Rick Murphy

Please indicate past awards won/recognitions:
PGA Section Teacher of the Year, GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, Golf Digest Best in State, Other (Indicate specific awards below in 3-a)

Other awards won:
2001&2009 PGA Teacher of the Year, Carolinas PGA – 2016 Horton Smith Award Winner, Carolinas Section – 2008 PGA Professional of the Year, Carolinas PGA – 1988 PGA of America National Junior Golf Leader Award – 2011 & 2012 Free Lesson Month Winner (2011 5,500+ people in a 10 Min. lesson & 2012 7,500+ people in a 10 min. lesson) – GRAA Top 100 2021, 2022 – GFAA Award 2021,2022

Total number of individual lessons given per year:
Male: 900
Female: 50
Junior: 350

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):
Invitation Only Teaching & Coaching Experiences

Murphy has expanded his teaching and coaching across the section and country. He has been invited by PGA Professionals and Directors of Golf to take his teaching and coaching experience on the road to their facilities for work with their members.

For example, in July of 2021 he was invited by PGA Member, Aaron Pollock, Director of Instruction at Lake Toxaway Club to give a two-day workshop to his members on AimPoint Green Reading fundamentals. It was so successful; he was invited back for a second weekend in 2021 to present AimPoint to another group of 24 Lake Toxaway members. Rick returned to Lake Toxaway in 2022 and 2023 to teach more members the AimPoint process and he travelled with his GEARS 3D Motion Capture system to capture members swings and evaluate.

In May of 2023, Murphy was invited by PGA Member George Henson, Director of Instruction at Mountain Air CC in Burnsville, NC to provide a two-day instructional program for his Annual Boot Camp. This event kicks off the season at Mountain Air.

Rick was asked to deliver a program for the forty MACC members participating that included, a 3D Golf Functional Fitness assessment/evaluation for each student and illustrate hands on with each student how this assessment related to each individuals swing and motion. Also, AimPoint Green Reading sessions were part of the program.

Having the expertise from training with the Gary Gray and the Gray Institute and coupled with his understanding of 3D MAPS, it was a perfect opportunity to work with MACC members and George Henson, PGA. Rick wanted to deliver to the students the benefits of looking at their body motion and golf swing in three planes of motion, which are frontal, sagittal and transverse and finding opportunities to improve their performance.

To accomplish this and to provide the best experience for the Boot Camp attendees, Rick included longtime team member, Lori Gordon. Lori has earned advanced degrees in Exercise Physiology and Chemistry. She is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through NSCA, a Fellow of Applied Functional Science, Certified in Functional Manual Reaction, and is a Nike Golf Performance Specialist (NG360) through the Gray Institute. Lori has 14 years of professional experience as an Exercise Physiologist, Movement Specialist, and Sport Performance Trainer.

The event was a huge success and even created more demand. As a result, Rick and Lori were invited back to Mountain Air CC just a few weeks later to work with the members again. On the return trip, Rick set up GEARS at their learning center and captured several members swings and gave each an evaluation. Also, AimPoint session were conducted. Incredible experience over three days!

Murphy has travelled to other PGA Members clubs to help them with their personal game and to conduct more AimPoint sessions for their members. Another example is Old Chatham GC and Director of Golf, John Marino. Rick delivered an instructional AimPoint session to the members and worked privately with Marino on his game and continues to do this.

PGA Junior Camps – 2023
Held every summer each year since 2015. 3 Full Week Camps, 3 Half Day Camps and 3 Pee Wee Camps. Camps full each session.

US Kids – Player Pathway – 2023
Programming developing future golfers ongoing. Weekly sessions on Tuesdays & Thursdays. 10-week Fall Sessions and 10-week Spring Sessions. Totaling 40 sessions available for youth ages 5-14.

Womens Golf – 2023
Murphy’s GNGC has women’s introductory clinics which are taught by our Greensboro National PGA Member Staff. Approximately 20 Women are attended our Fall 2023 Sessions

Please share any programming you have made to keep your customers & students engaged:
Since a portion of my students are Golf Professionals I started this program:

“Coaches Corner”
– In 2022, Rick developed and implemented a program that PGA Members have access to at his facility. Murphy called this program “Coaches Corner”. This is an opportunity for experienced or young teachers and coaches to come to Ricks facility to learn. PGA Members and associates would have the opportunity to see and use technology that they may not ordinarily have access to. For example, GEARS 3D Motion Capture, Force Plates and more. Murphy had a group in 2022 and now in 2023 he personally invites teachers to come visit and learn.

“Long-Term Coaching Programs”
– In an effort to create the mindset of meaningful and long-term improvement in my students of all ages, I started offering more long-term learning packages. I let my students know I have the obligation to see that they improve over a period of time, and I stress the importance of their commitment and engagement over that period. In my career, I have come to the realization that I should probably spend my time primarily with students that are serious about making improvements that are more long-term and measurable with short- and long-term goals. I want the students that I choose to work with to have a mindset of “it’s a journey” and one that we walk together. Of course, I enjoy working with students on a less frequent basis and short-term packages, but I much prefer students that are more long-term in their mindset.

“BenQ Simulator 2023”
Added a golf simulator in Fall of 2022. When the weather is inclement, I can close the hitting bay door which opens up onto the range and remotely control a screen that rolls down. The BenQ 4K projector is the best in the business and I have 4K simulator software which delivers an incredible experience for the student that feels and looks like they are outdoors. This has allowed me to teach continuously year-round with no interruptions. Students love it!!