Sproull, Connor - Junior Golf Tour

From PNWPGA Best Practices
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Property: Missoula Country Club

Location: Missoula, MT

Program Contact: Connor Sproull

Contact Phone/Email: 406-251-2751 / connorsproull@pga.com

Name of PD Program: Missoula Junior Tour

Type of PD Program: Junior Golf Program

Details of Program

When I first started at Missoula Country Club in 2014 I called the US Kids and they said I could only have a tour in Missoula if I could get 30-40 junior golfers and they didn’t think I could recruit that many kids in a small community. So I created the Missoula Junior Golf Tour in 2015 by holding a meeting with all of the local pros and teachers, making flyers and dropping them off at all the schools, gyms, parks and was pleasantly surprised to have over 70 kids sign up to play on the tour in the first year. Every year we have grown by a few kids as we usually lose some of the 17-18 year-olds and gain some of the 13-14 year-old kids that have graduated from PGA Junior League.

  • The kids play a different golf course in the Missoula area each week
  • I find out all of the prices for a junior summer pass to all of the local municipal courses they play and let the parents know at registration.
  • Most of my kids can’t afford to be members at a country club, so they get a pass to one of the 7 other municipal courses we play every summer.
  • Kids are provided with breakfast and lunch at every event
  • Kids get raffle tickets to win money in the host golf shop and a collared shirt and hat.
  • End of the season blow out luncheon here at Missoula CC

Results of Program

We have had a few of the families over the last 4 years join the Missoula Country Club and I get a lot of support and pats on the back from the members for organizing it for the kids. As far as personal income, I do make a little bit of money off of it, but in the last few years I have hired one of my Assistant Professionals to help me with the program as I still have to run the daily operations of a Country Club golf shop.

Recommendations

I think it is a home run for any Golf Professional to start something similar to the Missoula Junior Golf Tour in their community, regardless of the size.