Chris Moody is the PGA Assistant Golf Professional at the Riverside Country Club, in Provo, Utah. He was the 2016 PGA Utah Section Assistant Player of the Year and has also won section Player of the Year and/or Assistant Player of the Year Awards in 2005 and 2007-2011. He is a member of the TaylorMade National Players Council and a Certified U. S. Kids Golf Instructor.
Chris Moody on the importance of providing a multi-tiered youth program:
Not long ago, I found our youth golf program became somewhat stagnant, as our numbers would slowly decrease as the summer program transpired. With each camp or clinic, we had fewer participants. Around that same time, the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute offered a certification seminar in the Utah Section. After attaining certification, I worked with our second assistant, Jake Wyatt, to implement the three-level learning program, adding goal-oriented skills checkpoints to our camps and clinics. Providing a level of competition to our youth program stimulated their drive to learn and truly improve, completing one level at a time. A booklet applicable to each level is available for use by PGA instructors, youth coaches, and even parents. The booklets provide instruction and examples of forms and skills in five core areas: Putting, Around the Green, Full Swing, Knowledge, and Scoring. As the youth golfers pass each core area, they receive a pin acknowledging their progress in the program. Our clinics run from early May into September. Sessions are every other week, as we strive to provide instruction with time for practice in between.
Chris Moody on the business impact of providing a multi-tiered youth program:
Before implementing a goal-oriented, competition-based program, the youth golfers we started with in early June, usually around 75 participants, would dwindle to a select few by September, with summer vacations and fall sports having had a small effect on those numbers. But after making this program a part of our curriculum, we hosted 156 individual youth participants and had 60 of the golfers return for additional clinics. We even had 40 youth golfers attend our final clinic of the year in late September, whereas the final clinic of last year was canceled for lack of participation. In addition, many of these kids were so motivated by our efforts to help them improve that they began spending more time at the club, returning frequently with family and friends. Rounds and range time increased. Also, golf shop revenues benefited from an increase in kids’ clubs sales. We saw a 25% increase in junior club and apparel sales. Our food & beverage services saw an increase in revenues, as families spent more time at the club on nights and weekends. Finally, our membership numbers even saw an increase, as we had three families join after their children spent time in our youth program. Sponsors have started to come aboard as well. For example, Ryan Smith, the CEO of Quatrics was kind enough to donate Riverside Country Club Junior Golf hats to all of the young participants so they can proudly display the achievement pins they earned. This is a perfect example of how recognizing a problem and considering a solution has benefits across all aspects of the facility.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email chrismoody@pga.com
