Long Leaderboard of Seminars
A full day of PGA Show Education programming begins on Tuesday, Jan. 21, featuring four hands-on PGA of America coaching workshops during PGA Show Demo Day at the OCCC and six PGA of America classroom sessions focused on Executive Management and Golf Operations at the OCCC. Education sessions across a diverse schedule of topics continue at the OCCC on Jan. 22-24, with PGA of America Golf Professionals, PGA Master Professionals, PGA Coaches and golf industry experts conducting all sessions and sharing their insights.
PGA Show Week features a leaderboard of professional development opportunities, including industry presentations in the PGA of America Hub, PGA Member workshops in the Association’s PGA Member Business Center, presentations on the Fitness, Health & Wellness Stage, employer panel presentations in the Career Zone and complimentary education sessions on The Clubhouse Stage. In addition, several golf organization education programs are co-located with the 2025 PGA Show, including the PGA of America Teaching & Coaching Summit (Jan. 19-20), the National Golf Course Owners Association Golf Business Conference (Jan. 20-22) and the AGM Golf Retail Conference (Jan. 21).
PGA of America Golf Professionals and industry professionals will learn from leading experts throughout PGA Show Week, including a presentation titled “How Proper Planning Maximizes Your Personal and Professional Success” featuring PGA of America President Don Rea Jr. and Marlatt on Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. in Room W230CD at the OCCC. The session will provide proven ways in which PGA of America Golf Professionals can achieve work-life balance and will identify key performance indicators of business success.
“PGA Education and the sharing of best business practices has always been a great strength of the PGA of America,” notes Rea, a PGA of America Master Professional and owner-operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona. “As PGA Golf Professionals, we are always evolving and always learning. Balancing our workload with our life load has always been challenging for everyone in the golf industry, but balance can be achieved by scheduling our time efficiently at home and on the job.”
Diverse Education Topics
PGA of America Master Professional Cathy Harbin, a former member of the national PGA Board of Directors and President of the National Golf Course Owners Association, will present “Pledge to be a Welcoming Golf Course and Welcoming Golf Professional” Wednesday at 10 a.m. of PGA Show Week in Room W110 at the OCCC. The session will provide training on the barriers and hidden interactions that a new golfer faces when trying to learn to play golf, and attendees will be given the tools to create a welcoming pathway.
On the Teaching & Coaching side, PGA of America Master Professional Todd Sones will present “Cultivating and Teaching Short Game and Putting Instruction” on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Room W230AB at the OCCC. Sones, owner of Impact Golf and a frequent presenter at PGA of America Section and national education conferences, points out that 95 percent of all golf instruction focuses on full swing, yet 40 percent of a player’s score is putting, while another 30 percent is from 50 yards. So, it is imperative that PGA of America Golf Professionals learn to proficiently teach putting and the short game to help students score more efficiently.
On Thursday, Jan. 23, more than 30 education opportunities await PGA Show attendees at various venues inside the OCCC. PGA of America Life Member Cary Cavitt will present “Authentic Leadership: How to Build an Outstanding Golf Staff” at 8:30 a.m. in Room W240AB, noting that “great golf facilities are always the reflection of great leadership.” In this session, attendees will learn the keys to building an exemplary golf staff, including the No. 1 secret in bringing out the best in each person on your team.
PGA of America Master Professional Kellie Stenzel will present “Teaching Recreational Golfers” Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in W230AB. The session will include an outline of how to structure a golf lesson and will provide a list of typical golfer mistakes and wrong ball flights, and how to fix them. Examples of this would be contact errors often caused through poor posture, ball curvature issues often caused by incorrect grips, swing-plane issues often caused by poor setups, and how to fix a slice or hook.
Diversity & Inclusion Presentation
On Thursday at 1 p.m. in Room W230CD, Ronald Williams of the U.S. Mint will present “Implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives at Your Club” for all golf facility leaders. The seminar is designed to help club leaders, managers and professional staff understand the vital role diversity and inclusion play in creating a welcoming atmosphere for all members and employees. The presentation will examine the benefits that a diverse and inclusive culture brings, including enhanced membership satisfaction, increased innovation and creativity, and a stronger sense of community.
A special presentation on the dimension and evolution of the immigrant workforce in the golf industry with new data collected by the golf industry and immigration experts will tee off the final day of PGA Show Education on Jan. 24 at 8:30 a.m. in Room W230CD at the OCCC. The presentation by immigration and golf industry experts will include case studies and examples of legal immigration options, and/or testimonials about successful immigrant journeys in the golf industry, in addition to an overview of challenges and opportunities for outreach, recruitment and training of immigrants.
Another intriguing presentation titled “Creating a Culture of Safety: It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Eye” headlines the PGA Show Education menu on Friday at 9:45 a.m. in Room W230CD. James Cronk, PGA, founder and CEO of Guru Collective, will detail how ensuring the safety and well-being of your staff, customers and members is of utmost importance in the club management business, since facility managers bear the responsibility of mitigating risks associated with accidents and injuries. The session delves into the critical aspects of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) specifically tailored to the unique context of golf course management.
—Roger Graves