Marjorie Jones, the 2011 PGA Metropolitan Section Woman Player of the Year and 2017-2018 LPGA Top 50 Women Teachers in America, is the PGA/LPGA Head Professional at The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers, in New York, New York.

Marjorie Jones on the importance of maximizing participation year-round:
Built in 1995, Chelsea Piers is a sports and entertainment complex encompassing 28 acres on Manhattan’s west side. Located between the West Side Highway and the Hudson River, this urban playground literally has something for everyone. In that light, our focus at The Chelsea Piers Golf Club, is to attract golfers of all ages and skill levels. With 52 heated and weather-protected hitting stalls, and thirteen PGA Professionals, we offer a plethora of learning and practice opportunities. One might think our Manhattan location would hinder our ability to educate golfers in a concrete jungle, but by offering introductory and game-improvement programs for all skill levels, our golf professionals are growing the game by engaging golfers in the big city. We start with Golf 101, a single 90-minute class that provides an overview of Rules, etiquette, and the basics of the proper setup and swing. From there, students attend our Beginner Schools 1 and II; these schools are designed for students who want to better understand the fundamentals of grip, stance, posture, and alignment, as well as basic swing techniques and chipping and putting. We focus on irons in Beginner School 1 and move to woods in the follow up session. To address students with some golf experience who have a focus on where improvement is needed, we offer One-Day Schools, Fast Track Schools (four-weekly sessions), Short Game Schools, Intermediate Schools (for golfers not yet ready to get on the course), and Players Schools for those golfers posting 18-hole scores who have an eye on improvement and lowering their handicap. As they continue to improve, our private instruction is second to none, with a wide variety of technology used to hone the skills of our many students.

Marjorie Jones on the business impact of maximizing participation year-round:
With the stellar reputation of Chelsea Piers Golf Club and our PGA Professionals, we also host special occasions like corporate events, couples’ events, birthday and bachelor parties, special Friday Night Swings parties that include food, drink, and unlimited golf balls, and a very special new program called From the Range to the Course. The latter includes classroom time, simulator experience, and ultimately, time on one of our partnered metropolitan area courses. With so many options and so many students, we ensure a fun experience for all of them. Their improving skills lead to increased enjoyment, which results in more visits to Chelsea Piers, our local courses, and in the case of many of our traveling students, their golf facilities and clubs back home. This is truly the definition of growing the game. We conduct spring break, Christmas, and summer camps, as well as classes for 3-5-year-old tots. Ensuring we touch all members of the family is part of the success we experience every day.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email mjttime@aol.com