Fern, David - Junior Golf Academy Utilizing Operation 36

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Property: Downriver GC

Location: Spokane, WA

Program Contact: David Fern

Contact Phone/Email: (509) 993-4571, dmfern82@yahoo.com

Name of PD Program: Junior Golf Academy Utilizing Operation 36

Type of PD Program: Junior Golf Program

Dates of Program: Year-round

Details of Program

Background: Designed for kids ages 7-18 year old, beginner to advanced junior golfers. In 2016, we had 12 junior golfers on our 3 month long PGA Junior League team. For 2017, utilizing the Operation36 format, we wanted to develop a year-round junior golf academy with significant growth compared to our 2016 number of participant (our goal was to go from 12 to 60).

We developed the Downriver Junior Golf Academy which utilizes the Operation36 curriculum and is a year round program divided into 4 semesters that are 12 weeks long. Academy participants can participate between 1 and 4 days per week. Included are Academy classes, Supervised Practices, and Operation36 9 hole matches. All program operations were supervised by David Fern using the Operation36 curriculum.

At the end of every semester, we open up the Skill Point Store which includes hats, shirts, golf accessories, toys, games, candy and much more. Kids acquire poker chips (Skill Point Chips) throughout the Semester for winning contests, completing assignments, showing improvement, playing more golf, and passing rules/etiquette tests.

A Yamaha Grant was used to buy the academy junior golfers some prizes in the Skill Point Store.

Results of Program

2017 Results

  • Academy participants - There were 55 junior golf participants in the 2017 Downriver Junior Golf Academy. Minimum commitment was for a semester of 12 weeks. That is a growth of over 450% in 1 year! Their visits to Downriver GC ranged from 1-4 days per week, throughout the Downriver GC golf season ranging from March-October.
  • Strokes saved- we kept track of their 1st week’s Op36 match scores, and if they improved from their first week’s score at a specific tee length, we count those as strokes saved! 100’s of strokes were saved in 2017!
  • Family Members increased interest- Parents and family were encouraged to watch the Op36 9 hole matches and we saw an increased level of interest from mostly mothers who are already inquiring about a 2018 Ladies Academy.
  • Revenue generated - we tracked revenue generated. Junior golf lesson revenue rose over 10 times the revenue from any previous years, and the golf course revenue, while not tracked, saw a notable (but not tracked) rise in junior golf rounds played, pro shop merchandise sales, and range ball sales.

2018 Results

  • Massive impact. 2,800 facility visits to Downriver by Academy juniors, and 1,500 by parents (total 4,300).
  • If average spend is $5 per visit (estimated), then Academy kids/families spent $21,500 in 2018.
  • Also noteworthy: 8 Season Passes sold, 2 new indoor bays developed at Downriver for Winter Semester, 1,450 rounds played by Academy Juniors, and development of Academy Assistant position for PGA Apprentice.

Recommendations

Some keys to growing the program were- hosting and nailing Parent Orientation evenings, conducting 1 on 1 sit downs to explain the Academy to current or prospective parents, getting the kids on the course and tracking their progress via the Operation36 curriculum, the Skill Point Store (kids love the prizes), and encouraging parents to share with other parents if they like our programs.

Do Operation 36. Don’t worry about the startup costs, it will pay itself off in the first month.

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