Kandi Comer

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

Other awards won (if provided):
MAPGA Southern Chapter Teacher of the Year 2024

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 350
Female: 270
Junior: 375

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):
I have increased my numbers in all programs this year because I hired another golf professional that allowed me to take more juniors and adults into our clinics. Just making this hire has freed me up to going back close to full time teaching so both private and clinic numbers are up. Along with that we have continued to focus on growing the game through the junior programs, beginner programs and women programs. Our big addition this year was adding a 6 week clinic for all golfers that have played some golf that includes a once a week clinic where each week we focus on a different aspect of the game (putting, chipping, pitching & bunkers with the fourth clinic being full swing) and then the last two weeks I take them on the course to work on course management and to spend a lot of time around the greens hitting the right shot to give the golfer the highest percentage chance for success. I have also increased our junior play days this year to run year round along with our junior clinics. I have been at my current location for 4.5 years and we have had great growth each year as we establish my academy in the area. We have a simulator which allows us to go inside for clinics and more importantly with the improvement through the last 4.5 years of our juniors we can host play days inside which has been a big hit. The other program is our get into golf programs that are for beginners and like the above programs we have added more sessions on the course which is important to these new golfers to get out and play with their golf professionals help them navigate the course so now they are confident to go it alone.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
As mentioned above our additional play days which also allows golfers to meet other golfers they might not know until they jump into these programs. With the simulators we can now keep golfers involved year round, rain, snow and cold is no longer a cancellation as we can go inside.

We offer junior programs clinics and camps from ages 3 – 17 so this allows them to keep progressing and we are spending more time on the golf course. Friendships are being formed and now they are starting to make their own games which is fun to see and they have brought other kids to Orchard Creek. We have a very junior friendly membership and our junior membership has increased significantly this year as well due to our programming.

Our ladies nine and dine golf nights have increased our ladies participation and has also helped get the working crowd out after work.

Another big addition this year is play with the pros. Once a week I have a sign up sheet in the golf shop for three members to sign up to play with the pro. The time and date is on the sheet. This is a way for members to get to know me better and it is paying off with more members taking lessons for both me and my assistant.

It has been fun to get back into doing what I love by having more help that allows me to focus on my academy and the owners are loving the new members that have joined due to instruction programs and lessons. You tube video below is an example of promotion for Off-Season Lessons to grow the game.