News
Managing Your Time by Setting Boundaries
By David Gould, Staff Editor According to the bestselling author Elizabeth G. Saunders, “People who violate your boundaries are thieves—they steal time that doesn’t belong to them.” That quote from a Saunders book on “time investment” (she prefers the phrase...
From Golf Coach to Dryvebox Franchisee? Might Be Worth Considering
By David Gould, Staff Editor Watching “alternative golf” venues and technology become so integral to people’s ideas about learning, practice and virtual play, it only makes sense that a skilled coach might be well suited for business entrepreneurship with a strong...
Chris Foley’s Teaching Trailer Mixes Practical and Promotional Value
When you build your personal brand as a golf coach the ingredients can include special gear and gadgets you’ve developed and customized. That’s absolutely the case with a two-wheeled, towable “teaching cart” emblazoned with the words “Chris Foley Golf Schools.” It’s a...
How Golfers View Your Service Quality: A ‘Secret Shopper’s’ Perspective
By David Gould, Staff Editor A noted expert on golf marketing and media, Jackie Beck has successfully operated her own media-relations firm since 2002. She began her golf career as an assistant professional, serving four years on the staff at Florida’s...
How to Shadow a Coach
By David Gould, Staff Editor When asked to describe the craft of coaching, golf instructors use phrases like “tools in the toolbox” or “arrows in the quiver.” Veteran coaches want as many ways as they can get to make good decisions and communicate effectively to...
Survey Says: Opting for a Coaching Career is a Sign of Ambition, High Expectations
By David Gould, Staff Editor It’s surely correct to say that the world of golf coaching and training is dominated now by professionals 40 and over, but it’s also common sense to say that the future of the field belongs to coaches who are now in their 30s and 20s. To...
In-Person Connection Makes All the Difference: One Summit-Going Member’s Story
By David Gould, Staff Editor It’s a digital world and a Zoom-call society, but humans are social by nature and face-to-face contact still has magic to it. Golf, of all industries, is built on personal connection. That’s the perspective held by Janean Murphy, a...
To Venmo or Not to Venmo, with Your Students’ Payments: An Expert’s Advice
By David Gould, Staff Editor A quart of milk in a mini-mart doesn’t cost you much, and often there are long lines at checkout. Fast, “frictionless” payment in a setting like this is therefore much appreciated. That’s why TV ads for payment methods like Apple Pay show...
Hitting the Re-Think Button on US National Team Involvement: Henry Brunton’s Take
By David Gould, Staff Editor Phone calls and emails from golf coaches psyched about the USGA-led rollout of a National Team program have been flowing into Proponent Group headquarters. They’re also regularly reaching longtime Proponent member Henry...
Working with National Teams — One Proponent Member’s Perspective
As the USGA’s national team project continues to develop, Proponent Group is doing all the research we can about that form of coaching and what it entails. Toward that end we spoke with longtime member Iain Highfield about his experience with the Canadian women’s...