PGA Level 3 Seminar: Day 1

For the 3rd time in less than two years, I find myself back in Port St. Lucie, this time for the PGA Level 3 Seminar at the PGA Education Center. This morning was crazy. I say this morning because I didn’t get in to West Palm Beach until after midnight, and by the time I picked up my bag from the carousel at baggage claim, hailed an Uber, and checked-in to the Hilton Garden Inn, my head didn’t hit the pillow until almost 1:45a. Good thing I’m still on Arizona time. My body thought it was only 10:45p.

But enough about me. Let’s get back to Level 3! Erik Nielsen (PGA) and Michelle Hupfer (PGA) opened Day 1 with a brief introduction and then a description of the Final Experience presentation we’re responsible for on Friday morning.

There are five groups at the Seminar this week, and each group has been assigned a different topic related to one of the PGA’s nine growth of the game initiatives. After all, the mission of the PGA of America is to “grow the game of golf.”

We’re responsible for a 20-minute presentation followed by a five-minute Q&A and debrief. I’m in Group 1, and our topic is “Connecting with Her.” We had about an hour to work on our presentations before breaking for lunch. Here are this week’s presentation topics:

Team 1: Connecting with Her (My Team)
Team 2: Targeting Lapsed Seniors
Team 3: Engaging the Entire Family
Team 4: Drive for Diversity
Team 5: Engaging Electronic Users

Mike Nedelcoff (PGA) took the stage for most of the morning session to discuss the state of the Golf Economy and Player Development. Mike is from Davenport, Iowa and has been a PGA Member for 33 years. He’s been an adjunct faculty member at PGA Education for 13 and was one of the founders of The First Tee in the Quad Cities area. I don’t know what it was, but the guy reminded me of a Wisconsin version of actor Bill Murray.

Mike told us that golf reached its peak in 2000, but that the supply had already well exceeded the demand. The growth in courses had been exceeding the demand in play for several years. Then came 9.11. The travel and tourism industries took a hit, bookings went down 50%, and people went into protection mode. The way people lived their lives changed. Golf revenues increased due to higher prices but not increased participation.

Flash forward to today. The good news is that course closures have leveled off, but the bottom line has never been more important. This week we’re here to learn how we can increase revenue at our facilities. That’s why Player Development programs are so important. There are currently 24.7 million golfers in America, but there are an estimated 90 million people interested in playing golf. On the bright side, much of the population is being under-served. It’s up to us to go out and get them.

After lunch, we split back up into our groups to continue working on our presentations. We’re hearing that the presentation takes about 4-5 hours to complete. You get roughly two hours of class time Monday to work on it, but you’ll need another 2-3 hours outside of the Seminar (depending on how complex you want it to be and how well you delegate) to complete it. Friday is basically a half-day because once all the presentations are done, it’ll be time to board the shuttle back to Palm Beach International.

My group elected to meet after Monday’s Seminar simply to work on our PowerPoint presentation. Tuesday is Supervising and Delegating, and we won’t have a chance to work on our presentations during the day. Here’s the schedule for the week:

PGA Level 3 Seminars
Monday (8:30a-5:00p) Welcome/Orientation, Player Development Seminar
Tuesday (8:30a-4:30p) Supervising and Delegating Seminar
Wednesday (8:30a-4:30p) Advanced Teaching Seminar (Day 1)
Thursday (8:30a-5:50p) Advanced Teaching Seminar (Day 2)
Friday (8:00a-12:00p) Final Experience, Check-Out, Depart for Palm Beach International Airport (1:00p)

Weekly Lunch Menu (Sam Snead’s)
Monday – Pan-seared salmon with seasonal roasted veggie fettucine pasta
Tuesday – Chicken BLT wrap with ranch dressing and assorted chips
Wednesday – Roasted lemon rosemary chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables
Thursday – Carnitas tacos with cilantro lime rice, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, and creme’
TGI Friday – Boxed lunches with assorted chips

All meals come with either water or iced sweet or unsweetened tea, rolls, and cookies for dessert. I think the food is getting progressively better with each Seminar because there aren’t as many mouths to feed.

Blogger’s Note: 
At each Seminar, the number of attendees has noticeably declined. This week, there are only 28 students in attendance and only two of them are women. I think there were only two women at the Level 2 Seminar too. When you look around the room, you can understand why the golf industry has the reputation for being such a “male-dominated” one.

We were told we would be given access to our Level 3 Work Experience Portfolios during the afternoon session. By 4:00p, it was up. Some of it can definitely be completed while you’re here at the Seminar, but much of it will have to wait until you get back to your home facility when you can conduct interviews. I was able to get almost 12% Complete without much effort.

If You Want to Play
You can bring your golf clubs, but you’re probably going to be spending most of your time in the evenings working on your presentation for Friday. There are three courses nearby, and the cost to play is just $20 all-inclusive. Rental sets are available at no extra charge. All you have to do is add your name to the sign-up sheet at the front desk before 1:00p, and Laverne Verano will get your name on the tee sheet. Word on the street right now is that the greens are sanded and punched.

Remember, if you’re a little more strapped for time (and money), you can also play the complimentary six-hole PGA Short Course. Shots vary anywhere from 35 to 60 yards, it takes about 30-45 minutes to play, and it requires nothing more than a wedge and putter to get around. Those clubs are also included at no charge.

Preview of Day 2: Supervising and Delegating Seminar (8:30a-4:30p)
Mike is back alongside Debbie Foley (PGA) for Tuesday’s Supervising and Delegating Seminar. When we got into the ballroom Monday morning, we were greeted by a copy of Principles of Food, Beverage, and Labor Cost Controls by Paul R. Dittmer and J. Desmond Keefe III. Now I know why. There are no Food & Beverage Control or Career Enhancement Seminars here at Level 3.

They are self-study courses, meaning that you will have to read the Course Manuals on your own time. Most of what you need to know for the Food & Beverage exam will come from that textbook, and I also learned that you have to know the formula for calculating food costs.

In other great news, Palm Beach Tours & Transportation, Inc. just got a brand new Mercedes shuttle. Actually, it’s more like a limo than a shuttle. Marvin, the shuttle driver I’ve referenced in previous posts, is on vacation, but it’s his rig. Check it out the next time you’re here, and enjoy the ride!