On a snowy winter day in Colorado, Cam Crabtree, PGA, stood in the golf shop with co-workers as they listed all of the golf courses they have played in the state. After going back and forth for a while, he thought, “It would be fun to play all of them.”
When a friend recommended that Crabtree (pictured above) document his journey on social media, the Every Course project was born. Now a PGA of America Assistant Golf Professional at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, Colorado, he has creatively leveraged his online community for grassroots, in-person success on the course.
With nearly 14,000 followers on Instagram, Crabtree’s content is relatable and approachable. His pinned Reel introducing his project includes a caption that states, “Not chasing the best courses. Not chasing the worst. Just chasing all of it. Because the story isn’t the highlights – it’s everything in between. That’s the journey.” He encourages followers to book lessons, clinics and experiences through his bio.
Through his PGA Coach Profile and his own website, EveryCourse.Golf, Crabtree created a unique model: selling spots on his pro-am teams to students and members of his community. This creative approach solves a common industry challenge, connecting golfers who want premium experiences with a PGA of America Professional uniquely positioned to provide them.
“Golfers are able to play courses that they may not normally have access to and then they become part of the Every Course journey,” he says.
On the course, Crabtree offers caddie-style advice whenever his partners ask. By charging for these pro-am spots, he covers his event expenses while fundamentally changing what the golfer gets in return. Instead of a standard round of golf, he provides the distinct experience of competing in a professionally-run tournament alongside a PGA Professional.
Teaching is also an important part of Crabtree’s role at CommonGround Golf Course. As a busy PGA Assistant, he works hard to balance the time he has to teach, the cost of instruction and the needs of his students. In past seasons, Crabtree taught almost exclusively private lessons.
“It’s not sustainable, but you hate to turn people away,” he says, adding more group programs allows Crabtree to manage his time and say yes more often. “I feel like I’m turning fewer people away, particularly younger golfers.” And he’s doing it without flooding his lesson book.
By building a community on social media, Crabtree relies less on people calling the golf shop or walking in the door, increasing the ability to reach people and fill group classes.
“One of the biggest impacts of the Every Course project has been that it made me a recognizable instructor,” says Crabtree. “I wasn’t a Golf Digest Top 100 instructor or teaching tour players. I was just consistently showing up online and sharing my journey. By the time golfers booked a lesson, many of them already felt like they knew me, which helped build trust and made it easier for them to take that first step.”
Crabtree has had great success adding group programs to his coaching as a way both to manage time and teach more people. On his Coach Profile, golfers find several group events and clinics tailored to their needs, from scoring basics and iron mastery to singles-based clinics and high-stakes par-3 events.
“Group events allow me to make my lesson rate more accessible for people who aren’t ready to pay for private lessons, and that’s the most important part to me,” he explains. “I want coaching to be more accessible.”
For fellow PGA of America Professionals seeking to build their own community, the good news is that every facility has one, and it all begins with communication. Determining how and when to reach out can feel like a daunting task. Crabtree recommends starting out by picking one avenue of communication to focus on without dwelling on perfection, such as a Facebook business page.
“The great thing is, sharing on social media is how you learn to do social media,” says Crabtree. “You only learn by trial and error.”
Crabtree also emphasizes the importance of a consistent schedule. Creating a content calendar is one way to ensure you’re sharing with your community frequently.
“Make a spreadsheet where you add future events and information that should be shared,” says Crabtree, who turned his passion project into a flourishing community with a little ingenuity and communication. “Find time to create content in advance, so a busy week doesn’t get in between you and your community.”
