After the Pro-Am’s successful 10th anniversary event in 2015, this year’s edition sees the tournament enter its second decade of operation and continues to grow in stature, and will again take place at Costa Navarino in the beautiful Messenia region of Greece.

Known widely for its quality both on and off the golf course, the tournament will see 60 Teams come together to compete over 54 holes at the resort’s Dunes and Bay Courses, whilst enjoying fabulous entertainment at the various après-golf events throughout the tournament week.

The 2015 Pro-Am was won by South Africa’s Jake Roos who had led for the whole week but was chased down by three-time champion, Nicolo Gaggero (PGA of Italy).  After a single hole playoff it was the dominant Roos that came out on top and took home the winner’s cheque for €7,000.

There is no Pro-Am package fee for each participating PGA Professional with a team of three amateurs, and complimentary accommodation in a double room (no extras) is offered to each participating Professional (and spouse/partner) for five nights at the Westin Resort, Costa Navarino.

Amateur Pro-Am packages begin at €1,430 and include:

• 5 nights BB accommodation at Westin Resort, Costa Navarino
• 2 Aegean Pro-Am rounds (1 day at The Dunes Course and 1 day at The Bay Course)
• 1 Official practice round (1 day at The Dunes Course or 1 day at The Bay Course)
• Participation in the Aegean Airlines Cup 2016 – 1 round
• Bus transfers (Kalamata airport to/from Hotel – transfers to/from Dunes & Bay Courses)
• Golf balls for practice
• Buggies for all rounds
• On-course refreshments and snacks for 4 tournament rounds
• Welcome pack
• Welcome reception
• Barbeque event
• Gala dinner & Prize giving Ceremony
• Lottery ticket for Gala
• Players liability and bodily injury insurance in the course
• Taxes

11th Aegean Airlines Pro-Am amateurs have the option to join the 2016 Aegean Airlines Cup on the 25th of June.

The 2nd FootGolf event powered by Aegean will take place at the Dunes FootGolf court on the 25th of June, with the exclusive and limited participation of 30 Footballer celebrities and VIPs. Attendance for all participants of the 11th Aegean Pro-Am is free.

Pro-Am package information can be found at www.aegeanproam.com or by downloading the registration form here: http://eur.pe/1oJQdz9.

For More Information and to enter visit http://eur.pe/2016Aegean

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AegeanProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about the Aegean Airlines Pro-Am and Aegean Airlines by visiting www.aegeanproam.com.

[Images courtesy of Studio Dimitris Andritsos Photography]

The tournament, which shares the province’s vision for growth through golf tourism, is for the third consecutive year showcasing the best KZN has to offer in championship courses and all year round favourable climate conditions.

Addressing the opening gala dinner, Deputy Director with the HOD for the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mr Nurdesh Maharaj [pictured left] , thanked the PGA of SA and World Golf Events South Africa for promoting the province’s goals to boost economic development, encourage tourism and showcase its courses through the successful staging of the World Club ProAm.

In his address the Chairman of the PGA of SA, Paul Marks, thanked the province for their unwavering support in exposing golf in South Africa to other PGA International Alliance partners. Setting the tone for the week, he added, “The global sharing of golf knowledge and trends is a vital part in ensuring that we continue to upskill our players and golf development in general”.

“With Clubs from 10 countries plus additional international players, including our neighbours in Africa, the event is gaining traction for a global footprint and growing golf tourism on our continent as well”, said Toy Mzimela Director of World Golf Events SA [pictured right].

With a professional prize pool of US$210 000, US$50 000 in amateur prizes and two hole-in-one luxury cars, the prestige of the tournament as a sought after event on the international PGA calendar is evident. Zimbali Country Club, Cotswold Downs Golf Estate, Prince’s Grant Golf Estate and Durban Country Club will each play their part in providing an unforgettable golf experience that will travel home with each participating team to their respective countries across the world.

For more information visit www.worldclubproam.com.

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

That also means more than 359 million potential competitors also vying for their attention, so you need to play smart by giving off all the right signals. Here are some useful steps for snaring your top target:

1) It’s All In the Headline

Route one to any potential employer’s heart is through your headline. Many recruiters use key words to search for potential hires, so including the right keywords in your title will often determine whether or not you show up in their rankings.

2) More Is Always More

The more skills and endorsements, the more examples of your work and the more information you include about yourself, the more ways you’ll stand to crop up in someone’s search. The ‘Profile Strength’ circle to the right of your profile is a good gauge of how much work is left to do.

3) Pick Your Friends

Recommendations are hard to come by and they are one of the things people immediately look for on any profile. A sudden spate of new endorsements looks like you’ve drafted in a few friends for a favour; what you really want are recommendations from high-ranking professionals, ideally spread out over a longer period.

4) Put Yourself About

While your aim is not to dominate everybody’s social media feeds, there’s no harm in raising your visibility. Commenting on posts and contributing plenty of your own will keep you in the mind’s eye of employers you’ve already connected with. Many recruiters also scope out industry groups and discussions for hidden gems.

5) Stalk Your Prey

With most companies now established on LinkedIn, it’s just a question of slowly infiltrating their ranks. Start by following your dream employer: you’ll begin receiving their updates, which you can set about peppering with informed, insightful comments. Then expand your network with the right people by connecting with employees past and present.

While there are more conventional ways of bagging your dream job, LinkedIn can be a surprisingly effective enhancement to your job search. Whether or not social media is your thing, a little tweaking here and there could prove a sound investment.

This content appears courtesy of Abintegro, experts in career management, transition technology & e-learning for today’s modern, mobile and technology-savvy workforce – Find out more at www.abintegro.com

Credit: Business Life; LinkedIn; Business Insider

It is in an attempt to provide answers to these questions that the ‘performance criteria for coaches’ in this article is offered for consideration.

Thirteen questions are posed and all are based on an analysis of effective coaching. In other words, if a golf coach could honestly tick ‘Yes’ to the four questions that require either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer and tick the ‘Always/ Every Opportunity’ box for each of the remaining nine questions then he/she can lay claim to being a very effective coach.

The first two questions relate to the way coaches present themselves and their knowledge to their pupils in advance of a coaching session. Unfortunately, so many coaches take a booking from their pupils without discussing with them what they want to improve. Thus, the coach is now in the unfortunate position of having to ask the pupil to ‘play a few shots’ before they can begin the coaching session.

Now there is nothing wrong with this, except for the fact that the coach is left to identify a starting point for the session and thereby has no time to set a main aim and how the session is to be developed. Can you imagine a Football Coach or an Athletics Coach working in this way?

‘Preparation is the key to success’

The third question identifies a formal term, ‘Distributed Practice’, that has been proved to improve performance in every sport.  Basically, it means that the Main Aim is pursued in no more than three equal chunks of time during the coaching session.

So, after a warm-up (10% of the time available) the coach would pursue a practice, or a series of related practices, with the player for the next 20% of the time available. The coach would then insist on a short break (10%) during which they would ask the player to do something entirely unrelated to what was pursued in the first 20%. But, after the break, the coach would ask the pupil to return to the practice undertaken in the first 20% part of the session and repeat it exactly as before.

Once completed, the pupil would be asked again do something (10%) that is unrelated to the first and second 20% parts of the session overall. Finally, the coach would ask the pupil to repeat for a second time (third 20% part session in total) what was asked for earlier in the session and, for the final 10% of the session the pupil would be invited to practise ‘what he/she likes doing best’; to end in this manner represents what is known as ‘the recency effect’ – that which is practised last is best remembered.

Question 4 is about how a practice is developed and ‘Successive Approximation’ is the term given to the process by which the coach moves a practice on to the next level of difficulty.

If the coach thinks of a ladder with ten rungs then whichever rung the player is on in terms of their development as a golfer (a judgment made by the coach and pupil together), the coach should move up one rung at a time and never more. To jump two rungs in one go is to raise the probability of failure.

Question 5 is straightforward in that if a practice represents something that is NOT required in a competitive round of golf then it is nothing more than a ‘time-filler’. It is the coach’s role to explain precisely how and when the practice being undertaken is a behaviour that has to be demonstrated by the pupil at least occasionally when playing golf.

Questions 6 and 7 are related in that they need to be asked and answered before the player begins the first practice because they focus attention on precisely what is required and why.

Question 8 reflects the old adage, ‘A picture paints a thousand words’. It means that the coach should be able to physically demonstrate the coaching points being made and those that he/she wants the player to replicate.

If the coach cannot do this, then they need to find a golfer who can and ask the pupil to watch this golfer execute precisely what is wanted. If such a golfer is not available then a video recording of the desired technical points being executed to a high standard is the next best method and should be shown as soon as possible.

Questions 9 to 12 are self-explanatory but often abused. The recommendation here is that the coach should allow the pupil to play at least three shots before offering any feedback and, initially, should begin this interchange by asking the pupil what they thought of their own efforts before offering feedback. This gives the player an opportunity to think about what was achieved and, more importantly, why it was achieved.

The final question may be self-explanatory but it is extremely important that the coach is able to tick the ‘Yes’ box after the session. This is because the pupil must go away with a clear understanding of what they believe they achieved, what is needed to be worked on and what can be expected in the next coaching session.

Click here to download the ‘Performance criteria for coaches’ Document (.DOC 0.4MB)

Sept 27 – Oct 2, 2016

PGA Members from Confederation of Professional Golf Full Member Countries are entitled to one daily PGA Member Pavilion ticket free of charge.

The PGA member will also have the option to purchase one daily grounds ticket for their spouse OR guest. This discounted ticket will provide access to the PGA Member Pavilion, and is offered at 50% of the cost of the corresponding daily Grounds tickets.

• Tuesday & Wednesday discounted price $17.50
• Thursday, discounted price $50
• Friday, Saturday & Sunday, discounted price $65

Members should go to the Admissions Trailer/Will Call (located at the main spectator entrance) and be prepared to show their current membership card along with photo identification. There is no need to pre-book tickets.

The member’s spouse/guest must accompany the PGA Member when the ticket is purchased.

Tickets are only available to Full PGA Members (i.e. not Trainees/Assistants/etc.).

The PGA Member Pavilion ticket provides access to the grounds as well as the PGA Member Pavilion.

For more information on the 2016 Ryder Cup visit www.rydercup.com

Research has shown coaching and the relationships between players, parents and diverse coaches to be an often “messy” and complex process. My interest in the subject of inter-coach relationships initially stems from my own experiences during an eight year period (2001-2008) where I was a highly motivated junior coach at Sigmaringen Golf Club in South-West Germany.

During that period and under my guidance, our junior programme developed 5 elite players who went on to gain state (regional) or national recognition through their on-course achievements.  My relationship with the various county and national coaches during that period varied from very collaborative to passive-aggressive to non-existent.

Feedback from many home and regional/national coaching colleagues throughout Europe indicate tension or a lack of communication often exists between them and one can reasonably assume these seemingly fractured relationships impact negatively upon player development.

During my 2015 Coaches Circle presentation I will initially discuss the “why?” behind the differing relationships between home and county/national coaches.  Part of this discussion will cover the micro-politics of governing bodies within Golf, the various effect of pyramid systems on coaches and players, and why coaches may find it difficult to “park their ego” when working with junior players.

To conclude my presentation I will suggest two possible strategies for developing more productive home and regional/national coach relationships.

Pre-Event Reading

• Branton, J. A. (2013) Understanding the relationships between parents, coach and golfer and their Role in talent development (MPhil Dissertation, University of Birmingham).
• Collins, D., Abraham, A., & Collins, R. (2012). On Vampires and Wolves—Exposing and exploring reasons for the differential impact of coach education. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 43(3), 255.
• Carfaro, V. A. (2013) Early developmental experiences of professional golfers: a case study from the UK (MPhil Dissertation, University of Birmingham).
• Jones, R. L., Armour, K. M., & Potrac, P. (2002). Understanding the coaching process: A framework for social analysis. Quest, 54(1), 34-48.
• Jowett, S., & Cockerill, I. M. (2003). Olympic medallists’ perspective of the althlete–coach relationship. Psychology of sport and exercise, 4(4), 313-331.

For more information on the 2015 Coaches Circle Visit the Event Hub Page: http://eur.pe/2015CoachesCircle

We caught 5 minutes with Sarah to find out a little more about how technology helps to boost and promote her coaching business…

Q. In which ways do you make use of technology in your day-to-day business?

I have a newly designed website which gives me the flexibility of online booking in conjunction with my old fashioned PGA diary!  I feel the initial step for any client when booking is vital to communicate with their chosen Professional, so I always add a human element together with the technology.  We can forget that booking a golf lesson for some is a big step, we can offer assistance and guidance making the customer feel at ease, which can’t be replicated solely with online booking.

This year I‘ve also finally become involved with Twitter and have a business Facebook page, which again helps me to communicate with my clients and other colleagues.

And then well, what can I say about the iPad!  I use it with a JC Video app, using the split screen function enabling clients to view specific changes.  The iPad is compatible with my newest edition of the Swingbyte 2, which is not currently available in the UK but I would recommend a look for sure when it launches.  My customers have really found the visual aspect of using the iPad beneficial.

Due to my most popular lesson duration it is not logistically possible to use the Casio EX high-speed camera but it is still a super piece of equipment at 1/1000 frames second.

I still make use of my notebook but now combine it with technology, including the PGA Swing Guru app.

Q. What’s been the biggest change in your use of technology?

Social Media has been my biggest advancement this year in really growing the different arms of my business, and I’ve received very encouraging feedback so far!

Q. What do you do to ensure you keep up with fast-moving technological advances within the industry?

I visit the PGA Golf Show in Orlando each year, which is amazing and so much of my research is done that week.  I attend the Demo Day and being a TPI Qualified and Plane Truth Instructor have access to the two of the best resources in the industry and the technological advances they use.

I also communicate with other instructors both in the UK and abroad, and keep up to date with social media experts who have really helped me to gain a greater understanding of the purpose of each platform and their uses.

I have a regular look at the apps that are available out there, especially the ones that can help me to reduce the volume of paperwork I have!

Q. How important do you think it is that pros ensure they keep up with the changing technological aspects of golf business?

I think for any professional businessperson it is vital to have an understanding and up to date knowledge of technological advancements, especially from a coaching perspective.  But what’s really important is having the skill to utilise each one in the most effective and suitable way for each different client.  I would certainly not use video with each pupil as this may not be fitting with their learning style, there is a danger to coach by “numbers” and not ball flight with the pupil becoming reliant on video.

I still think the best form of advertising is word of mouth and offering exceptional customer service, customers like to feel they are special, just because we all use and understand technology not all of my customers do so I need to make sure I allow for that.

Another tip is to make sure a professional’s use of new technology is carefully weighed up in this economic climate as unnecessary expenditure, or investment you might not get a proper return on, can harm the business without the correct research and calculation.

Q. What is your favourite piece of tech? [e.g. iPad, Casio, Twitter/social media]

I must admit without my iPad I could not email, video, use analysis apps, Tweet or check Facebook on the move!!  I like it so much I have just changed to the iPhone.  However, I do like a good discussion at the end of the day so it’s important to get the mix right!

A dominant performance from Cort saw him secure his first Confederation of Professional Golf Sanctioned Pro-Am victory adding to his previous Confederation of Professional Golf wins in the form of the 2015 Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship and 2015 PGA Professional Championship of Europe – an excellent hat-trick of wins in just over 13 months.

“I feel pretty chuffed – it was really tough out there with the wind picking up on the back nine, and going out with a lead is always interesting as you don’t know whether to attack or defend,” said Cort.  “But I played solid, especially on the back nine when the wind got up so I’m pleased with how I finished.

“I’ve got a few big things this summer to look forward to so every time you win it’s great for your confidence so I can use this win to hopefully push forward and get some results as well.”

With Cort holding a three shot lead at the beginning of the day, and with the rounds starting in near perfect sunny and calm conditions, it seemed that good scores were a possibility on the Championship South course of the resort named as ‘Spain’s best golf hotel’ in 2015, and a close contest was on the cards.

This proved to be the case after uncharacteristic bogeys for Cort at holes one and five and a birdie four on the fourth for Craig Shave (PGA of GB&I) saw the three shot cushion evaporate.

However two birdies on holes six and nine steadied the ship and saw Cort return to the top of the leaderboard with a two shot lead, which was not to be threatened by the chasing pack for the remainder of the round.

As the wind picked up scoring became tougher and although a further birdie by Shave on 13 closed the gap, two late bogeys gave the advantage back to Cort who never wavered from his position at the top of the leaderboard from Round 01, finishing at five-under (212) for the tournament.

“It’s a great complex here at La Manga,” added Cort.  “Some great courses…it’s nice to stay onsite and the hotel’s been great, and food’s been excellent.  The weather has been nice with a bit of wind, which made it interesting, but much better than back home so it’s a good chance to get some practice in – it’s been ideal.”

Shave finished in second place courtesy of a solid closing level par 73 to finish on a tournament total of 216 (-1), followed by the PGA of Italy’s Nicolo Gaggero at six-over par (223) in third place.

A nine-point swing on the final day saw Cort secure a memorable double with victory in the Team Pro-Am event as well. Assisted by amateurs Brendan Delaney, Maurice Addison and Gary Britton, a high scoring back nine of 45 points (-9) and a closing round total of 84 points (-12) saw them soar to the top of the leaderboard where they finished with an excellent total score of 249 points (-33).

In second place was the team led by Brendan McGovern (PGA of GB&I) with amateurs Ronan O’Reilly, Jonathan Toms, and Marcus Burnley, who had held the lead heading into the final round.  A closing 75 (-3) saw them surrender their position at the top, however it was good enough to finish seven points clear of the team of PGA of Czech Republic Professional, Steve Bradley, and amateurs Tony Parrish, Michael Wantulok, and Mark Shaw.

For Full Final Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016LaMangaClub

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search #LaMangaClubProAm on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information about the resort and to book a break, call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reservas@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com.

Calmer conditions fell upon the competitors for Round 02 at the La Manga Club and the scores certainly reflected that, with both the Professional Individual and Pro-Am being tightly poised, promising an exciting and tense finish to the tournament.

Leading the way in the Individual Professional event is Matthew Cort who continued on from where he left off in Round 01 with five birdies on the front nine of the club’s North Course.

“I’ve not played the North Course for a few years so it was almost like playing blind,” said Cort.  “My team are doing well in the team event so there’s a chance to really compete on both sides so yeah I’ll just try to enjoy it.”

On the back nine one solitary blemish on the card on the 13thhole was promptly cancelled out by a birdie on 17 resulting in the lead at the close of play and a three-shot cushion over fellow 2015 Golfbreaks.com Fourball Champion, Craig Shave(PGA of GB&I).

Cort is also chasing a Confederation of Professional Golf treble having already won the Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship with Craig Shave in 2015, along with the PGA Professional Championship of Europe in October.

Shave meanwhile remains in touching distance of Cort after two one-under par nines resulted in a 69 (-2) and a 143 (-1) total.

Finishing off the top-three is another GB&I Professional, Brendan McGovern, whose round of 70 (-1) took him to even par for the tournament and hot on the heels of Cort and Shave ahead of the final round.

In the Team Pro-Am it was all change at the top and the team lead by Brendan McGovern closed the three-point deficit earning a slender lead heading into the final round. An excellent team effort saw McGovern’s team sign for a total of 166 (-22) and a one point lead over Cort’s team who signed for an impressive 10 under par and a 165 point total (-21).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016LaMangaClub

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search #LaMangaClubProAm on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information about the resort and to book a break, call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reservas@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com.

It looked set to be an incredibly competitive tournament with a field consisting of three-time Aegean Airlines Pro-Am Winner, Nicolo Gaggero, the 2015 Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship Winners, Craig Shave and Matthew Cort (also the current PGA Professional Champion of Europe), as well as the PGA of Ireland’s Brendan McGovern who has just earned his European Seniors Tour card after coming through Final Qualifying in Portugal last week.

Three of the aforementioned PGA Professionals are in a current tie for the lead after matching 74s left them one clear of the field and tied on +1.

The tough conditions could not disrupt some of the excellent golf on show and with the top six being separated by just four shots it looks set to be an exciting couple of days.

Bearing the brunt of the wind was PGA of GB&I Professional, Craig Shave, who was third out in the morning:

“I was pleased with one over, the weather was horrendous, about a five club wind…It’s tough hitting a four iron in from 140 yards, I mean we’re used to the wind back at home but that was a different level.  But I drove it well, hit most fairways and most of the greens and got it round ok.”

PGA of Ireland’s Brendan McGovern acknowledged that his recent success at Q school had given him a boost of confidence and that certainly showed with a superb one under par back nine which was down to the approach of Brendan’s game in the weather “It was tough, very blustery, very much one hole at a time out there”.

Co-leader Cort, who returned to La Manga for the first time in 10 years, finished his round off with an eagle to tie for the early lead.

“With the blustery conditions it was really tricky to get close to the hole, the greens are running fast.  A lot of long distance putts you’re just not going to hole them, but I eagled the last so that was a good way to finish.”

In the team competition a phenomenal score of 83 points (-11) gave Matthew Cort’s team comprising of amateurs Brendan Delaney, Maurice Addison and Gary Britton, a slender lead over the team led by PGA of Ireland Professional, Brendan McGovern, and his team of amateurs Ronan O’Reilly, Jonathan Toms & Marcus Burnley.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016LaMangaClub

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search #LaMangaClubProAm on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information about the resort and to book a break, call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reservas@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com.

“We had a lot of fun out there and these three last days with my partner, he’s an amazing guy – everything has been perfect,” said Piris after the final round at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club’s Lakes Course on the Costa Daurada.

“It was three challenging days,” added Giner.  “Yesterday we had rain and today a lot of wind but we managed it really well and we played very good golf – no black dots [bogeys] anywhere.”

Scoring on the Lakes was a little more conservative than it had been on the previous few days proving to be a strong test for the 40 PGA professional pairs that made it through the two round cut.  But the quality and strength of the local PGA Professionals was clear for all to see with seven pairs finishing in the top-ten.

But Piris & Giner were well aware that they needed to protect their overnight lead with a good final round, which they were able to do opening with two pars and a birdie at the third. A further birdie at eight along with two more at 10 and 13 put them in pole position with only a few holes remaining.

However, knowing that one of their closest rivals, Xavier Guzman & Juan Sarasti, were a few shots back meant the pair were aware that their solid birdies on the 18th were enough to take the Championship.

“Finally this year we have got a tour here in Spain,” said Giner. “So that gives us a lot of confidence to push hard and practice more and I think it’s very good for us to have a tournament here in the Costa Daurada at Lumine, as it is a very challenging course and we enjoyed it very much.”

Second place fell to Xavier Puig & Pep Angles (PGA of Spain) who kept their second place position intact throughout the day.  Early birdies were cancelled out by two uncharacteristic bogeys in the front nine, but their incoming nine holes proved to be more lucrative.  Three birdies helped get them back into the mix, but it was Angles’ crucial eagle on the 18th hole that moved them back in to second at -23 (191):

“On the last we thought the leaders were a little further away so we were just trying to get maybe third place or second place,” said Angles.  “We hadn’t really made many long putts during the week so it was nice to finish on the last hole with probably the longest putt we made the whole three days!

“I think the region here has everything – it’s by the sea, it has mountains, all the tourism with people coming from other places. I think the courses are really good…especially at Lumine with 45-holes it is really nice.”

Third place was shared between another two PGA of Spain pairs, Javier and Manuel Ballesteros – son and nephew of the late, great Seve Ballesteros – and Xavier Guzman & Juan Sarasti, both of whom finished at -22 (192).

“I made two birdies and Manuel made five,” said Javier Ballesteros.  “And on many holes I played alone and on others Manuel did so we were lucky maybe that we made birdies or pars when left alone.

“The Members are important for the PGA, and the PGA is important for the Members, and in Spain there have always been many good players so that’s a reason why most of the pairs at the top were Spanish.

“I’ve never been here before but the region looks like a great place with some good golf courses, beaches and though we are in the winter it has been really nice and a great place to come.”

For Full Final Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016Fourball

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.CostaDaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), La Pineda Platja (www.LaPinedaPlatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

Taking this experience to even greater heights is the PGA of SA World Club ProAm, which will see local and international PGA Professionals and their amateur teammates teeing-up for the best week in golf from 27 February to 5 March in KwaZulu-Natal.

 While ProAms are conventionally one-day events linked to major tournaments, the World Club ProAm will offer a unique five-day golf extravaganza across 4 championship courses – Durban Country Club, Zimbali Country Club, Prince’s Grant Golf Estate and Cotswold Downs Golf Estate. A Professional prize pool of US$210 000, luxury vehicle hole-in-one prizes for the professional and the amateur as well as cutting-edge golf apparel in daily prizes are certain to stir up the competitive spirit of the tournament.

Beyond the lucrative prize pool, the World Club ProAm will supercede expectations by delivering an unrivalled ‘Pro Tour’ golf experience in one of the world’s leading golf destinations – the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Five-star luxury accommodation at the internationally recognised Hilton Hotel in Durban, 5-star gala events and a fully personalised baggage master service to transport each golfer’s clubs are among the highlights that set this ProAm apart from any other ProAm on the international PGA golf calendar.

“The World Club ProAm will offer amateurs more than a round of golf with their PGA Club Professional. We are preparing for an all-encompassing golf tour experience where amateurs will have the opportunity to live out their ‘pro tour’ golf dreams alongside their PGA Professional on not one, but four championship courses. With so much on offer, it is going to be a week of exhilarating golf and global friendships,” said Beverley Theron, Event Director.

Entries are still open, so its not too late for PGA Professionals and their team to register. For more information visit www.worldclubproam.com.

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The PGA of Spain pair got their day off to a fast start on Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club’s Lakes Course:, leading the 40 PGA Professional Pairs that made it through the -8 cut mark to progress to the final round.

“We started off like a Ferrari with six birdies in a row,” said Piris Mateu. “In the middle of the round we stopped a little bit but we made some birdies to finish so we’re very happy.”

“We kept our momentum up and started really well,” added Giner. “In the end we had a point where there was a lot of heavy rain, but after when the sun came out again we made a couple of birdies.”

Two shots behind at -18 are Xavier Guzman & Juan Sarasti along with Xavier Puig & Pep Angles, each very much in with a chance of pushing for the lead in the final round.

Guzman & Sarasti managed to tame the Hills Course that played one shot more difficult on average than in Round 01. A quiet front nine with two birdies and seven pars was followed up by six birdies and a bogey on the back nine for a 65 and a 125 total.

Puig & Angles meanwhile made good ground with nine birdies and nine pars for their excellent and hard-fought 62 on the Lakes Course:

“It was a great day because the conditions were a little bit tough with the rain and wind,” said Puig. “We started well with three birdies and made some more on the back nine as well.”

The pair are definitely in a positive frame of mind when it comes to competing on the final day:

“I think we’re in a good position for tomorrow – we definitely wanted to be either leading or two or three strokes back to have a chance.

A further two PGA of Spain pairs are in fourth and fifth place showing the dominance of the locals throughout. Javier & Manuel Ballesteros made 66 on the Hills for fourth at -16 (127), whilst Borja Etchart & Eduardo Larrañaga made a second consecutive 64 to finish at -15 (128).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016Fourball

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.CostaDaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), La Pineda Platja (www.LaPinedaPlatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

The pairs of Xavier Guzman & Juan Sarasti and Gerard Piris Mateu & Ivo Giner lead the way at 11-under par following outstanding rounds of 60 at the Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club’s Lakes Course and 61 at the Hills course repspectively.

After the predicted strong winds across the Costa Daurada coastline never emerged, scoring well was back on the cards for the 116 PGA Professional pairs battling it out.  A string of birdies for the Guzman/Sarasti partnership spanning both the front and back nines of the Lakes were bolstered by an eagle two from Sarasti on the par-four 13th hole for their -11 total.

Meanwhile on the Hills Coure, the Piris/Giner pair also went on a birdie-spree with no less than six consecutive birdies on the back nine, returning home in just 29 shots.

One shot behind is the pair representing a legendary golfing dynasty in the form of Javier and Manuel Ballesteros, the son and nephew of European golfing icon, Seve Ballesteros.

Javier and Manuel also made light work of the Lakes Course again carding 11 birdies, but allowed a single bogey at the 14th hole to reduce their total down to -10 (61).

Two pairs of PGA Professionals sit at nine-under – Molteni/Tadini (PGA of Italy) and Puig/Angles (PGA of Spain) – whilst no less than eight pairs are joined at tie-sixth position at seven-under par, including defending champions Matthew Cort & Craig Shave (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland).

Competitors will switch courses for Round 02 before a cut comes in to play at the end of the round that sees the top-40 pairs and ties continue into the final round over the Lakes Course.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2016Fourball

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.CostaDaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), La Pineda Platja (www.LaPinedaPlatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

Golf Retailing’s Miles Bossom met with PGA Pro and golf entrepreneur Adam Bishop to find out how he is thinking differently.

MB – Adam, tell us a bit about your business.

AB – I started in 2001 with one retail outlet but now have four, all within twenty minutes’ drive of each other. I run the retail outlets at Studley Wood, Chiltern Forest and Whiteleaf Golf Clubs and I also have a large store at our driving range just outside Thame in Oxfordshire [United Kingdom].

MB – How many PGA Pro’s do you employ?

AB – From two at the start I now employ eight.

MB – So, have you plans for further expansion?

AB – Running four venues is quite a commitment but if the right opportunity comes up I would never say no before investigating.

MB – How are you adding value to your business?

AB – We have a full tour spec work shop and fitting centre so we can offer custom fit and a great repair service. We also run the Cleveland Centre of excellence at Studley Wood. Our latest venture is to do fitting days at clubs that don’t do any hardware sales.

MB – Tell me more?

AB – There are many golf clubs that don’t sell any hardware whatsoever so the customers at those clubs are starved of product.  With it being expensive to buy and with such tight margins it makes it unviable for some to hold a decent level of hardware.

At these places there are many customers who love to buy hardware and would prefer to buy from their own club because that is where they feel comfortable.  So what we do is we set up with a minimum of four but up to nine fitting carts and branded pagodas on the clubs range or practise facility or we can use a large inflatable net if the club has no practice ground and so on.  Members that haven’t seen this before feel that Christmas has come early!

MB – What does the club get from this?

AB – We pay the club a small commission on the goods that we sell but it isn’t so much about the club making money, it is more about providing a service to the members.  They feel that a few times a year their club holds a large demo day when they can try all of the latest equipment from a wide range of manufacturers and can buy then and there.

MB – How many club fittings would you expect to complete in a day?

AB – We would bring two fitters and the club prearrange as many appointments as possible.  I would expect them to be fully booked with between ten and twenty appointments and I would bring a third for the people who may just turn up on the day on the off chance.

MB – Typically how much revenue would you expect to generate on one of these days?

AB – It’s rare that we would do less than £3000 [approx. €4,190] in turnover but it is usual that we would do between £6000 and £8000 approx. €8,379 – €11,172].  Our best day was £12,000 [approx. €16,758]!  It depends on how starved the membership has been.

MB – Is there a particular demographic that is more interested in this service than others?

AB – Definitely left handed golfers and ladies.  Because we will not only have a left-handed driver in all of the major brands but we will also offer a multitude of different shaft options.  We can cater for everyone and give them a great fitting experience.

MB – What commission do you offer the club?

AB – It’s between 10 percent to 20 percent of the profit depending on the manufacturer. mThe club simply promotes the service and we do the rest.  It is not really about the commission, it is all about providing a service that the club doesn’t provide.

MB – At Studley Wood you have run a pre-Christmas sale.  When do you think is the right time to reduce the price of stock to ensure it doesn’t gather dust?

AB – It depends on a number of factors.  Firstly how good your purchasing was in the first place, secondly how good the season was and thirdly how well you have sold it.

With multi sites it’s easier because if I purchase forty pairs of shoes across the group and I sell the majority of those at full retail price I have covered the cost of the order and paid the supplier and I am already in profit. If there are a few pairs left I do not want them hanging around. They may have cost me £35 per pair but they don’t owe me that as I have already made a profit on the total order. I will price them aggressively to shift them quickly at maybe £29 per pair.

MB – So how has the sale here at Studley Wood worked for you?

AB – I have started running sales in November because it is a bit of a dead month. The clocks change so it is dark and dingy and many pro’s will be thinking that it was hardly worth opening.

It is a great time to sell because you are taking customer money when they are not expecting to spend – ahead of Christmas and out of season.  November is no longer a month where I am depressed.  I have cash coming in, good clean stock and I am ready to go for the new season.

MB – What advice would you offer other golf retailers?

AB – What we golf pros have to remember is that golfers love golf.  If you can’t sell equipment as a golf professional you are in a trouble.  The key is creating desire.  Golfers walk into our outlets and have the desire to take shots off their round.  They are prepared to buy equipment that will enable them to do this.

MB – How often do you sell an “off the shelf” set of irons?

AB – The last time I sold a set was about four months ago but that was only because the length of the club, the lie, the type of shaft and the grip were exactly what the guy needed. I pride myself on the fact that I don’t have rows and rows of clubs in my shop. You may think that is a negative but in fact it is a huge positive.

When you think about it the big stores have fifty or sixty sets of standard clubs on display it must be difficult for them to want to sell a custom set as they have invested a lot of money in stock sets so it must be temping to want to sell them instead. There will be a few customers that fit a standard set but they are few and far between. All of my customers get exactly the right set of clubs for them built in the manufacturer’s factory.

MB – Do you feel threatened by the internet?

AB – No. The only reason people buy on line is price. The consumer always thinks it is cheaper but that is not always the case. There is no service with the internet. I actually use it very effectively to sell surplus stock at the end of the season. If the retailer does his job properly there is no reason for a golfer to buy hardware on line.

The more technical golf equipment becomes the better, as it helps us professionals, as I believe to be a great fitter you must also be a great coach and vice versa. At the end of the day we must create a desire by showing the customer how much they can improve by having their clubs fitted correctly.

From the 10-12 February PGA Professional Pairs from across the Association’s Member Countries will compete across 54 holes of golf for a record prize fund of €53,500 in the popular Fourball format that has grown to be a hugely competitive Championship.

2015 Champions Matthew Cort and Craig Shave (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland) will return to try to defend their title but will be joined by some of the best PGA Professionals in the world.

The son and nephew of Spanish golfing legend Seve Ballesteros, Javier and Manuel Ballesteros, join together as part of a strong representation by the home PGA with over 70 professionals in the field.

2005 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles winner, Emanuele Canonica, and fellow PGA of Italy and European Tour Member, Lorenzo Gagli, join the field, as well as 2013 Fourball Championship winners from the PGA of Austria, Jürgen Maurer and Uli Weinhandl.

For more information and live scores throughout the week visit: http://eur.pe/2016Fourball

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Golfbreaks.com Fourball Championship visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.CostaDaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), La Pineda Platja (www.LaPinedaPlatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

Whilst having been Head Professional at John O’ Gaunt Golf Club in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, since 2001, Lee has amassed a long list of pupils that have been successful throughout the amateur and professional games in his indoor teaching facility, including LET Professional and Solheim Cup player, Charley Hull, and Ryder Cup and European Tour star, Ian Poulter

But Lee is no stranger to teaching your average golf club member as well, and his work in the development of junior programmes in the UK added to the reasoning behind his recognition in 2013 with the Confederation of Professional Golf’s highest coaching accolade, the John Jacobs Teaching and Coaching Award.

IGPN recently caught up with Scarbrow to find out more about he manages his coaching style and activities between those at the top-level of the game and those amateurs who are there to get the most enjoyment and fun out of their games.

Your first ‘top’ player was Ian Poulter – how did you start working with him and what was it that made him different to others?

I first start working with Ian when he came to work for me as an Assistant.  He had an unbelievable desire to achieve his goals, which made him both easy and hard to work with…!

The thing that made Ian stand out was his belief in his own self and that nothing was going to stop him.  His self-belief needed to be maintained when coaching him, so I would suggest things I was working with on other players to him.  When he used these ideas in his own swing they where now his ideas and as such became something he wanted to work on.

It was a little sneaky but it was the best way to help him achieve.  What was great was watching Ian attain his goals and finish rookie of the year on the European tour, something I am so proud we achieved.

Later on you have worked with another more recent figurehead of the women’s game, Charley Hull – did you see the same characteristics in Charley as you did with Ian?

I first met Charley when she was nine and her first words to me were that she wanted to become world number one!  She then would visit once or twice a year until she was fourteen when she came to me full time to be her swing coach.

Charley had got her swing in a bit of a mess and we set about making it more solid and reliable without taking a step back.  In the first year she won the Scottish and Welsh National Championships and then a couple of other major amateur tournaments.

What set Charley apart was her unquenchable thirst for practice, getting her to slow down and practice with class and thought was the tough bit.

We did a great job and winning rookie of the year and becoming number one in Europe are great achievements that can’t be taken away.

What are the key differences that set the Poulters and the Hulls of the world apart from the rest?

Both of these two had an unreal desire to achieve, channelled in different ways yes, but both were not going to fail in their goals and I am honoured to have helped them along the way.  They are the names that would stand out on my resume but I am lucky to have a lot of great players working hard to rise to both Charley and Ian’s level.

As a coach you are always pushing and trying to find ways to help your players improve not just their technical golf swing but their overall performance.  Sometimes you need to push them to do things they may not like, but you have to believe in what you are doing and find the best way to get the most out of the player you’re working with.

What differences do the players at that level have to perhaps the elite amateurs you work with?

The gap between tour players and elite amateur players is closer than ever, most of the top amateurs are working the way tour pros do as this tends to be their long-term goal.

As a coach I am always just trying to get the most out of my player whether they are a tour winner or complete beginner.  As a coach my attitude stays the same to make the person before me the best they can be whatever level that takes us to.

Elite pros are likely to be travelling around more, how do you manage the coach-player relationship at distance and across a season?

Working with tour players as a Club Pro is tricky as it is not possible to travel to all events, but with all modern media tools it is easy to video golf swings and send them to be analysed as well as keep in touch in general these days really.

Personally I would like my player to be clear in what they are working on and try to get their minds more in play mode rather than trapped in technique, but, as always, it is totally down to the individual and what works best for them.

What do you think makes for a successful coach-player relationship both for beginners and then for elite players?

A player coach relationship has to start with communication as if either person is not understanding what is required confusion will reign.  This is the basic for all coaching regardless of the ability of the student.

Do you have a different mindset for coaching beginners as you do for elite players?

As I said before, I would treat both a beginner or tour winner the same and just try to get the best from that person.  But how I would do that or go about achieving that would vary as you would expect based on the time they can give me and the individual requirements, characteristics and ultimately level of their game.

But then when working with top players you become more and more aware of the small margins to success.  Building swings and players to be winners is more than just swing the club like this – it’s a total holistic approach and finding how to make them perform their best is like putting together a puzzle and has great rewards.

It can be hard work but you can only give your best and working with these players makes you question yourself and the swing so much that it forces you to improve your own knowledge and keep questioning whether there is more you could do.  This helps with all lessons as you become more aware of how different types of people work so helping becomes easier.

Find out more about Lee and John O’Gaunt Golf Club here: www.johnogauntgolfclub.co.uk.

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

While one apprentice may flourish under the guidance of a particular mentor, another– under the exact same influence and counsel– may never manage to thrive on their own, never making it out of the mentor’s shadow.  Therein lies the Disciple’s Dilemma.  How do you differentiate yourself from the message and methods of your greatest influencers?

A trusted mentor recently advised me to create my own ‘Coaching Manual’.  The purpose of this exercise would be two-fold- 1) produce a document that allows students to review my coaching concepts in greater detail. 2) Force me to clarify, in my mind, what it is that I teach and believe in.

As I began to create the document, I was hit with a scary realization.  Many of my teaching tenets was near identical to those of this particular mentor.  If I were to sit down and list all my technical preferences and most frequently prescribed drills, would they be a carbon copy of his?  Instead of listing my own creative and original golf instruction ideas, I was regurgitating a lot of what I learned from this mentor.  But that’s the predicament– I am a better coach for having gained this knowledge and I have enough experience with them to know they are effective!  Do you re-invent the wheel for the sake of originality?

The abundance of certifications and coaching workshops exacerbates the conundrum.  A lot of impressionable coaches will attend a certification that has a major impact on how they see golf instruction.  It’s easy to become so intoxicated by the admiration and excitement of a new perspective– that they lose their individuality in the process.  An army of newly indoctrinated disciples head back to their lesson tee to give identical golf lessons.

To avoid the potential pitfalls of mentorship, look no further than the person you are learning from.  Their success and stature in the industry should indicate that they were able to successfully navigate apprenticeship and avoid the hazards of falling in too deep.  Here are a few steps they most likely took to overcome the Disciple’s Dilemma.

Broaden your Scope.

Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”  Luckily, in our current ‘Connection Economy’, we aren’t limited to 5 people anymore.  Twitter and Facebook can expose teachers to a multitude of influences and new ideas.  I’d say, I’m the average of the 20 coaches I follow most online.  Not only do these vast resources allow me to dig deeper into the material that resonates with me, but it’s impossible to avoid the people who directly oppose some of those ideas.  This is great!  I am exposed to people that are attempting to ‘break’ some of the information that I swear by.  Hearing both sides of the argument will either deepen your convictions or plant enough doubt to propel you towards new answers.

Advance the Idea.

Once you’ve actively experimented and utilized the knowledge provided by your mentor– you have an obligation to advance the concepts.  You do your mentor a great disservice, if once you’ve gained confidence in your new skills, you never do anything to creatively evolve to the next step.  That’s how this whole cycle of information works.  Your mentor took old ideas and refined them, now it’s your turn.

Research your Influencer’s Influencers.

The realization that your mentors didn’t come up with all those great ideas on their own is liberating.  Writer Chuck Palahniuk confesses that, “Nothing of me is original.  I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known.”  Not only does this reinforce the notion to broaden your horizons, but it proves that no one has accomplished great things entirely on their own.  The coaches you admire weren’t born that way.  They worked hard, sought out a collection of influencers, and hand-picked elements that matched their particular style.  If you look back to the work of your mentor’s greatest influencers, you’ll undoubtedly see how some ideas have been altered and synthesized into their current state.  It not only offers some relief, but yet another model to follow from a valued teacher.

Steal and Synthesize.

In the impressionable early years of coaching development, I think it’s advisable to steal ideas.  Steal them from every source you can and find out what works for you and what doesn’t.  Forget the connotation of ‘stealing’ ideas and do it.  I promise your mentors did.  Golf Digest and Golf Magazine collectively have printed over 1000 tip filled editions of their magazine.  That’s a lot of tips.  To come up with a completely original idea in the world of golf instruction is not likely.  What’s more likely is that over time, through experimentation and synthesizing, layers are added to concepts and they are presented in a way that seems novel or fresh.  Often times, producing a more effective iteration of the original.  Make the idea better then when you found it by synthesizing it through your particular lens of experience, preference, and style.

Build your Coaching Tree.

If there is any action to come from reading this post– this is it.  Your challenge is to build a Coaching Tree.  Think of this as your coaching genealogy.  Start with the 5 coaches and instructors you hold in highest regard.  From there, create branches from each of them which contain their greatest influencers and mentors.  Once you have your Coaching Tree, begin to consider the ideas, methods, and techniques you value most from each coaching ‘ancestor’.

You can start to see yourself as a 5-headed monster, possessing the most effective traits, tricks, and skills of your greatest influencers.  Maybe more important than ‘WHAT’ they teach, take a hard look at ‘HOW’ they teach.  How do they deliver their information?  How do they organize their sessions?  What processes distinguish them from their peers?  Ironically, a list of these ingredients that you borrow from others is where the creativity and originality begins.  Actively engaging with all of these systems together is where you start to separate yourself from your mentors.  Keep adding layers, hand-picking items from each branch that fit your personality, specialties, and inclinations.

Ultimately, the ‘Coaching Manual’ exercise taught me that I’m not quite ready to develop it yet.  I need a closer examination of my Coaching Tree to determine exactly what my ‘Manual’ will look like.  But, like my own coaching style, it’s evolving as I adapt my mentors’ ideas to fit my unique circumstances.  With all of the available information and perspectives available to coaches, there is no excuse to be a cheap knock-off of one coach or style that you like the most.  This is the age of the mash-up.  We will distinguish ourselves be becoming the sum of our influences– our primary directive is to begin collecting all the good ideas with a critical eye.

Start with your Coaching Tree.

To inspire others to participate, pay homage to the mentors that have impacted you by mentioning them on twitter with the #coachingtree.

–Corey Lundberg

Peter Millar are offering preferential pricing to PGA Professionals for a select collection of lifestyle garments including the recently added ‘Travel Blazers’, a variety of woven dress shirts, as well as the ‘Performance Melange Twill “Charlotte” Trousers’.

Peter Millar offer a range of women’s clothing options and more information on currently available women’s collections can be found by contacting the sales department directly (sales@petermillar.co.uk). PGA Professionals can also access the full catalogue of Peter Millar collections through the sales department.

The offering comes as part of the burgeoning partnership between the Official Ryder Cup Licensee and the Confederation of Professional Golf and looks to give access to preferred pricing options for PGA Professionals across the Association’s membership, in particular to those PGAs that do not already have a lifestyle/off-course offering in place.

PGA Professionals can sign-up for the exclusive member offer by:

1. Visiting http://eur.pe/PGA-Peter-Millar-Offer and registering their details.
2. Once registered, details are available to download on the collection along with an order form.
3. Order forms are submitted by email directly to the Peter Millar sales team for processing.

For more information visit http://eur.pe/PGA-Peter-Millar-Offer

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For more information on Peter Millar visit www.petermillar.co.uk.

For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit cpg.golf, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Here Tony Clark, CEO of Clark Management Group, begins a series of articles that look at the changing face of the PGA Professional and explains how you can transform the business the PGA Professional is at the heart of.

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With contracts being revised, roles being reviewed, retainers being reduced and removed, benefits being eroded and competition increasing, it’s never been more important for a PGA Professional to demonstrate value to their Club, its Members and Clients.

You’re probably one of the biggest figures on the balance sheet so when the financial controller or committee review the accounts do they see you as an asset or a liability?  This is extremely important.

So how can you become that “all-important asset”?  Over the next six editions I will be sharing with you not only HOW but WHY it’s imperative that PGA Professionals have an action plan to safeguard their future.

Firstly you need to appreciate what you have.

It’s important that you review what it is you’re grateful for from both a personal and commercial perspective.

Take stock of your personal life

Write down what it is you cherish.  Family?  Health?  Lifestyle?  We all get absorbed into the negative and consumed with day-to-day issues but when you focus on the positives, good things happen.  Look at what you have and plan to make it even better.

Review your current business status, both financial and non-financial

Many PGA Professionals operate a retail business from a fully expensed club store; a luxury not available to on-line retailers or multiple golf store retailers.  You immediately have an edge.

Most Club Professionals have a ready-made client base of between 200 and 600 golfing members with the opportunity to coach non-members.  Unlimited range balls and a free practice facility coupled with free parking for employees and clients add up to a significant remuneration package.

The job keeps you physically and mentally active, often in the fresh air, with regular interaction with colleagues and the public.

Add to this the fact that many Professionals receive subsidised or free meals.  This is a GREAT job.

Don’t miss the next six editions of IGPN as I help you turn a GREAT job into an even better LIFE!

The new TOUR SNSR Series features a soft-tuned rubber formulation that gives these grips an extraordinary feel, and encourages a lighter grip pressure that golfers seek in creating a smooth stroke. The new SNSR compound also enhances Tour-level feedback into the hands to improve player distance control.

Players can dial in the feel that fits them best with two Tour proven shapes, the TOUR SNSR CONTOUR and the TOUR SNSR STRAIGHT.

TOUR SNSR CONTOUR is an evolution of the classic tapered pistol profile that is the shape preference of over 75% of Tour players. The pistol allows golfers to “lock in” their upper hand for consistent hand placement that translates to more confidence in every stroke.

TOUR SNSR STRAIGHT offers a contemporary, non-taper shape promoting a consistent hand pressure and feel. The straight taper design features soft, rounded edges that are strategically beveled for palm and finger pad comfort.

All four TOUR SNSR models feature a wide paddle front, sculpted to promote lighter grip pressure and consistent hand placement. Additionally, they are each finished with a traction-textured design that provides heightened feel and moisture control. Each shape is available in two oversize options, 104cc and 140cc.

“Our new TOUR SNSR Series is arguably our most distinctive and innovative new putter grip line ever produced,” said Brandon Sowell, global director of sales and marketing. “We worked extensively with Tour players and amateurs for input during development and they clearly highlighted a need for enhanced feel and feedback with larger putter grips. Our R&D team took the challenge and produced a new soft rubber formulation that re-defines excellence for feedback and Tour performance.”

The TOUR SNSR Series will be available at retail in April.

For more information on Golf Pride visit www.golfpride.com.

Click Here to Visit the Golf Pride Corporate Partner Hub Page