By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Adam Smith believes in golf for fun, fitness and family. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the son of Bill Smith, once the PGA of America Director of Golf at The Country Club of Virginia (CCV). Today, Adam is the PGA of America Head Golf Instructor at the same facility his dad oversaw for over 20 years from 1972 to 1993.
In addition to receiving Middle Atlantic PGA Section Awards and accolades from Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine, Smith is a Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Elite Growth of the Game Teaching Professional and a leader in instruction, fitness and mentorship in our game. His simple approach to coaching is to take it one step at a time. He strives to keep it simple and make the game fun.
Smith took some time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on our Five Questions for this month’s very special edition of our very popular feature:
Golf Range Magazine: When did you get your start in golf and who got you into the game?
Smith: I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the son of a PGA of America Life Member, and learned golf at the age of six from my father, who was the Director of Golf at The Country Club of Virginia.
Golf Range Magazine: Did you play golf in high school or college? When did you know you wanted to be a PGA of America Golf Professional?
Smith: I knew I wanted to be a PGA of America Golf Professional in 1984 when I was 14 years old and began working for my father at The Country Club of Virginia.
I played golf on the varsity team at Collegiate School in 7th & 8th grade and was captain of the varsity golf team at Douglas Freeman High School. I’d go on to play my college golf at Radford University, just outside of Richmond.
Golf Range Magazine: What’s trending in your programming and instruction? Please detail some programming and a couple of success stories.
Smith: Teaching exclusively using technology such as Trackman, Swing Catalyst and SAM PuttLab has been trending for us since opening our world-class Golf Performance Center in 2020.
Conducting every lesson in our private studio and teaching students about Trackman ball data, their golf swing motion and ground forces (using Swing Catalyst) is powerful. We have a private fitting room outfitted with the golf industry’s top brands, which we constantly keep up-to-date, and using state-of-the-art studio technology to fit our members has been a fantastic service to them.
Clinics are always trending at The Country Club of Virginia. Beginner ladies’ clinics, known as “Pop-in Clinics,” are very very popular, as we cater to first-time female golfers who are new to the club and to the game. They feel welcomed and appreciated, and are motivated about learning to practice and play the game. They also learn what to expect when they visit their new club environment.
Our junior golf program continues to grow and thrive with the implementation of our very own CCV Operation 36 program for every single age group. Our team of young assistant golf professionals assists us with the overwhelmingly large groups of kids from ages 3-17. We grow the junior golfers and give them opportunities to compete against one another (and also with their parents and grandparents) here at the club. It is a particular source of pride for me, as a coach, to have a youngster grow up to play competitively in state tournaments, on their high school golf team and later go on to play in college. Building bonds with them and their parents is so much fun!
Golf is the greatest game ever played. New member golf instruction certificates are a big hit with families who have just joined the club and would like to start taking lessons. Each family gets five free lesson certificates to use within the year of their joining the club. I take a lot of pride in helping these new members redeem these certificates and for them to experience my instruction. I love building rapport with these new members and enjoy making them feel welcome here at the club. I’d say that 90 percent of the time, they become regular students of mine and the coaching continues for years and years.
Golf Range Magazine: What is your favorite part of the game of golf? The business of golf?
Smith: My favorite part of the game of golf is being a part of the great outdoors. Playing golf is very important to me. I love to play golf! It is the greatest part of being in the golf business! Experiencing golf courses all over the world and seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes makes the game of golf special.
Teaching and coaching are certainly my favorite aspects of the business of golf. Touching lives and making a difference in peoples’ overall enjoyment and happiness is empowering. Coaching an elite player is exhilarating. Helping a beginner is fun. Assisting a wounded warrior is uplifting. Inspiring a Special Olympics athlete is humbling. Facilitating a couples clinic can be therapeutic. Overall, being a coach and inspiring greatness in a player is truly rewarding. The game of golf provides all of us with many emotions. Proudly taking on the challenges and seizing the opportunities to coach the physical game, the mental game and how to play the game is my holistic approach as a golf instructor.
Golf Range Magazine: What does the future hold in golf for you? What’s on the horizon in teaching and mentorship as a proven leader in golf coaching and instruction?
Smith: My future in the golf business is bright! As a second-generation PGA of America Golf Professional, I grew up learning golf here at The Country Club of Virginia. I grew up in the golf business, right here at this club. When I was hired as the PGA of America Head Golf Instructor in 2018, I was made to feel that I had come back home. Many say that I have come full circle. I certainly feel that way, and to me, my future is right here at The Country Club of Virginia. It is my hope to one day, many years from now, retire from the golf business, right here at The Country Club of Virginia. My ultimate goal is to continue with my coaching and teaching and to continue to mentor fellow PGA of America Golf Professionals here at work and in my area. Lastly, I want to play more competitive golf in our Middle Atlantic PGA Section senior division.
