Eric McInerney, a PGA apprentice and TPI Certified golf fitness instructor, is the PGA head professional at McGolf Learning Center in Dedham, Mass.

Eric McInerney on the importance of introducing people to the game with online meet-up tools:
Five years ago, I opened an indoor golf studio to use during the offseason. Although I had a regular flow of students to work with on a regular basis for several years, I eventually wanted to meet new clients so they could see the setup. Two seasons ago, I started an indoor golf meet-up group on meetup.com where anyone can sign up and receive free updates about when I am going to hold group teaching sessions, which I can host at any golf course as long as I set it up with the facility. Every time I want to hold a paid group lesson, I post it on the group’s page, which automatically sends an email update to all of the members. After I have created the meet-up, I can promote the session on several different social media platforms, which opens the session up to even more people who are looking for ways to improve their games or perhaps start a lifelong love of the game. All 71 members in my group fill out an in-depth profile so I can gauge their level of experience playing the game, and many of the members who go on the website are pure beginners. This is one of the best parts of using this type of online forum because it introduces people to the game in an inexpensive way while helping to promote my business at the same time.

Eric McInerney on the business impact of introducing people to the game with online meet-up tools:
One of the first meet-ups I hosted was called “Review the Basics and Have Your Golf Swing Analyzed.” The group filled up, I made $140 for the hour and two of those people signed up for private lessons at my indoor golf studio. With the price being so low at $20 per person, it is a win-win for both the members of the group and myself. Golf can be expensive and difficult to learn, but each student being introduced this way can pick up the fundamentals without investing an abundance of time and money. If one golf professional from every state starts a group and has 100 people, that would be 5,000 people staying involved and excited about our game.