PGA Professionals Archives - Page 37 of 41 - PGA of Australia

Golf rounds boom, report reveals


Golf is experiencing a pandemic-inspired boom, a new report has confirmed.

In its Australian Golf Rounds – Trends and Impacts of Covid-19 report, Golf Australia confirms that despite parts of Victorian golf being shuttered for extended periods of 2020, year-to-date rounds played nationally are down only 1 per cent by the end of August.

If Victoria is removed from the data, that figure has actually surged to a four per cent gain.

Importantly for the industry and its future, rounds played by people in the 20-49 age range have skyrocketed in the past four months.

Since the “first wave” of Covid-19 restrictions in April, demand in that cohort has climbed by 44 per cent, meaning a total 22 per cent lift on 2019.

Golf Australia’s general manager of golf development David Gallichio was cautiously optimistic about the findings, compiled by Golf Business Advisory Services.

“Obviously 2020 has been full of extraordinary challenges that we wish nobody had to confront,” he said.

“But given the problems we’ve all faced, it’s very pleasing for so many clubs around Australia to see some positive news.

“More importantly, it gives us data and an opportunity as an industry to reset our focus towards ensuring we capitalise when things `normalise’.

“It’s no secret that clubs around Australia have sought younger members for years now, so if we can convert this surge in interest into meaningful long-term numbers for our clubs and facilities, then that’s a blessing, albeit in a heavy disguise.

“It is important to note that our clubs and facilities in Victoria have been heavily impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, with golf in metropolitan Melbourne still shut down.

“While there are some positives across the country, our clubs/facilities in Victoria will need significant assistance moving forward to ensure that the good results we have seen elsewhere can be replicated and built upon in Victoria.”

Among the report’s findings, the month-to-month figures had been slightly down to start 2020 than in 2019. That figure then compounded when the initial wave of closures was experienced nationally in April, dropping rounds played by an alarming 16 per cent.

But since the first Covid-19 wave, all markets have enjoyed a material bounce with both male and female demand up by 21 per cent since.

Metropolitan markets are 27 per cent up, while regional numbers are up 17 per cent in comparison to 2019.

Click here to read the full report.


Those closest to David Mercer will tell you; it wasn’t what he taught but how he taught it that made him one of the most endeared figures in the history of the PGA of Australia.

A Life Member of the PGA and of Killara Golf Club, Mercer passed away on September 12 aged 89, his son Richard’s final words a gentle encouragement to round out a heavenly foursome with Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle and Arnold Palmer.

One of eight children, David and his six brothers – including fellow legendary PGA Professional Alex – were drawn to golf in part due to their proximity as kids to North Ryde Golf Club, the other a chance to make pocket money by selling balls dredged up from the course’s lakes.

Their sister Jean wanted no part of it yet by the time the youngest Mercer boy was 16, the highest handicap of the seven – including the two who suffered from polio – was just four.

A traineeship that began at North Ryde in 1951 was soon transferred to Killara Golf Club where Mercer began to learn his trade under Jim McInnes.

When McInnes moved to Royal Sydney Golf Club Mercer followed to complete the final year of his apprenticeship but prior to leaving received an offer from the top brass at Killara that would come to define his career.

“They loved Dad so much that when he left to finish his apprenticeship at Royal Sydney they told him to come back in a year to be the club’s Head Professional,” explains Richard Mercer, himself a 43-year PGA Professional whose love for the game developed as a six-year-old while watching his father teach.

“Dad was only 21 or 22 at the time but he came back and was there for the next 43 years.”

As he began to entrench his place at Killara, Mercer continued to mix with the leading players of the day.

Although suffering what became known as the ‘Mercer Curse’ – an affliction that affected only the shortest club in the bag – his playing ability was of the highest calibre.

He bested Open champions Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle to claim the Killara Cup shortly after becoming the club’s Head Professional, he twice won the NSW PGA Foursomes Championship with close friend Len Woodward (1958 and 1967) and led the qualifying at Lundin Links to play his way into the 1973 Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Joining the caddy ranks at Killara as a 12-year-old, Rodger Davis was invited to carry Mercer’s bag in a pro-am at Moore Park Golf Club and saw first-hand just how talented a player he was.

“Except for the odd shot he’d hit on the practice fairway I hadn’t really seen Dave play and had no idea how good a player he was,” says Davis of his coach of some 40 years.

“On the first tee he blistered this thing with a little draw down the middle and I just thought, Wow!

“He was a hell of a player from tee to green. From tee to green he was one of the best.

“The ‘Mercer curse’ was the putter, it certainly was.

“I remember ‘Thommo’ saying to me one time when Dave Mercer’s name came into conversation that he was the best ball-striker we had. That was Peter Thomson!

“Even though he was a great coach and great with people, I think he would have loved to have been a tour player.”

Mercer would regularly host the likes of Thomson, Nagle, Billy Dunk and Col Johnston in his home yet his greatest contribution would be the way he encouraged players of all abilities to find enjoyment in the game he held so dear.

By pure chance Greg Hohnen attended Forestville Primary School with Richard Mercer, the invitation for a game inside the exclusive Killara enclave facilitating an introduction that would change Hohnen’s life forever.

Perhaps the only Australian professional to have undertaken a traineeship with both David and Alex Mercer – Hohnen did his first six months under Alex at Royal Sydney – Hohnen would become business partners and then David’s long-time successor at Killara, carrying forward the Mercer legacy.

“It was his rapport with people,” says Hohnen, who has been at Killara for 43 years this year and the Head Professional since 1995.

“He used to do 50 lessons a week every week and he was booked out six weeks in advance.

“He had incredible knowledge of the game but lessons with Dave were centred around enjoying the game no matter what your handicap was.

“He would tell people, ‘You’re going to get a lot of enjoyment out of the game, you’re going to meet a lot of great people and you’re going to have a lot of fun.’ It was his ability to relate to people and encourage them at any level.

“Not everyone is going to be a great player but as long as they enjoy their game of golf, that’s the No.1 priority.”

Two of Davis’s finest moments as a player came following a five-minute refresher from his coach.

On the Wednesday of the 1981 State Express English Classic at The Belfry Davis was on the practice fairway “hitting it sideways”, calling Mercer back in Australia desperate for a swing fault he was unable to fix himself.

“I was on the phone for two minutes and he said, ‘I think your right elbow is flying a bit with the shots you’re telling me you’re playing. Keep it tucked for a little bit and then forget about it’,” Davis recalls.

“I beat Seve (Ballesteros) and Greg Norman by two shots and won the tournament and he fixed me in a two-minute phone call without looking at my swing.”

Six years later, on the eve of the 1987 Open Championship at Muirfield, Davis received some surprise input from his coach that very nearly etched his name into golf immortality.

“I’d been there for a couple of hours after playing in the morning and I’m just about to pack it in when a security guard came over to me and said, ‘Mr Davis, there’s a fellow over here that says he’s your coach’,” Davis says.

“And it was Dave! He came over and said, ‘Same old problem, your right elbow is starting to fly a bit.’

“Straight away I started hitting it good. The next day, the first round of the tournament, I set a course record 64. I finished second that week to Nick Faldo by a shot.”

Decorated PGA Professionals such as Hohnen, John Halliday, Tom Linskey and Jimmy Ballard were among the estimated 35 PGA Trainees who graduated to the Professional ranks by virtue of Mercer’s guidance and leading tour players regularly sought his counsel.

Mike Harwood, Peter O’Malley, David Mercer and Peter Fowler at the 2016 David Mercer Senior Classic

When Hohnen introduced the David Mercer Senior Classic to the Legends Tour schedule in 2014 – “He thought that was the best thing ever,” adds Richard – the crème of Aussie touring pros converged on Killara, the 2020 edition scheduled for November 12 sure to be an emotional occasion if it can go ahead.

“Dave was one of life’s true gentlemen. An incredible family man, mentor and friend,” says 1991 Open champion and PGA of Australia board member Ian Baker-Finch.

“He set the standard for all PGA Professionals in Australia as a player, coach, club pro and a great bloke!

“He was just a regular guy that did everything the way it’s meant to be done.

“Dave was an excellent leader and role model.”

Whether it was advising his sons Richard and Gregory to steer clear of flashy cars, showing his trainees how to keep calm in the face of challenging members or simply steer rebellious youngsters into a more productive pastime, Mercer’s influence went far beyond the swing plane.

“When I was 14, 15 I was going down the wrong path,” Davis reveals.

“Dave brought golf into my life and set boundaries without me really knowing and manoeuvred me away from the path of destruction.

“At 16 I got in the state junior team and became a member at Pymble Golf Club.

“All of a sudden golf opened all the doors and the path of destruction closed.”

As he copes with the loss of his father with the support of wife Sharilyn, sons Andrew and Stewart, family and friends, Richard Mercer reminds himself of the Rudyard Kipling poem ‘If’ and the passage his dad would often recite.

“If you can walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch, you’ll be a Man, my son!”

David was preceded in death by his siblings Don, Jim, Jean and Ivan, and son Gregory. He is survived by his wife of 66 years Barbara, son Richard (wife Sharilyn), siblings John, Alex and Kevin, granddaughter Rebecca, grandsons Andrew (wife Jordan), and Stewart and great grandchildren Hayden, Fletcher and Grace.

David’s funeral will take place on Sunday, 20 September at midday (AEST) at Knox Grammar School Chapel in Warrawee, NSW.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a maximum of 60 people can attend to the funeral and has been limited to close family contacts.

A live stream of the funeral can be viewed via https://www.funeralvideo.com.au/DavidMercer

Images: Killara Golf Club


Perth-based coach Craig Bishop is adamant star pupil Curtis Luck won’t be intimidated by the brutal test awaiting at Winged Foot, instead encouraging Luck to seek out the man who has stiffened one of America’s toughest golf courses for this week’s US Open.

Playing 72 holes of Winged Foot’s West Course under par is considered fanciful by those who have spent the past two days getting to know a layout that has been redesigned by Gil Hanse – the man appointed to redesign Royal Sydney Golf Club’s championship layout.

Yet when Luck was granted a special exemption to make his US Open debut on the back of his Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship victory on the Korn Ferry Tour three weeks ago, Bishop’s only advice was to ask Hanse personally how to best approach Winged Foot.

Like Ogilvy, Luck is a cerebral golfer who under Bishop’s tutelage has embraced the importance of understanding course architecture. His coach believes that Winged Foot’s mix of difficulty and history will bring out the best in the 24-year-old.

“If he’s playing well and it’s tough and hard, it won’t phase him,” Bishop said.

“We know Gil through Mike Clayton so that was the first piece of advice that I gave him.

“It wasn’t much use ringing Geoff Ogilvy because the course isn’t the same. Nick O’Hern played really well there too but I just told Curtis to give Gil a ring and see what he says.

“I think it’s really important for players to understand where the architects want you to come in from.

“With a lot of the modern play they don’t look at architecture that well. There is a way to get into every green and I know those particular architects are very conscious of that.

“They’ll build brutal greens but they’ll also give you good angles to come in from if you’re a smart player, which Curtis is.

“He’s pretty good at working that stuff out so if he can save a shot or two just by knowing that on the fourth hole if the wind’s from the south they might do this, this and this, it just gives you a plan to work from.”

Curtis Luck recently spoke to fellow Australian Tour Professional Brady Watt on all things Winged Foot and the US Open, his recent Korn Ferry Tour win and navigating a Pro schedule on The Wattsup Podcast. Listen here.

Recently ranked by Golf Digest as the ninth toughest golf course in the United States, Winged Foot’s fearsome reputation is well earned yet Luck has a proven history of making the difficult look relatively easy.

He won the 2016 US Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club – a course once dubbed the ‘Green Monster’ by Ben Hogan – and his recent victory came at the Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course, a course planned by legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie but ultimately built after his death under the guidance of Perry Maxwell and renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 2006.

The greens at Winged Foot are, on average, 25 per cent larger than when Ogilvy triumphed in 2006 and according to Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten “don’t just tilt from back to front, they tumble downhill like a marble staircase.”

But Bishop holds no fears that the prospect of a torture test will have a negative impact on Luck’s mindset.

“He’s won on two of the hardest courses in the US so far,” said Bishop, Luck’s coach since he was just 12 years of age.

“He’s a tough, gritty little player. If it’s just brutal and he’s playing poorly you’re going to have a bad week. You can’t run away from it. But if you’re playing well and can keep your wits about you and play the course properly, he’s pretty good at that.

“When the courses get tough he seems to be a lot more competitive which means the discipline of hitting the ball into the right corners comes into his favour.

“I don’t think he would look at it like a torture test. It could be if you’re playing poorly for anyone but it’s a US Open, they don’t just hand them out, and the same with the US Amateur. They don’t give those away.

“It’s definitely his style of course but you don’t really know how anyone’s going to react in the US Open.

“If he’s playing well, the harder the better.”


PGA of Australia Life Member and much-loved Killara Golf Club PGA Professional David Mercer passed away peacefully on Saturday 12 September 2020 aged 89.

Born in 1931, David was one of eight children, growing up in North Ryde not far from North Ryde Golf Club.

Golf would become a prominent part of David’s life with he and his brothers caddying in the early years before David commenced his PGA apprenticeship in 1951.

David became a Full Member of the PGA in 1953 and was appointed as the Club Professional at Killara Golf Club.

Epitomised as the benchmark standard for Club Professionals, David forged his career as the Club Professional at Killara Golf Club, a position he excelled in for over 43 years.

His success and influence on others resulted in his induction to Life Membership of the Professional Golfers Association of Australia and also Life Membership of Killara Golf Club.

David was also an accomplished player, winning multiple titles including the NSW PGA Foursomes Championship and qualifying for the 1973 British Open whist holding the role of Club Professional at Killara Golf Club.

During his career he mentored countless PGA Professionals, including his son Richard who is a successful golf coach in his own right. Under David’s tutelage, many forged successful careers as Tour Players, Coaches and Club Professionals.

David also served as President of the NSW PGA Section from 1966-69, providing leadership to his professional peers.

David was one of life’s true gentlemen, highlighted by his ability to positively influence all those around him. He will be remembered as a much loved, revered and highly successful member of the Professional Golfers Association of Australia.

He was a member of the PGA for 68 years.

Our thoughts are with his wife Barbara, son Richard, siblings John, Alex and Kevin, granddaughter Rebecca, grandsons Andrew, and Stewart and great grandchildren Hayden, Fletcher and Grace.

Vale, David Mercer.

Image: Killara Golf Club


Brad Stephenson may not even be aware but his PGA DNA stretches back to a 13-year-old caddie at Royal Melbourne Golf Club some 60 years ago.

Such is the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program that lessons learned are lessons shared and the collective wealth of knowledge expands with each intake of new PGA Professionals in the making.

Formerly referred to as the PGA Trainee Program, the PGA Membership Pathway Program is taking applications for those wishing to be part of the 2021 intake until 2 October. It’s an opportunity to join an elite club and play a part in advancing the health of the game of golf in Australia.

Brad Stephenson was a 14-year-old playing in a corporate day when he first met Michael Faraone, the current Head Professional at Mornington Golf Club in Victoria.

Faraone himself had completed his PGA traineeship under Bruce Green and Richard Hatt at Royal Melbourne Golf Club and after striking up a rapport during the corporate day they played together began coaching Stephenson and his younger brother.

A junior at Berwick Montuna Golf Club, Stephenson played golf sparingly as he entered the workforce and travelled the world but at 24 years of age was convinced by Faraone that the path to becoming a PGA Professional was one he should take.

“The PGA Trainee Program was something I never dreamt was possible until Michael convinced me I had what it took to tackle it,” reveals Stephenson, who is now a Full PGA Member and the Assistant Golf Professional under Faraone at Mornington.

“I had spent time studying a Diploma of Fitness and working in the fitness industry where I learned that I loved helping people become better versions of themselves, whilst also having that competitive drive in myself.

“The traineeship required me to dig deep and really commit. My game was nowhere near the level required and my competitive experience was well and truly dated.

“I played the Portsea Amateur a few weeks before in entered the Trainee Program and had scores of 86 and DNF, thinking, How am I going to do this?

“Michael set me up by learning from experience. He was never worried about something going wrong or a repair going bad because there was always a way to fix it and learn from it.

“Before long I was preparing competitions, ordering stock, performing repairs and running Junior Golf programs. It didn’t take long to feel part of a really great club and where I still love to work to this day.”

The lessons passed on by Faraone have in themselves a rich history.

As a Trainee Golf Professional under Green who boasted more than 50 years of experience at Australia’s most acclaimed golf club, Faraone was shown first-hand how the PGA Professional can impact the club environment and elevate the experience of the membership.

“Bruce certainly taught me how to be the Professional of the Club,” Faraone recalls.

“His rapport with the members and his passion for the club and golf is what stuck with me.

“Richard added to that in the running of a pro shop business. He worked hard and smart and was the benchmark for all his staff. He was a fantastic motivator and gets the best from his staff.”

Like Stephenson, Melissa Taylor stayed with Luke Bower at Eastwood Golf Club after completing the Trainee Program, with her golf journey beginning as a junior at Chirnside Park Country Club where Bower was completing his traineeship under Ed Rechters.

“Luke and I have always had a special relationship,” Taylor says. “He has always been more like family to me and I’ve known him for more than half my life.

“I decided in 2014 that my life was missing something and that I wanted to come back to golf and make a career out of it. I started working for my parents on flexible hours so I could practice and play as much golf as possible.

“It was midway through 2015 that a casual position at Eastwood became available and with the intention to be a Trainee Professional and ultimately a PGA Club Professional, in 2016 I took the opportunity.

“Luke had become the Director of Golf at Eastwood approximately two years earlier and he encouraged me to apply for the job.

“It was new territory for us to go from friends to colleagues but I’ve been there ever since and loved every minute of it.

“Luke has always been supportive and a wealth of knowledge. It made me feel comfortable knowing I was working with people I could turn to for help and guidance.

“Luke was always checking in about assignments and always willing to help if I had any questions. He wanted me to learn and showed me as much as he could about anything that he could. Before I even began the Trainee Program I was learning from him.”

This transfer of professional expertise provides a depth to the PGA that bonds all who are Members yet Faraone adds that sometimes it is the teachers who do the learning.

“The relationship between a Head Professional and their Trainee is more than just an employer/employee relationship,” Faraone says.

“The more the Head Professional can develop an enjoyable and team environment the better the Pro Shop and everything involved with the club will operate.

“A Trainee will look up to the Head Professional as a mentor but the Head Professional these days can also learn from the Trainee as they bring what they have learned through the ever-improving PGA Membership Pathway Program.

“Over the years my Trainees have made suggestions I have taken on board that may improve Pro Shop operations from their PGA training and education.

“As a proud PGA Member you want to be part of developing the future generation of members within your business, making for a stronger PGA.”

Not only a stronger PGA, but stronger golf clubs according to Luke Bower.

“When you hire a PGA Trainee, you’re hiring someone who is training for their career,” Bower says.

“The job requires commitment as it is an industry that requires weekend work, public holidays, early starts and late finishes. So to have someone in the shop that sees the golf industry providing long-term employment and is learning to develop their skills specific for the industry, it is exceptionally beneficial to the golf club.”

If you or someone you know is interested in pursuing a career as a PGA Professional, apply now to join the PGA Membership Pathway Program.


After three years of near misses, West Australians Daniel Fox and Rick Kulacz have won the WA PGA Foursomes Championship in 2020.

Firm, fast greens and tight pins tested the skills of PGA Professionals from across the state but it was Fox and Kulacz who bested the bunch.

The title came down to a playoff between Fox and Kulacz and the pairing of Kerrod Gray and Ackzel Donaldson with both teams recording final scores of 2-under 70.

With a maiden win in their sights it took just one playoff hole for Fox and Kulacz to claim the trophy.

“It was great to finally get the win after coming to close for the last three years,” said Fox.

Brett Rumford and Scott Strange narrowly missed out on a playoff berth, finishing in third place at 1-under the card.

Dale Howie and Joseph Ha claimed the WA PGA Trainee Foursomes Championship with a score of 74.

To view the final WA PGA Foursomes Championship leaderboard visit pga.org.au.


Western Australian PGA Professionals Jason Chellew and Braden Becker have won the 2020 United Auto 4BBB Handicap Match Play event.

The tournament came down to the wire in the final match between Becker and Chellew and Michael Long and Andy Mowett at Nedlands Golf Club.

The young pair won the final match 2/1 in one of their first competitive tournaments since lockdown began in Western Australia.

“It’s great to be back out playing competitive golf again in a nice relaxed format like this,” said Chellew.

“We’ve been playing a bit of golf since lockdown but nothing quite like this so it was great to get the competitive juices flowing again.”

Sixteen teams of two PGA Professionals contested the event ahead of an exciting few months ahead for golf in the state.

“It is my pleasure to help support professional golf in Western Australia and give the players the opportunity to do what they love,” said Chris Duckworth of United Auto.

The Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series will return to Western Australia on September 3 at the CITIC Pacific Mining Karratha Pro-Am at Karratha Country Club.

Click here to view the final United Auto 4BBB Handicap Match Play results.


Victorian golf might be bruised, but its spirit remains as strong as ever.

The 2020 Victorian Golf Industry Awards have, sadly, become a victim of the pandemic.

But the great on-course feats of the past year, plus all the achievements behind the scenes still deserve to be recognised.

So it’s with great pleasure that the PGA of Australia Victorian Division, Golf Australia Victoria and Golf Management Victoria provide an overview of golf across the state from the past year.

The presentation recognises a range of amateur, professional and open events, along with PGA trainees graduating to full vocational membership of the PGA and up-and-coming juniors.

We also acknowledge two Victorian Golf Hall of Fame members who sadly passed away earlier this year in Tom Crow and Michael Wolveridge.

We hope you enjoy the memories from the past 12 months.

View the presentation below:


Excel spreadsheet formulas, membership applications and weekly newsletters.

When Heath Streat progressed from a junior member into a PGA Trainee at Southern Golf Club these were not the duties associated with being a PGA Professional.

Three years ago, Heath and Box Hill Golf Club General Manager Russell Donovan reviewed Heath’s current Director of Golf role and expanded it to Director of Golf, Membership and Communication, Streat is proving again that a PGA Professional’s influence knows no bounds.

After an initial closure due to COVID-19, Box Hill has received in excess of 150 membership enquiries in the last three months. With limited capacity on timesheets under previous COVID-19 restrictions and a second closure now in place under stage 4, there are now wait lists for most membership categories.

“The comment that was made in our last match committee meeting was that five years ago we would loved to have had this problem,” explains Streat, who first came to Box Hill from Southern as Director of Golf in 2009.

“In a funny way it reflects well on the club – we’re so popular we’ve had to put you on a waiting list – but we’d much rather have those people who want to join now out on the golf course playing.”

So how did a club in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs with more than a century of history behind it embrace a new way of operating to put it in a position of strength that is the envy of many?

Excellent decision

Membership applications are historically sterile, administrative duties.

Fill in a form, somehow find two seconders within the club’s existing membership and pay the joining fee.

Don’t call us, we’ll call you.

When Box Hill Golf Club’s membership coordinator retired in 2017 Heath Streat saw an opportunity to do things a little differently.

Heath and Russell approached the Board of Directors to absorb the membership coordinator duties into his existing role.

Russell was already considering a similar suggestion, the pair agreeing to an incentive-scheme that would reward Heath not only for converting new enquiries into paying members but maintaining the ones that the club already possessed.

“One of the really big KPIs built into our agreement is member retention,” Heath says.

“It’s not simply a matter of me saying that we achieved 120 new members.

“In the year just passed, our attrition rate for sub renewals was 5.8 per cent, which is really low.

“That is because every quarter I run a report.”

Accessing data through Microsoft Excel formulas is a far cry from changing grips or fitting clubs yet it has been crucial in Heath regularly hitting his membership targets.

“I work on 24 rounds of golf a year being the break-even point in terms of value for a lot of people,” he explains.

“Anyone playing less than that pro-rata each time I run the report receives an e-mail saying that we have noticed they haven’t been playing as much and whether they are happy with their time at the golf club. Phone calls are also made.

“The feedback that we get is that they really appreciate the fact that we’ve noticed that they haven’t been there and touch base to make sure that they’re OK.

“Accessing that information means that we know exactly who is under-utilising their membership and we therefore put them in an at-risk category. Otherwise you’re guessing.

“I’ve got data that tells me that they have played only four times in the past three months and we need to touch base.”

Member benefits

By bringing new members directly through the front door of the pro shop, Heath and the rest of the Box Hill Golf Club staff establish mutually beneficial relationships from the opening conversation.

Heath and the pro shop staff speak the language of golf that gives prospective members the information base that they crave when making such a decision and builds a level of trust that they have immediate access to expert advice.

Coaching opportunities, equipment offers and otherwise unknown member benefits are all outlined before they have spent a dollar.

“I had one guy tell me that he joined the club because I gave him a beer,” says Heath.

“I have no doubt it was more than that, that was merely the icing on the cake.

This club welcomed me in, bought me a beer and made me feel comfortable. That’s what I want from a golf club.

“Perception is everything. Yes we are a private golf club – we have standards, we have everything that goes with that – but we would like you to join us and experience it.

“We have a public bistro that was doing 1,000 meals a week prior to coronavirus. We let them know as a member they can bring the family down and even if the bistro is booked out, they can ask for a table on the members’ side, which they wouldn’t have been aware of.

“We’re not too strict on the parameters around having a potential member play golf.

“If they are of good ability or have a GolfLink number we do try to have that trial round on a comp day where I ask a member to host them for the day. Give them a feel of the culture of the place, what the membership type is like, buy the group a round of drinks after the round.

“That brings them into the clubhouse to get a feel of the place and the culture but also makes them feel welcome.”

Communicating through COVID

There’s a third element to Heath’s role at Box Hill that has taken on extra significance since the COVID-19 pandemic caused serious disruptions to operations at Victorian golf clubs in particular.

Immediately following the initial forced closures of clubs the Box Hill Board of Directors rang each member individually to inform of them of the impacts and then Heath provided weekly updates and pieces of content to keep the membership engaged.

He leaned on friends such as former PGA TOUR players Scott Gardiner and James Nitties to provide video tips as well as renowned mental performance coach Jamie Glazier.

There were regular updates on the construction of the new 16th tee and other course works, all designed to keep members connected to the club even when they couldn’t be there physically.

“Every time I asked someone to do a video for me, it started with ‘Hey Box Hill members’. It was a personalised message to our membership from someone with a certain status within the game,” adds Heath.

“Golf movies to watch, golf books to read, heaps of stuff where it was far more interactive than simply reading a PDF.

“We rebuilt the 16th tee during lockdown and sent through photos to members of that progress over the weeks.

“They saw that while they were still paying their fees but unable to play golf, when they return the greens will be pure because we cored them straight away.

“With all of the work that was being undertaken they could see that they were receiving value from their membership even though they couldn’t access the club.”

And for those still intimidated by data, columns, cells and constant questions from members, Heath has no doubt that no one is better positioned to facilitate new membership enquiries than a PGA Professional.

“The job description has changed,” says Heath.

“I have had a couple of people ask me about what I do. Some have said that it’s not the pro’s job but there are a lot of things that we do now that traditionally was not the head professional’s job. “Russell and I agree, all staff need to be flexible and should aim to constantly improve their knowledge base. Golf shop staff are the face of every golf club; membership satisfaction starts with us!

“We found that when it was an administrative role we would hand out the membership pack and tell people to come and see us if you want to join.

“Now it is documented and followed up.

“I’ve got a spreadsheet of some 300-400 people over the last few years that I’ve had contact with, documenting what date that we had a chat, what we spoke about, what I offered and I go through that list touching base every few months or so.

“A number of the members we have picked up post-lockdown came from that list.

“Member retention and acquisition is the responsibility of everyone who works at Box Hill Golf Club but having the pro shop as a first point of contact allows us to create a first impression that is welcoming and to be able to guide them into the category that best suits their needs.”


In the final of our series revealing the work our PGA Professionals are putting in to prepare the Aussie contingent for this week’s US PGA Championship, Dominic Azzopardi talks through the steps he and Lucas Herbert have taken to elevate Lucas’s game and the data capture that could prove critical at TPC Harding Park.

In order to play the US PGA Championship and the WGC event in Memphis last week Lucas had to fly to the US a month ago to quarantine but the preparation really began three months ago.

For eight weeks we were working every day with a big emphasis on shots inside of 150 yards.

We know his driving is world-class when he’s driving it well, his putting is world-class, his long iron play is pretty good but his approach play was the area where we thought we could make some big gains.

When he arrived in America he based himself at The Beverly Country Club in Chicago and then tried to pre-qualify for the 3M Open but he just missed out. He shot 5-under which was a nice, bogey-free round and a good way to get a competitive round under his belt.

Last week in Memphis he was a bit shut and outside with his driver but it’s hard to do much about that during an event. On Tuesday I was pretty strong on working on that even if we had to overdo the feel a little bit.

Lucas tends to get shut and outside when he makes that sway off the ball before he takes the driver away. He used to do that quite considerably. It’s gotten a lot better over the last couple of years but last week he was making that big lateral movement off the ball before he took the club away.

When he does that he can’t turn and therefore the club doesn’t open going back. We did a little bit of work on that towards the end of last week but I’ll be really strong on getting him to remain really stable over the ball and create the right feels and fundamentals.

I’m happy to do a fair bit of technique work with him on Mondays and Tuesdays but come Wednesday it’s really about seeing the shot and hitting the shot. I don’t want him being too technical.

I was on the phone two or three times last week looking at videos and working through things with him and he did get a little bit better as the week went on. That gave him some confidence that heading into the PGA he was moving in the right direction and getting his driving game back to where we know it should be.

Prior to lockdown I would have said there was no way I could get the results I can get through Skillest and online coaching but I’ve changed my whole perception of that just because of the results I’ve seen the past few months.

They’ve just upgraded my Skillest account so that we can use Zoom to conduct live lessons through the app. They can record swings, I can draw lines, I can do whatever I need while I’m talking to him with the ear pods in.

We used that for the first time last week at the WGC and it was fantastic.

As much as this has enabled us to continue working quite well there’s nothing better than being there. I get a lot out of watching his rounds of golf. It could be one shot during a round that shows up something you will want to work on later and if I’m not there to see it then it makes it hard to identify any potential issues.

In terms of preparing for the golf course we lean a lot on performance analyst Tom Boys.

Two years ago we started inputting stats into a spreadsheet after every round that Lucas played which provided us with all sorts of information.

We’ve collected this data for years and part of Boysy’s role is to analyse the course we’re playing and he ran a report for us a couple of weeks ago on Harding Park. That identifies what areas of Lucas’s game he needs to be really strong with so we can prep the areas we feel we need to prior to getting to that event.

We know a hell of a lot about the golf course. We know you’ve got to drive it really well. Boysy has gone back and looked at any events that have been played at the course, where the pins are placed and where the bad misses to all those pins were.

Are there a lot of shots between 175-225 yards into greens? Are there are a lot of 100-150-yard shots?

We’re very much all over how we need to play the golf course.

We did a lot of work on that 50-150-yard range before Lucas left and that was all because of the data we’d collected the past 18 months.

A lot of the communication from Lucas so far this week has been around the ‘professionalism list’ he circulates on group message to the team.

He’s always No.1 for professionalism and I always seem to be at the bottom because I tend to put a bit more rubbish on everyone else in the group chat.

His mental coach Jamie Glazier is down the bottom with me, Boysy is always fairly high up, his movement coach Simone Tozer is No.2 and David Rollo his manager is No.3.

This is his fun every day. If he’s playing those kinds of silly games I know he’s in a good headspace.

That’s a real barometer for me. If there’s plenty of banter coming the way of me and Jamie that means he’s happy and in a good place.

The less I hear from him about his golf in a week like this the better.

Dominic Azzopardi is a 30-year PGA Professional now based at Peregian Golf Course on the Sunshine Coast. Along with Lucas Herbert, Dominic coaches a number of elite amateurs.


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