Stefanie Shaw, a three-time Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, is a PGA of America Teaching Professional at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York and the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida.
Stefanie Shaw on the importance of implementing engaging group programming:
I enjoy running golf schools, corporate events and clinics, teaching beside talented guest instructors and bringing fresh ideas of my own to the table. Over the years, I’ve facilitated numerous unique events, including wine and putting clinics – social gatherings designed to get new golfers involved. I highly encourage group lessons for new women golfers and strive to get some of the many “pickle-ballers” at my club onto the range and involved in golf. Most of the events and clinics I run are to attract new golfers, and fortunately, I have a very large and active membership at Ocean Reef, and they love being part of what we offer instruction-wise, which makes it even more fun. We are fortunate to have a beautiful teaching building with Swing Catalyst, Trackman, Foresight and PuttView. I run multiple all-women’s golf schools throughout the season with award-winning PGA and LPGA Professional Kellie Stenzel. Much of my group programming is recurring annually, set in stone throughout the season due to its continued success. But I do supplement these sessions with various “pop-up clinics.” I’ll send an email to the membership in the morning for a clinic that afternoon, and it usually fills up within 30 minutes. I find this works very well with members’ schedules, and they enjoy looking out for my correspondence.
Stefanie Shaw on the business impact of implementing engaging group programming:
In one recent three-day school with Kellie Stenzel, we had 60 women sign up. That means more women on the range and on the course – we’re growing the game and the membership at our facilities. At Sebonack, my short game wine clinic continues to thrive, as do my on-course clinics that have almost tripled the number of women who come out to the club. Getting scheduling right in the Hamptons in the summer can be challenging, but the women recently started a book club, and I have been scheduling a putting or short game clinic for the hour before, as the attendees already had the book club on their schedules – this was very successful last year. There are so many people coming from other sports into golf, and I work at a club that has almost every sport imaginable available, especially racquet sports. Almost daily, I have new golfers coming in to learn to play. The majority are females, and they’re ready to try something new!
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email shawgolfpro@gmail.com.
