By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
The Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) has been awarding our Growth of the Game Teaching Professional awards since 2012 and currently recognizes 52 PGA and LPGA Golf Professionals with the “Elite” label. Elizabeth Granahan has been on the “Elite” list since 2017, its inaugural year. She’s been breaking the glass ceiling her whole career, attaining PGA Membership in 1998 when women made up fewer than one percent of the Association’s membership. That same year she became the first woman PGA of America Member on staff at Merion Golf Club. She made history in the Philadelphia PGA Section as the first woman to earn its Teacher of the Year honors in 2009 and the first woman to chair a Philadelphia PGA Section committee in 2016. Her storied career has taken her from New Jersey to Philadelphia to North Carolina. Her company is The G2 Golf Group, and it’s innovative, inclusive and in touch with what golfers want in a post-pandemic golf environment. She was gracious to spend a few minutes answering our Five Questions for this month’s feature.
Golf Range Magazine: When and where did you get your start in golf?
Granahan: Although I played many sports as a child, it wasn’t until I entered college that I was introduced to golf. A number of my classmates were sub-80 players, and they made it look so easy that I wanted to play too.
Golf Range Magazine: Did you play golf in college, and when did you know you wanted to become a PGA of America Golf Professional?
Granahan: I was an Animal Science Major at Cook College (Rutgers University), and fully intended to attend veterinary school. But we had a golf course on campus and I was introduced to the game – it was intoxicating.
I walked onto the women’s varsity team and throughout my senior year was able to travel and play. I quickly found golf to be the most difficult game I had ever played. So, after graduation, I decided to forego veterinary school and find a job in the golf industry. As you can imagine, my parents were thrilled!
To gain experience, I played amateur golf, though I honestly didn’t know that becoming a PGA Member was a career option until I worked for a local public golf course. Initially, I worked so I could play and practice for free; but while working for PGA Members, it became clear that to build a career in golf and be upwardly mobile, membership was the best pathway to education, certification and credibility. Of course, now the business is wide open.
I am a science person. Teaching and coaching golf involves so many scientific disciplines that it has kept me captivated for all these years.
Golf Range Magazine: What’s trending in your programming and instruction at the G2 Golf Group?
Granahan: Quality coaching and instruction is the baseline of what we do. We coach every skill level – beginners to tour professionals. However, our programming has expanded beyond teaching and coaching and has come to be infinitely more inclusive. We recognize that golf can be many things to many people. G2 Golf is about building community.
While we take instruction and improvement very seriously, we have also created avenues that allow our constituents to be silly and have fun. Two such examples would be our “Summer Solstice Scramble & Shag” in June and our “Annual Snowball Tournament” in December. In both cases, the grand prize winners are those whose attire is voted “best dressed” by fellow tournament participants.
We’ve also created a weekly nine-hole league for beginners and high handicappers. Each week we incorporate a fun, low-pressure format (low putts, odd holes net, etc), mix the players and follow with dinner on the town. Folks meet and make new friends of the same ability, learn a variety of formats and participate at a comfortable level.
Our “Annual Travel Night” in September has become a highly anticipated evening for many within our community – both golfers and non-golfers alike. As a boutique golf travel operator, G2 Golf provides escorted, 5-star, domestic and international golf opportunities. Each year, we host an evening of golf travel that rolls out the calendar for the upcoming year. As a little pre-presentation hint, we serve foods and beverages of the regions from which we will visit. The wide array of travel destinations and corresponding price points appeal to many different segments of our population.
As we have watched our community grow, the relationships our folks have created with one another have been powerful. Deep “golf” friendships have crossed over and encouraged participation in other activities. Students routinely express their gratitude for the platforms we have created and the people with whom they would not otherwise have met.
Golf Range Magazine: What is your favorite part of the game of golf? The business of golf?
Granahan: The challenge of teaching and coaching, followed by the transformation of someone’s game keeps me engaged. When I receive a call or text revealing someone’s success story, that is wholly satisfying! I enjoy playing the game with my 84-year-old mother-in-law, my 13-year-old niece and with every one of my students. The unique beauty of this game is that you can enjoy playing in a group with friends or family and still play at your own skill level.
The business of golf has allowed me to combine my love of sports, science and community into a wonderful life and career.
Golf Range Magazine: What does the future hold in golf for you and your company, and what’s on the horizon in teaching and mentorship for you as a proven leader in golf coaching and instruction?
Granahan: As we move into 2025, the continued growth and expansion of G2 Golf Travel is a major focus. Of course, we will continue to be innovative in our events and in our efforts to create inclusion in the greater golf community.
Though I began my career in the New Jersey PGA Section and moved into the Philadelphia PGA Section, I have been in the Carolinas for the past four years. The growth of the business has been very steady. Our students continue to make referrals, and I would like to develop more programs to reward them for their loyalty.
Further, newer technologies keep revealing more about the “what, why and how” of golf. My curiosity regarding the science of the game, and frankly all aspects of performance, will always keep me excited about the possibilities.
In conclusion, I must admit how much I enjoy the opportunity to communicate with fellow PGA/LPGA Members. Whether it’s someone asking to see my facility and/or to observe my teaching style, I relish those moments spent together. I look forward to professional seminars, teaching and coaching events and to continually expanding my professional circle.
