General Manager,Jones Golf Academy/Golf Galaxy,Bay Shore, New York
Growing up in Jamaica, soccer and cricket were the sports Rich Jones played. Now as a PGA of America Golf Professional helping golfers enjoy the game on and off the course, he’s also helping a new generation of golf professionals – including his own children – learn the ways of the golf business.
“For me, it’s surreal – I was just getting into the golf business when my daughter was born, and now she’s a PGA of America Member and her younger brother is a PGA Associate,” says Jones, the 2020 PGA of America Player Development Award winner. “I see that same passion in terms of growing the game in the community, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of them both.”
Rosa Jones was elected to PGA of America Membership on April 1, celebrating with a trip two weeks later with her dad to the Masters before heading back to her job as a PGA of America Assistant Professional at Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas. Meanwhile, Rich Jones Jr. recently graduated from Howard University after competing on the men’s golf team, and is working with his father at the family’s Jones Golf Academy to offer low-cost golf instruction at a pair of New York facilities.
“The beauty is being able to turn off being a mentor and just be a dad, and you have to know when and how to do it,” Rich Jones says. “Rosa’s going to do better than I did, same thing with Richie. It’s just amazing that they wanted to follow in my footsteps.”
Jones’ children are part of a larger group of onetime junior golfers who Jones has helped mentor into the golf profession. He starts the process by having high school golfers who participated in Jones Golf Academy programming come back as junior coaches for younger students.
“A high schooler will connect so much differently with a 6- or 7-year-old than someone my age, and it’s amazing what they’re able to do,” Jones says. “With the right mentoring, every mentee will eventually become a mentor to someone else. And reverse mentoring is always happening, where I’m learning from them, as well. I look at what we’re doing with Jones Golf Academy in terms of social media and video content, and that’s all Richie, I couldn’t have done it without what he knows.”
As someone who came from a non-traditional golf background, Jones is also excited about being able to mentor future golf professionals from an off-course perspective. After working his way up through traditional green grass positions in the Metropolitan PGA Section under mentors like Brad Worthington, Tommy Miller and Carl Alexander, Jones is now able to show mentees how working off-course can be desirable, too.
“When you look at the golf business, it’s a big pie – there’s plenty for everyone to share,” Jones says. “When I signed on with Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy, it was more in fitting and teaching. But there are opportunities to become anything from a coach to a general manager. And here in the northeast, it’s a plus to have a year-round job that isn’t affected by the weather.
“At the end of the day, we all have the same ultimate goal to service golfers. I just advise younger professionals not to wait for someone to approach you about mentoring. Look for the people who do what you want to do and reach out. That’s what I did, and no one’s ever told me they didn’t have time for me.”