We understand that PGA Professionals have a difficult job - 5:00 am mornings, 80 hour workweeks, weekly tournaments, and tending to members are just a few of the many responsibilities that you may have. Assistant golf professionals have an especially difficult job since they are working really hard towards building a career in golf. This article is meant for any PGA Professional, but applies most to Assistant Professionals looking to achieve two goals: increasing their income and becoming a head golf professional at a great golf facility.
Want to achieve those goals? You may want to consider becoming a collegiate club golf coach. Here are 4 reasons why becoming a collegiate club golf coach will help you advance in your career:
- Coaching Income – Club golf is on the rise in the US. There are over 400 colleges in the US which have collegiate club golf, but less than 5% of colleges that offer club golf have a coach. A club golf coach may be a volunteer position for newly established programs, but coaches for club teams at more established schools get compensated by a college for being a coach.
- Lesson Income - If your local college does not have the budget to pay for a coach, becoming associated with the team will help you gain access to virtually everyone on a college campus. Many of the students on club golf teams are eager to get better...some are playing club golf in hopes of earning a spot on the varsity team! Even if coaching a club team is not generating income immediately, pay it forward. You will get compensated with teaching opportunities, given your involvement on a college campus. Learn about coaching opportunities near you.
- Establishing an edge – Being an assistant golf professional is a tough gig and the great head professional jobs are few and far between. If you establish yourself as a leader in a college community, work with the students on a club golf team, and are one of the few collegiate club golf coaches in the US, this may be the extra edge that can help you land that dream job over another candidate.
- Becoming a millennial golf expert – As the CEO of Nextgengolf, I learn more and more every day about young adult golfers If you work closely with collegiate golfers who are the future of the game, I promise you will learn a lot about the next generation of members and how you can change your business to reflect those needs. If you are looking to establish yourself as a leader in the industry, becoming a collegiate club golf coach is a free market research tool at your disposal. Not interested in coaching? Check out our free marketing resources for golf professionals.
Although coaching may seem like a daunting task, most club golf teams have a 3-5 person student executive board, and are well established within a college. The obligations of becoming a club golf coach involve helping students with practices, attending two weekend tournaments each semester, and possibly working with members of the club interested in lessons. Becoming a collegiate club golf coach will not only help your personal brand, but may also bring in some significant revenue for your facility annually through daily play and by hosting tournaments.
Need more information on becoming a collegiate club golf coach? We can help!
** Kris Hart is the CEO and Co-Founder of Nextgengolf, which manages both City Tour tournaments and the NCCGA.
