Mike Richards

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 (Indicate specific awards in 3-a below)

Other awards won (if provided):
2023 SFPGA SECTION Player Development Award, 2022 SFPGA CHAPTER Player Development Award, 2011&2018 SFPGA CHAPTER Teacher of the Year, 2014 SFPGA SECTION Teacher of the Year, 8 Times GRAA Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, 2017 US KIDS TOP 50 KIDS TEACHER, 13 Times US KIDS TOP 50 KIDS TEACHER HONORABLE MENTION, 2019 Sun-Sentinel Boys High School Coach of the Year

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 1500
Female: 700
Junior: 1000

Total number of individual clinics given per year:
12

Please indicate any Growth of the Game initiatives your facility/academy has launched over the past year (please give specifics on such programs):
I continue to Grow the Game each and every day on my lesson tee. I am currently at a new facility where I can take advantage of their 3 practice holes for all my instruction. Myself and my students prefer to practice on these holes rather than the range itself. I am able to work on any shot needed. I can have my students go to any yardage and hit to actual greens and over water. I can hit drivers to a right to left hole or a left to right hole. Bottom line, my students enjoy this learning much better than the range session because it simulates real golf course situations. I have implemented many more playing lessons which excites my students as well prepares them for being on their own. I was not able to do these practice sessions at my old facility. My new course has 3 nine holes and I can I take advantage of this. As I said, it simulates real golf situations and this is exactly what my students need. My students have really enjoyed the learning process and it has made them better golfers as well.

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
I have been working with Junior golfers for many years as well as Coach the boys and girls JV & Varsity golf teams at a local private school for the past 9 years. I have also been involved in many local junior tours as well as sit on the board of directors for these tours. I currently coach many nice juniors who are good players and their goal is to play College Golf. Many of these kids do not know what tours and tournaments they should play. This sparked an interest in me and I recently began my own Junior Golf Consulting Program this past January. My initial consultation is a 2 hour sit down meeting with the junior golfer and his/her parents. I go over what it takes to start the process of possibly playing golf at some level in college, or just getting their young golfer into playing tournament golf. I cover many topic including information on what tours to play, how many tournaments a month, how many lessons a week/month to take, club fitting, practice schedule, golf specific training, on course instruction, on course practice rounds for tournaments, NCSA, Junior Golf Scoreboard and schedule follow-up meetings.
This program has kept many of my junior players on a path to success by allowing me to see them more than just a 1 hour lesson once in a while. It offers guidance and a clear path for the parents to understand how they can help their junior golfer and the direction they need.