Lauren Tallman, the 2016 Central New York PGA Section Assistant Golf Professional of the Year and 2019, 2020 and 2021 Western New York PGA Section Youth Player Development Award winner, is a 2024 Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, the PGA of America Director of Instruction at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor, New York and the PGA of America Owner/Operator of the Finger Lakes Golf Academy.
Lauren Tallman on the importance of hosting early-season adult bootcamps:
As the owner of Finger Lakes Golf Academy in Victor, New York, I recently invested in a Foresight Sports GCQuad predominantly for use indoors during the winter season. This off-season engagement helps keep many of my students in golf shape year-round. However, many golfers take a break during the winter to pursue other endeavors, meaning they need to ease back into golf each spring. Among the many programs I offer through my golf academy, one of the most popular is our spring adult bootcamp clinics. These clinics are hosted in April and May, and are designed to get golfers back into golf and help them brush up on the game’s fundamentals after the long winter. The clinics are two-day sessions and cover all aspects of the game from putting to driver, etiquette and various basic rules. The bootcamp is designed for beginners and golfers who need a tune-up on their swing, and we do so over two consecutive days with 75 minutes of golf instruction each day. I tell visitors to my website, “Begin the clinics as a beginner, leave the next day ready to practice on your own and tee it up on the course!” In addition to skills training, we strive to instill the confidence required to succeed in golf. Basic clinic agenda on Day One includes “Get a Grip on Golf” – The fundamentals of grip, aim and setup, as well as putting, chipping and pitching. On Day Two, we discuss “Using the Body” and full swing fundamentals like ball position with different clubs and how to create a repetitive swing. The cost per participant is only $90, and each session is limited to the first eight registrants, so we ensure dedicated attention to each golfer.
Lauren Tallman on the business impact of hosting early-season adult bootcamps:
Our annual adult bootcamp clinics are a sign that spring has sprung, with members returning to the club. Of course, this concept can be implemented in any region of the country. As clubs in the south welcome their members back, those PGA of America Golf Professionals can host their own variation of these adult bootcamps. Sure, their members might have been playing up north all summer, but these bootcamps could include topics specific to their club or even take place on the course. Regardless, group engagement is always a winner in getting people playing golf. In fact, due to high demand, I have added adult bootcamps in June and July to accommodate our golfers. In addition, I have implemented Bootcamp 2.0 for students who have attended the initial bootcamp session and want a more detailed full swing and short game clinic. I love how more young women are getting involved in the game, and I have noticed more women under the age of 45 playing with their friends. I believe online golf channels are reaching many of these young golfers in a way that wasn’t done before. I’m sure this trend will continue for the betterment of the game.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email ltallman@pga.com.
