tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7112772496921204512024-02-19T00:38:38.151-05:00Pay It Forward Golf (PIFG)Welcome to Pay It Forward Golf, a non-profit professional development resource to Assistant Golf Professionals. Established in 2009, PIFG is designed to bring to the table real issues that are relevent to Assistant Professionals, as well as to provide them with a source for direction along a rewarding yet difficult career path.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-30127896702901523592015-02-05T07:58:00.001-05:002015-02-07T07:19:57.700-05:00"Intentionality" - The Sea Island Training ExperienceFebruary 5, 2015<br />
by Brian Dobak<br />
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What sets apart the best from the rest? From March 2007 to October 2010, I had the privilege to work at Sea Island Golf Club as an assistant golf professional. There are many great golf facilities to learn about the club professional business, but I can't imagine there being a better place to learn than Sea Island Golf Club, and I'm going to tell you why. But I am also going to use the experience to show you, in my opinion, what sets apart the best from the rest in not just the golf business, but any business or organization involving people. With the experience 4 years behind me, I feel like am able to confidently and objectively harken back to those good ol' days and clearly give an honest assessment of the experience.</div>
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Located on Saint Simons Island, Georgia, Sea Island Golf Club is a 54-hole private resort golf club that is a part of the Sea Island Resort on Sea Island, Georgia, about an hour south of Savannah. When I interviewed with the Director of Golf, Brannen Veal, I distinctly remember him advising me not to get to attached. It wasn't long before I learned why he said that. My travels have took me to many places and the unique beauty and southern charm of Saint Simons Island and Sea Island Golf Club are unparalleled in the country. I quickly found myself getting attached and not wanting to leave. It seemed to me that for assistant professionals, Sea Island Golf Club was not a destination, rather it was a stop along the way to something else. But if you're not careful, you can easily get complacent and want to stay in this amazing place for the rest of your life. Rightfully so, the leadership there had ways to know if you're getting too comfortable, and if they think you are, they'll let you know for your own good.</div>
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Why is the Sea Island experience set apart from others? It doesn't hurt to play on some amazing golf courses like the Seaside, Plantation, and Retreat courses or practice at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center which sits literally right beside the Atlantic Ocean. It also doesn't hurt to at least have the possibility to play Ocean Forest Golf Club or Frederica Golf Club. But the playing and practice privileges were only icing on the cake.<br />
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Here is why the Sea Island experience sets itself apart from others. When I was there, they expected to have you there for no more than 3 years. Within those three years, they heavily invest in you. It's not a passive investment where they just rely on the day-to-day nuances and activities and call it an "investment". They invest in you with intentionality, honestly assessing you and learning what your strengths and weaknesses are. They take the next step by putting your strengths into play but also giving you the experience needed to improve your weaknesses. They also look at every component of the golf operation and assess how they can intentionally use it to help develop an assistant professional. Intentionality is key. What does this intentionality look like practically?</div>
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The merchandising operation is a multi-pro shop operation with outlets at The Lodge and at the Retreat clubhouse. It is a multi-million dollar operation and because it consists of more than one outlet, that dynamic provides for unique challenges to learn from. The Lodge Pro Shop was designed by Ralph Lauren himself so you're stepping into a place where the bar is high. Across the board, the merchandising is meticulous with a high level of attention to detail. Shirts have to be folded a very certain way, mannequins have to be presented in a very particular way. If you're not used to that, then you won't understand it in the beginning, but it won't take long before you begin to understand. The merchandising operation operated on a rotating basis meaning one year you would be assigned to a particular area of the pro shop and a particular set of vendors, the next year you would have a different area and different vendors. Because of these rotations, you never get too comfortable.</div>
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The tournament operations component of the club is fast-paced. The members of the club have a comprehensive schedule of events. Depending on when you arrive on the scene, and what your previous experiences are, you would at some point be assigned to a weekly member group like the Sea Island Seniors, the Mens Golf Association (MGA), or the Sea Island Ladies Golf Association (SILGA), or the infamous Seigler Group. You would also be assigned to a major member event like a member-guest, member-member, Fall Classic, etc. Tournament operations also operated on a rotating basis, meaning one year you would be responsible for the MGA, the next year SILGA, and the next year the Seniors. Likewise, one year you would operate a member-guest, another year a different event, and so on. In addition to the member event schedule, multiple small and large golf group outings are almost a daily occurrence, each with their own particular needs. These small and large golf groups (16-96+ players) are expected to be given first-class, personal, hands-on attention by the assistant professional assigned to them. This put a high premium on multi-tasking and organization.</div>
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From an instructional standpoint, The Sea Island Golf Performance Center gives assistant professionals an opportunity to teach various clinics, and give as many private lessons as you can manage without compromising your primary duties. One year, we even experimented with allowing assistants to do nothing but teach for a full week once per month to learn what it's like to teach on such a regular basis. In whatever instruction you partook in, you were expected to utilize the latest video analysis technology in your instruction. An assistant professional also had the opportunity to observe from four of the top-50 instructors in the world in Jack Lumpkin, Todd Anderson, Mike Shannon, and Gale Peterson, as well as a slew of other top rated golf instructors in their own right. Not only that, but it was a welcome and embraced practice by the instructors. It wasn't just a "watch them and then get out of their way and leave" type activity, rather you would actually be encouraged to dialogue with them, relate with them, ask questions and bounce ideas around with them.</div>
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If an assistant needs more experience and the right opportunity presents itself, the leadership at Sea Island Golf Club allows one of their assistant professionals to do a 6 to 7 month internship at a facility elsewhere in the country to continue to develop as a professional. The leadership at Sea Island Golf Club are highly connected and they parlay their network into a great avenue to develop their assistants. There is a sacrifice involved when letting one of your staff members leave, however the benefit to the assistant professional outweighs the cost to the club. I did not have the opportunity to do this but I was fortunate to cheer on a few of my colleagues that did. One of them went to Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. Another colleague went to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. </div>
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Additionally, the leadership at Sea Island Golf Club puts in place the Sea Island Apprentice Training Program, a formalized and structured 3-level or 3-year training program which walks it's assistants through all facets of a golf operation. In addition to completing tasks and hitting checkpoints, management staff and the world-renowned instructional staff lead seminars for the assistants professionals, giving them an opportunity to dialogue over various topics relevant to their respective position in the golf industry.</div>
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The Sea Island experience also intentionally teaches leadership. The golf operation was a well-oiled machine. Being a part of a well-oiled machine oils you up as well. The leadership there led by example and they set the tone very well. Everything trickled down from the top. Everyone knew the expectations and were expected to perform them. And this was all under a mutual respect for one another from top to bottom. We all worked toward common goals in a very cohesive manner. This was all something I hadn't experienced much of until I got to Sea Island.<br />
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The leadership at Sea Island Golf Club allowed you to lead people yourself, literally. It's not the kind of passive empowerment where you can only lead with a supervisor by your side and they call it "leadership". They hire the right people, trust them, cut the leash, and let you loose to lead, make mistakes, and learn. At some point, you can expect to be assigned to a particular staff within the operation, including the outside operations staff, the starter/ranger staff, or the pro shop staff. Leading a department of staff will include scheduling, policies and procedures, accountability, running meetings, etc. By nature of your relationship with the particular staff, you will have opportunities to motivate and discipline when necessary. This is invaluable experience for an assistant professional striving to become a Head Professional. </div>
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Another aspect they really tried to drive home is that your experience and what you learn while there really depends on how far you're willing to go. All of the components are there at Sea Island, the question you have to ask yourself is, "How far am I willing to go to accomplish what I want to accomplish?" They gave us a lot of space as I rarely worked a 50 hour week or a 12-hour day, however with that space, they trust you and expect you to take initiative and utilize that time to hang around the Performance Center and observe instructors, build a client-base of private instruction, play golf with members and guests, and just immersing yourself in the experience and being around as an ambassador of the club.</div>
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The biggest thing I learned though was SERVICE. Coming from the northeast, and at the maturity level I was at, I personally had no clue what true "service" and the words "southern hospitality" meant. Serving the members and guests is the number one priority at Sea Island Golf Club and you are expected to serve them in a genuine and absolutely first-class fashion. I believe the term "service" gets thrown around a lot. Many clubs say it, but it's another thing to actually put your money where your mouth is and do it. Sea Island does just that. I have come across very few facilities in my experiences where they put their money where their mouth is. At Sea Island, it is true, genuine, "southern hospitality" in every sense of the phrase. I believe they achieve it because they intentionally create a working environment not where you feel like you "have to" serve, rather they build a working environment where everyone "wants to" serve. Like "I get to do this", not "I've got to do this".</div>
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Do you see the intentionality in all of this? Intentionality is key. I know this kind of experience isn't exclusive to Sea Island Golf Club. I'm know there are facilities in the country that offer an educational environment in their own unique right. Every facility has a unique set of components that can be parlayed into an educational experience for it's assistant professionals. It is my personal belief that in any organization involving people, the level of intentionality in the leaderships approach to developing it's staff as people and professionals is what sets apart the best from the rest. If you're a Head Professional reading this and you aren't intentional in the investment you give to assistant professionals, then I would recommend that you get out from behind your desk and begin the process. You may not have the top teachers, the high capacity pro shops and the resources like Sea Island, but you've got all the general components sitting right there in front of you. Use them. Start looking at every nook and cranny of your operation and ask yourself, "How can I use this component to help my staff become better people and better professionals?" If you're an assistant professional reading this and you aren't fortunate enough to obtain a job at a facility like Sea Island, I don't think it's a stretch at all to ask your Head Professional if you can spearhead the process in bringing a system of intentionality into your current operation.<br />
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Intentionality. It's not rocket science, but it is rare. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-32012468269358114332013-12-26T22:59:00.000-05:002015-02-08T07:38:10.975-05:00"Devil's Advocate" with Augusta National Golf Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">by Brian Dobak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">December 26, 2013</span><br />
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PIFG is about bringing to the forefront real issues, different perspectives, and educational opinions to help assistant professionals think critically about their situations. This article represents a "devil's advocate" perspective that is solely meant to offer another angle for an assistant to think about and consider as he or she navigates through this tough yet rewarding business. This article is not for the very few assistant professionals who get the privilege of working at places like Augusta National Golf Club. Rather it is for the many assistant professionals who will never get the opportunity, and think that they can't make it in the club professional business if they never work at a place like ANGC. <span style="font-family: inherit;">In my decade of experience in the golf business as a club professional, I always took a keen interest in training and mentoring. With that said, I have sometimes wondered where a place like Augusta National Golf Club stacks in terms of the ability to train assistant golf professionals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Augusta National has Head Professionals (two great ones out of the Penn State PGM Program I might add), and I commend them for the effort I know they're putting in to trying to prepare their assistants for the long haul. But it makes you think, how can a club that doesn't have a junior program, not much of a women's program, a small tournament program, and no legitimate cart fleet provide the all-encompassing training needed to push assistants along? To my knowledge (which is limited), ANGC doesn't have a computer handicap system to learn and operate</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. You can count the number of member tournaments they have on one hand</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. They have two women in their women's program. To my limited knowledge, there is no member bag storage to manage and no significant cart fleet to keep. Their outside services operation is more of a valet service </span>to and from their designated airport. If these things are true, realistically operations like this are not representative of the kind of HP job that 99.9% of aspiring HP's will attain. It's unrealistic to think that an operation like this, on it's own, could fully and comprehensively prepare an assistant for the rigors of an HP job, although that doesn't mean it's not possible.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's talk about everything ANGC does have going for itself. Naturally ANGC does have a strong caddie program, as well as a strong merchandising program. To my knowledge (which is limited), they also have a good instruction program with Trackman, that suits the needs of their particular membership. There are many base level skills that can also be learned there like staffing, multi-tasking, time management, vendor relations, and other components. Additionally, "service" is everywhere, so </span>credit<span style="font-family: inherit;"> should be given to the ANGC operation for that as well. A golf operation trying to provide world-class service to that kind of clientele must be a great opportunity for learning. And then there is the aspect of learning from two great HP's and their </span>personal<span style="font-family: inherit;"> experiences. So there are many operational components to learn there, however in the overall grand scheme of golf operations, can </span>an assistant can get the full smorgasbord of training required to push forward in the club professional business?<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The professional staff at Augusta National can certainly stage many seminars, but seminars aren't going to give professionals the work experience they need. Seminars are a good supplement to work experience. But for a program to be a "supplement" there has to be the "work experience" that needs to be supplemented. What's the point in having a junior instruction seminar if there is no junior program to take what you wrote on your yellow note pad and actually put what you wrote to use?</span></div>
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Generally speaking, w<span style="font-family: inherit;">hat's an assistant professional at ANGC going to do when he gets a HP job at a club that requires a cart fleet of 120? Will he have solid cart fleet financing experience to fall back on? Will he have the experience to make intuitive decisions about cart fleet recruitment and financing? Sure, he can call on some mentors, but even that may not help when the rubber meets the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Putting myself in the shoes of a hiring </span>committee member, <span style="font-family: inherit;">and we badly need to bolster our women's program, can an assistant out of Augusta National realistically be a good fit? If we are itching for revenue and we are in dire need of a stronger corporate outing schedule, can an assistant out of Augusta National realistically be a good fit? If I am looking for a HP that can handle the traffic frequency and diversity of my clubs 800 to 1,000 members, can an assistant out of Augusta National </span>realistically<span style="font-family: inherit;"> be a </span>good<span style="font-family: inherit;"> fit? Even the grounds department wouldn't seem to be exempt. If I am at a club with a small grounds budget, can a superintendent coming out from under the umbrella of a virtually unlimited budget like I'm sure exists at Augusta National, realistically be a good fit? Aren't these fair questions? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Take XYZ Country Club, it's not a Top-100 facility, however it is a great facility with first-class golf. It enlists about 700 golf members. It employs one of the better caddie programs in it's region. It exhibits a vibrant and dynamic instruction program and a very strong and active merchandising program. It hosts a very lucrative corporate outing schedule. It provides an expansive men's program, a thriving women's program, and a solid junior program. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the outside looking in, Augusta National seems like a great "launching pad". A place like XYZ Country Club, for lack of a better term, seems like a "battleground" to me. There are many clubs like XYZ Country Club, and seasoned assistants that have spent 3 to 5 years of uninterrupted time at those clubs would be just as great of an option, if not better. From a place like XYZ Country Club, a club can pluck a seasoned, ready, able, and willing assistant professional and also know </span>with<span style="font-family: inherit;"> certainty that they're getting a professional that is tried, tested, and true under the MOST opportune conditions. </span></div>
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Now I know most ANGC assistants during their off-season (May to September) go north or south for more dynamic jobs. It is these jaunts elsewhere where they get the meat of their work experience. This is how ANGC makes it work. By strategically partnering with other facilities around the country and sending their professionals to these facilities to continue to round out their abilities. I think it is a great system of intentionality. But if we're playing "devil's advocate", the downside to this situation is they don't present longevity at a club. Many hiring committees like to see longevity in a candidates situation, not years of zip code-hopping and road-tripping (something I myself did for a few years). Don't get me wrong, an assistant can be nicely groomed under these circumstances, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. ANGC has a track record of moving assistant professionals along, some of them to some pretty high-up Head Professional positions, so they're making it happen.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I would never recommend that an assistant professional not consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at ANGC. In fact, I would say go for it. If you have that chance, then you are "one in a million". ANGC will get you where you want to go, probably further. ANGC is unique and it seems to me that they are doing pretty well with what they have to work with in the realm of staff training. Every club is unique in their own way and much can be learned in their respective environments, including Augusta National. But the point of this article is this: There are thousands of other assistants that will never lick an </span>opportunity<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to work at ANGC or a club like it. If you're one of those assistant professionals </span>reading<span style="font-family: inherit;"> this, and your wrestling with trying to find some sort of purpose in where you are right now and where it all fits in the grand scheme of your career, try to understand more about what you do have in front of you and stop imagining what you could have at Augusta National or a place like it. XYZ Country Club can get you where you want to go too, maybe further than you ever imagined. What you need for your career could be right under your nose. </span>Working for the "best in the business" isn't always the best situation for you. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Where you are right now could be your best situation. Just keep working hard, enjoy yourself, educate yourself, receive and consider opportunities as they come, strive to be the best person and professional you can be, and see where the cards fall.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-81043269866384736772012-07-04T14:12:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:40:07.415-05:00Getting Out, and Our Value Outside of the Golf Businessby Brian Dobak<br />
July 4, 2012<br />
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As we discussed a few articles ago, a Head Professional position is not for everyone. The environment is extremely competitive and very few assistant professionals ever make it to a Head Professional position. For many assistants, getting out of the business entirely is a reality. But the good thing about it, is that there is nothing wrong with that. Our experiences as a golf professional are extremely valuable outside of the golf business. Here's why...<br />
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I have a friend who got out of the golf business some time ago, and he would tell me how he could not get a job because the stigma that was being placed on his experiences as a golf professional. The employers thought all he did was stand around and watch TV in the golf shop and/or play golf all day. The employers could not get past that. They weren't seeing how his experiences as a golf professional could be of value to them. When he dug deeper into his experiences and marketed them differently to employers, success came quickly. The following is the gist of what he came up with:</div>
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<b>Customer Service</b></div>
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He explained that as a golf professional, on any given year, he conversed with and served between 3,000 and 3,500 people. Of those, at any given club he worked, 500 to 1,000 of them were members of the club. Each one of them, regardless if they were a member or a guest, he served them to a high degree, making their experience the best it could possibly be and making sure they left wanting more. He explained to the employers that he knows all about customer service and client relations.</div>
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<b>Revenue Generation</b></div>
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He explained how he used the marketing skills he acquired in a marketing internship at a golf course ownership company in college, and how he was able to grow participation anywhere from 120% to 400% in the Senior and Women's leagues at this club, the men's league at that club, and the junior program at this club. </div>
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He also explained how he played a pivotal role in increasing the golf shop merchandising revenue in one of his experiences. Through his college education, marketing experience, and his self taught knowledge of merchandising best practices, he was able to increase gross revenue from $325,000 to $950,000 in a matter of 3 seasons. Are these numbers on the level of a multi-million dollar company and the revenue they are seeking to generate? No. But he explained to the employers that there was no reason why he couldn't do the same in an environment outside the golf business. </div>
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<b>Budget Cutbacks</b></div>
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He explained in detail about how, in late 2008 when the economy crashed, he was heavily involved in strategically cutting back golf operations expenses, and building a system that would alleviate the affects the cutbacks would have on the members of the club. He explained to them how he kept the clubs operations above water as they were able to withstand the impact that the economy had on it's business. Most importantly, the board members of the club and most members raved about how they were able to accomplish what they accomplished based on the cutbacks. </div>
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<b>Leadership & Management</b></div>
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During the crash, some payroll had to be cut and because of a few less staff members, employee morale dipped. He explained to employers how he was able to motivate staff and lead them towards a common goal, no matter the situation, and maintain performance and service at a high level.</div>
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<b>Character & Enthusiasm</b></div>
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He explained how he owes much of his success to his enthusiasm for life and to the character he has cultivated from within the golf business. He explained how character and enthusiasm translate positively in any station in life and any career path, and that there was no reason that he didn't expect similar success if given the opportunity to work for the company.</div>
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As you can see, YOU ARE VALUABLE. To think that there is no value in your experiences as golf professional outside of the golf business, and to not have confidence in the daily education you have received on the job, is ludicrous. There should exist very few reasons for a company to not want to hire a golf professional, it's just a matter of how you tell your story, paint the picture of your experiences, and market your abilities in a way that grabs a hold of them. A Head Professional job is not for everyone, the golf business in general is not for everyone, and there is nothing wrong with that. There is something for you, and there may not be a better training ground than a stint as a golf professional. Really dig deep and study what you have accomplished as a golf professional, and identify how it translates outside of the golf business if you are thinking about getting out.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-60956960747619221152012-06-20T15:24:00.002-04:002014-12-12T10:40:24.515-05:00Is the "First Assistant" Title Necessary?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
June 20, 2012<br />
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Like any other career path, there is a career ladder to climb in the club professional industry. But what exactly must this ladder entail? What are it's steps? One that is questioned often is the necessity of attaining a First Assistant Professional position. Is it necessary? Do I need to have this title on my resume to attain a Head Professional position?<br />
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In getting some great feedback from very accomplished Head Professionals during the National PGA Annual Meeting in January, the sentiments were clear. In the grand scheme of things, it is not absolutely critical that you have experience as a "First Assistant Professional". There are plenty of assistant professionals without that title that have proven themselves worthy of and are ready for a Head Professional position. If you do not have the title on your resume, it does not mean you can't advance into a Head Professional position. But here is why it is important and why you should at least aim for a First Assistant role:
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<b>Titles are Marketable </b><br />
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Selection committees like titles. When they scan a resume, they don't necessarily read every single word, but they do pay particular attention to the facility names and titles in the resume. To a committee member, the "First Assistant" title is the last stop for an assistant on the way to becoming a Head Professional. It also speaks volumes that they include in Career Links job descriptions, "Must have at least 4 years of experience as a First Assistant".<br />
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<b>Responsibility & Accountability </b><br />
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Although you are still an assistant professional, with the title of "First Assistant" comes added responsibility and accountability. As a First Assistant, it is common for the opening line on a resume for that particular experience to read, "Led the golf operation in the absence of the Head Professional". Key words: "In the absence". As the First Assistant Professional, you are next in command and the Head Professional has put you in that position because you have put your time in, and you are trusted to do the job when he/she is absent. This speaks volumes to a selection committee.<br />
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<b>Upward Movement </b><br />
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Speaking in terms of being the last stop for an assistant on the way to becoming a Head Professional, attaining a role as First Assistant shows the selection committee that there has been upward movement on your path as a golf professional. Upward movement is good. To accomplish upward movement, you must have been successful in the step before. A lot of upward movement equals a lot of success.<br />
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Remember, there is a ladder as an assistant golf professional. The picture above is only an example of what that ladder can look like. For many, a First Assistant role is one of the steps on that ladder. Focus less on the title and more on the responsibility that comes with it. Aim for the role, and who knows, because of your diligence and hard work, you may never even get that far before attaining a Head Professional position.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-25165888097095762232012-05-30T08:54:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:40:42.014-05:00Why Are We Getting Out of the Business?by Brian Dobak<br />
May 30, 2012<br />
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It's natural in any career path to think about why we are in it, or to think about a different career path and why we should get into it. The PGA presents quite a few career paths to take as a PGA Professional, that is a good thing. But when it comes to the traditional golf professional, the position that our business was founded on over 100 years ago, there isn't much wiggle room. There are a lot of reasons why we are in the club profession. Whether it's free golf, merchandise perks, fellowship with other professionals and members/guests, being around a game we love, or our office being a golf course and not a cubicle, there are plenty of reasons why we are in the business. So why do club professionals quit the business? More specifically, why do assistants get out of the club profession, regardless of whether or not they are going down another PGA career path? The easy answers are low income, long hours, working holidays and weekends, etc.<br />
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Some say that most assistants that leave don't understand what the business is all about. They say that the PGA sells them on living the dream, and the reality is it often takes years to reach a place of satisfaction. Others say that for a lot of apprentices and assistants, it comes down to the fact that PGA education is expensive, and the payoff for the education is small. The PGM University Program can certainly help young kids cultivate a sense of purpose in their pursuit for success as a club professional, however when you're 18 years old, it doesn't matter who you are, you're merely testing the waters and you really have no idea what you want to do yet, and there is nothing wrong with that.<br />
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And then there is the argument that it's good that assistants get out because there are too many in the system. We won't go down that road, but it is a problem when good kids that could be great club professionals and make great contributions to our profession are getting out. Why is this?<br />
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Too often, apprentices quit because they lack mentors and/or they haven't been given positive, educational, and dynamic work experiences from their Head Professionals. The passion can be there, but passion is not enough. If apprentices/assistants don't have mentors or their first job as an apprentice is not a positive experience, then they will likely get out of the business because the experience overshadows the passion. <br />
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First impressions are everything. If a kid graduates with a college degree, attains a job as an apprentice professional, is treated like a high school bag drop attendant, and the Head Professional cares very little about his/her professional well-being (this does exist), what reason is there for the apprentice to believe the business is not like that elsewhere? Once again, first impressions are everything.<br />
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This is a tough business, there is no denying that. But it's not all about assistants keeping their own heads above water. It's in the Head Professionals hands to help as well. When we put our chips into this profession and claim it as our career, we should know that we are also making an investment in not only ourselves, but also those directly around us. When we climb the career ladder as a golf professional, we will get to a point where we will actually have opportunities to influence others. How we handle these opportunities is critical for our profession. We can either treat them like counter jockey's, or we can treat them like professionals who require effective mentoring and attentive professional development. If you're thinking on broad terms with a long term mindset for your golf operation, the former is not the way to go. The HP and the golf operation should not get all of the investment when those chips are chucked in. There must be a considerable investment one way or another in making sure the assistants are given the best experience possible. HP's can't protect their assistants from the harshness of the golf business, but they can make the golf business more meaningful to them and give them a positive experience that truly and accurately reflects why the club profession is so great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-41451797737666289102012-05-14T14:41:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:41:15.003-05:00Is a HP Career Path Right for You?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
May 14, 2012<br />
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Our Philadelphia Section's Assistants Organization had a meeting and seminar and one of the panelists was Scott Nye, Head Golf Professional at Merion Golf Club. The topic of the seminar centered around the value of different career paths as a PGA Professional, and the value of our experience as a golf professional if we get out of the business entirely! Being a Head Professional is not for everyone and there is nothing wrong with that. In today's day and age, if you had any 100 assistants in a room, probably 10 or less will become Head Professionals. The process of attaining a Head Professional position is extremely competitive and you either have "it" or you don't, and the sooner we can identify whether or not we don't the better.<br />
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Towards the end of the seminar, Mr. Nye threw a number of questions at the audience of assistant professionals to get them to start thinking about their path and whether or not they are doing the things they need to be doing to advance into a Head Professional position one day. The following is a list of those questions and brief commentary on each one: <br />
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<b>How well do the members know you?</b><br />
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Have you played with them? Have you done anything with them away from the club? Have you had dinner at their home or have you taken them to a sporting event? What is the nicest thing you have done for them? Sometimes the relationship between golf professionals and club members can get relatively personal. Members love getting to know their professional staff, that is the nature of our business. While the members are getting to know you, are you opening up to them a little and are you getting to know them. It is these relationships with your members that can be a key driver in you advancing into a Head Professional position in the future.<br />
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<b>Who are the best assistant professionals in the section/country?</b><br />
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Who will the competition be when you compete for a HP position and how do you stack up against the best? What skill sets do you have that make you better? Are you a great teacher? Great player? Do you have a passion for tournament operations? Are you a great merchandiser? Are you well-rounded in all areas? With some networking and research, it's not very difficult to know who the best assistant professionals are and how you stack up against them. You need to have an edge that is going to get your resume higher in the pile than the others. <br />
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<b>Who is going to help you get a job that you desire? </b><br />
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This is where the rubber meets the road. Nothing may be more important than your network. Have you evaluated all of the different avenues of help. Can your spouse or significant other help? Do they know somebody that knows somebody in their line of work? Are you and your HP or DoG on the same page? When you are prepared to pursue a HP position, is he/she going going to bat for you? Do you have any mentors outside of your current employment that will go to bat for your? Do you know anyone in other industries that are members at other clubs?<br />
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<b>How do you identify a good job? </b><br />
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Do you identify a good job by word of mouth? Do you identify a good job by the clubs history and how many Head Professionals they have had in the last 20 years? Was the most recent professional fired or did he/she retire? Is a clubs reporting structure an indication of a good job? Do you prefer to have one person (GM) too report to, or 12 committee members too report to? Is the opportunity to make a difference an indication of a good job? Do you want to go to a club where the golf operation is already in great shape with little improvement needed, or do you want to go to a club where the golf operation is in need of some tender loving care?<br />
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<b>What are your boundaries? </b><br />
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Are you willing to move to another part of the country? The smaller you make your window of opportunity, the harder it will be to attain a Head Professional position. Are you confining yourself to just your section or are you willing to move to another section? Have you ever worked in another part of the country? Hiring committees like to see this flexibility. It shows that you have stretched yourself and have given yourself broad experiences. Do you have any limitations? Does your spouse or significant other have a dream job that pays too well to leave? <br />
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As Scott said, pondering and answering these questions can do you a world of good when it comes to learning about yourself professionally and what your next steps should be. A Head Professional job is not for everyone. Also joining Scott that day on the panel were Geoff Surrette, Executive Director of The Philadelphia Section PGA, and Mark Anderson, an Instructor at The Philadelphia Cricket Club and Past President of the Philadelphia Section PGA. Geoff was once on track towards becoming a Head Professional, but decided it wasn't a good fit for him. Mark was once a Head Professional, but decided to follow his passion for teaching. At the end of the day, the Head Professional career path was not a good fit for them, and there is nothing wrong with that. They went in different directions as PGA Professionals, and they are achieving great success now.<br />
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As you progress as an assistant professional, always keep in mind what is best for you not only professionally, but also personally as well. There is nothing in the PGA Constitution that says, "If you are an assistant professional, then you must become a Head Professional". There are many great opportunities in different career paths as a PGA Professional. Your best opportunity might even be outside of the golf business entirely and there is nothing wrong with that.<br />
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If you're reading this and you're an assistant professional, hopefully you work for a Head Professional that is willing and able to support you no matter what your decision is. As you progress, pay close attention to the many doors that open, and have the discernment to know if any one direction is the direction you should be going. If there is an opening that is right for you and it is aligned with your goals, jump on it. If not, stay away, be patient, and see where the cards continue to fall. You'll figure it out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-12574122371819396122012-04-25T19:11:00.003-04:002014-12-12T10:41:35.407-05:00The "Who", Not the "Where"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
April 25, 2012<br />
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What's more important? Should you focus on getting jobs at facilities that are prestigious and have a name that dresses up your resume? Or should you focus on getting into a club that doesn't quite have the name recognition but where you would be working for a great Head Professional that makes a point to invest his time and effort into developing you and making you the best golf professional you can be? Should you sacrifice the "where" for the "who"? Or vice versa? This is a topic that came up more than a few times in my conversations with others at the PGA Annual Meeting in Orlando in January. That assistants these days have to be careful, was unanimous.<br />
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Some clubs have both characteristics. They have the name, and they have a Head Professional in place that cares about the professional welfare of his/her staff members. In these cases, it's a grand slam! But the truth of the matter is that many clubs don't have both, and that's where we have to start making some choices. <br />
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When we're a young apprentice and we're trying hard to make it in this business, we don't really have the experience yet to know right from wrong in the business. It's a trial by fire process where we're getting our feet wet and seeing what works and what doesn't work.<br />
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There is no denying that a facility with a name will dress up your resume and market you nicely, but there is no comparison to the experience of working for a Head Professional who actively takes a stand in mentoring you at every corner of the way. A Head Professional who has a vested interested in the development of his/her staff members while at the club AND after they move on.<br />
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Unfortunately, there are some Head Professionals who aren't too concerned about the future of their staff members after they have moved on. They squeeze you for your time and creativity while you're there, and when you leave, the relationship ends. There are even Head Professionals out there that put a "governor" on the experiences and learning curves of their staff members so they don't look too good in the eyes of the members, for fear of their own job security.<br />
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You have to be careful with where you go and who you work for. Your learning experience as an assistant golf professional depends on it. When opportunities arise, weigh the positives and the negatives. Do your homework on the facility and do your best in researching who you might be working for. Call some of their past assistant professionals if you can find out who they are. In the interview, ask the tough questions to really find who you might be working for, there is nothing wrong with that.<br />
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If you get into a top club, but the Head Professional is questionable, then it's a failing proposition. You can only ride the wave of a clubs name for so long. Regardless of the club, you need to hook up with a Head Professional that will take you under his wing not just while you're there, but after you're gone. You need to hook up with a professional who "walks the talk" and makes him/herself available to you when you need the support. Mentoring is absolutely essential to our development. Our careers depend on it. Without it, it's a setback in our career.<br />
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It's all about the "who", not so much the "where".Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-4063788331730333862012-04-09T15:20:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:42:14.591-05:00Interview with Mark Anderson of The Philadelphia Cricket Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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April 9, 2012<br />
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Mark Anderson is a Teaching Professional at The Philadelphia Cricket in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. He is also the Head Golf Coach of the University of Pennsylvania women's golf team. Mark is currently serving as Past President of the Philadelphia Section PGA. He has accomplished much including a Section Bill Strausbaugh award and a Horton Smith award to his name. Mark gives us some great perspective on teaching the game. We hope you enjoy! <br />
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I think it’s important for young assistants to hear the perspectives of other professionals. Describe your background in the golf business and how and why you got into it.<br />
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<i>I got into the business because of my love for playing the game. I wanted to be a Tour player, so I went to Florida in 1991 to play the Mini-Tours and see how good I was. I made a couple of checks, but not enough to finance another year. I had worked in the bag room at Indiana Country Club in PA my last semester at IUP and became friendly with Dan Braun who was the assistant pro. Dan became the Head Golf Professional in 1992 and asked me to be his 1st assistant. Looking back on this, it was a great example of doing a good job and having it pay off. I could have slacked off on the job seeing that it was my last semester, but I took pride in my job and worked hard cleaning clubs and carts.</i><br />
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What did you do in your early years as a teaching professional to set yourself up for your current success and future success?<br />
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<i>I did not get into the business to become a teaching professional, but it was the thing that fascinated me the most about the business. I was always very analytical when it came to the game and read everything I could find about golf instruction when I first started playing. Knowing the golf swing is one thing, but I quickly learned that you had to be very careful when giving that information to a student. With my first few lessons, I told my students everything that was wrong with their golf swings. I felt that if they were paying me to fix their swing then they should learn everything that was wrong with it. After talking to a few teachers, I adopted a simple method of fixing one setup flaw and one swing flaw. It took a great deal of patience to bite my lip and keep it simple, but it really helped with my early lessons.</i> <br />
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What are some aspects of your teaching business that if you didn't do them well, it would be detrimental to your business?<br />
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<i>It is very important that you really care about your student's improvement. If your student is struggling, it is your job to make sure they understand what they need to do. I have had students that have had difficulty with something and I will give them some extra time to help them make the change. If the lesson runs over into the next one, I will politely explain to my next student that I need a couple of extra minutes to help someone out. We have a 10 minute buffer between lessons and that time is almost always used to give the student a little extra attention if they need it.<br />
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I have had 50 minute lessons that have turned into 2 hour lessons (if I didn't have back to back lessons) because the student really needed some extra time. It is very easy to pat someone on the back and send them on their way after the lesson is over, but as an instructor you are part of the team effort that is required for the student to improve. If you have free time between lessons, it is a great idea to see if any of your students are practicing on the range. Stopping by to say hi or giving someone a quick "check up" can really help and shows that you are committed to their improvement.</i> <br />
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What are the overarching principles you stand by as a teaching professional and would like other teachers/assistants to stand by?<br />
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<i>Very simple - Never stop learning. As I look back on my teaching career, there were times that I thought I had it figured out and that I was pretty good at what I was doing. Every year though, I have continued to learn and have become a better teacher. It is so important to strive to be the BEST that you can be and that won't happen if are not pushing yourself to improve.</i><br />
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In most circumstances, assistant professionals wear all of the hats (tournament operations, merchandising, personnel leadership and management, etc.), some times instruction can get lost in the whirlwind of it all. Considering all of this, how do you think assistant professionals can be better teachers and take steps to really know the craft and teach the game well?<br />
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<i>It is very difficult to be good at everything, but teaching is such an important aspect of being a golf professional that you need to devote time to learn. Taking time to watch others teach, reading books and watching videos are great ways to improve as a teacher. Set time every week to watch your Head Professional or a Teaching Professional teach. Take notes and ask them questions after the lesson. You can always learn a different way to fix a swing flaw or a different way to deal with an issue that may arise during a lesson.</i><br />
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If a young apprentice comes to you and says, "I want to be the best teaching professional I can be", what would you tell him/her and how to get there?<br />
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<i>Take lessons and learn from the best instructors in your area. Invest some money and travel to attend a seminar or spend time with an excellent instructor. The investment will pay great dividends as you will always pick up something that you can use with your teaching.</i> <br />
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Who have been your mentors and what have you learned from them? <br />
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<i>The most important mentors in my teaching career have been professionals that I have either taken lessons from or observed teach. I have learned a great deal from watching other pros teach. I was fortunate early in my career to attend a "Teaching the Teacher" seminar at Hank Haney's Ranch. I learned a lot from Hank about the swing plane and how to position yourself to physically move the student to get the club in the correct position. I attended seminars with some very well known teachers and learned something from every instructor. David Leadbetter, Chuck Cook, Rick Smith, Jimmy Ballard, Jim Flick.</i><br />
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Do you have any books you could recommend aspiring teaching professionals to read? <br />
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<i>The PGA teaching manual is something that all teachers should to read. I would recommend any book written by a top instructor. It is important to try to understand many different methods of teaching. It will help you develop your own way.</i><br />
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<i>Here are some of my favorite instruction books</i><br />
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<i>Ben Hogan - Hogan's Five Lessons<br />
Alastair Cochran and John Stobbs - The Search for the Perfect Swing<br />
Harvey Penick - Little Red Book<br />
Jack Nicklaus - Golf My Way<br />
Timothy Gallwey - The Inner Game of Golf<br />
Dave Pelz - Short Game Bible</i><br />
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In your experiences as a teaching professional, I'm sure you have seen and worked with your fair share of teaching professionals. What sets the great ones apart from others? <br />
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<i>All good teachers teach a method to some degree, but great teachers are able to adapt to what their student is capable of doing and make it work for them. It may be a stronger grip or having them adjust their aim more to the left or right than what is considered normal, but they are able to get them to play better even though it may not be considered "text book".</i><br />
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Can you give assistant professionals any tips towards forming their own teaching philosophy?<br />
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<i>The best way to develop your own philosophy is through trial and error. It takes years to become a really good teacher and to develop as an instructor. You should be on the lesson tee watching other teachers teach or teaching students as much as your schedule permits. One of the best things to do as a staff is to teach each other to play lefthanded (if you are all righthanded). It is a great way to understand the frustration that your students may be feeling and to practice your teaching.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-60573804123948429872012-03-26T15:48:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:42:41.976-05:00Interview with John Bierkan of Aronimink GC & Quail Valley GC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XVxvoiX80OGzF7ceY7VkEY1mh1XErSLKPhVamZKBi2zvjv-zD3PLcFZdLFagebXiQRPRqXGfV6corACy3Bkm3SrhMavYssZ31wGnqUAo7BXWiBsydeSuZr5c8fRj9A1ifNAYEQ_oZ78/s1600/John+Bierkan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XVxvoiX80OGzF7ceY7VkEY1mh1XErSLKPhVamZKBi2zvjv-zD3PLcFZdLFagebXiQRPRqXGfV6corACy3Bkm3SrhMavYssZ31wGnqUAo7BXWiBsydeSuZr5c8fRj9A1ifNAYEQ_oZ78/s200/John+Bierkan.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
March 26, 2012<br />
<br />
The PGA Tour has seen an influx of young phenom players in the past few years. But on practice tees all across the country, we are starting to see a similar rising of a new generation of young and dynamic golf instructors. This youth explosion is led by 36 year old Sean Foley, but John Bierkan isn't very far behind. John is on Golf Digests Best Young Teachers for 2010-2011. Not only is he a great teacher, but John has a background of teaching at some of the countries most storied and service-oriented clubs in the country including Caves Valley Golf Club, Quail Valley Golf Club, and Aronimink Golf Club. We hope you learn a few things from Johns perspective.<br />
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It’s important for young assistants to hear the perspectives of other professionals. Can you describe your background in the golf business and your progression through it?<br />
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<i>My background is golf. My father has been a PGA Professional in Connecticut for 40 years. I literally grew up on a golf course. Early in my childhood, we lived 500 yards from the clubhouse and I spent every minute at the club. Here I learned the profession from my Dad and worked on my game. Many get into the business because they love playing golf, I became a professional because I love being at the club and like helping people improve. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>I started working for my Dad when I was 16 (although I would help him when I was a kid too). I cleaned carts for two years and then worked in the golf shop at Lyman Orchards GC in Connecticut. I progressed through the ranks at his facility running member events, special outings, managing the handicap system, teaching, and conducting clubfittings. During one summer of college I worked the outside operations at Hartford Golf Club, one of the nicer private clubs in central Connecticut. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>After I graduated from The University of Connecticut, I retained a job as Coordinator of Junior Golf Events with The Golf Channel in Orlando, Florida. I was part of a team of five who coordinated, organized, and ran The Drive, Chip & Putt Jr. Skills Competition in nearly 50 states over the course of an eight month period. This was a tremendous opportunity and learning experience. After that commitment was fulfilled, I focused my career on golf instruction (which is what I knew I wanted to do). </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>After considering my options and putting some feelers out, I cold called Top 100 Teacher, Dr. T.J. Tomasi. We met, talked and then I worked and studied with T.J. for three summers in Connecticut. He was responsible for showing me how to teach and jump starting my career. After T.J., I was fortunate to work for Jim McLean at Doral. Here Jim and Chris Toulson had a tremendous influence on my career. I learned so much about teaching, the golf swing, and running golf schools. My time at Doral afforded me great opportunities in the teaching world. If it wasn’t for Jim McLean and Chris Toulson, I would not be where I am today. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>After a few years of working at the Jim McLean Golf School I taught at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland for five years. Caves is one of the very finest clubs on the East Coast and has one of the best Learning Centers in America. Recently, I accepted the Director of Instruction position at the historic, Aronimink Golf Club just outside of Philadelphia. </i><br />
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What did you do in your early years as a teaching professional to set yourself up for your current success and future success?<br />
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<i>I would say there have been a few keys that have contributed to my success over the years. First is hard work. It sounds simple, but I really think this can help a young professional distinguish themselves from others. Second, just being myself and treating others as I would want to be treated. Third, I believe aligning myself and learning from the best in the business to grow and expand my knowledge base. I truly believe that success can be greatly attributed to who you are more than what you know. However, having both is a winning combination. Be passionate about what you want to do, it makes the journey more enjoyable and rewarding.</i><br />
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When you accept a position at a new club (for example Aronimink), what are some of things you like to do to hit the ground running and start your tenure off strong?<br />
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<i>One of the major priorities is to get to know the membership. Establishing relationships is key to growing my business as a teacher. Second, it is important to formulate an instructional program that fits the demands of the membership. This might mean that I keep things the same if my predecessor was successful or change the structure if the club is ready for fresh ideas. </i><br />
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What are some aspects of your teaching business that if you didn't do them well, it would be detrimental to your business?<br />
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<i>First, I need to have a strong teaching (and swing) knowledge base. Second, I better be pretty darn good with technology like video and Trackman (or Flightscope). Third, I should definitely be the biggest promoter of lessons and teaching at the club or the membership would not look to me as the expert. The bottom line is that I need to give quality golf lessons in order to be productive and create a demand. Bad lessons = bad business.</i><br />
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In most circumstances, assistant professionals wear all of the hats (tournament operations, merchandising, personnel leadership and management, etc.), some times instruction can get lost in the whirlwind of it all. Considering all of this, how do you think assistant professionals can be better teachers and take steps to really know the craft and teach the game well?<br />
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<i>A few things I think Assistant’s can do to become better teachers include the following: </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>1. Read books and magazines</i><br />
<i>2. Observe other respected teachers (including their Head Pro)</i><br />
<i>3. Research the swing</i><br />
<i>4. Attend seminars</i><br />
<i>5. Become knowledgeable and share & show that knowledge to their boss so he/she has confidence in their teaching abilities (be viewed as the expert at your club)</i><br />
<i>6. ASK THEIR HEAD PRO IF THEY CAN TEACH MORE</i><br />
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What are the overarching principles you stand by as a teaching professional and would like other teachers/assistants to stand by?<br />
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<i>1. Always be searching to learn more</i><br />
<i>2. Be passionate and show you care</i><br />
<i>3. Don’t be a strict method teacher</i><br />
<i>4. Understand ball flight </i><br />
<i>5. Get people better</i><br />
<br />
If a young apprentice comes to you and says, "I want to be the best teaching professional I can be", what would you tell him/her and how to get there?<br />
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<i>If someone wants to be the best teacher they can, they better commit nearly 100% of their effort to it. This means going to work for a top teacher and learning everything there is to know from swing technique, to short game, to technology….everything! That was my game plan and I have been fortunate so far with my career. </i><br />
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Who have been your mentors and what have you learned from them?<br />
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<i>My biggest mentors include my Dad, Dick Bierkan, Dr. T.J. Tomasi, Jim McLean and Chris Toulson. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>My father has been a PGA Professional for a long time. More than anything, he leads by example and exemplifies working hard with integrity and treating others as he would want to be treated. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>T.J. Tomasi, who is one of the most brilliant minds in golf today, really showed me how to teach. It’s one thing to know your stuff, it’s another to communicate it successfully to a student and get them to improve. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>Jim McLean has done so much for me (and many others in our business). He showed me how to give great lessons, how to be a great teacher, how to run a world-class teaching program, how to research and study the best players and how to organize the way I look at a golf swing. He is a great teacher of the short game too! He also showed me how to promote and market myself. Jim is a big reason why I was able to land some great jobs. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>Chris Toulson oversees all of Jim McLean’s Golf Schools. Chris was my immediate boss for three years while working at Doral. Over the years, Chris has also become a good friend. Chris has maybe mentored more young professionals than anyone in recent history. Each year he has approximately ten assistant’s working for him just at Doral alone. Chris truly leads by example. He is inspiring simply by the way he acts, the way he carries himself, and the way he treats others. He is also a tremendous teacher and regarded as a great player. Chris has won several South Florida PGA Section and Chapter Awards for teaching and playing. In 2010, he was honored as the South Florida PGA Professional of the Year. This honor is rarely given to a teaching pro and shows exactly how much he is respected. </i><br />
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Do you have any books you could recommend aspiring teaching professionals to read?<br />
<br />
<i>There are so many books to read, however a few make my top list. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>1. Jim McLean’s Eight-Step Swing</i><br />
<i>2. Golf Digest’s Ultimate Drill Book by Jim McLean</i><br />
<i>3. The 30 Second Golf Swing by T.J. Tomasi</i><br />
<i>4. Five Lessons by Ben Hogan</i><br />
<i>5. The Elements of Scoring by Raymond Floyd</i><br />
<i>6. The Mental Art of Putting by P.Cohn & R. Winters</i><br />
<br />
In your experiences as a teaching professional, I'm sure you have seen and worked with your fair share of teaching professionals. What sets the great ones apart from others?<br />
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<i>1. Extremely strong knowledge base</i><br />
<i>2. Ability to help golfers improve</i><br />
<i>3. Marketing </i><br />
<i>4. Great presence when teaching & speaking</i><br />
<i>5. Ability to motivate & inspire</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-84503372899748515582012-03-09T17:26:00.000-05:002014-12-12T10:43:20.441-05:00"Why We Pick Bad Leaders, and How to Spot the Good Ones" by Jeffrey Cohnby Brian Dobak<br />
March 9, 2012<br />
<br />
There recently was a great article on CNN.com about leadership, authored by Jeffrey Cohn. Jeffrey Cohn is the co-founder of the Leadership and Innovation Advisory Group (LIAG). Previously, he was a CEO succession planning and executive assessment expert at Spencer Stuart. He is a former research fellow at both the Harvard Business School and the CEO Leadership Institute at Yale, and his latest book is "Why are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders?" Jeffrey's article resonates in any industry, including the green-grass golf business and among club professionals.<br />
________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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I recently interviewed more than 60 chief executives of very large global companies. Virtually all of them said that recruiting and promoting general managers with true leadership potential was the key ingredient to their organization's long-term success. Fair enough. But the CEOs were then quick to admit that this task is much easier said than done. <br />
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Time and again, externally recruited "stars," as well as freshly promoted general managers from within their companies' ranks, failed to live up to lofty expectations. This leads to an important question: Why are we bad at picking good leaders?<br />
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The short answer is, we focus on all the wrong things, like a candidate's charm, their stellar résumé or their academic credentials. None of this has any bearing on leadership potential. And despite claims to the contrary, even a candidate's past results have little bearing on whether the promoted individual will succeed once promoted.<br />
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At best, a "track record" tells only half of the story. In a new position, the candidate will have to face new obstacles, deal with a new team, manage more people introduce new products and do it all without a clear road map.<br />
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So what qualities should you focus on before handing out the next big promotion or making big promotion decision? One thing is certain: You better get it right. Nothing short of your reputation, and your organization's success, are at stake.<br />
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Let's cut to the chase. There are seven fundamental leadership qualities that the candidate must possess to be effective. Take just one of these away, and sooner or later, the newly elevated manager will fail. Having studied the careers of nearly 1,000 executives, over the past decade, it is clear to me that failure results when a leader lacks of one or more of these seven attributes.<br />
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<b>Integrity</b><br />
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It all starts with integrity. Like a foundation for any well-constructed house, integrity is the core foundation for leadership effectiveness. It is a blend of honesty, consistency and ethics. Once integrity is squandered or even thrown into doubt, it is very hard for a leader to regain the trust of his or her troops.<br />
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<b>Passion</b><br />
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Yet integrity alone doesn't matter without several other key attributes. Passion, for example, enables a leader to keep moving forward even in tough times.<br />
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Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, was ridiculed in 2001 for clinging to a company that many called "Amazon.bomb." It is now valued at $89 billion. Bezos told me that it was his inner passion that fueled his drive to keep pushing forward even in the darkest days of the dot-com crash, when the company was teetering on the brink of collapse.<br />
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<b>Courage</b><br />
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Courage, another make-it-or-break-it quality, is necessary to make the difficult decisions when facing conflicts and mediating adversity. Courage springs from a leader's core values and commitment to a vision.<br />
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<b>Vision</b><br />
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Without a compelling vision or destination, how can a boss effectively persuade people to embark upon a new direction? Visionary leaders inspire employees to imagine a better future and work hard to achieve it.<br />
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<b>Judgment</b><br />
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Actually achieving this vision, however, requires judgment. Good judgment allows the leader to make solid business decisions and choices. When I assess an aspiring leader, I want to see whether she can confront a complex new challenge and quickly zero in on the most important issues.<br />
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Does she ask good questions? Can she prioritize and make difficult tradeoffs? Does she know where to focus and where not to waste her time and energy? Even when looking at an individual piece of the problem, does she keep the entire chessboard in mind, recognizing the potential unintended consequences of her decisions? Judgment is needed to develop a strategy that will enable the organization to achieve its vision.<br />
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<b>Empathy</b><br />
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No matter the organization, diversity of its people is the one constant. Each team member has a different personality, motivation and underlying agenda. Empathy is the attribute that allows a leader to effectively understand what makes other people tick.<br />
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Identifying the fundamental drivers of their bosses, peers and subordinates is critical. Same goes for getting people aligned and motivated around their common goals. Outside your specific organization, it is invaluable that a leader be able to quickly and accurately figure out why an important customer seems dissatisfied, even though they say everything is fine.<br />
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If a potential employee doesn't have empathy, they have very little chance of getting these, and many other, important constituents on their side. Lack of empathy is a key reason why otherwise analytically brilliant leaders often come up short.<br />
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<b>Emotional Intelligence</b><br />
<br />
While empathy is externally focused, another key leadership attribute, emotional intelligence, is internally focused. An emotionally intelligent leader habitually takes a hard, honest look at himself and accurately discerns his strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. Putting personal pride aside, he actively solicits the input of others and incorporates the team's best ideas into the overall action plan.<br />
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Without emotional intelligence, hubris sets in, and a leader will overestimate his own ability and alienate others. Even though the hubris may convince him that he can bite off more than he can chew, subordinates will not be so blind. A leader who continuously lets down his or her team won't stay in the organization's good graces for long. From my vantage point, a lack of emotional intelligence is probably the top derailer of previously successful managers moving into fundamentally new and ambiguous roles.<br />
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These seven leadership attributes -- integrity, vision, judgment, passion, courage, empathy and emotional intelligence -- are all the hallmarks of great leaders, regardless of industry or geography. By gearing any candidate assessment towards these traits -- and away from false predictors of success, like a sparkling personality, a polished résumé or good interview skills -- you will be one big step ahead of the rest of the crowd who are still scratching their heads wondering why they are so bad at picking good leaders.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-58950707919396548112012-02-19T18:13:00.000-05:002014-12-12T10:43:52.121-05:00"The HP Interview Process" with Eric Schultz from Sunnybrook Golf Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVmSTf_WrZEq55zGKgxcCuNFpyzNTseuRm1zJ-BNuFVBQ-PHbsxtxrAJ8UXCgIyABi_i_8sZmsHK66G8fNbotiBslef4UEOtIJyKDvUjVnGnUQUW8qL0iGhMlQwR7vc-UQNc-2bXhUAg/s1600/Eric+Schultz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVmSTf_WrZEq55zGKgxcCuNFpyzNTseuRm1zJ-BNuFVBQ-PHbsxtxrAJ8UXCgIyABi_i_8sZmsHK66G8fNbotiBslef4UEOtIJyKDvUjVnGnUQUW8qL0iGhMlQwR7vc-UQNc-2bXhUAg/s200/Eric+Schultz.jpg" height="200" width="187" /></a></div>
February 19, 2012<br />
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These days, Head Professional jobs are few and far between, and just when one opens up, many assistants and Head Professionals will be in pursuit of it. Between the low quantity of jobs available and the high quantity of golf professionals striving to advance, it all amounts to one tough task. Eric Schultz is the Head Professional at Sunnybrook Golf Club outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2011 was his first season in the new head role. He arrived at Sunnybrook after most recently spending time at Pine Valley Golf Club as an assistant professional. Eric gives us great perspective on the interview process and what we need to do make the difficult jump.<br />
_______________________________________________________________________________<br />
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Leading up to finding out about the job opening at Sunnybrook, what were your feelings about your preparedness for a HP job? Did you think you were ready? Did you get encouragement from peers and mentors/co-workers?<br />
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<i>Leading up to my interview at Sunnybrook I new I was ready. I had the opportunity to interview for Head Professional positions at a number of other clubs. I had done a lot of “role playing” with co-workers and the guys that I worked for. They were all very eager to help me prepare and move on. I had videotaped myself so that I could watch my own mannerisms. I had a notebook full of possible questions and topics. I basically had an outline in my head for any question that you could think of. My goal was to be the most prepared applicant that the committee would talk to.</i><br />
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In a nutshell, can you describe the interview process and what you had to go through?<br />
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<i>The interview process consisted of two interviews. The first was in a board room with about 8 members. They asked the type of questions that I had prepared for. The final interview consisted of lessons and a presentation. I gave two lessons and about an hour presentation on three of the clubs “hot topics”. This ended with a lunch with the selection committee as well as some other members. My wife was invited which I thought was very nice.</i><br />
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So far as you can tell, what separated you from the other candidates? <br />
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<i>I can’t tell you what the other applicants did. I can tell you that this was a job that I really wanted. I did everything I could to learn as much as I could and be as prepared as I could be. I think more than anything my personality and experiences were a really good fit for what the club was looking for. </i> <br />
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How did you utilize your network of peers, current and past employers, and members during the process?<br />
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<i>I reached out to my peers who had been successful in recent interviews. I picked their brains and tried to take something from everyone while still being myself. I wanted to make sure that I had done what I was talking about rather than just trying to play the part. I had a number of former members write letters to the committee on my behalf.</i><br />
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How did you tailor your resume to match the job responsibilities and qualifications for your position?<br />
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<i>I never changed my resume to match specific jobs that I interviewed for. You can’t change your experiences. I made a point as an assistant to work at different types of clubs and made sure that each position I held would allow me to become more well rounded.</i><br />
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What materials did you use during the interview process?<br />
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<i>I had prepared a portfolio specifically for the club before my first interview. I gave mini portfolios to each member of the committee. For my final presentation I had booklets for each of the committee members. I always tried to use pictures and pull on heart strings rather than use words. I thought I would have a much better chance if I could make emotional connections with members of the committee.</i><br />
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What advice would you give to assistant professionals preparing to earn their first HP position?<br />
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<i>Be prepared and confident in your abilities. Make connections with the committee members. Know what the club is looking for and why you can give them what they need. Know what separates you from other candidates and why they will be missing out if they pass on you!</i><br />
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In your opinion, how much of a role did the name of your previous club have in earning your HP job?<br />
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<i>Every club that I worked at prepared me for my next job. Having worked at Pine Valley, I got a lot of looks from clubs I applied to. The more I interviewed the more I realized I was working to overcome what were perceived as Pine Valley negatives. With the club having no women or junior members I had to prove that I had other experience in those areas. Assistants need to make sure that all of their “buckets” are full. I was well aware of this and did as much as I could at my winter club to be the “go to” person for our women’s and junior programs.</i><i><br />
</i><br />
Hopefully you have learned a thing or two from Eric. Attaining a Head Professional position is a daunting task these day and being able to soak in knowledge like this will help us tremendously on our road towards reaching our goals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-28572945145978163392012-02-08T12:44:00.000-05:002014-12-12T10:44:16.289-05:00"Attaining a Head Professional Position" featuring Andrew Fisher of The Kansas City Country Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9s4D2wgmxW3BUQySaD8VzYIXJrcNK9Hh07DhShHVJaW1-pK16ekjer9oDZiREYUwXm9BbHbo8F9MMOy2cqf_ZlamsNNvLHnWPHiRdFTXlWL03exOJVGzovGdfjRRt7-MhSHcQl7zFkw/s1600/andrew+Fisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9s4D2wgmxW3BUQySaD8VzYIXJrcNK9Hh07DhShHVJaW1-pK16ekjer9oDZiREYUwXm9BbHbo8F9MMOy2cqf_ZlamsNNvLHnWPHiRdFTXlWL03exOJVGzovGdfjRRt7-MhSHcQl7zFkw/s200/andrew+Fisher.jpg" height="200" width="176" /></a></div>
February 8, 2012<br />
<br />
In the winter of 2010/2011, Andrew Fisher obtained his first Head Professional position at The Kansas City Country Club in Mission Hills, KS. Immediately prior to KCCC, Andrew spent valuable time at The Country Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. With that being said, he has some great perspective to offer us on how he finally crossed the threshold.<br />
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Often times, the process of attaining a Head Professional position is grueling. On top of that, most interview processes are different, and we never really know what to expect until they let us know what the itinerary is. Andrew provides us with some great perspective into how his interview process went at The Kansas City Country Club: <br />
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<i>The interview process at The Kansas City Country Club was comprised of two rounds. The first round was conducted at the club. It consisted of meeting most of the department heads of the club, a complete tour of the club’s facilities (led by two members of the club) and a two-hour interview with the committee and the General Manager. The second round followed quickly (10 days later) and was a very in-depth process. It involved my wife for most of the day. My wife and I had breakfast with the GM, committee members and two additional members. We then returned to the club where I provided some golf instruction and met for a second conversation with the committee. My wife was given a tour of the city by some of the members. Later we reconvened for lunch with the President of the club, Search Committee Chairman, three additional committee members and the General Manager. We had a break and then joined the entire committee for dinner at the club. I was notified a couple of days later that the job was being offered to me.</i> <br />
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We have all heard it before - networking, networking, networking. To get your foot in the door for the interview process, there really isn't anything more valuable than your network and utilizing it effectively. Andrew fills us in on how used his network: <br />
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<i>Having the opportunity to work for Brendan Walsh and The Country Club was the greatest break in my career. That opportunity obviously created unique relationships that I would not have otherwise been exposed to. However, with the opportunity at The Kansas City Country Club, I was able to call on resources from all points in my career. The first General Manager I ever worked for, several former members at various clubs along with current references all played a very significant role in this process. It goes without saying that maintain and developing great relationships and networking in so important. You never know who could help you and who you could help in return.</i> <br />
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Something that can be easily overlooked when try to get an interview for a HP position is making sure our resumes are tailored specifically for the position we are pursuing. Andrew sheds some light on how he tailored his resume to match the job responsibilities/qualifications for his position: <br />
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<i>Typically, the job posting will list bullet points the club’s committee/ownership feels are crucial to the hiring of that position. This is the key criteria in matching your strengths to their needs. It is imperative to address these topics in your resume and supporting materials. The order and priority of my resume and interview preparation was geared to answer these specific points clearly and easily.</i><br />
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Once Andrew got his foot in the door, it then became a matter of preparation, particularly for the materials he would use during the interview process. How we assemble our portfolio and conduct the activities required of us during the interview process is crucial. Andrew explains:<br />
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<i>I have been fortunate to experience the interview process at different facilities and each process has had its own unique identity. For the interview at KCCC, a personalized portfolio was prepared for each committee member. The order of the topics covered in my portfolio was based on the order of bullet points covered in the job posting. I was also asked to conduct a lesson. For this process, I created clinic materials as well as information for an individual lesson. The materials were created personally for each of the committee members and gave them the experience even if they were not receiving the lesson themselves. For the second interview, I brought an “action plan” for the first 90 days on property. The plan presentations were created using power point and prepared for each member of the committee. The committee had not asked for it, but we felt it was better to be over prepared than under prepared.</i><br />
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Many assistant professionals are vying for very few HP positions in today's current environment. With that said, Andrew gives us some great advice when we go through the process:<br />
<br />
<i>I would give three points of advice that have really helped me throughout this process. First, work hard every day. This sounds obvious, however I see so many young assistants worrying about where their next job is going to be instead of truly embracing the current opportunity they occupy. If you do a good job, take great pride in your efforts and have patience, good things will come. Second, take a moment and really get to know people. Establishing your contacts will come more easily if you truly enjoy creating them. You never know who you will meet and what that relationship could lead to down the road. Finally, when it comes to the interview process...PRACTICE! This is so important. Develop a plan and rehearse the interview over and over with someone watching. Create a little pressure on yourself to perform. Brendan instilled this idea into us at The Country Club. Being totally prepared will help you enjoy the actual interview process, help you to stay relaxed and allow you share your genuine personality with the committee.</i><br />
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There is a rumor that selection committees put an emphasis on where we are immediately coming from. When asked how much of a role did the name of his past club play in the process, Andrew tells it straight:<br />
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<i>It definitely played a huge roll. We are so fortunate to be a part of The Country Club family. Working for Brendan was such a rewarding and learning experience. The benefit was not just for this interview process, but for the rest of my career.</i> <br />
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Hopefully you have taken a few things from Andrew. It has become very difficult to attain a HP position these days, let alone get our foot in the door. Simple yet poignant pieces of information like these from Andrew can help us out tremendously in gaining perspective and knowing what to expect and how to approach the interview process.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-19430946839644913362012-01-25T09:20:00.000-05:002014-12-12T10:45:16.891-05:00"Valuable Lessons - As You Strive for Success" by Bob Mulcahy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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January 25, 2012<br />
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For this installment, PIFG welcomes Bob Mulcahy, President & CEO of Golf Business Network (GBN, formerly known as AMF Golf Management). GBN was established by veteran golf professionals to meet the needs of a rapidly changing industry. It's founding principles are simple: Even the most accomplished need ongoing guidance and support to deliver greater value to their clubs. Today GBN has more than 1,000 golf professionals among it's members. The company has expanded it's mission to include career development services for Assistant Professionals who aspire to become Head Professionals. With a new year comes a new perspective. We hope you can learn from the perspective of Mr. Mulcahy as you begin 2012!<br />
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_____________________________________________________________________</div>
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I was honored when Brian Dobak asked me to contribute to his website, Pay It Forward Golf. I admire Brian’s enthusiasm and dedication to our profession, so I was glad to participate. First and foremost, I have great empathy for Assistant Golf Professionals as you deal with the current industry landscape. Climbing the career ladder is far more difficult than it was just 10 years ago. The reasons are numerous:<br />
<ul>
<li>Golf courses are contracting, compared to a decade ago new facilities were opening daily.</li>
<li>Rounds of golf are declining and people are leaving the game.</li>
<li>The job market is far more competitive and there are fewer jobs available.</li>
</ul>
But things are not all doom and gloom for the private club industry. Many leading clubs have re-tooled and re-worked their models to survive and succeed. Our leading Golf Professionals have learned to adapt and have become more valuable leaders for their clubs in this transition. They have thought outside the traditional box and will continue to be successful.<br />
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Success in our field may come down to one basic reality—You learn, so you can lead. <br />
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Your desire is to be the person who sets the vision, creates an atmosphere, inspires a staff to work hard and work together. To consistently do that you need to be constantly learning the nuances of golf operations and business in general. When your knowledge is continually increasing, you’re able to adapt. You have answers to the next problem on the horizon. You offer your point of view, you give direction, and people are glad to follow.<br />
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I had the great fortune to spend eight years with Bob Ross at Baltusrol Golf Club. He was the consummate Golf Professional and a person I admired every day. What he taught me is as relevant now as it was back then. Bob’s requirements of himself were as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>Always treat every member with a positive attitude and made them feel special in a genuine way.</li>
<li>Establish yourself as a great teacher of the game of golf to your students and a teacher of the game of life to your staff.</li>
<li>Personally fit people for golf equipment—Bob did this in an era when clubfitting barely existed on a formal basis.</li>
<li>Provide a golf program that is better every year than it was the previous year.</li>
<li>Never stay in the office when a member came into the golf shop—take every opportunity to have a personal interaction.</li>
</ul>
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There is no question that Bob Ross was a huge influence in my professional development and I am forever grateful to him. I was fortunate to have other mentors through my career that instilled different values and attributes that I incorporated into my management philosophy. These include:<br />
<ul>
<li>David Branon, whom I had the pleasure to work for over an eight-year period at Slazenger Golf. He had a tremendous passion for the Golf Professional that was second to none and a work ethic that made you envious. He made me realize that it is possible to follow your dreams as long you are passionate about those dreams. David was an idealist who believed anything was possible and usually had a way of making it happen. He was a true motivator of the people around him.</li>
<li>Geoff Gorman who was David’s partner, shared his passion, but had a different style and wanted to prove why things work and then build the best product possible. His work ethic matched David’s and my lesson from Geoff was that you can build your own style.</li>
<li>Bob and Andy Jones, both of whom I had the pleasure of working with at Slazenger. Bob Jones was the ultimate gentlemen. He showed me, a young sales rep, how to dress for success, how to treat a customer with respect, and how to handle yourself in difficult situations. I had the pleasure to work with Bob’s son Andy at Slazenger in some custom programs for my high-profile accounts. Andy is tireless worker who taught me the value of organization. </li>
<li>Jerry Pittman, under whom I worked for a season at Seminole Golf Club. We had so many memorable discussions about this industry and life’s trials and tribulations—talks I still reflect on. Jerry taught me how to be an organized businessman and how important financial decisions can be and how to think through those decisions.</li>
</ul>
All of my mentors were great leaders who exposed me to a range of leadership skills that I have tried to put into my own life. They also all possessed a strong work ethic that is imperative for success. For future success you need to learn how to be a leader. This comes through observing, asking questions of your mentors, and never losing that desire to be the best. <br />
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Recently, a young man came to the office for advice on whether or not he should pursue a career as a Golf Professional. I told him that if he was willing to work hard, had a passion for the game of golf, and understood that it takes time for advancement then he should wholeheartedly pursue a career as a Golf Professional. If you look at all the successful people in the world they share two common traits; one, a strong work ethic, and two, have an inner passion for what they do in life. They want to lead, and they do what’s necessary to be strong leaders. You can start that process by:<br />
<ul>
<li>Learning and understanding how the Golf Professional brings value to the club on a daily basis. As you’re helping this leader to run a great program, understand why it is a great program so you can build your own vision.</li>
<li>Taking pride in your appearance and attitude on a daily basis. Today’s club members are keenly sensitive to any negativity, as they are coming to the club to escape their own problem-filled world. The stress of the current marketplace makes this more difficult but it is critically important for you “fake to make it” if necessary.</li>
<li>Striving to be the best player you can be and make it enjoyable for others to play with you. While it is not necessary be able to win events, it is imperative that you can make the game enjoyable for others.</li>
<li>Establishing yourself as a proficient instructor for all levels of players. Making the game enjoyable is the only way to keep people in the game, which is critical to member recruitment and member retention.</li>
<li>Developing a plan to track people you have met through your golf activities (member-guests, Pro-Ams, etc.). These may become valuable references in job searches in other parts of the country.</li>
</ul>
My advice to those of you who strive to be the best is to continue to work on these skills every day and you will realize your full potential. Golf Business Network is committed to providing the information and services that will assist in making you standout. You stand out by being supportive of your Golf Professional and striving each day to make the golf experience at your club the very best that it can be. Take advantage of this information and these services to build the case for why you are the best choice to run a club’s golf program.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-14468056846387916122012-01-02T14:55:00.007-05:002014-12-12T10:46:02.173-05:00"Club Politics" - Managing Workplace Politics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
January 2, 2012</div>
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Not only is club politics something we have to be aware of, but even workplace politics is something we have to juggle as well. Over the past year, I read a number of articles about workplace politics and in this final installment of the "Club Politics" series, I have tried my best to convey what I learned and a little bit about what I have learned in my own humble experiences. Something tells me that many golf professionals in general can relate to the subject of workplace politics in their own unique way.<br />
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A golf operation begins and ends with the Head Professional, but many operations are cultivated in a way where going to work in the morning can sometimes feel like walking on to the set of an episode of "All My Children". I once had a job that was very similar to this. Between all of the intrigues and rivalries, it can be a nightmare to navigate through it all and actually help run a golf operation. Working at a club like this isn’t pretty. Hopefully this article will grow your perspective and help you make the golf shop environment a much more pleasant place to work in.<br />
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<b>Avoid Gossip from Members and Employees and Always Remain Objective</b><br />
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Participation in gossip is usually the fastest entry point into workplace politics. Usually the person who is letting you in on the latest news is consciously or subconsciously trying to align you with their point of view, or negatively dispose you towards others. Gossip is very often a double-edged sword: Whoever gossips to you will someday gossip about you if they haven’t already. Gossip can also unfairly poison your views of your colleagues and influence your judgment if you have to make decisions that affect them.<br />
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Not participating in gossip sounds easy. Chances are many of us realize the destructiveness of gossip and yet still indulge in it at the same time. Making the decision to avoid gossip often requires overcoming your fear about standing out from the crowd. However, it might be possible to take that stand tactfully. Do your best to stay objective. Involve your opinion as little as possible in non-business matters and be fact-centered.<br />
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<b>Long-Term Harmony above Short-Term Gain</b><br />
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If you happen to disagree with a colleague over the best approach to an issue, try and take your own ego out of it and stand in their shoes for a moment. Golf shop politics tends to focus on the person rather than the idea, so try and detach the two. In many cases, there may be little or no difference in the effectiveness of the two rival approaches, and it may be best to just go along with the other idea to keep harmony. A 90% perfect solution done in unison can often be better then the 100% perfect solution which was only achieved at the cost of conflict.<br />
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<b>Respect Others’ Territory</b><br />
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Sometimes people regard their golf operations competencies as their ‘territory’ and will guard them against all-comers. Early on in my career, I worked with an experienced assistant professional who wouldn’t train the other assistants in how to use the merchandising and inventory software because he admittedly thought that being the only one who knew how to operate it was his job security. Employees like this might feel they have absolute expertise in the area, and are seriously put out if someone is interested in learning about that expertise. Often the best approach in this case is just to let them have it, but make it clear that if they ever would like help, you're willing to learn and are not very far away. There are plenty of other opportunities in a golf operation to take on and learn.<br />
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<b>Seek to Understand, Before Being Understood</b><br />
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It is said that that the reason people feel unjustified is because they felt misunderstood. Instinctively, we are more interested in getting people to understand us, than to understand them first. Surprisingly, seeking to understand is a very disarming technique. Once the other party feels that you understand where he/she is coming from, they will feel less defensive and be open to understand you in return. This sets the stage for open communications to arrive at a solution that both parties can accept. Trying to arrive at a solution without first having this understanding is very difficult - there is little trust and too much second-guessing, an environment ripe for negative workplace politics.<br />
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<b>Keep the Faith</b><br />
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Of course, one of the main causes of golf shop politics is because we are hoping to advance within the operation and onward, leading to the temptation to keep an eye on potential rival golf professionals for promotion. Let’s face it, the golf business is extremely competitive and pays little. The golf professionals you work with now can one day be your competition for an HP job later. What we don’t realize is that all this worrying about others is essentially a lack of faith in ourselves, and that all the problems mentioned in the first three points – gossiping, territory, etc. – are just ’shortcuts’ we take because we are afraid we won’t go places on our own merit alone. But conversely, not indulging in these behaviors demonstrates strength, courage, tact and a feeling for managing people – qualities which many clubs would pay well for! Don't be afraid about standing out from the crowd for the right reasons. Be confident in yourself and do your job and see where it will take you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-85895025921293162112011-12-19T11:51:00.001-05:002014-12-12T10:46:34.257-05:00"Club Politics" with Bruce Patterson from Butler National Golf Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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December 19, 2011<br />
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Club politics can be an area of "thin ice", but as assistant professionals working to become head professionals, it would seem important to have some involvement with club politics so that when we do make that step, we are ready for the challenges. Bruce Patterson from Butler National Golf Club shares his views on the subject of club politics for assistant professionals and how we can gain some experience in such a dicey realm. <br />
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A big part of club politics is just being out there in the action, on the frontline and being a part of the daily conversations and situations that arise. The more you are out there, the more you will encounter issues that, although you may not handle them directly, you will be able to measure the situation and form your own opinion on how you would act. Bruce Patterson states this very aspect: <br />
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<i>I allow my assistants to be on the front line in several areas such as rules in tournaments, making pairings for events, and attending golf committee meetings. My assistants are responsible for all of the buying of goods for the golf shop, so they are exposed to dealing with salespeople and communicating with the membership about why they choose certain companies. Also, I allow them to negotiate with large groups, setting up outing fees, and prices.</i><br />
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Some of these aspects Bruce talks about are aspects that are usually left to the Head Professional or somebody higher up. But by allowing his assistant professionals the autonomy and ability to be an integral part of these areas, the assistant professionals are being entrenched in the politics of the club.<br />
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Every golf operation is different, and the Head Professional sets the tone. There may not be a better avenue to experience club politics than attending golf committee meetings. Not every HP allows their assistant professionals to attend committee meetings, however some do. The ones that do are doing a huge favor for their assistant professionals. Bruce further discusses this important component of an assistant professionals learning experience:<br />
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<i>They sit in on Golf Committee meetings where they share their opinions about tournament ideas and schedules, as well as member-related groups and time restriction policies in regards to guest play. They share their opinions and are held accountable for them as well.</i><br />
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It’s one thing to sit in on golf committee meetings, but it’s another thing to actually speak up and provide input at the meetings. Many assistant professionals are allowed to “observe” committee meetings, however they aren’t allowed to speak up in them. Bruce definitely steps it up a notch by allowing them to provide input. As assistant professionals, we don’t always know what to say in a given situation, and because of this there is the risk of getting cornered or coming off saying the wrong thing. It’s similar to teaching. We can “observe” an instructor teach the game all we want, but we don’t truly start learning how to teach until we actually start doing the teaching. If a HP is truly trying to set up conditions for his/her assistants to learn, he’ll not only allow them to observe meetings, but put their input and opinions into practice!!<br />
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When assistant professionals finally do attain their first Head Professional job, it can be difficult waters to navigate as they move forward in their position from year to year. Over his tenure at Butler National, Bruce has cultivated a club politics “philosophy” that has worked well for him and his staff: <br />
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<i>I have always attempted to be fair and balanced. I bend first to understand the member’s perspective and allow it to pass, but if needed, I will stand up to any member if I know what is being challenged is wrong and not in the best interest of the club as a whole.</i><br />
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I think one thing we can all relate to as golf professionals, is that we can’t please everybody. Another aspect we can all relate to is balancing members trying to pull you into issues while keeping your distance enough to stay out of it, however still making them happy. Bruce has a nice way of thinking about this situation that helps him draw the line:<br />
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<i>I try to apply this principle to all situations; if I have 100 players on a given day and 4 are not making it enjoyable for the remaining 100, then I would happily upset 4 vs. the other 96! Also, I was an assistant for a year and a half at my own club and I observed how each member would demand their own pricing for a guest, so when my time came I explained to the members my policy was for ALL members. Although I may have lost some business at first, I gained and established the respect of guidelines from the membership in the long run.</i><br />
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Because of how many situations arise on a daily basis, as assistant professionals, we are a lot more engulfed in club politics than we may realize. Bruce ends with some simple yet great tactics to follow when trying to handle politics but also get our feet wet in them so we are ready for our Head Professional positions:<br />
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<i>Listen, observe and take notes about what seems to work and what does not work. You will learn from experience and proper record keeping.</i><br />
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Bruce is right. We have to keep our eyes and ears open. It’s easy to let our guard down and take a break from listening throughout the day. Sometimes we aren’t paying close attention to situations we are in or others around you are in. The more we can do this, the more we’ll recognize club politics in action and we can start forming a basis of knowledge to carry on with us in the future.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-49107448735418597392011-12-05T09:26:00.000-05:002014-12-12T10:47:13.666-05:00"Club Politics" with C.W. Canfield from The Ford Plantation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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December 5, 2011<br />
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C.W. Canfield is the Director of Golf at The Ford Plantation in Savannah, Georgia and he is in his 10th year at the exclusive, private club. Before his current position at Ford, he was the lead assistant professional under Gordon Johnson at Houston Country Club, so C.W. came from a great training ground going into The Ford Plantation. With that said, Ford is C.W.'s first Head Professional position, so he is able to provide us with some great perspective about what he has learned since he arrived there a decade ago. To start off, C.W. makes it very clear the importance of evaluating the governance structure:<br />
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<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Navigating Through the Governance Structure</b><br />
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<i>Club politics typically differ in established clubs vs. newly formed clubs. Established clubs typically have the Club President or General Manger acting as “CEO.” Club committees and the club Board provide input to the CEO, but do not get involved with running the club operations. Many “young” clubs with newly established Boards and committees tend to be more involved in the daily operations. There are exceptions to this theory, but we’ll use this model as a guide. As a young professional, you have to indentify and understand the governance at your club. If you are working at an established private club, chances are you’ll rarely see club politics at work. If you work at a newer club, you will see club politics in action. However it’s important to know that club politics aren’t always negative.</i> <br />
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<b>Chain of Command</b><br />
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One of the most important aspects for assistant professionals to understand is making sure the appropriate lines of communication are being utilized. Overstepping our boundaries or skipping over someone in the chain of command can get us in trouble. C.W. expands upon this:<br />
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<i>As a rule of thumb, always use your Chain of Command when asked a question by a member that may put you in an awkward position. All members will understand if you simply say…’let me speak with my Head Professional and I’ll get back with you.’ Lean on your HP or Director of Golf to help navigate through murky waters with established policies and procedures.</i><br />
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<b>Brushing Up On Your Ability to Manage Club Politics</b><br />
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When asked how assistant professionals can brush up on their familiarity with club politics so their first few years as an HP can be smoother, C.W. had this to say: <br />
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<i>Make your self a leader and manager. A leader provides vision and influences people in a positive way—staff and members. A manager manages activities—schedules, tournaments, counseling subordinates et cetera. Effective Professionals are capable of both. Ask to go to meetings with your HP or DOG. Ask for more responsibility within the golf operation. Lead by example—appearance, dedication to the profession of golf, be visible and available within the operation.</i> <br />
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<b>Getting “Cornered”</b><br />
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What about when situations arise and we are more or less cornered by a member. Some times it’s hard to find the correct things to say on the spot in these situations. C.W. continues with his advice:<br />
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<i>When confronted by a member about a club issue, if you’re going to indulge in the conversation, keep your thoughts as objective as possible and use fact-based answers to questions. If you follow some of these guidelines that I have outlined, you’ll experience club politics and you will be less likely to experience any negative effects from them.</i><br />
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Nobody is perfect in this profession and nobody is mistake-free. We all make mistakes and club politics is an area where assistant golf professionals can be very vulnerable if it is not approached correctly. Hopefully this contribution from C.W. Canfield has grown your perspective on club politics and gives you a chance to make the right moves and avoid some mistakes that might occur otherwise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-25065637455142413882011-11-21T10:02:00.005-05:002014-12-12T10:48:01.525-05:00"Club Politics" with Bruce Williams of Bruce Williams Golf Consulting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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November 21, 2011<br />
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Isn’t it funny that many of the most important things we can learn are the things we don’t learn in a classroom, rather from practical, real world experience? Such is the case with club politics. When it comes to club politics, you won’t find a course or seminar in the PGA's Professional Golf Management Program. Trial by fire is usually how we’re going to learn to manage an area as sensitive as club politics.<br />
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Bruce Williams of Bruce Williams Golf Consulting brings with him over 30 years of experience in turfgrass management and golf industry consulting. Bruce was a Michigan State University turgrass grad and has served in various leadership positions in the PGA of America and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ameria. With successful tenures at Bob O'Link Golf Club and Los Angeles Country Club, Bruce has experienced his fair share of club politics. His insights resonate with golf professionals, so hopefully you can learn a thing or two from them.<br />
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<b>Keys to Long Term Success</b><br />
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Understanding club politics is essential to long term success and employment at a club. Bob Ford has been the Head Professional at Oakmont Country Club for more than 30 years. Don’t think for a second that it hasn’t been his ability to smoothly maneuver around the clubs politics that has played a part in allowing him to maintain his position.<br />
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When speaking of the keys to long term success, club politics is right in the thick of things. Bruce aptly states:<br />
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<i>When I think of those that have been employed by their clubs for a quarter century of more, I find that the common denominator is their ability to understand their membership, communicate clearly to them, and provide operations that are acceptable to a majority of the membership.</i><br />
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<b>Keep Perspective</b><br />
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As golf professionals, it’s important to recognize that club members spend a lot of their hard earned money to belong to the club and because of that they want to be a part of the decision making process if it effects their pocket. Bruce continues on this subject:<br />
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<i>Politics is an art and a science. People are passionate about their clubs and that is why they belong to them. In most scenarios, members of a private club are equity owners. It’s important to think of each and every one of them as an owner of the club. While they have no official authority over operations, they surely have influence as a shareholder in the business. </i><br />
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<b>Movers & Shakers</b><br />
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Every club has a handful of members that, regardless of whether they are on a committee or not, they make themselves heard and they ultimately make things happen, which isn't so much a bad thing. I can already think of two or three at my club that fit this bill. It's important that we know who these members are from the onset so we know how to approach them. Bruce explains this dynamic a little bit more:<br />
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<i>Some members have more influence than others and it is important to understand who these “movers and shakers” are. Every club seems to have a handful of members who can and do exert influence over the elected board and appointed committees.</i><br />
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<b>Communication</b><br />
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One of the biggest components of club politics is communication. Bruce expands upon this: <br />
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<i>In your position, you will spend a fair amount of time developing plans, schedules, and alternatives in a changing golf business environment. You will be most most effective when you spend the time to communicate with as many members as possible and educate them on the business side of golf operations. Today this can be accomplished through blogs, email updates, newsletters, town hall meetings, and overall interaction with the membership. Each and every year, new members join the club and new faces appear on the committee and on the Board. No two people are alike and intuitive golf professionals find out quickly the best way to deal with each member, particularly those within the governance structure.</i><br />
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<b>Take an Active Role Today and Ensure Your Future at the Club</b><br />
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Taking an active role in even the most non-descript of circumstances can make a difference down the road. For example, never underestimate the influence of any one member at your club. It is important to treat all members as though they could be your boss in the future. Bruce hits a home run with a great example:<br />
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<i>I had a summer job at a very nice private club while I was in college. The golf course was surrounded by homes and many of them were residences of club members. Just outside of one property line, there was a tee that each weekend would be littered by empty beverage cans and such. I suggested to the golf course superintendent that we speak to the father (a club member) of the kids who were having parties and littering each weekend. The superintendent told me to take 5 minutes and clean it up. He followed that comment with “If you plan on staying at a club for 20 years or more, that kid could eventually become your green chairman and he won’t forget.” I surely never forgot that lesson in club politics and I have always tried to treat every member as though they might eventually be the person I report to.</i><br />
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Managing club politics is something that is difficult to learn as an assistant professional. We’re just not as heavily involved with the behind-the-scenes issues as our Head Professionals and Directors of Golf are. However that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to familiarize ourselves with the ins and outs of club politics so we are at least somewhat prepared when we become Head Professionals. Hopefully this installment gave you some perspective on the subject of club politics as you move towards becoming a Head Professional, and you can now go into your current clubs issues with better care and a sounder game plan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-23178966361679975642011-11-07T07:58:00.003-05:002014-12-12T10:48:26.876-05:00"Club Politics" with Bob Ford from Oakmont CC & Seminole GC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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November 7, 2011<br />
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The land of club politics is a place where if it's not harvested properly, you'll soon find yourself walking on egg shells. Club politics can be an area of thin ice, but as assistant professionals working to become head professionals, it would seem important to have some involvement with club politics so that when we do make that step, we are ready for the challenges. The problem is that assistant professionals can only be so involved, so it makes it tough to become well-versed in politics-aversion/management.<br />
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Bob Ford, Head Professional at Oakmont Country Club and Seminole Golf Club, has continued his generosity by providing PIFG with some great perspective on how he involves his assistant professionals in club politics and how he has managed club politics for 30+ years at Oakmont. <br />
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Mr. Ford begins by filling us in on the roles of his assistant professionals: <br />
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<i>Only my top two guys are involved in club politics, one at Oakmont and one at Seminole. They go to committee meetings, they contribute their ideas, provide input, and they are asked of their opinion. For my other assistant professionals, I pretty much just tell them to keep their head down and dodge the bullets. If they continue to work hard, they'll have an opportunity to move up the chain and be in a position where they can be more involved with club politics.</i><br />
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Club politics can get pretty nasty sometimes if we are not careful. It would seem that, in the case of Oakmont's golf operation, it is more efficient to have just one assistant involved instead of two, three, four, or more. That way communication is streamlined, and their really doesn't have to be any worry about misconstrued messages coming from several different individuals.<br />
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Additionally, it's one thing to be able to observe committee meetings and take the minutes, which is a situation that many “high ranking” assistant professionals are in. There is a lot to be learned from that. But it's great to hear that Bob's top assistants are encouraged to actually provide input and offer opinions at the meetings. That is something that may not be as common as it should be. Actually contributing in the committee meetings steps up the learning process because we get to learn what works and what doesn't work, as well as how to communicate properly in the situations that committee meetings present.<br />
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In speaking with Bob, we can also learn that involvement in club politics can even come in the most basic of ways:<br />
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<i>As an assistant professional, just your daily work will involve you in club politics to a certain degree. As you put your time in, be aware of the players but don't be the one fighting the battles. Listen and pay attention and you'll observe situations and maybe even encounter situations where you can privately evaluate what happened and think about what you would do if you were in a similar situation. In the midst of keeping your eyes and ears open and paying attention, it's extremely important to communicate with your HP and keep him/her apprised of everything.</i> <br />
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It can be easy to take our daily grind for granted and think we are not really learning much when it comes to club politics. But that couldn't be further from the truth. If we pay close attention to the situations that surround us, you'll probably come to find that there are many learning opportunities throughout the course of a day. Watch your HP in action, pay close attention to how he/she operates. Would you do it that way or would you do it this way? Would you change this or would you change that? Ask your HP why he/she made the decision they did? Pay close attention to how he/she interacts with members in good times and in times of tension. There is a lot to learn simply by paying attention during the daily grind as an assistant professional. <br />
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These days, being fortunate to stay at a club for more than a decade is an accomplishment with all that is going on inside and outside of the club. When I asked Bob about how he has managed club politics at Oakmont CC for over 30 years, he gave some great perspective on how his involvement has evolved over time:<br />
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<i>I got dragged into politics early on in my tenure at Oakmont. Members used to always want to know my opinion and they still do. I made plenty of mistakes that I learned from, and luckily they weren't too serious. You really have to pick your battles and keep from offering your opinion too often. You have to be careful in committee meetings and you have to be sure to pick your words carefully. <br />
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Certain members like to get close to the golf professional. They dig and pry, and sadly use it to their advantage. Such instances have gotten me into some uncomfortable situations. Since coming to Seminole, I've really tried to lay low at both facilities and keep my opinion to myself as often as possible. I've really tried to divorce myself from the deeper depths of club politics.<br />
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With that said, I have always just tried to HELP the club leaders make their decisions. And it's important to make sure that there is a level of trust between myself and the leaders that issues remain between us.</i><br />
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Bobs response reminds me of the fact that we have to remember that we are merely employees at our clubs. We aren’t members and we don't have a stake in the club like the members do, so our opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. When we give it, we must realize that the member’s interpretation of it can be different than how we meant it (similar to the media), so it is very important to choose our words carefully and back out of situations when necessary.<br />
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Bob and I then talked about a subject that I am sure we all encounter more frequently than we should. It is always a challenge to balance members trying to pull us into an issue, and keeping our distance enough to stay out of it, however still making the member happy. How do we strike a balance with this?<br />
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<i>It is a very delicate balance. I think it's a personality thing. I think it's important to know your members and know what makes them tick. Gathering this information can take a long time. It's also important to utilize and really stand by the clubs rules, regulations, and procedures. They are there so many issues that can potentially arise will be addressed simply by reviewing them. One thing you want to stay out of at all times is partaking in conversation about other people. Members talk about other members, and it's very important to stay neutral and not have a position on other members when speaking with a member.</i><br />
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Bob hits home with how important it is to know your members. Every member seems to have an agenda. They all have different personalities and it is important for us to get to know them. That's another reason why it is so important to play with the members as much as possible, especially when we are rookie head professionals:<br />
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<i>In my opinion, the number one thing you can do as a rookie Head Professional is to play with as many members as possible. There is no better way to get to know them than to spend four hours with them. You don't have lunch with someone and leave saying, I know that guy, but spend four hours with them, and you really do leave feeling like you know them.</i> <br />
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If you want to know what makes members tick and figure out how to approach them and handle situations better as they arise is to play golf with them. The more you can do that, the more you can get to know your members and the more they can get to know you. The more developed the professional relationship is between you and the members, the better you can handle situations involving them.<br />
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Hopefully you have taken a few things from this opening entry to our club politics series. We feel that being aware of and having a good working knowledge of club politics as an assistant professional is extremely important now, and critical when we transition into our first HP position.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-21958623073464679992011-10-18T10:58:00.001-04:002014-12-12T10:49:28.698-05:00Why It Pays To Get Mobile As An Assistant Professional<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
October 18, 2011<br />
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As assistant golf professionals, we work in a very transient corner of the business. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. As assistant golf professionals, it pays to get mobile. Getting out of your comfort zone can be very beneficial to you both personally and professionally. Although it certainly is not wrong to stay put in a place for many years, it can be a disadvantage. Not having any considerable amount of experience out of your comfort zone can limit your perspective on the business and your career. The following are some reasons that getting mobile as an assistant golf professional can be beneficial to you.<br />
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<b>Networking</b><br />
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The biggest advantage to you as a golf professional can be the plethora of opportunities for networking. In some ways, it certainly pays to stay put in a certain place and become a part of the club and the town and grow grass-roots relationships. You can certainly network in this situation. However it is arguably more advantageous to mobilize yourself and cultivate networks in different parts of the country. Your sphere of influence will grow, and with that comes many doors.<br />
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<b>Perspective</b><br />
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Going from local to mobile will open up your mind. If you’re from the northeast and you spend a few years in the south, you will experience new ways of doing things. You will encounter different personalities and a different culture. Being a well-traveled golf professional will lend you great perspective on the inner workings of customer service, hospitality, and general golf operations within different regions.<br />
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<b>Adaptation</b><br />
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Getting mobile will increase your ability to adapt to new and different situations. Going to new and different regions forces you to focus and adapt to the regions and the clubs culture. Not only will you be better able to adapt to people and places, but you’ll sharpen your ability to adapt to situations, and have a sounder ability to make decisions.<br />
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<b>"The Bubble"</b><br />
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Making yourself mobile will make you less judgmental. If all you know is the town you grew up in, then you’re missing out on experiencing how other places and people are, and living in the bubble can potentially cocoon your way of thinking. By exposing yourself to different places, you introduce yourself to different social values and different methods of running a golf operation. Sometimes you take on values and instill them into your own life and career. <br />
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<b>Risk Taking</b><br />
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Many HP’s like seeing assistant professionals "dig" - Taking risks for the sake of their success as a golf professional. Having multiple experiences in different parts of the country on your resume tells the HP that this kid is grinding and is willing to take risks and do what he/she has to do to be successful as a golf professional.<br />
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<b>Learning Curve</b><br />
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Mobilizing yourself increases your learning curve as a golf professional. Some assistants go south for the winter, some use the off-season to do some personal traveling, some use the off-season to do nothing at all. There is nothing wrong with any of these three approaches; however it’s obvious which one will increase your learning curve and push your career as a golf professional forward faster.<br />
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There is nothing wrong with staying in your home town, but there is A LOT to be said about getting mobile and moving out of your comfort zone. Whether going south for the winters or permanently moving to another region of the country, getting out of your comfort zone will pay big dividends for you personally and professionally.<br />
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Get mobile.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-38826326939796140332011-10-10T20:23:00.001-04:002014-12-12T10:50:29.212-05:00Playing & Traveling with Your Membersby Brian Dobak<br />
October 10, 2011<br />
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There may not be a better way to warm up to your members or guests than to play golf with them. This concept is nothing new, but as assistant professionals, we often struggle to find the time to get out there with our members and guests. One way or another, we need to. It's one of our best networking tools as golf professionals. Spend four hours on the golf course with a member and you catch a glimpse into them as a person, and vice versa. When you leave the 18th green, you leave feeling like you know them.<br />
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And you can take it one step further, by traveling with them! Thousands of golf professionals every year take advantage of travel opportunities, whether it’s for a golf school, or for a Pro-Am event. It doesn’t matter if you’re an assistant professional or a Head Professional; there are very few Pro-Am opportunities that are exclusive to any one kind. If you’re invited to a Pro-Member, do everything you can to participate. Pro-Members are another great opportunity to socialize with your member or with members from another club. The following are some things to remember regarding playing with your members and traveling with them.<br />
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<b>Networking</b><br />
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How many people do you play golf with in a year? Each time is an opportunity to represent your self well. Hold yourself to a high standard and make them think that this kid is the real deal and they’ll remember you. You never know, down the road you could get a phone call to interview for a HP job because the member was so impressed with you.<br />
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<b>Give Them Something to Remember</b><br />
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Ask yourself one question: How do you want others to remember you? Figure it out for yourself and act accordingly. Too often, golf can get the best of us and it’s easy to get into a tirade over an out-of-bounds ball. Handle your emotions well and your members won’t remember the out of bounds ball for very long, rather they’ll remember the way you handled yourself in the midst of adversity.<br />
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<b>Make Yourself Known to the Membership</b><br />
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Playing with the members and traveling with them makes your known to the them. When you first arrive at a club, nobody knows who you are and you know very few people. You can introduce yourself to the members in the golf shop and it amounts to some small talk, but it doesn’t give you an opportunity to really show who you are. Getting out and playing with the members is where the difference is made. <br />
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<b>Club Ambassador</b><br />
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Playing with the members gives you an opportunity to represent the club as an ambassador. For 4+ hours, you’re the only golf professional in front of them, take advantage of it. Your Head Professional probably brought you in for several reasons, and one of those underlying reasons is that he probably thought you would make a good ambassador of the club.<br />
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To solidify these concepts, Tom Byrne and Eric McNamee, founders of MB Golf Events and both PGA Professionals, build upon the importance of playing and traveling with the members.<br />
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<i>Travelling with your members gives PGA Professionals the opportunity to build important relationships that will last for years. PGA Professionals are different than other professions, we are fixtures in our members lives. Taking them on trips is an intimate experience that builds bonds that members treasure because they are golf lovers and we are the experts in the game.</i><br />
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As assistant professionals, we have a lot of responsibilities and we can often get caught in the whirlwind of it all. Before you know, you may have gone a month without playing with your members or guests. When we asked Tom and Eric how assistant professionals might be able to better manage their time and find opportunities to get out on the golf course, they had this to say:<br />
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<i>The best advice we can give is to stress how important this is to you to your Head Professional. Assistant Golf Professional’s job descriptions should include playing with the membership. We are the experts in the game and giving that experience to our members builds positive good will.</i><br />
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It’s no secret that nothing reveals our personality and professionalism like a round of golf. Through its challenges, the game strips us bare and shows us who we are both personally and professionally. A 4+ hour round of golf or a 4-day trip gives us plenty of time for a lot of conversation. Playing with the members and traveling with them gives us an opportunity to get to know the members on a deeper level and create lasting memories. Think about taking a group of members on a trip this off-season, it will pay dividends for you in both tangible and intangible ways. Check out this link to see how MB Golf Events can help you in this process: <a href="http://payitforwardgolf.blogspot.com/p/travel.html">MB GOLF EVENTS & PIFG</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-65002232781605453802011-09-27T21:11:00.008-04:002014-12-12T10:50:56.383-05:00What's in the Jim McLean Golf School?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
September 27, 2011<br />
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In my experience of working with instructors and speaking with them, one thing I’ve noticed is the residual impact that the Jim Mclean Golf School has had on the development of our games instructors. There are a slew of top instructors out there that have ties to the JMGS. What it is that makes the JMGS such an invaluable training ground for aspiring teaching professionals?<br />
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For many reasons to be discussed, JMGS is unarguably the most successful teaching program in the world. If you are an amateur and your desire is to step up your game, JMGS is your place to go. If you are a tour professional and your desire is to raise your game to the next level, then JMGS is your place to go. Just ask guys like Vaughn Taylor, Fred Funk, J.J. Henry, Ben Crane, Webb Simpson, Rory Sabatini, Erik Compton, and Andres Romero. What the amateurs and even professionals may tend to overlook is how all of this gets done and how JMGS is so successful. What goes on behind the scenes is what this article sheds light on.<br />
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To truly understand the JMGS, we should probably get to know Jim Mclean first. Jim is a 1973 graduate of University of Houston, B.A. Economics and he played on the schools golf team all four years with the likes of Fuzzy Zoeller, Bobby Wadkins, and Bruce Lietzke. Jim got his first gig in the business as a Teaching Professional in 1975 at Westchester CC in Rye, New York. In 1979, he attained his first Head Professional position at Sunningdale CC in Scarsdale, New York. In the winter of 1982, Jim took a shot at playing on the PGA Tour. In 1983, he attained a Head Professional position at Quaker Ridge GC in Scarsdale. While there he was the 1986 Metropolitan PGA Teacher of the Year and the Metropolitan PGA Horton Smith Award winner. In 1987, he earned his first Director of Golf position at Tamarisk CC in Rancho Mirage, California. In 1988, he took an opportunity to come back to the New York area for a Director of Golf position at Sleepy Hollow CC in Scarborough, NY. During his time at Sleepy Hollow, Jim attained PGA Master Professional certification in 1990. Shortly after his departure of Sleepy Hollow in 1993, Jim was awarded with the 1994 PGA National Teacher of the Year Award. <br />
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Jim has worked extensively with many top teachers including Jimmy Ballard, Art Bell, Jackie Burke, Harry Cooper, Jack Grout, Claude Harmon, Johnny Revolta, Bob Toski, Ken Venturi, Butch Harmon, Manuel De La Torre, among many others. Jim has taught more than 100 PGA Tour, LPGA and Senior PGA Tour players including: Dana Quigley, Hal Sutton, Brad Faxon, Tom Kite, Sergio Garcia, Lenny Mattiace, Curtis Strange, Bernhard Langer, Cristie Kerr, Blaine McCallister, Ben Crenshaw, Jerry Pate, Gary Player, Liselotte Neuman, Peter Jacobsen & Steve Elkington.<br />
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There are eight Master Instructors who have worked under Jim that have been named to America's "Top 100 Instructors" list and nineteen on The Golf Digest top teacher list.<br />
If that’s not enough to convey to you the impact that the JMGS has had, we can take it deeper.<br />
<br />
<b>What It Takes To Become Jim McLean Certified</b> <br />
<br />
The golf instructors at the JMGS are the most qualified and best trained teaching professionals in the world. No other school requires their teachers to undergo the extensive training that Jim McLean demands of his professionals. The process is intensive and lasts between one and two years depending on the individual.<br />
<br />
The first step is to simply make it through the interview process and be hired as an assistant professional. This may be the most difficult step of all. They only hire candidates who have a passion for teaching and who have demonstrated the professional skills necessary to be a world class teaching professional. Many of their new hires are young professionals who come from the top private clubs in America. Some of their professionals in training have come from Merion GC, Baltusrol GC, Pine Valley GC, Augusta National GC, The Country Club, Caves Valley GC, The Inverness Club, Scioto CC, Maidestone GC, and Atlantic GC to name a few. <br />
<br />
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The second step is to spend at least one year and sometimes two years, working as an assistant at one of their schools. It's an extremely demanding year with less than half of the candidates moving on to teaching professional status. It is this time where it seems like you receive your gritty education and in some ways it is golf instructions own "School of Hard Knocks". During this period the assistant will:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Attend two 1.5 hour training sessions every week which are led by either Jim McLean or the school's Director of Instruction.</li>
<li>Complete the rigorous Jim McLean Certification Test. This comprehensive test on The Jim McLean Teaching System takes five months to complete and also requires the assistant to film themselves giving 18 different presentations on Jim's teaching system.</li>
<li>Compete in staff tournaments throughout the year to improve their own game and competitive skills.</li>
<li>Conduct their own golf swing research projects from the school's unparalleled data base of touring professional swings. Jim McLean is an ardent believer in "He who does no research has nothing to teach." ALL Jim McLean teaching professionals are required to conduct research on the golf swing.</li>
<li>Become an expert at videotaping golf swings. This may sound like an arbitrary skill to master, but it usually takes four months of diligent practice to reach Jim McLean's standards.</li>
<li>Video tape professional tour swings at PGA and LPGA Tour Events.</li>
<li>Give impromptu and prepared presentations on the golf swing and Jim McLean's teaching system in front of veteran Jim McLean teaching professionals during staff meetings and training sessions.</li>
<li>Conduct complimentary weekly golf clinics for Resort guests. These one hour clinics provide a stage for the assistants to hone their speaking, demonstrating and teaching skills.</li>
<li>Assist JMGS teaching professionals with private lessons, golf schools and clinics.</li>
<li>Seek out other top teaching professionals and take lessons to broaden their teaching knowledge and effectiveness.</li>
<li>Read books and texts of various golf subjects and teaching styles and give written and oral reports to the JMGS staff.</li>
</ul>
After successfully completing these two phases, a few assistants will be extended the opportunity to become a Jim McLean Instructor (the first level teaching professional) for the Jim McLean Golf Schools. Moving up to a JM Master Instructor and finally to the JM Lead Master Instructor level requires years of teaching, continual training and the approval of Jim McLean. The Jim McLean Golf School's greatest asset is their teachers.<br />
<br />
<b>Testimonials from the Teachers Themselves</b> <br />
<br />
When I asked Kevin Sprecher about what he has learned during his experiences with Jim McLean and now at Sleepy Hollow CC, he had the following to say:<br />
<br />
<i>I've learned more than I can express in writing. I've been working with Jim for over 18 years and this is my 11th season at Sleepy Hollow. A few of the more important things I learned are:</i><br />
<ol>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Get things done. What ever your project is, get it done thoroughly and timely. And then let people know you did it. No one is going to take notice unless you make them.</i></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Learn how to play and hit all the shots. No one respects a teacher who can't demonstrate what they are teaching.</i></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Be a leader. Initiate projects, when something is offered be the first to volunteer. Like Lee Iaccoa said "You can lead, follow, or get out of the way!"</i></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Jim has always taught me to continue to seek knowledge. Even if you don't agree with the philosophy, understand it in case someone has a question.</i></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>The client is always correct.</i></span></i></li>
</ol>
When I asked Trillium Sellers about her experiences with the JMGS at Doral in the winter and how it all translates, she had some great insight:<br />
<br />
<i>At the Jim McLean School there are a lot of instructors and assistants and the intensity level for self-improvement is higher than any other golf instructional environment I’ve ever been in. Sometimes it’s stressful (like the Monday meetings at 7:30 AM) because Jim likes to test that everyone is learning and getting better. But I don’t teach as many hours as I do up north at Chevy Chase CC. So I find that the months I spend at JMGS, I’m gaining a different type of experience than when I’m teaching out on the Chevy lesson tee all by myself.</i><br />
<br />
In speaking with Joe Plecker, Director of Instruction at Baltimore CC and a Golf Digest Top-40 Under 40 instructor, Joe describes what he took away from his experience and what it is about the JMGS that grooms such great teachers?<br />
<br />
<i>I think two distinct elements make Jim McLean instructors successful. The first is true apprenticeship. You start at the bottom and work your way up, observing lead instructors and learning the basics of the business. This proves invaluable as you progress as a teacher and business person. The second is using a systematic, well researched approach to teaching. Truly knowing what matters makes an instructor not only valid, but above reproach.</i><br />
<i></i><br />
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After reading this, hopefully you have gained some perspective on the Jim McLean Golf School. If instruction is the path you desire, JMGS may be a route to consider, however you'll have to evaluate if you qualify for admission. The experience is demanding, however sometimes we need to be pushed to realize our true potential. It seems to me that that is what the JMGS does.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-90110953377812998812011-09-07T18:56:00.000-04:002014-12-12T10:51:19.251-05:00From the Words of Davis Love Jr.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
September 7, 2011<br />
<br />
In 1997, Davis Love III and his friend Michael Bamberger penned "Every Shot I Take", a literary homage to his father Davis Love Jr, who died tragically in a plane accident in November of 1988. Davis Love Jr., an instructor at Sea Island Golf Club, was one of the best teachers of his time and his teaching style and knowledge are the stuff of legend. In "Every Shot I Take", DLIII devotes the bulk of the memoir to his fathers renowned collection of hand written notes on the golf swing. Most of the book is applicable to teaching professionals in some form or another, however a few particular sections stand out as being penned specifically for teaching professionals.<br />
<br />
In the section “Advice for Teaching Pro’s", Davis Love III writes:<br />
<br />
<i>“Dad was a meticulous man, determined to always improve himself. That’s why he was always writing himself notes, and I’m just so glad that he and my mother saved them, or most of them, over the years. Going through his notes, I found one he had typed for his own use during his early days in the business, when he was Head Professional at Charlotte Country Club. I’d like to share it with you because I think it gives an insight into how he analyzed situations, and I also think it offers some sound advice for teachers and students alike:<br />
<br />
Talk to your member on the way to the practice tee. Find out what he shoots, what his problems are, and what he wants to get out of golf. Not every player wants to be the best golfer in the world. Many members do not have the time or inclination to completely revamp their swing. They do not want to go through the drudgery of mastering major changes in their swing, so don’t be too anxious to condemn or criticize any and every moment in their swing that deviates from the “normal” or the “correct.”<br />
<br />
Any move in your members swing that repeats can be used to his advantage. No matter how wrong it looks, think long and hard before tampering with any part of the swing that consistently repeats. You can build around this motion and produce an effective swing because repetition is the key to success in this game, whether or not it conforms to the “standard” swing.<br />
<br />
Stay away from major changes, unless it is in your junior program<br />
<br />
Teaching with criticism is the easy way out, but not the most successful. Be a creative teacher! Put all your energy and enthusiasm into every lesson you give and you will find that you will reap benefits not only in satisfied customers and increase lesson business, but also increased shop sales as well.</i> <br />
<br />
In the section titled “Spray Paint”, Davis Love III writes, <br />
<br />
<i>“Dad never went anywhere without a can of spray paint, and it’s not because he was a graffiti artist. He was forever drawing lines on the grass of whatever practice tee he was standing on. The line would show the shape of the backswing and follow-through. On the backswing, the line would go straight back from the ball for a few feet, and then curve gently in. On the follow-through it would go straight to the target. He’d have his pupils swing along these painted lines in practice. With enough practice, the lines would “appear” in their minds eye on the golf course. That’s the best way to get to know the proper swing path.<br />
<br />
Once I asked him, “Dad, what would’ve happened if you hadn’t discovered spray paint?” He said, “I would’ve had to pay a lot of money in college tuitions.” In other words, Dad felt that Mark and I became the players we did-good enough as seniors in high school to win golf scholarships for college-because we had down the principle of a good path and a good plane. Everything flows from that. But you don’t really need a can of paint to perfect your plane and path; you can lay down clubs, grip end to clubhead, or you can use tape or string. Regardless, when you’re learning about plane and path, get something tangible to help show you the way.”</i><br />
______________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
This is a small sampling of the awesome content in "Every Shot I Take". The book is filled with anecdotes from both Davis Love III and his father Davis Love Jr. Regardless of the kind of path you are taking as a golf professional, PIFG highly recommends this book for your enjoyment and knowledge.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-3936035092349467352011-08-29T19:07:00.008-04:002014-12-12T10:51:41.956-05:00Treat Your Last Day Like It's Your First Dayby Brian Dobak<br />
August 29, 2011<br />
<br />
So you're getting ready to leave a job that you have been in for a few years. Your last day is fast approaching, and you're following through on some initiatives. One of your colleagues asks you why you are doing the things you are doing and that you shouldn't care anymore since you'll be gone in just a few days. Your response should be: “I am responsible until the moment arrives when I am no longer an employee here”.<br />
<br />
There is a lot of emphasis on how to start a job, and how to get off on the right foot with your new colleagues. We have even posted a few articles on how to effectively start a job. But what about ending a job? How important is it to end your job smoothly? It should be regarded just as highly as starting a job. Just because you have two weeks left, it doesn’t give you an excuse to gear down and shut your systems off. Coasting is not an option and you still have a job to do. Keep your service levels up and your effort strong and consistent. Treat your last day like it is your first day. You probably began your job strong. FINISH STRONG. <br />
<br />
Begin the process by telling members of your departure so your absence is not a surprise. Ask your Head Professional if he/she will help in that process. The following shouldn’t happen: <br />
<br />
<i>A few weeks go by and Mr. Davis all of a sudden notices that he has hasn’t seen one of his favorite assistants John in a while, Mr. Davis inquires of this and a staff member informs him of Johns departure a few weeks ago.</i><br />
<br />
This makes John look bad, but it also makes the staff look bad as well. Communication is critical, even in a situation having to do with a staff member leaving. <br />
<br />
If you're leaving in a few weeks, take the necessary steps to ensure that your responsibilities are not only passed along, but the successor of the responsibilities is properly and thoroughly trained. Just like you will move on without the facility, the facility will move on without you. It is your responsibility to see to it that your successor is briefed on your responsibilities and trained.<br />
<br />
Continue to work hard. Don’t have the attitude of, “I am leaving in three days, don’t ask me” or “My last day is Monday, I don’t care”. You are still an employee and still a golf professional, act like it and hold yourself accountable to the very end.<br />
<br />
If a member knows you will be leaving in two weeks, he/she may be less apt to approach you for help with something. Be proactive and don’t let this happen. Make members aware that you are still there and would be HAPPY to help in any way possible.<br />
<br />
Getting relaxed at the end could be detrimental to you. You could have done a stellar job for three years at the club, but don’t get lazy at the end or the reputation and position you built with colleagues and members could be torn down. What can take a few years to build can be torn down in just a few weeks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-33988018015062289372011-08-15T10:28:00.002-04:002014-12-12T10:52:00.098-05:00Are You A Member of An Elite Team?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
August 15, 2011<br />
<br />
It's amazing what you sometimes come across on the journey through the golf business. Such was the case a few weeks ago during a visit to Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. As you walk into one of the conference rooms in the Merion maintenance facility, you'll see this sign. But I got to thinking, it would be easy for us to see that and think, "They can have a sign like that because it's Merion". Lets face it, Merion is a Top-5 club in the country, it's championship pedigree is rivaled by very few clubs, it's history is more woven into the fabric of golf than most any other club in the country. Merion can have a sign like that because....it's Merion. But do you really have to bestow those characteristics to be able to have a sign like that?<br />
<br />
I don't think so. You don't have to be at a place like Merion to hold yourselves accountable. You don't have to be at a place like Merion to hold yourselves to a very high standard. At the end of the day, Merion is a golf club like any other. They have a junior program, a men's league, a ladies league, tournament operations, merchandising, instruction, etc. Peel away the history and the pedigree and you have something no different than any other club. Is it really a stretch to have a sign like that in one of your golf operations back offices?<br />
<br />
Everyone can be "elite". It's a mindset. The facade of a club (It's history, status, and pedigree) doesn't have to dictate it's operational culture. You can create any culture you want, regardless of where your club doesn't stand on the Top-100 list or how few championships it's hosted. Hire the right people, have a system, and allow everyone to be leaders, and you can live up to that sign.<br />
<br />
Whoever is reading this, would it be brash for your golf shop to have a sign like that in your back-office? It could certainly be perceived that way, however if you're trying to create an operational culture, more power to you. Isn't that what we strive for anyway? To create a culture that sets the staff up for excellence and provides members and guests with exemplary service?<br />
<br />
What kind of culture exists at your club? How much are employees valued? What kind of a premium is put on finding quality professionals? What sort of training program is there to ensure that your staff members do a job that is consistent with the golf operations mission and culture?<br />
<br />
That sign is bold and it would seem that only places like Merion could boast one. But it doesn't have to be that way. "Mindset" is critical when running a golf operation. Do you have a sign like that in your golf operation? Maybe we all should.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-711277249692120451.post-22052076578323234132011-08-06T09:11:00.004-04:002014-12-12T10:54:27.195-05:00A Look Inside the 1st Annual PGM University Intern Conference at Merion Golf Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian Dobak<br />
August 6, 2011<br />
<br />
When I first conceptualized the 1st Annual PGM Intern Conference, I kept in mind the fact that PGM Interns don't have a lot of opportunities to network with other interns from other schools. Secondly, when an intern leaves for his/her internship, their experience is generally isolated, meaning they're in their own world and their opportunity for knowledge is mainly isolated to their own experience. Meanwhile, there are dozens and dozens of other interns around them with their own isolated experiences. Thirdly, PGM University students are the future of our business. Each year, more and more are pumped into the system. So if we can catch these kids when they are young and have a positive and lasting impression on them, our business will be that much better down the road. With all of that said, I thought that if we can get these kids together in the same room and share what they are learning, their "big picture" will be come bigger and they will leave more networked, inspired, refreshed, and re-energized. And who knows, maybe a conference like this will push a button and change the way they think for the better.<br />
<br />
On Thursday, July 28th, with the collective effort of myself, Brian Soulé and host professional Scott Nye, we staged the 1st Annual Professional Golf Management Intern Conference at Merion Golf Club. The idea behind it was to bring together area PGM interns for the purposes of networking, sharing their internship experiences, and best practices learned. On relatively short notice, the following attended the event:<br />
<br />
-15 students from three PGM schools (Penn State, Clemson, Maryland Eastern Shore)<br />
-The students represented clubs from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Boston. <br />
-Two PGM alumni students from Penn State and Clemson respectively<br />
-Merion Golf Club Professional Staff of which 4 are Penn State PGM Alumni<br />
-Executive Director of the Philadelphia Section PGA<br />
<br />
The conference was a very dynamic program with each segment having it's own characteristics that were beneficial. It was shaped through three different formats that lent their own unique perspectives:<br />
<br />
1.) Presentation<br />
2.) Tour of the Merion GC Golf Operation<br />
3.) Round Table Group Session<br />
<br />
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<b>PRESENTATION FROM HOST, SCOTT NYE</b><br />
<br />
As Head Professional of Merion Golf Club, Scott has cultivated a wealth of knowledge in his experiences not only at Merion but his entire 26 year career as a golf professional. Scott treated his presentation as an opportunity to talk about what it takes to "make it" in the golf industry as a young professional. He related well with the students, allowed his staff to add to the discussion, and gave good, sound advice for "climbing the ladder" in the golf industry. Highlights of Scotts presentation are as follows:<br />
<br />
<i>"What is this industry all about?"</i><br />
<br />
People! In his first year at Merion, Mr. Nye approximates he met 7,000 new people, and told multiple stories about how people he may have met even briefly have either influenced him or have been influenced by him throughout his years in the golf industry. <br />
<br />
<i>"How should I go about advancing in this business?"</i><br />
<br />
Take small steps. Nobody takes "large leaps" in this business, but those who do all of the small steps well and are consistently excellent at their daily duties and interactions with people are the ones who get "big breaks" down the road.<br />
<br />
<i>"Do something new each year."</i><br />
<br />
In order to be an excellent and rounded PGA professional, you must seek new opportunities every year. Complacency will kill a career, especially early on. If you try something new each year, especially from an educational standpoint, you will be come a well-rounded and valuable golf professional. <br />
<br />
<i>"What is the main purpose of a golf professional?"</i><br />
<br />
To connect people. Golf is all about the interactions of the people involved in the sport, and by being a welcoming professional and by treating people as you would guests in your own home, you can create a culture at a golf facility that promotes the game and the interaction of great people. Most importantly, be real and genuine in your interactions. "Let people like you for who you are at your core." <br />
<br />
<i>"What should I expect as a young professional age 18-26?"</i><br />
<br />
Out of college, you may not have the most appealing job responsibilities. Work hard, do the small steps well, and advance slowly up the ladder. The good jobs come to those with patience, perseverance, and a good work ethic.<br />
<br />
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<b>TOUR OF THE MERION GOLF OPERATION</b><br />
<br />
The tour began with a walk down the 18th hole and up to it's green complex. The interns were able to catch a glimpse of the "Ben Hogan 1-iron" plaque in the fairway. Beginning the tour like this really gave them an opportunity to feel what Merion is all about and to see where history has been made. After the walk down 18, they proceeded into the golf shop, which hasn't changed since the 1960's. Again, the interns could feel the history and see how another golf shop is merchandised and displayed. We proceeded into the golf professional staff office area which has to be one of the better arrangements in the club business. Finally, the group was taken into the operations inventory room. Interns were able to see first-hand the volume of merchandise that Scott and his staff manage. In addition to their daily offering to the members, the staff has been merchandising U.S. Open apparel in preparation for the 2013 Open, thus offering another set of unique challenges and learning opportunities.<br />
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<b>ROUND TABLE GROUP SESSION</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNHDv8GoERt6RFuU-zzUJ917UxHqlzpj8HSijFFX8W426bnTlAFJD6tjQf7GteHYIxptb_dy_hRrJaxWy78oSKKTZQGyzXK1-JWo8JaH4RjKlN1klp9jUwFSvCiBajBM23uz8hZBF0lE/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNHDv8GoERt6RFuU-zzUJ917UxHqlzpj8HSijFFX8W426bnTlAFJD6tjQf7GteHYIxptb_dy_hRrJaxWy78oSKKTZQGyzXK1-JWo8JaH4RjKlN1klp9jUwFSvCiBajBM23uz8hZBF0lE/s200/IMG_0128.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
The conference culminated in the group session in which the interns were given an opportunity to share their internship experiences, operational best practices, and what they have learned. In their own tales, the following subjects were discussed:<br />
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-Attention to detail<br />
-Leading by example<br />
-Life perspective<br />
-Handling difficult situations<br />
-P.A.L.T. (Pride, Attitude, Leadership, Treating people the way you would want to be treated)<br />
-Good old fashioned hard work<br />
-Making sure members and guests are leaving the facility with smiles on their faces<br />
-Traveling and doing internships in different regions, experiencing different cultures<br />
-What they can expect to apply after they have graduated from the PGM Program <br />
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<b>IN SUMMATION</b><br />
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The golf business is tough and often times unforgiving. Many PGM students drop out of the program after their first internship, and there is nothing wrong with that, this business is not for everyone. Interns from across the region have worked hard this summer. Hopefully the 2011 PGM Intern Conference gave those that attended an opportunity to step back and reevaluate their goals. Through the conference, I believe the interns left more networked, informed, inspired, and re-energized, and those were the general purposes of the event. By seeing a place like Merion, hearing from someone like Scott, and networking with fellow peers in such a setting, maybe interns can more closely understand what is possible with hard work and dedication to the profession. The sky is the limit and as Scott said in his presentation, "Your success is in your hands".<br />
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<i>"Excellence is...caring more than others think is wise, </i></div>
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<i>expecting more than others think is possible, </i></div>
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<i>risking more than others think is safe, </i></div>
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<i>dreaming more than others think is practical."</i></div>
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