His father the General Manager at Peninsula Golf Club for thirty years, Stone grew up with the game in his blood. Having loved his early experiences in the game, he now thrives knowing he can offer that same feeling to golfers every day.

“When I was younger, I knew I wanted to be around this industry properly. For me it didn’t necessarily have to be as a player – I just always liked golf clubs; the people and the whole atmosphere,” he recalls.

Now the head Teaching Professional at The National on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Stone enjoys the challenge of working with a range of different golfers – and tailoring his offering to what they need.

“You can’t have the same approach all the time. Instead, you have to be able to chop and change to help everyone see results and improvement.

“Ultimately, that’s very fulfilling when people want to share their improvement with you and can see themselves getting better.”

He has seen the industry change dramatically too, especially since the pandemic. What’s more, he believes it is incumbent on all PGA Professionals to be willing to embrace the changing face of the game.

“People are more lifestyle driven than before, so in terms of golf, everyone is looking for different ways of having fun,” he explains. “Golf has become more experience focussed, and we have the chance to help people find what works for them.”

In his role coaching, Stone describes himself as a “problem solver,” but enjoys the fact that he has the chance to work with members on club-fitting, hardware sales and the management of member-activities as well.

In fact, his breadth of responsibility keeps Stone on his toes – and he passionately pursues ongoing education to ensure he is offering a premium service, no matter what role he might need to play on a given day.

“I think you can always be seeking out ongoing education opportunities,” he says. “It keeps you enthusiastic and fresh. As soon as you think you know it all, you’re going backwards.”

Stone makes a concerted effort to stay on top of available courses through the PGA’s Accreditation and Continuing Education program (ACE). He has advanced status in both the Coaching and Small Business streams and is effusive in his praise of the program.

“Often, as PGA Professionals our education can be just as valuable for confirming that what we are already doing is actually right,” he says. The things you learn and the way you communicate it to golfers is very important.”

As part of his ACE education, Stone and the broader team at The National, regularly complete available courses from Myagi.

Software designed to help retailers learn, understand and advocate for brands, Myagi courses through ACE help PGA Professionals to remain at the cutting edge of the golf industry.

“It is vital that we stay as up-to-date as possible, representatives can’t come out from all the brands, all of the time,” says Stone. “Consumers these days are so well educated, so if they have an inkling that a salesperson doesn’t know the product, then they will be quick to move on.”

Through Myagi, Stone keeps abreast of the latest information on golf hardware – specifically clubs and shoes – and encourages his colleagues to do the same.

“When I see a new course become available, I am generally on it within twenty-four hours.

“We want all of our staff to be able to engage with members in the best possible fashion,” he explains. “We all need to have a broad knowledge of the products, so we can work out who and how we can help them the best.”

More broadly, Stone remains passionate about improving golfer experience in every possible way.

From looking at shorter, faster formats, to changing traditional perceptions of the sport, he really wants to help get and retain more golfers every day.

“We need to break down the idea that golf needs to be a hard sport,” he explains. “These things form roadblocks to enjoyment, and we need to be looking at breaking those down; making it faster, more accessible and enjoyable.”

For more information on Myagi training software, click HERE

For more information on the PGA’s Accreditation and Continuing Education program (ACE) and how PGA Professionals continue to upskill in all areas of the golf industry, click HERE