Bob Usher

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:
a. 2022 Southwest Florida Chapter PGA Player Development Award b. 2021 GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teacher c. 2021 Southwest Florida Chapter PGA Youth Development Award d. 2021 US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Coach e. 2020 GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teacher f. 2019 US Kids Top 50 Junior Coach g. 2018 US Kids Top 50 Junior Coach h. 2012 Southwest Florida Chapter PGA Junior Golf Leader i. 2012 Boardroom Magazine Recognition In Junior Golf

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 525
Female: 525
Junior: 500

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
Over 200

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
Lady Beginner Programs – (Get Golf Ready) – This program has been very well received for a lot of our new members that don’t know anyone at the club yet. This program creates relationships within the group and the ladies feel more comfortable with each other. They now know someone they can call and arrange a golf game with or even play in a tournament. This program has grown and we have seen an increase in more lady golfers and more membership sales.
After School Junior Development Program – Two years ago one of the local school teams had try outs. They had 25 kids try out for the team. After the cut they only took 10 kids to play matches and practice. That left 15 kids not able to play or practice. I quickly recognized this and talk to the coach. With his help I reached out to several of those families and we got the kids instruction. It was one on one golf instruction. It was great a created a revenue stream and built relationships with the community. These kids were not members. The next year I told the coach not to cut anyone. The coach picked his team and again that left 18 kids to move into my junior development program that I created in advance. The kids and parents know that the kids that don’t make the team still had a chance to practice and play with myself and our team of instructors. After the program ended for the season parents wanted more. I created the after school golf program.

Elite Junior Golf Camps for ages 13 and higher, This summer we designed a camp for the older kids that want to learn golf but don’t like junior camps, Most junior camps are for smaller kids and this is a turn off for older kids. I designed a camp that would appeal to the older kids showcasing our technology that we use for development. This appealed to them and had several kids sign up. The camp was successful and after the camp was finished those kids wanted weekly golf instruction. Those kids still take golf instruction during the school year.

Summer Junior Sport Camps that include Golf, Tennis, and swimming. (Beach Day at End of Camp). This camp is fun for the kids and the instructors. The swimming takes place in the afternoon which is refreshing after playing golf and tennis all morning, Grand Finale is a beach trip and we rent floatable islands, paddle boards, and kayaks.

Special Needs Lessons and clinics. Our facility has members with children that have special needs. Some have Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, and other Learning disabilities. I have a son with Autism, so this is close to me, and I have a passion for helping children with special needs. The smiles our priceless. Some of the children with Autism can’t speak but they smile from ear to ear and you know you’re making a difference.

Men’s Beginner Group – I created this group based off the success of the women’s beginner group clinics. This group consists of new members that didn’t know any of the existing members. The new members are new to the club and new to golf. Some of the gentlemen had some golf experience but were happy to join some one new to golf. The camaraderie was amazing, and we just taught some basics in golf swing mechanics and took to the course to play a scramble. After Awhile theses gentlemen were playing on their own and their own ball. They don’t keep score but have a blast just to get out and play golf with each other.

Golf Fitness Classes, I joined the Director of Fitness and his staff to train the entire staff about golf swing mechanics and terminology used in golf. The fitness staff is very good in training individuals, but they don’t know golf. It was important to me and the facility that I help educate the trainers with the common knowledge of the golf swing and language used when teaching. Now when the trainers are working with students and the student describes to the trainers what swing fix they are working on, the fitness professional knows exactly what they are talking about. I even stop by to assist with some training.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
I bought a Megsa Perfect Practice Unit for my students to use for free. The unit cost me $8000.00 but I thought it was worth the investment to use as a teaching tool. The practice equipment was invented by my friend and mentor Mike Bender. It is used to help golfers feel the correct positions in the golf swing. After I give the student a lesson they can come back on their own and use the system to practice. It is the best perfect practice I ever seen. The unit will not let you make mistakes and gives the best feedback. Students have really enjoyed using the system and it really helps.
Coaching sessions – I will host a coaching session every couple of weeks to let students practice with me and I supervise the drills I’ve designated for them to practice. I will set up all the practice stations with training aids, alignment sticks, and pool noodles. I call these stations technique stations. Some of the stations you don’t hit golf balls but practice rehearsing your swing in front of mirrors. I do not charge for these coaching sessions. I have built a loyal following of students and look for ways to reward them for their commitment.
Social Media – I will record lessons, drills, and lesson recaps and send those to my students by text. I started to do this during my lessons and thought that these lessons and tips would look good on Instagram. I started to ask my students if this was okay and they loved it. All my students can see a lesson I conducted with them and then the lesson shows up on Instagram. Every student likes to see themselves on Instagram. This has allowed them to share the post with their friends and I have received more followers on Instagram. The other members in my club get to see how I teach and this has encouraged more members to take more lessons.
I have added a wedge range to the performance center for our members to practice shots from 40 to 90 yards. They have four mats on the range that are designed for the wedge area. The distance to the targets will never change so there is consistent distance between targets.