Abigale Schepperle

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Other (Indicate specific awards below in 3-a)

Other awards won:
Top 50 Us Kids/ Top 50 US Kids Master Professional

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 600-800
Female: 900-1000
Junior: 900-1000

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
300-375

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
We are a private club but we allow guests to participate in our classes/ lessons, and even events. This has been great not only for the club to have others see what a great facility we have to allows me to introduce others to so many opportunities on the instruction side. We currently run Ops36 programs for our Women and juniors that run throughout the year (February-November). The men's groups will also continue during these times and will have the same opportunities for drop in sessions and more on course time. These classes are offering their weekly instruction lessons, and their Sunday playdays where they are getting out on the course! Once these classes finish we are offering tune ups, and drop in clinics that are available for my students to continue to work on their game. I also offer playdays and small group instruction which gives my students more time on the golf course to work on course etiquette, rules, and course management.
I am also highly involved in the membership and the events that are run to help grow those aspects and keep them fun! We have Halloween Scrambles, and holiday clinics and events which really are so fun. We will also run a Lunch and learn during the off season to keep the ladies up to date with events, and what is available as well as give them a space to keep up to date with Rules/etiquette and any changes that we might see at the beginning of the year to get them ready for their upcoming season.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
I believe growing the game starts with creating programming that meets people where they are and gives them a reason to keep coming back. My goal is not simply to teach someone how to play golf, but to create experiences that make golf feel welcoming, social, relevant, and valuable both on and off the course.

I offer clinics and programs designed specifically around different groups and their individual needs. For women, I work with Ladies Who Golf through monthly group clinics, creating a consistent opportunity for women to learn, build relationships, and become more comfortable on the golf course. I also offer ladies’ group instruction and specialty “Pick Your Focus” sessions that allow golfers to work on specific areas of their game, such as driving, putting, and bunker play.

Our men’s programming has also become a great addition to our club. Rather than always relying on a traditional class structure, I encourage our members to identify what they want to work on and create groups that fit their schedules and goals. This allows our men to take ownership of their programming and create opportunities that work for them.

My junior programming is structured to provide a pathway for golfers as they grow. I offer clinics for ages 4–7 through our Birdies program, ages 8–11, and ages 12–17. Within the older junior groups, I also offer different class levels so that students can continue to progress as their skills, experience, and confidence develop. I incorporate both instruction and opportunities to play so that juniors can take what they learn from the practice area onto the course. My goal is to create an environment where young golfers enjoy the game, build friendships, gain confidence, and have a clear path to continue growing within golf.

One of the programs I am particularly passionate about is my corporate golf programming. These clinics bring together professionals who want to learn not only how to play golf, but how to feel comfortable participating in the conversations and networking opportunities that happen on the golf course. Many participants are guests, and I have even had individuals travel from outside of the state specifically to participate and be around their peers. These experiences allow participants to build confidence, expand their professional networks, and discover another way golf can create opportunities in their careers.

Another program that has become especially meaningful to me is Played with Heart, a nonprofit created to introduce girls to the game of golf. We initially started these clinics through Horseshoe Bend and Golf Club of Georgia, and the program has since grown to additional clubs and other states. When the program began, I created the lesson book for its founder to help provide structure and consistency to the clinics. Seeing that resource and the program itself continue to grow has been incredibly rewarding.

What makes Played with Heart so special is the community it creates for young girls. The clinics give them a place to learn the game, meet other girls who share their interests, and see the possibilities that golf can create for their futures. Just as importantly, many of the coaches are my current students, high school players, and college players who volunteer their time to give back. They are able to share their own experiences with the younger girls and serve as living examples of where the game can take them.

I love that this creates a full circle of growth. The girls I teach today can become the leaders, mentors, and coaches who introduce someone else to the game tomorrow. It gives young golfers an opportunity to see themselves not only as players, but as future leaders within the golf community.

I also create flexible programming for golfers who may not be ready to commit to a traditional class schedule. Seasonal drop-in clinics, specialty workshops, private instruction, and opportunities for members to create their own groups allow me to reach golfers with different schedules, interests, and comfort levels.

Ultimately, I see my role as creating more entry points into golf. Whether someone is a junior picking up a club for the first time, a woman looking for a comfortable community to learn with, a professional wanting to develop the confidence to use golf as a networking tool, or a member looking for a program that fits their own needs, I want them to feel that there is a place for them in the game.

For me, growth of the game is about much more than increasing participation numbers. It is about creating meaningful experiences that help people see how golf can connect them to others, create opportunities, build confidence, and become a lasting part of their lives. Most importantly, I want the golfers I work with to eventually become the people who help grow the game for someone else.