With upwards of 8,000 members at Farmington Country Club, player development is always in high demand. We implemented a guest golf coaching program in 2023 to supplement the stellar coaching and instruction members receive from our in-house team. It started with New England golf fitness professional Kevin Duffy and Orlando, Florida putting guru Preston Combs, PGA.
The collaborative environment at Farmington made this concept possible, and the initiative has evolved ever since, as we continue to welcome a diverse lineup of instructors, fitness specialists and sports-performance experts, including:
Kevin Duffy (who’s returned several times)
Jennifer Hudson, PGA
Jeff Pelizzaro
Casey Cox, PGA
Rick Murphy, PGA
Stan Utley, PGA
Andrew Rice
Cheryl Anderson, PGA/LPGA
Jeff Smith, PGA
Kevin Sprecher, PGA
Each professional has his or her own expert bio that could be highlighted in an article of its own. While many guest coaches focus on instruction, others specialize in fitness, biomechanics, sports science, putting or performance technology.
Our strategy is to introduce new initiatives — such as fitness training or advanced technology — by bringing in recognized experts to educate members and staff. This philosophy of collaboration greatly impacts member engagement, staff development and a rapid growth of instruction revenue.
I have always embraced a collaborative, diverse approach, preferring to work with many industry experts, rather than being the sole source of knowledge. In fact, upon arriving at Farmington, I leveraged my extensive network of coaches, fitness professionals, sports scientists and instructors to create this guest coaching program, introducing our members and staff to specialized expertise. This growth mindset gets bigger every year.
Each event kicks off with a free member talk the evening before the golf schools begin and are followed by small group sessions and private coaching the next two days. Members love the immersive experience they receive in our 4,000 sq. ft. performance center that is equipped with four Toptracer bays, Sportsbox AI and force plates, a putting studio with SAM PuttLab and a fitness studio.
When introducing each annual guest coaching schedule, we highlight the benefits of participation and focus on what each professional brings to the table. Teaching revenue has almost tripled since 2022, success attributable to our expert staff, stellar training and practice facilities and the guest coaching program that serves as an added perk of membership. Farmington Country Club has been recognized as a leading private-club Toptracer facility in North America, with our members logging over 12 million shots through the system since its launch.
The guest coaching initiative is designed not only for members, but also for staff development. Our young professionals work directly alongside visiting coaches, gaining exposure to different teaching methods, technologies and philosophies.
Peter Egazarian, the 2017 Northeastern New York PGA Section Player Development Award winner and 2021 Connecticut PGA Section Player Development Award winner, is the PGA of America Director of Instruction at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia.