Jeff Ellison, PGA
The 44th Hawaii Pro-Am presented by State Farm Jim Ostrander Agency is underway at the Kauai Marriott with 80 players enjoying 78 degrees, beautiful beaches and two great golf courses – Hokuala and Poipu Bay. Follow the action on Golf Genius and Facebook to get inspired to join us next January when we head back to the Big Island.
We are down to the wire on the Ireland Pro-Am. Put a team together and join us, September 21 – 28 as we play some of the best links courses in the world. Commitments are due now with deposits by the end of the month. Call Jeff Ellison if you are interested. Click here for complete details.
You’ll see the announcement of our new credit card sponsor in the next few days. We will be launching a no annual fee card with the Section logo on it. I encourage you to look at both the personal and business options; I think you will like what you see.
I’m off to the PGA Show next week to meet with our many sponsors. We are very fortunate to receive all the support we see each year. All your thank you notes and emails really help us renew support for your programs. Please keep it up.
The PGA Show also serves as the catalyst for not only releases about new products but also releases from the PGA of America on new programs and initiatives from HQ. Keep an eye out for emails from National and the Section about new things that benefit you.The 2,900 kids in PGA Junior League in the Section in 2018 is a testament to the value of the program to the kids, to the families, to the facilities and to you, the PGA Professional. This program is a great bridge between introductory junior activities and the professional junior tours. Use the marketing horsepower of the PGA Brand and the collaborative opportunity with your fellow professionals to help grow the game FOR YOUR FACILITY. Branden Thompson is our dedicated PGA Junior League Regional Manager; contact him at 503-869-2827 or via email at:bthompson@pgahq.com
For those of you staring college tuition in the face, I encourage you to apply for the PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship on PGA.org. It not only serves as the application for this scholarship but also the two Bunny Mason Scholarships offered by the Junior Golf Funds. One application, two opportunities – apply now:
PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship
The golf season is approaching very quickly, please make plans to utilize your PGA membership and participate in our wide array of Section and Chapter programs. They exist for your benefit!
Jeff Ellison, PGA
CEO, Pacific NW Section PGA
Don Rea, PGA
First, let me take this opportunity to say that I appreciate your Board of Directors giving me the opportunity to share with you an update and that I am always here to answer any of your questions. Please never hesitate to give me a call at Augusta Ranch – (480) 354-0802 #102. email me at: drea@augustaranchgolf.com
PGA Frisco
I know many of you are familiar with the Tacoma Convention Center. That building has 119,000 sq ft of space. The campus of PGA Frisco will include: 2 championship courses, a short course and practice areas totaling 45 holes, a clubhouse as well as a 500 room Omni Hotel and 127,000 square foot of conference space. The PGA Global Headquarters building will be 100,000 sq ft. The entire project includes public and private money exceeding 520 million covering 600 acres. Omni Stillwater and Woods are in for 455 million and the PGA is in for 30 million. Frisco, Texas was rated the 2018 Best Place to Live in America.
However, the real question is how does it affect you? How does it Serve the Member and Grow the Game? That is a question that we (your PGA BOD) asked hundreds of times over the past 3 years while we discussed the possibilities of the project and impact of the move from Palm Beach Gardens (By the way, we will still have a significant presence in Palm Beach Gardens location). In my humble opinion and in no particular order:
There is no doubt in my mind, this new global headquarters is a game changer and is going to be a place you will be proud to visit with your fellow professionals, family, friends and those interested in becoming a PGA member. Expected opening is 2022.
Well, believe it or not, I am out of words, or space. :) Some quick updates:
Once again, thanks for the opportunity, never hesitate to contact me with any questions, God Bless and have a great day.
Don Rea, PGA
Monte Koch, PGA of America Employment Consultant
For 2019, how is your professional development coming along? Or said differently, how is the “investment in you” going? One of the key takeaways I learned from a former supervisor (and still a current mentor) was this statement. He would say, “in your role in the field, we need you and your colleagues to be as well-equipped as possible. Your professional development, your expertise will either increase or limit your ability to give value to the PGA professionals you serve.” If you’re in a supervisory role, I would like to challenge you to invest more in those you lead in 2019. And, more in your own development.
One of the books given to me for my professional development this fall is the book, The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann. To summarize the book, it tells a story about a man, a professed “go-getter” named Joe. He is a salesman and has experienced reasonable success from being an “ambitious go-getter.” However, he seems to have reached his limits, where his effort, ambition and commitment are no longer enough to “make the difference.”
Joe is struggling to make his quarterly sales target, and is literally grasping at any connection he has, in hopes of “making his numbers.” In desperation, he starts to ask for help. In that ask, he is led to meet a mentor named Pindar to help him. He expects to have pay for the help, but surprisingly Pindar (aka The Chairman) gives him valuable advice at no cost to him. Instead, Pindar teaches Joe the “Five Laws of Stratospheric Success,” by having Joe meet various people who have already mastered these five laws.
The simplest, clearest message of the book actually aligns with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Law of Compensation: “you will always be compensated for your contributions, one way or another. Therefore, it’s better to focus on giving more if you wish to receive more.”
The book goes beyond the Law of Compensation, and further expands it into five laws known as “The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.” In the book, the authors boldly recommend the reader actually try them, instead of just thinking about them. They believe, the reader will then determine for themselves that each of these five laws do indeed work.
The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success (I will seek to take each of the five laws and apply them to our golf business, and/or to our roles as golf professionals, leaders, managers and teachers of the game.)
1. The Law of Value — Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”
True worth: the true worth an individual brings is more than WHAT they do, or HOW they do it. The true worth might be a formula like this: (Your Why + Your Positivity + Your Effort + Your Professionalism) = Your True Worth (to those you give your time, effort and value to.) Another way to look at “true worth” is the difference one person makes vs a person who might replace them (eg. Similar to “Wins Against Replacement” or WAR score in baseball metrics.) Question: What is your true worth?
Value: is a part of the customer’s “demand decision” (or the member’s, or the employee’s), and what they get from doing business with you, your facility, etc. is the way their value is defined. Question: Do you regularly enhance the value in your customer’s demand decision?
Worthwhile payment: The old saying, “A good day’s pay for a good day’s work.” This is the accurate, but simplistic view. I would add that “a good day’s (or week, or year’s) effort is made more worthwhile, more fulfilling and more impactful when it the work is more beneficial to all involved. A “win-win” outcome to create “worthwhile fulfillment.” Question: Do you do more than a “good day’s work?” Do you create/drive “win-win” outcomes for your customer/member and/or your employer?
2. “The Law of Compensation — Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.”
Your impact short term: the value of your true worth to those you impact, will come “back to you” in compensation (monetary, reputation, in-kind compensation, etc.) at a greater rate of return than you shared
Your impact long term: this is your impact, lengthened out, and strengthened through those you make an impact on (the compensation you might receive for this will often be beyond monetary value, but spill into areas most would consider “priceless” or lasting in value.)
Your impact, made by those you impact: Your service, mentoring and leadership example will be exemplified by others and their service will increase your reputation, your value and quite often, your compensation
“Keep On Casting” – there’s an old saying that says, “Keep on casting your bread upon the water, soon it’s gonna come back home on every wave.” In this saying, the point is to believe in what you’re doing, don’t be “shaken” if the results you expect don’t come right away, instead “stand strong” in your belief and “keep casting.” Question: Are you still casting (and giving) your service to what you believe? Are you willing to “keep casting?”
3. “The Law of Influence — Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.”
“Now, by a network I don’t necessarily mean your customers or clients. I mean a network of people who know you, like you and trust you. They might never buy a thing from you, but they’ve always got you in the backs of their minds. They’re people who are personally invested in seeing you succeed, y’see? And of course, that’s because you’re the same way about them. They’re your army of personal walking ambassadors. When you’ve got your own army of personal walking ambassadors, you’ll have referrals coming your way faster than you can handle them.
Employees first: as a leader/manager, if you put these, who often have the greatest contact with the customer first, they’ll put the customer (member) first and allow your influence to lead them, inspire them. Question: Do those you lead feel like they’re first, that you’re a servant leader?
Teammates first: this is the very same as employees, except we’re talking about those you with, your peers, your colleagues. Question: Do your teammates recognize your team-centric approach? (If not, maybe it’s not a reality to them.)
Community first: this one is the hardest to measure, but it can be the most powerful. The more you put the needs, outcomes and benefits for the community first, the more those who make up the community will allow your influence to guide, inspire and motivate their behaviors.
Customer or Member first: if you build programming, experiences and event schedules around the “demand decision” of the customer, giving them preference (over your own), they’ll reward you, let you influence them and lead them to act in the ways of loyalty.
4. “The Law of Authenticity — The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.”
As a Manager, Authenticity Matters: As a leader and manager, sharing yourself (with wisdom) enhances your credibility and your ability to lead. Acknowledging, (with authentic self-awareness,) your faults and mistakes to your team, your volunteers, your kids, etc. will give them security in not having to be perfect, and it sets the example that we do our best and seek excellence, (but we’re not bound and weighed down by our inability to be perfect.)
Develop the authentic strengths and skills you have, but don’t hide from your “weaknesses/gaps.” Allow, and seek out, others who can fill your gaps (and you fill theirs) and have strengths of their. Your willingness to “see your gaps” and “celebrate their strengths” are what will help you make the “most of your authentic best.”
“What I’m here to sell you on, is you. People, remember this: no matter what your training, no matter what your skills, no matter what area you’re in, you are your most important commodity. The most valuable gift you have to offer is you. Reaching any goal you set takes ten percent specific knowledge or technical skills — ten percent, max. The other ninety-plus percent is people skills. And what’s the foundation of all people skills? Liking people? Caring about people? Being a good listener? Those are all helpful, but they’re not the core of it. The core of it is who you are. It starts with you.”
5. “The Law of Receptivity — The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.”
Room to grow: receptiveness and willingness to learn is key to growth.
When I was a general manager, I believe one of my “aha moments” was to try to “look for the constructive feedback, or the opportunity to improve that was within the complaint.” Once I started thinking this way, I found myself appreciating constructive feedback from customers, employees and peers; and I started to feel like there were less complaints I had to deal with.
Now is the time to ask yourself some of these questions. Are you a “Go-Getter?” Are you feeling like Joe did, burning out on the effort side of “getting?” Would you like to be a “Go-Giver” instead? Does that sound like a more fulfilling approach to reaching your goals, growing your impact and your income? If you’d like to get together with me to consider these questions, I’m in. When can we can make it happen? I appreciate the opportunity to help you (or those you lead) with your career and I hope you’ll give me the opportunity to partner with you on it soon.
Happy New Year,
Monte Koch, PGA Certified Professional/Player Development | Career Consultant
PGA Career Services | PGA of America
Serving PGA professionals, employers in the Pacific NW & Rocky Mountain PGA Sections
Email: Mkoch@pgahq.com Cell: 206/335-5260
Branden Thompson, PGA - Regional League Manager
Captain Registration is going strong again this year. Leagues will change as the program grows, so it is important to register early. Early registration helps keep us all organized and better communicate schedules to our players and families. I will be working on league formation in February so please register your program by January 31st.
As crazy as it may seem, player registration is about to open. There will be a “soft launch” during the PGA Show. National promotion will begin February 1st. This is another reason to get registered as a captain by then—you definitely want to have your program listed when player registration begins!
Despite the weather, this is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a time when I get to meet in a small group setting with captains and discuss how to make your programs better. Currently I’m making my way around the eastern part of our section. After the PGA Show, I’ll be hitting the west side of the Cascades, in addition to the Spring meeting tour. Be on the lookout for an invitation to a meeting near you.
This is going to be another great year for PGA Junior League. I have talked to quite a few captains who are expanding either to multiple teams or in-house leagues. There are also a couple of areas that will be starting leagues for the first time. It’s great to know that more kids will get the chance to experience PGA Jr. League. Keep up the great work!
Once you register, take some time to explore your new website dashboard called the Captain Resource Center. This was designed to be the one site where you can access everything you need to register, market, and run a great PGA Jr. League program: www.pgajrleague.com/crc
Please let me know how I can help be a successful captain. Contact me via phone at 561-293-2585 or email at: bthompson@pgahq.com
Regards,
Branden Thompson, PGA
561-293-2585
bthompson@pgahq.com