Doing the Research, Adapting the Blueprint
Visit Najar’s house in Maryland and it looks like a cross between a luxury fitness gym and the storage area at a busy golf academy. He tests a variety of exercise equipment – from free weights to sophisticated video-guided systems like the Tonal – and has training aids of every purpose and description. The goal is to understand how they all work (and work together), and to always have something to help address a particular player’s needs.
“I think it’s my obligation to try all different kinds of things, even if I’m skeptical about them, because it’s important to understand what’s out there and be ready for a question or conversation a player wants to have,” says Najar. “Just because something doesn’t connect for me doesn’t mean it doesn’t do something for somebody else.”
For every player, the blueprint is different – and constantly adapting. Whether it’s a junior player or aspiring tour player who is getting bigger and stronger, or a more “mature” player looking to hold onto speed, the recipes’ ingredients will necessarily change.
“You’re always adjusting and finding the balance,” says Najar. “Helping promote a positive, productive mindset is a big part of it. I think players play best when they approach a practice session or a round with a real plan to prime their bodies to do what they want that day instead of performing the same low-energy ‘warm up’ no matter where they are or how they feel.”
Getting the blood pumping and muscles primed makes it easier to move faster and more efficiently, but it also serves a bigger and arguably more important function.
“Getting into that kind of state also helps you deal with the emotions most players experience when they face a shot that has consequences if you miss,” says Najar. “You’re training yourself to be familiar with that heightened state and know what to do to perform in it. The best players at every level use it to their advantage to find more speed, more performance and more durable confidence.”
Trophies like Berkshire and Kim won – and the dozens of club championships Najar’s clients have claimed in the last two decades – are one kind of proof of concept, but Najar gets even more gratification watching a previously golf car bound senior client smoothly pluck a tee from the ground and stride down the fairway adjacent to his teaching center with a caddie on the bag.
“You’re giving somebody the ability to do something they love without pain, and a way to do it better than they ever have,” explains Najar. “When you’re not thinking about whether or not something is going to hurt when you do it or if you’re going to feel awful the next day, it opens you up to a lot more enjoyment and a lot more skill growth.”
PGA Coach Continues to Evolve
PGA Coach is a platform that provides a powerful support system for PGA of America initiatives, including PGA Jr. League, PGA HOPE and the PGA of America Coaching Center. The platform is evolving to represent and support coaching by building significant support and resources to connect golfers with exceptional coaches and programs to ensure a successful journey in golf.
The future of PGA Coach is centered on evolving into a comprehensive commitment to the golfer’s lifelong journey, led by the expertise of PGA of America Golf Professionals.
At the national level, a new PGA Coach Core Committee structure, chaired by PGA of America Secretary Eric Eshleman (pictured), has been implemented to ensure all initiatives are member-led and operationally aligned across the Association. This body oversees four specialized workstreams:
• Play the Game Committee: Focused on coaching the coaches through history, modern best practices and the upcoming Play the Game Summit in 2026.
• Technology Committee: Guiding the evolution of the digital platform, focusing on member-first features like lead response optimization and AI integration.
• Amplification Committee: Dedicated to elevating the brand, ensuring PGA Coaches are the central figures in major media moments and in our digital assets.
• Programs Committee: Streamlining how coaches connect with consumers through templates and group events, helping coaches build sustainable business models.
“As the PGA Coach Committee chair, I know that everyone here at the PGA of America and our committees are committed to a long-term approach so that two, four and six years from now, if you are talking about golf in our industry, it’s going to come through PGA Coach,” Eshleman says. “You are going to want to be a part of it.”
Coming soon is the launch of PGA Coach+, a subscription model set for an April start. The initiative is based on high demand from golf coaches for advanced business management and lead generation tools. The subscription tier is designed to provide professional-grade business tools in lead generation, booking options and CRM, while providing dedicated concierge support to optimize profile visibility and student engagement.
The PGA Coach platform has also seen several other recent upgrades, including video analysis by Onform – with virtual coaching coming soon – and new efficiencies through templates and automations. There is also expanded online training for the PGA’s Modern Coaching concept, and a way to invite your team to use PGA Coach.
As it stands, the PGA Coach ecosystem has generated more than $27 million in total coaching revenue, with more than 20,000 coaches having engaged with the platform. More than 200,000 consumer leads have been delivered to coaches, with more than 380,000 total bookings having been facilitated through the ecosystem.
