Billy Sampson

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
PGA Section Teacher of the Year, GRAA Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Golf Digest Best in State

Other awards won (if provided):
• Named GRAA growth of the game top 100 – 2020,2021,2022,2023 and 2024 • Carter County Sports Hall of Fame – 2024 • Low Country Golf Hall of Fame – 2022 • Received the Carolinas Section Teacher of the Year – 2016 • Named Titleist Difference Maker – 2016 • HHIPGA Teacher of the Year – 2015 • Voted #6 teacher in South Carolina by Golf Digest – 2013 and 2014 • HHIPGA Golf Professional of the year – 2007, 2010 & 2013 • Elizabethton High School Sports Hall of Fame – 2012 • Voted #8 teacher in South Carolina by Golf Digest – 2011 and 2012 • Received the Carolinas Section Golf Professional of the Year – 2011 • Received the Carolinas Section President's Plaque – 2010 • Received the Carolinas Section Bill Strausbaugh Award – 2007 • Voted #2 teacher in South Carolina by Golf Digest – 2007and 2008

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 610
Female: 640
Junior: 60

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
45

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
Over the past year, Old Tabby Links has continued to expand its commitment to growing the game through accessible instruction, junior golf development, innovative programming, and partnerships that connect golf with health and wellness. Our philosophy is that growing the game means more than introducing someone to golf for the first time. It also means helping current golfers continue to improve, removing barriers to participation, and creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the game throughout their lives.

Instruction and Player Development: Through August 2026, Old Tabby Links recorded 1,239 lesson and clinic participants, compared with 1,002 during the same period in 2025, an increase of 237 participants. This growth reflects our continued commitment to helping golfers of all skill levels improve, gain confidence, and remain engaged in the game.

Junior Golf and Camp Spring Island: In 2026, Camp Spring Island welcomed 52 participants between the ages of 5 and 14. The camp provides young golfers with opportunities to learn golf fundamentals, develop skills, build friendships, and enjoy the game in a welcoming environment. We want these young players to develop an appreciation for golf and build a foundation for lifelong participation.

Accessible Junior Golf Instruction and Community Outreach: Beyond our programs at Old Tabby Links, I work with junior golfers throughout the surrounding community whose families may not have the financial resources to afford private golf lessons. I believe every young person who wants to learn the game deserves an opportunity to improve and experience the benefits golf can provide. By making myself available to these juniors, I help remove financial barriers to instruction while encouraging confidence, perseverance, character development, and continued participation in the sport.

Golf and Wellness Partnership: We continue to collaborate with our Wellness Center to connect golf instruction with physical fitness, mobility, balance, and flexibility. This partnership provides members with opportunities to improve their physical capabilities while helping them remain active and enjoy golf throughout their lives.

TPI Assessments and Exercise Programs: We continue to expand our use of Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) assessments and individualized workout programs. Through August 2026, we completed 21 TPI assessments and continued working with 30 members through TPI-focused workouts. These programs help golfers address physical limitations, improve movement patterns, and maintain their ability to play as they age.

Operation 36: Our Operation 36 programming continues to grow, providing golfers with a structured pathway to develop their skills and progress on the golf course. The program emphasizes measurable improvement, confidence, and a positive learning experience rather than focusing solely on swing technique.

Practice with the Pros: We continue to offer complimentary weekly, two-hour practice sessions on the range. These sessions provide members with an approachable environment to practice, ask questions, receive guidance, and build relationships with our professional staff in a relaxed setting.

Technology-Enhanced Instruction: Our two outdoor TrackMan bays are utilized daily, giving members access to modern practice and instructional technology. These resources allow golfers to better understand their performance, practice with purpose, and monitor their progress.

Through these initiatives, our goal is to make golf accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding for as many people as possible. Whether introducing a child to the game, helping a junior who cannot afford lessons, supporting members as they age, or providing experienced golfers with new ways to improve, we strive to create opportunities for everyone to develop a lasting connection with golf. We believe our greatest contribution to growing the game is helping people discover not only how to play better golf, but also the confidence, friendships, and lifelong enjoyment that the game can provide.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
At Old Tabby Links on Spring Island, I continually develop programming to keep our members and students engaged, improve their golf skills, and create opportunities for golfers of all abilities to enjoy the game. My philosophy is to meet each golfer where they are, understand their individual needs, and find ways to help them continue improving.

Our programming combines individual instruction, group clinics, technology, fitness, and on-course experiences to create an environment where members feel supported and motivated to continue learning.

Practice with the Pros: Weekly, complimentary range sessions that allow members to practice alongside our professional staff, ask questions, and receive guidance in a relaxed environment.

Play with the Pros: Opportunities for members to play alongside our professional staff while learning course management, strategy, and decision-making in real playing situations.

Clinics and Group Instruction: Seasonal clinics for men, women, and golfers of varying abilities. Our fall women's clinics provide structured instruction and opportunities for members to stay engaged and continue developing their skills.

Operation 36: A developmental program that provides golfers with a structured pathway to improve their skills, build confidence, and measure progress on the golf course.

Technology-Driven Instruction: Our two outdoor TrackMan bays are utilized daily, allowing us to incorporate ball-flight data, measurable feedback, and individualized practice into our instruction programs.

Golf, Fitness, and Wellness Partnerships: We collaborate with our Wellness team to incorporate TPI assessments, golf fitness, mobility, balance, and strength into player development. This partnership helps members better understand how their physical capabilities influence their golf games.

Individualized Instruction for Members with Physical Challenges: One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping members who are dealing with hip replacements, shoulder and knee problems, and other health-related challenges. My philosophy is simple: find their abilities, not their disabilities. Rather than focusing on what a golfer can no longer do, I focus on what they can do and how we can adapt their golf game to their individual needs. By modifying their setup, swing, movement patterns, practice routines, or equipment when appropriate, I work to help them continue playing comfortably and confidently. My goal is to find solutions that allow each member to remain involved in the game for as long as possible.

Junior Golf and Developmental Camps: Through junior instruction and special camps, we introduce young golfers to the game while emphasizing fundamentals, sportsmanship, confidence, and personal development.

Specialized Golf Schools and Guest Instructors: We provide additional learning opportunities through visiting instructors and focused golf schools. Our Jennifer Hudson Golf School is one example of a program that has generated strong interest and provides members with another avenue for improvement.

Private Lessons and Club Fitting: Individual lessons, equipment fittings, and putter fittings allow us to tailor our approach to each golfer's goals, swing characteristics, physical needs, and equipment requirements.

My goal is to provide more than a golf lesson. I want our members and students to know that we are invested in them as people, not just as golfers. Whether I am helping a competitive player improve performance, a beginner develop confidence, or a member return to golf following surgery or a health challenge, my responsibility is to find a way to help that individual succeed.

I believe the best instructors never stop learning and understand that there is not one solution for every golfer. Sometimes helping someone improve requires a technical adjustment, and sometimes it requires listening, being creative, and finding a different path forward.

Ultimately, keeping golfers engaged means helping them recognize their potential, overcome challenges, and maintain a lifelong relationship with the game. My philosophy has always been to find their abilities, not their disabilities, and to help every golfer discover what is possible.