By Elizabeth Granahan, PGA
The G2 Golf Group is a boutique golf company specializing in golf instruction, player development and golf industry consulting. G2 Golf Travel is our domestic and international travel company. The G2 Golf Group and G2 Golf Travel are co-owned and operated by me and golf industry professional Michele Gajderowicz.
Now located in Calabash, North Carolina, The G2 Golf Group was established in Pennsylvania nearly 15 years ago, where I was a member of the Philadelphia PGA Section for 22 years. As President & Director of Instruction, my daily focus is on player and program development. At its onset, our first academy building was a climate-controlled indoor/outdoor facility.
When we began, golf culture was such that folks would put the clubs away in October and return to golf in March. However, taking five months off was not advantageous to maintaining golf skills or the long-term growth of our business. Our challenge was to make winter training attractive.
TRAVEL
Addressing the reality that many students need tangible, time-based goals, we determined that winter travel would be a good place to begin. By inviting our best clients to a February San Diego-based Pro-Am, we were able to achieve this goal. Who wouldn’t want to leave Philadelphia in the dead of winter?
Following the Pro-Am, we asked for our clients’ honest feedback. We solicited their thoughts on accommodations, food, event host, golf facility, transportation and other relevant information. Not only were they incredibly flattered to be included, but they also became G2 Golf Travel ambassadors.
Students who committed to traveling with us to our Pro-Ams quickly became dedicated to winter improvement. As ambassadors, they also encouraged their friends to do the same. By providing a reason to gain and maintain skills in what had historically been the off-season, we elevated our business and our customer experience.
PROFESSIONALISM
We are charter members of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), The Golf Tourism Network (GTN) and registered, Official Scots Agents (Visit Scotland). Through active participation in these Associations, we have developed trusted colleagues from around the world and are thus able to fashion incredible golf and cultural adventures.
VALUE
We offer five-star luxury travel experiences on a three-star budget. Our trips include a combination of world-class golf and local cultural experiences at a tremendous value. We encourage our clients with the phrase “Don’t Be a Tourist, Be a Traveler,” and we invite them to experience foreign destinations from a local perspective.
We craft exceptional experiences. Our non-traditional approach has provided our clients with opportunities to travel to Cuba and Iceland, as well as bucket list trips like living aboard a South African train while playing golf and experiencing game drives.
Our travels also include popular destinations like Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and England. Of course, for a golf enthusiast, our annual trip, with guaranteed tee times to play St. Andrew’s Old Course, is a must!
Switzerland and France offer popular DP World Tour stops, as well as the LPGA Major, Evian Championship. Evian has become one of my favorite golf courses in the world! One should not ignore wine tasting in beautiful vineyards, cheese making in Gruyere, crafting and eating chocolate in Broc, magnificent museums and architecturally and financially significant structures.
Portugal and Spain have wonderfully welcoming international cities, like Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona, Madrid and Balboa to name a few. However, no matter where we travel in Europe, the architecture, food, landscape, people and history are no doubt enriching.
EXPANDING THE G2 GOLF COMMUNITY & ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT
Our clients have become a second family. Once they see the care and attention to detail Michele brings to the planning and execution of each expedition, they return again and again. Through shared journeys and magical experiences, our travelers forge lifelong friendships.
So who are our travelers? Well, they are men and women, old and young, golfers and non-golfers, gay and straight. Ironically, incorporating travel allowed our business to enjoy full-circle growth. Student travelers invited friends to enjoy trips, and those friends then became students, aiding in the growth and sustainability of our instruction business.
Incorporating travel added an enormous amount of work, and at the onset was a break-even proposition. However, travel has had an enormously positive impact on our relationships and bottom line. Over time, it has become our greatest single revenue stream. There is no doubt that instruction and travel have become intrinsically connected.
PERSONAL NOTE
When discussing travel opportunities with other golf professionals, they often underestimate the required amount of time, expertise and commitment necessary for success. In addition to her role as CEO and Managing Partner, Michele spends an inordinate amount of time ensuring every travel detail is perfect.
If you are planning to add travel to your itinerary or would like to wander into the travel market, be prepared to go all in or find a reliable partner. Consumers are very savvy and can be unforgiving. We work with travel groups, PGA and LPGA Members and others to curate personalized bespoke packages. We are also happy to extend the invitation to join one of our escorted trips.
Our travel website contains a few of our 2025 travel itineraries and booking is a breeze!
