Nicole Weller, the 2013 PGA and LPGA Youth Player Development Award winner, is the PGA head teaching professional at The Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia.

Nicole Weller on the importance of conducting a putting fair:
To inspire the membership at our private, member-owned club to refine their putting skills, we hosted our first Putting Fair in April. About 70 members came out for this complimentary event. We shut down the putting area for two hours during the fair. First our club technician and I spoke about how the balance of putter head designs affects the arc of a putting motion, as well as about the physical, mental and emotional aspects of each putt. We also demonstrated some putting drills. Then members could mingle and chat with the professionals at each of four stations: putter fitting and demo, with a putter rep in attendance; distance control, with two focused drills; accuracy management, with some simple training tools; and a tech station with several putting aids. The overall purpose of the putting fair was to offer members targeted information on how to learn and practice putting, with the goal of potentially increased putter sales and lessons.

Nicole Weller on the business impact of conducting a putter fair:
The business impact of this event, in addition to increased exposure to the club’s golf professionals, was that it resulted in nine putters being sold at the fair, as well as interest in spin-off lessons, extra practice sessions and clinics to advance ideas that were discovered during the fair. It presented an opportunity for member mingling and interaction, and time to chat with our professional staff. We had requests for another one, so we intend to continue hosting member putter fairs.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email nicole.weller@landingsclub.com