Troy Flateau, the 2011 Philadelphia PGA Section Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities, is the PGA director of golf at The Peninsula Golf & Country Club in Millsboro, Delaware.

Troy Flateau on the importance of hosting a complimentary clubfitting clinic:
As PGA Professionals, we all know how significant clubfitting is to a golfers’ game, but most amateurs are not aware of its importance. Rather than speaking about the importance of clubfitting to members on an individual basis during private lessons, at my previous facility, I hosted complimentary clubfitting clinics to speak to a group of members. Other than clubfitting, these clinics were about two things: having fun and being social. Each year, I personally invited members to attend these clinics to learn more about the clubfitting process. The clinics remained very relaxed and members were even able to bring cocktails to the range. During the session, I would walk the members through the clubfitting process, but to make it more fun I built clubs to extremes (four degrees up and four degrees flat) for them to hit to see what a difference dissimilar clubs can make. The members really enjoyed themselves and liked to try out the different clubs for fun. In addition to having a good time, the members experienced firsthand how crucial clubfitting could be to their games.

Troy Flateau on the business impact of hosting a complimentary clubfitting clinic:
The annual clubfitting clinics were very successful at my facility. The members had a great time participating in them and always refer their friends. In addition, approximately 90 percent of the clinic participants booked a clubfitting with me and buy clubs from the golf shop. Because the clinics were relaxing and were a social experience, I gained trust and earned their loyalty. Many of the participants turned into repeat customers and were refit and bought clubs again.

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