News
Are Golf Coaches Part of New-Member Orientation at Clubs?: Exclusive Data Provides Answers
By David Gould, Staff Editor This report was triggered by anecdotes shared by some of our member coaches which turned into the following theory: The introduction of new club members to a golf club’s various departments and amenities has a blind spot—failing to...
New “Employee” Definitions from the Labor Department Leave the Golf Industry Scrambling
By David Gould, Staff Editor A brand-new rule from the U.S. Department of Labor has government officials examining—through a revised legal lens—what many of us would consider to be independent-contractor relationships. Federal officials are seeing employer-employee...
A Deeper Look at Coaches’ Instruction Revenue Sources and Averages
By Lorin Anderson, Founder As has been the case for many years in our annual Operations and Compensation Survey and again in the 2024 results, about half of all coaches’ revenues come from one-on-one private golf lessons. This year’s survey found that 48...
Your Dream Indoor Studio Just Opened for Business—Here Are Seven Commandments to Follow
By David Gould, Staff Editor Ribbon-cutting day marks fulfillment of the plan you came up with for creating your indoor training facility. Now you’re shifting over to execution of your operational plan. Design2Golf, in its 44-page ebook covering this subject,...
From Design2Golf, a Clip-and-Save Checklist for Indoor Golf Projects
Proponent members may recall reading our excerpts from “How to Crush the Indoor Golf Market,” a 44-page ebook produced by partner company Design2Golf. You can access the ebook under the Training Facilities tile on our homepage. But you can also take the valuable...
From Business Startup, to Breakup, to Startup 2.0—A Backyard Golf Academy
By David Gould, Staff Editor For the past five years, Joe Ingoglia has lived a fascinating and disaster-dodging adventure in business-building. In telling the tale, he’s quick to remind himself and others about his ace in the hole—an advantage that is...
Commitment to Tee-to-Green Teaching Keeps “Zach on Course”
by David Gould, Staff Editor His website URL is zachoncourse.com, so you know right away that Proponent Group member Zach Theut is heavy into teaching along the fairways and greens, not just on the practice range. Theut (pronounced “toyt”) has been coaching on his own...
“When the Opportunity Came I Was Finally Ready”: A Mini Q&A with David Ogrin
If you weren’t able to attend our recent Proponent Group Summit you missed hearing the intriguing dialogue that came out of our Entrepreneurs Panel, featuring Karen Nicoletti and David Ogrin. Both Karen and David have built businesses beyond just coaching. Below are...
To Polish Your Personal Brand, Write a Better Bio
By David Gould, Staff Editor Someone interested in playing better golf hears about a teaching professional and goes to that pro’s website. A question forms in the golfer’s mind: Should I seek you out for help with my game? Before that can be answered,...
The Season for Gift Cards Approaches—Some Reminders about Best Practices
By David Gould, Staff Editor Gift cards will soon be an in-season activity for small and large businesses of all sorts. Golf coaches seem generally bullish: A member-only questionnaire circulated by Proponent Group revealed a notably positive attitude...