pro who teaches us that winning is much more than mastering the game

Eric Gilliland illuminates the multi-faceted life and career of a Golf Pro. The “Club” aspect of the business is the responsibility of the Golf Pro, who provides a sense of belonging and community for the players, their families and the community-at-large. For Eric, it’s not just the skill or how you play the game, his USD is the ability to understand what people are looking for, what types of experiences they enjoy, connecting with them and then becoming their best friend on the course and off. Come hear Eric’s story, including how he triumphed over colon cancer and is now dedicating much of his energy and free time to helping others through The Colon Cancer Prevention Project.

Time for the golf podcast. About time we joined forces with a golf pro and gave you the full golf episode where we discuss - golf technology, golf tips to lower your score, body/biomechanics issues that prevent a optimal swing, what is myTPI (Titleist Performance Institute.), a couple of exercises you can do to help, we dissect all 5 of Tiger Wood's back operations and give some insight into why he needed them. Enjoy the golf episode.

Instagram @chirolondonpod

Our Masters Tournament Preview - A Mick A Mook and A Mic

Billy and Frank discuss Golf and Tournament insights with Chuck Dunbar (Head Pro - Pebble Beach Golf Links & Ken Bentley (CEO - APGA Tour and Advocates Foundation/Board Member of Tiger Woods Foundation). 

Mike and Shaun get to see how golfers practice every day. 

After a while, you start to see patterns emerge.  But not all patterns are good patterns, as you know.  In today's episode of Athletic Motion Golf, the podcast we discuss the most common practice habits we see on a daily basis that are actually doing golfers more HARM than good. 🙅‍♂️

In lessons, we’ll often have the golfer take their address position, then we’ll ask them to move straight to what they feel is a good impact position.  The variations and ideas we see about what impact should be is enough to fill a book.  It’s hard to arrive at impact if you don’t have a clear idea or feel of what a good impact should be.  

This episode is all about helping you develop that feel.

We're BACK!  In today's episode of the Athletic Motion Golf podcast- we're discussing practice moves that can take strokes off your score...

These moves should be at the top of YOUR list for things to work on during your next (and all future) practice sessions!  

You'll discover the 5 basic but BEST moves that will help you do just that.  Start to incorporate these moves, and you’ll start to shed serious strokes off your score… and fast!

We’ve all heard the phrase “golf is an outdoor game”.  Most often, we’re saying this to players that are playing in poor weather conditions as we're trying to help them deal with those conditions.  For Eric Eshleman, the 2019 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, it takes on a different meaning.  

As he tells us in this conversation, golf is played outdoors, so Golf Professionals should be out where the game is being played. As a sought after coach to players of all levels, including PGA Tour players and dignitaries like Condoleeza Rice, Eric spends hours and hours every week on the lesson tee.  In addition, he’s built one of the most successful junior golf programs you can find anywhere, since he began at Country Club of Birmingham in 2001, which includes a junior club championship that hosts over 200 players!

All of this while fulfilling his duties to his staff as the Director of Golf and more importantly to his family as a husband and a father of three boys.

In this conversation we get into how he manages all of his responsibilities and stays organized.  We discuss some details about managing email and planning that I think could help many of you if you’re struggling to manage your time.

Eric tells us how he hires and builds his team and finally, advice for any young Golf Professional.  What’s the one thing you need to be able to do to help ensure your success in this business?  It’s a unique perspective on the importance of being able to build relationships, which is key to anyone’s career in the golf industry. 

Check out the list of tools and resources to help you "Work Smarter and Live Better" at www.golfprofessionalgrowth.com!

Are you using Golf Genius Golf Shop?  Check it out at www.golfgenius.com.

Should you get fitted for your current swing?  Should you get fitted for where you want your swing to be in the future?  This is a common question we get a lot and in this episode we answer it from a golf instructors point of view.  Before you go get fit, you have a listen to this important episode of Athletic Motion Golf: the podcast!

Is it firing  the hips?  Is it the shoulders getting  open at impact?  

In this episode of Athletic Motion Golf: the podcast, we look at one MAJOR commonality in transition that the fastest players on tour all share. This is something you can definitely add to your swing the next time you go to the range.

In this episode of Athletic Motion Golf: the podcast, we discuss how Shaun added a particular drill and swing trigger into his motion to get to driver clubhead speed up to 125. These are 2 things you can add to your swing to quickly ramp up your distance by improving how you load the backswing.

Do you struggle with taking distance off of your wedges?  If you’re like many golfers, you’re not sure what to do to carry the ball shorter than your full swing distance with your wedges.  Do you shorten the follow-through?  Shorten the backswing? Tune in to this episode of Athletic Motion Golf, the podcast, to get these shots close to the hole!