Ben Freundt

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional

Other awards won:

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 425
Female: 275
Junior: 75

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
50

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
One new program we launched this past spring was a beginner golf school called "Welcome to Golf." We built this program for 2 of our female members, and 6 of their friends who are non-members, that are new to the game of golf. This is a group of friends that have known each other for years but are all new to the game of golf. Morgan Bowen (fellow Teaching Professional at Jupiter Hills) and I created a 2-day program that covered several areas of the game, as well as general golf knowledge and best practices for new golfers. In 2 days, we worked on the basics (grip, posture, ball position), full swing, chipping, putting, and on-course etiquette. It was important for us to also play some games so the ladies could compete with one another and not feel like it was a golf boot camp. At the end of the weekend, each lady left with a Notes Summary of all topics covered and some practice drills they can do on their own. This one-of program gained lots of traction and will be offered again for other new members and their friends next Spring.

Given the success and feedback from last year, we ran our “How to Lower your Score without Changing your Swing” program for its second year in a row. We offer 4 classes over the course of a month, with each class having 15-20 participants. Since most of our programs at the club have a small fee, we wanted to offer something that is low commitment and free of charge to the participants. Each session covers topics such as realistic expectations, creating a predictable pre and post shot routine, course management tactics, importance of short game and putting practice, and how to keep stats so you can create focused practice plans. If people have further questions on how to implement this learning, we encourage them to join our Group Clinics, Practice Club, or sign up for individual instruction, giving them several opportunities to put their new knowledge into action.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
Given that roughly 85% of our membership is seasonal, we schedule the bulk of our programming into our “busy season,” which is October through May each year. During that time, we offer weekly Ladies’ clinics on Monday mornings, and weekly Men’s clinics on Tuesday mornings. Each clinic is held for one hour, there is no limit to participation, and it is a team instructional effort led by Jason Baile (PGA Director on Instruction), Morgan Bowen (PGA Teaching Professional), and myself. Each clinic is much cheaper than our hourly lesson rate (only $40/class), is very low commitment, and offers a relaxed and educational experience as we cover carrying topics throughout the season. For its fourth year in a row, we are offering our Practice Club, a bi-weekly program for all skill levels. Practice Club is 75 minutes long, has at least 3 coaches, and offers practice stations on the putting green, chipping area, and on the range for full swing. At $60/class, students have the freedom to attend any station for as little or as long as they want, and the only rule is that you must have a practice question ready when you coach comes to you. We play music on the range, offer beverages, and keep things fun and low key. In year 2 of offering this program, we had 44 unique participants and 92 total attendances. Last year, we had 92 unique participants and 143 total attendances. Essentially doubling in participation last year, this program has encouraged many new members and newer golfers to come out and enjoy the game with their friends, as well as helping them create new lasting friendships at the club.