Justin Kraft, PGA,Director of Instruction,Spring Hill Golf Club and Krafty Golf,Wayzata, Minnesota
For Justin Kraft, networking has never been limited by geography. With more than 150,000 followers on Instagram, Kraft has built a nationwide – and even global – community of golf coaches and players who share ideas, inspiration and encouragement every day.
“Most of my networking has been done within the Minnesota PGA Section and also through social media,” says Kraft, PGA of America Director of Instruction at Spring Hill Golf Club and the founder of indoor coaching studio Krafty Golf in Wayzata, Minnesota. “The cool thing is that I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and network with so many other coaches throughout the PGA of America and around the country through social media. Even though I’ve never met some of these people in person, I feel like I can call them friends – and I can call them or shoot them a DM and they’re going to answer back.”
That spirit of connection recently turned into a real-world learning opportunity. While attending the 2025 PGA Show, Kraft saw that one of his coaching idols – 2009 PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year Mike Bender – was in attendance. A virtual message led to a real-life experience.
“I sent Mike a DM and he was nice enough to respond and invite me to his facility to watch him teach,” Kraft says. “I learned so much from that, and he’s someone I can now reach out to as a mentor. His energy, enthusiasm and passion are contagious. He’s so happy to help people, and that’s what I want people to see from me.”
Kraft adds that openness is a hallmark of the PGA of America community online. “There are so many golf professionals who have extended the same courtesy over social media,” he says. “Coaches way beyond my skill set have been open to sharing with me. That’s pretty cool for a guy from Minnesota who’s not even 30.”
When Kraft started his Instagram page six years ago, he had no idea it would grow into such an influential platform. He was simply looking for a way to stay connected and share what he was learning as a young coach.
“I feel lucky that I started an Instagram page,” he says. “It’s been a way to branch out in this business. I feel like it would be easy to get into your own little bubble teaching lessons at a club. You can get really busy, but nobody outside the bubble knows what you’re doing.”
Social media helped Kraft break that bubble, giving him access to different ideas and teaching philosophies that keep his coaching sharp. For instructors looking to expand their own networks, Kraft’s advice is simple: start sharing.
“If you’re a coach and want to build a network, just get started and post some instruction videos,” he says. “If you’re like me, your first few attempts may not be perfect, but you’ll have a start. And before you know it, you’ll have an army of people who might agree or disagree with you – and that’s an opportunity to gravitate toward the people who can help you learn.”
Kraft embraces that exchange of ideas as a key to growth. “I’ve heard multiple coaches say there’s no such thing as losing; you either win or you learn,” he says. “That’s really how I look at it. Every post, every conversation, every collaboration is a chance to learn something new.”
Now that Kraft has established himself as a respected coach, he finds himself on the other side of the equation, mentoring up-and-coming instructors who want to observe and learn from his approach. “Younger instructors come along and ask if they can watch me teach, and I’ve done a little of that,” he says. “It’s a cool way to meet even more coaches. And I know there will come a time when young coaches are doing things I don’t understand, and I’ll be reaching out to learn from them, too.”
For Justin Kraft, networking isn’t just about connecting with people. It’s about staying curious, staying humble and sharing what you love.
“Social media has made it easier than ever to connect,” he says. “But the goal is the same as it has always been in golf: to learn from one another and make the game better together.”
