Area Pro's Discuss State of the Game

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

Notes from NWGMA Meeting at Golf Club of Redmond Ridge
Panel:
Craig Hunter – Head Pro at Sand Point Country Club, Seattle.
Dan Hill – Head Pro at Broadmoor Golf Club, Seattle, and current Pacific NW PGA section director.
Clint Whitney – G.M. at The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge, and former head pro at other properties.
Brady Hatfield – Head Pro at Suncadia Resort (Prospector Golf Course), Roslyn.

The discussion opened with each panelist talking about their job titles and responsibilities.
Hatfield responded by stating Suncadia Resort will have three golf facilities (one private, two public) operating when the build-out is complete, and that each will have a Head Pro and Director of Golf, plus Course Superintendent and Membership Director. Whitney, a General Manager, oversees the Director of Golf, Food & Beverage and the Course Superintendent. On the private course side, Hill and Hunter are Head Pros that, along with the Greens Superintendent and G.M., report to a board of members.
Hill, the NW Section Director for the PGA (representing 1,100 members) spoke on the process of becoming PGA certified. It takes any where from 2-6 years to complete the three 'Levels' he said, at a cost of about $7,500. The 'Player Ability Test' is completed locally while the rules/written test is administered in Florida. The attrition rate is roughly 50%. Besides studying for the test on your own, there are 13 universities that offer courses including Levels 1 & 2, as well as 'golf academies' that offer programs. Once participants pass their test and receive Class A status, they must complete continuing education courses to retain that status, Hill said. Craig Hunter, originally from Scotland, also provided interesting insights on PGA certification in the UK.

Women as Head Pros:
Both Hill and Hunter have women Assistant Professionals that they believe would make great Head Pros but, they say, opportunities are still too few. There is a perception problem regarding female placement in the industry but the PGA is making strides in this area to benefit their advancement. They are in high demand as teachers for women and youth golfers.

Minority Participation:
The PGA got a 'fair' rating from the panel on working towards better inclusion. Programs like The First Tee and Play Golf America are assisting with growing the game among minority youth and youth in general. The PGA’s number one goal is to bring more players into golf.
The future of golf is with the young so along with the First Tee, golf facilities are focusing on giving more access at an affordable price to youth, the panel agreed. Hosting junior golf camps and allowing high schools to play matches at both private and public courses are ways they are assisting with this effort. Another goal is focusing on families playing together. Hunter listed many tournaments at Sand Point that are geared toward family involvement. He sees job security in getting youth involved in the game to generate a strong membership in the future. The panelists emphasized that golf should be a way of bringing families together, not separating them.
The money raised by the PGA of America from the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup goes back into the programs that promote golf. The money does not go to its members.
Head Pros work closely with their head greens superintendent so, in addition to teaching and management skills, they must maintain a practical knowledge of agronomy. Classes are frequently offered to assist in keeping up in this field. The panel unanimously agreed they are in the 'people business', and that the most valuable rewards from their jobs come from their interaction with clientele.