Phil Green, the 2011 winner of the NGCOA’s Golf Business Magazine “Best New Idea” for growing the game, is the PGA owner and manager of Home on the Range in Newcastle, California.

Phil Green on the importance of offering golf clinics during school recess:
Recently, I have introduced my Golf for Lunch Recess program at many local elementary and middle schools in my area. After reaching out to the local principals to get permission, I try to attend each school once or twice throughout the school year to introduce the game of golf to the children. My clinics during recess usually only last about 25 minutes and attract between 80 and 500 students at a time. I will use the baseball field on the schools campus to set up four different stations. Each station focuses on a different aspect of the game; full swing, chipping, pitching, and putting. I provide junior clubs and small tennis balls for all participants. Using hula-hoops I will set up targets by hanging them from the baseball backstop. In a short period of time a large amount of children are introduced to golf in an exciting and safe environment. The time constraint placed on the clinics because of the length of recess actually works in my favor. I take advantage of this by handing out flyers for a free bucket of balls at my range or a free round of golf at my developmental course either later that day or later in the week. At that age something as simple as a quick clinic makes a lasting impact on the child and can easily become the topic of discussion later that night at dinner.

Phil Green on the business impact of offering golf clinics during school recess:
These recess clinics have helped increase both my business and the local golf industry. Many of these children that participate in a recess clinic show up to my facility the same day with their flyer for a free bucket of balls or a free round. This free bucket may then turn into lessons or programs purchased down the road. Currently, I boast the largest PGA Junior League Golf Team in my area in which all members were introduced to golf at one of my recess clinics. I have also begun to bring members of other golf facilities with me to my recess clinics to show them how to properly market and implement one. Many of these children who otherwise would not have been introduced to the game of golf are now purchasing lessons, rounds, and merchandise from either myself or other local facilities and shops. After all, golf professionals are not competing against each other but against other sports. Introducing youth to golf at a young age will only help the entire industry in the future.

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