PGA Level 3 Test Battery Study Guide

It’s finally ready! After more than a few requests, this is the study guide I recently put together for the four-test PGA Level 3 Test Battery. Of the three PGA PGM Levels, this one is by far my longest guide: 36 pages (condensed from the 416 that make up Level 3). Remember, Career Enhancement is not part of this Test Battery.

Feel free to copy and paste this guide into a Word Doc so you can print it out to study. There’s no Extra Credit section yet, as this is usually reserved for the one part of each Test Battery I fail to pass. My test is this Wednesday, so wish me luck! And feel free to either post a comment or contact me if you have any questions. I’ll post another article with more intel as soon as I get out of the Testing Center.

PGA Level 3 Study Guide
Learning Outcomes

Player Development Programs & Teaching Business
Lesson 1: Player Development and the Golf Economy
* Understand how player development programs benefit a facility and PGA Professional financially

Tee It Forward – aim is to help golfers have more fun on the course and enhance their overall experience by playing at a course length that is aligned with their average driving distance (175 yd. driver distance = 4,400-4,600 recommended 18-hole yardage).

Alternative Formats – changing the number of holes in a standard round, scramble variations, and near-golf experiences (kicking a soccer ball down the fairway).

Ten PGA of America Growth Strategies:
Retain and strengthen the golfing core – (1) know your customer, (2) deepen engagement in current golfers (utilizing customer info for loyalty and leagues to overcome time, expense, and non-welcoming barriers). Engage the lapsed golfer – (3) recognize women’s influence, (4) target the 90-million lapsed, (5) engage the entire family, (6) target lapsed seniors, (7) engage electronic users. Drive new players – (8) reach the other 84% (of non-golf households), (9) I’m ready to play (engaging and accommodating new players), (10) drive for diversity

Highlighting the value of golf = professionals and golf facilities should highlight the tremendous value of golf. Golf must overcome the misperception of the high cost of equipment and fees, especially among families. Research illustrates that former golfers and people who do not play the game view the cost of golf as 2-3 times greater than other options available.

PGA Member education and training = aligning the PGA Professional’s education with the above initiatives will incorporate education, player development, and employment.

* Link player development programs to the facility’s business goals and objectives

A construction spurt in the 1990s has resulted in an oversupply of courses, forcing more courses to compete for fewer potential and current golfers. Future growth of the game and industry success will depend largely on how well golf facilities and other arms of the industry provide enjoyable golf experiences for all types of players.

Facilities cannot afford not to pursue player development. Properly designed and effectively-priced player development programs can pay for themselves directly. Every new person who takes up the game will spend money on practice balls, food and drink, new or used equipment, greens fees or membership dues, and golf cars. New golfers spend approximately $1,000 during the first year they play the game. Player development should be treated as a core business function. It can be argued that player development is the business of golf and the mission of the PGA Professional.

 

Lesson 2: Designing Successful Player Development Programs
* Develop a specific business plan for player development programs

Player development is an organized activity that enhances playing skills, knowledge and enjoyment of the game, or frequency of participation. Player development can also be defined by its specific goals for target groups such as: retaining and strengthening participation by core golfers, engaging and bringing lapsed golfers back into the game, and appealing to targeted segments of non-golfers who have some interest in golf. Player development is thought of as a complete and varied program of instruction and services tailored for specific golfer segments such as current or prospective players, women, juniors, or seniors. It is a fundamental shift in methodology for marketing the game, recruiting new players, and fostering a long-term customer interest in golf as well as in a particular facility.

Successful player development has three major components: orientation to the game and the facility (orientations should be accessible, scheduled frequently, at convenient times for various groups, and be free or low-cost), instruction (clinics, ongoing individual and group programs for all levels, and instructor-facilitated practice and play; should be designed to promote step-by-step progress towards greater skills and enjoyment), and organized practice and play (good habits can be facilitated by organizing clubs, group practice sessions, and a variety of regularly-scheduled playing events such as leagues, tournaments, alternative play (ie. 6 after 6), and competitive opportunities). An array of instructional services that is integrated into the overall golf operation can improve customer satisfaction and ultimately increase revenues in all operational areas. Player development programs will ultimately succeed or fail based on the strength of the instructors. Instructors must have the ability to match specific players or demographic groups with the programs that will be most beneficial and also be able to communicate effectively with each group.

* Develop a comprehensive program of instructional services to promote practice, ongoing game improvement, and the playing of the game through the creative utilization of facility-wide resources

Implementing Player Development Programs is a four-phase process for planning, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive player development effort. Phase 1 is creating an overall design (needs to be shaped in light of business objectives, local market realities, customer preferences and needs, and human and financial resources), Phase 2 is selecting or developing specific programs (individual to that facility or adapting others already available), Phase 3 is implementing the programs (scheduling, staffing, promoting, setting-up, and running the programs), and Phase 4 is evaluating program effectiveness (comparing results to original business objectives and desired outcomes).

Phase 1: Creating an Overall Design = a facility needs to work-out a strategy and an overall design for player development before selecting specific programs to offer. A player development design should be consistent with the facility’s mission and its overall financial and service goals. It also needs to be coordinated and integrated with other operations areas. The steps in Phase 1 should be as follows: study the market and potential customers (local economic, demographic, and market conditions), look at the facility’s current customer base (of the 24.7 million golfers in the U.S., about half are core players (8+ rounds/yr.); avid golfers play 25+ rounds/yr.; while avid golfers make up only 26% of all golfers, they generate 71% of the revenue), assess the facility’s current player development programs and resources (step back and look at the facility’s current instructional and player development offerings and resources; perform a SWOT analysis; it is crucial to get feedback from former participants, track phone inquiries, and survey golf clientele about their interest; assess the competition), identify the program objectives and target audiences (objectives must be specific and stated in measurable terms such as dollars, number of students, or some indicator of customer progress or satisfaction as well as a time frame for completion; SMART Goals), and draft a preliminary budget for the overall program (consider the facility’s financial objectives, and project the program’s revenues and costs; developing a separate budget for player development overall and one for each individual component of the program helps ensure that player development doesn’t get overlooked or treated as a marginal activity).

Phase 2: Select or Develop Specific Programs = when creating a new program or selecting an available one, program planners should make sure the format is the most appropriate and appealing one for the intended customers. While a facility may decide to concentrate on one or two target segments, it is wise to take an eclectic approach, one that includes an orientation to the game, progressive golf skill instruction, transitioning from the practice tee to the course, and having fun.

“Welcome to Golf” programs = one of the most important tasks for the future of the game and the success of a facility is introducing non-players or re-introducing lapsed players to the game. “Welcome to Golf” programs contain the following three elements, which may be delivered separately or combined: 1) attraction/orientation 2) basic skill development (Get Golf Ready) 3) transition to play. Although usually designed for beginners, these programs can be suitable for lapsed golfers or even intermediate players looking to improve their games.

Loyalty programs = encourage golfers to play more often by offering reduced prices and/or additional amenities for frequent customers.

Leagues and tournaments = encourage regular play for large and small groups in the immediate community.

Connecting with Her = 42% of the 90 million people who have expressed an interest in golf are women. Connecting with Her is built on four strategic pillars: education and training, marketing and communication, programming and events, and alliance relationships. In the last five years, for every one man who left the game, three women left the game.

Seniors = only half of seniors reported having instructional help. Thirty-two percent of senior golfers claim to have found golf on their own as opposed to being introduced by family, friends, business associates, or industry promotions. Seniors tend to have the time, money, and usually the health to participate in player development programs.

Junior programs = the PGA of America recently initiated the PGA Sports Academy. Its mission is to coordinate a fun, systematic approach for growing junior golf participation with PGA Professionals at the forefront of delivering this experience. The objective is to develop core golfers who will have pathways to continue to play golf socially or competitively for a lifetime. The Academy has three levels: Sport, Player, and Champion. Each level has five areas: fitness and nutrition, golf skills, sportsmanship, etiquette, Rules, and golf and “near golf” experiences, and golf and physical assessments.

* Identify the distinctive needs, interests, desires, and concerns of a targeted population and match the specific development programs to these populations

Play Golf America = a comprehensive growth-of-the-game initiative launched in 2004 with the mission of increasing participation among new and existing golfers as well as getting former golfers back out on the course. It has two main components: a web site for consumers and a section on pga.org.

Get Golf Ready = a Play Golf America program that embodies all the major principles of an effective introduction to golf and conveys the skills it takes to play. It’s designed to bring consumers into the game in a fast, fun, and affordable way (five-lesson group instruction package is $99).

Although some facilities may choose to rely solely on existing, branded programs, others opt to offer them in conjunction with programs they have already created themselves. Others use the national programs as a model or base and then modify them to suit the facility’s particular goals and needs.

Properly organized player development programs necessitate the use of the entire golf facility and golf course. The facility must be set up in a way that matches the characteristics and needs of the students, provides a welcoming environment, does not intimidate newcomers, and maximizes students’ fun. In addition to being a direct source of revenue, player development offerings attract income for other parts of the facility such as golf shop sales, food and beverage revenues, green fees, and golf car fees. If possible, the overall program should include offerings that allow a participant to move up the development ladder.

 

Lesson 3: Implementing Player Development Programs
* Describe how to develop plans to market, promote, implement, and evaluate player development programs

Phase 3: Implement the Programs = player development programs are typically carried-out in a group format, and organization and planning are especially critical for delivering group instruction. Once the facility has decided on the overall program mix, it needs to think through all the details for each orientation, lesson series, or special clinic it intends to offer. Each offering will need a promotional plan (facility web site and social media), a budget (expenses and revenues), logistical details, adequate staffing, and contingency plans.

A registration system that is easy for students and staff to understand with well thought-out policies helps avoid misunderstanding and reduces the chance of turning-off and eventually losing new participants. The facility needs to make sure that registrants show-up and stay with a program by following-up (send emails, send out a monthly newsletter, or communicate individually). Some facilities will also send out questionnaires to participants ahead of scheduled events to learn more about them.

Implementing the programs should be as simple as carrying-out the steps in the program design and organizational plans. To set up and run a program on the day of the event, the best instructors use planning checklists. The fundamental principles and best practices for teaching the game of golf on an individual basis also apply to group lessons. Remember that the ultimate goal is to keep people involved in the game. The facility must be just as committed to player retention as it is to attracting new players, and its planning efforts should reflect that.

Phase 4: Evaluate Program Effectiveness = the golf professional can learn from experience and improve player development programs by measuring results against objectives and desired outcomes. The major reason for implementing these programs is to get beginning or existing players to play more often and keep up their interest in the game. Evaluating program effectiveness requires both hard data (class registration totals and financial figures), direct assessments of customer satisfaction (through interviews or surveys), and indirect indicators (sign-ups for more offerings or increased purchases or play at the course by program participants). Based on the data and analysis, a facility may want to make some changes to individual offerings and events or to the overall program.

 

Lesson 4: Building a Teaching Business
* Communicate the benefits of player development programs to create owner and facility-wide awareness

Teaching has typically been viewed as a duty to the game or as a source of extra income for the instructor rather than the facility. The teaching operation can have a significant impact on other operational areas and contribute to the facility’s overall financial health. Teaching has a trickle-down effect. When golfers are taught to play better, they enjoy golf more, play at the facility more, eat at the facility, buy more merchandise, and boost revenues all around.

* Develop a specific business plan for a teaching business

An effective teaching business plan spells-out clear goals for the teaching program that are consistent with the mission of the facility as a whole. Here are a few of the many benefits of business planning for the teaching professional: 1) clarifies objectives – helps management be clear on what the facility wants to accomplish 2) communicates objectives – conveys objectives and strategies to all staff and faculty 3) motivates staff 4) serves as a financial roadmap – keeps the program on track with forecasts and budgets 5) helps measure success – provides a benchmark for measuring performance 6) increases credibility – of whoever puts the plan together

The PGA Business Planning Model has five phases: 1) define the business – the mission statement is a vital planning tool for defining the business 2) assess the current state of the business – SWOT analysis 3) develop business goals, objectives, and related strategies – capitalizing on opportunities and countering perceived threats 4) prepare financial forecasts and budgets – must be supported by financial forecasts of revenues, expenses, and profits 5) monitor performance

* Devise a comprehensive instructional program that provides services to promote the game

In order to accomplish the objectives of the business plan, the facility must reach-out to potential customers and convey a message that attracts them to the instructional programs. Every product or service has a specific set of features and benefits. Because PGA Professionals are often viewed as a cost, they need to shift their marketing and promotion strategies to focus on the benefits they provide.

Promotion Guidelines for the Teaching Staff
1. Know your customers
2. Know your products
3. Know your competition – teaching programs in your area
4. Know why people buy – to have fun, socialize, or gain knowledge
5. Make selling an activity – instruction does not sell itself
6. Commit to service
7. Provide superior instruction
8. Compete – talk with people and ask for their business
9. Care – more about customers than money
10. Improve

* Market and promote the PGA Professional and instructional services through a variety of methods

Marketing efforts need to be augmented with other conventional promotional methods including special mailings or emails to customers or target segments of the general public. The promotional plan should identify specific tasks, a time frame, the person responsible, and the amount of budgeted funds.

Every teacher should have a business card and a basic write-up about his or her professional capabilities and experience to go in program notices and flyers. The instructor or facility can develop a brochure that includes general offerings, teaching philosophy, successes, experience and training, and rates charged. It’s important to stay fresh, current, and above all, cultivate a reputation for getting results. Another way to promote a teaching business and add perceived value to the customer is through the use of video, launch monitors, and other high-tech performance evaluation technologies. Providing excellent, results-producing service to customers is the most effective promotional activity because it generates word-of-mouth endorsements, the most effective and least expensive advertisements.

Providing good customer service begins with caring about people. Successful teachers care and naturally treat students with warmth, respect, and sincerity. Beyond the technical part of teaching, great instructors understand not only what to say but how to say it. Much of this has to do with the teacher’s overall enthusiasm and excitement.

* Provide ongoing training and educational opportunities for all staff for the purpose of creating an effective environment

Ongoing training of new and established members of the instructional team will be required to hone individual instructors’ skills, build team rapport, and ensure that performance adheres to the procedures, goals, and standards established for the teaching program. Many head instructors at leading facilities stress the importance of having a clear, explicit, and consistent teaching philosophy and approach shared by the entire staff. Facilities espousing a defined teaching philosophy aim to have a common understanding and swing model.

Some facilities bring-in top instructors to conduct clinics for the teaching staff. Others have a weekly, in-house “teach-in” session so instructors can learn from each other. One excellent on-site training technique involves the periodic observation of peers conducting lessons followed by a discussion of the various lesson elements. Others set-up mentoring systems. Regular on-site training is the best way to ensure the entire instructional team is updating teaching practices and improving the overall program of services for customers. It is also a great way to encourage interaction between experienced and novice or apprentice instructors.

Informal training will likely be the primary strategy for updating skills and improving services. However, participation in more formal education programs such as PGA Teaching Seminars or PGA Teaching and Coach Summits should also be encouraged. Formal education programs provide a solid foundation by helping instructors build a deep teaching knowledge base. It also helps professionals establish credibility with customers and other professionals.

 

Human Resource Management & Supervising and Delegating
Lesson 1: Human Resources and the Golf Business
* Describe an organization’s approach to human resources and the process of talent management

Human resources usually represents the majority of operational costs at golf facilities. It encompasses the company payroll, hiring and training costs, and all the resources necessary to support the successful ongoing operation of the human component of the business. A facility that establishes a strong employment model early on, visualizes and supports a positive culture, and finds employees who can commit to the facility’s vision, mission, and business objectives, is positioning itself for long-term success.

Before initiating the process of formulating its human resources strategy, a facility must ask some basic questions: how will employment be structured? How will careers unfold in the organization? What sorts of employees are wanted? In the business planning process, a number of major decisions are made about the overall character of the organization and the subsequent formulation of HR strategy involves addressing the particulars of who will run the organization and how they will work both alone and together to achieve business goals and objectives.

There are five factors that help assess whether a facility’s policies are a good fit with its culture and values, business strategy, external environment, and the work and worker profile:

Strategy 1: Do HR policies support business strategy and goals? This involves ensuring that HR policies support business strategies rather than working against them.

Strategy 2: Do HR policies reinforce facility values? The facility’s values should play a considerable role in the selection of HR policies.

Strategy 3: What is the impact of the external environment? Many aspects of HR policies from wage rates to training needs are likely to be shaped by the prevailing economic, social, legal, and political environment. Golf facilities should look at external factors that are likely to affect how they manage personnel policies.

Economic environment = Knowing the wage rates offered by competitors and comparable industries in the facility’s area helps gauge where the facility has to be to secure good staff. Paying premium wages (above the local market rate) has been shown to pay-off in a better choice of candidates, lower turnover, and a better return on the training dollar.

Legal issues = state and federal requirements affect almost every aspect of HR policy from hiring, promotion, and overtime to employment status, child labor, taxes, wage rates, and health and safety issues.

Social issues = the prevailing social norms in the country or region can affect how HR practices are carried-out.

Political issues = a key political issue impinging on HR policy for some golf facilities is the presence of labor unions. Municipal facilities may have other political issues such as reporting to elected officials and appointed staff or having city employees on the staff with different wage rates and benefits.

Strategy 4: What are the characteristics of the work force? Demographic and other characteristics of the work force have an impact on HR policies and can determine whether certain policies are going to be effective or not.

Strategy 5: How can the work profile affect HR? This includes all of the aspects of the many individual job profiles that define the work that has to be done, including the skills and technologies required, the interdependence of different work elements, the physical layout of facility and work groups, and how much creativity the work requires.

Skills and technology = if co-workers are needed to provide the training, time and reward should be provided as incentives to do so. Compensation may have to increase to stay commensurate with the skills required. Critical skills may dictate more extensive cross-training.

Physical layout and interdependence = some jobs are inherently more independent or interdependent than others. The more interdependent a job is, the harder it becomes to separate individual performance from the performance of the group. If a worker such as an on-course maintenance assistant is more isolated from the group, work is harder to monitor and direct. Quality standards, culture, and values need to be solidly ingrained in the employee to maintain the requisite standards. HR policies and procedures must be a good match with the skills, technologies, interdependence, and physical arrangements required in different operational areas.

Leadership in human resources = at a golf facility, the Head Professional is one of the key leaders in the business and is at least partially responsible for both strategic and personal leadership within the golf facility. At most facilities, the Head Professional is a prime mover in the business planning process, helps set targets for growth and financial performance, and plays a large role in charting the facility’s future direction.

Skills and characteristics = outstanding PGA Professionals exhibit several particular skills and qualities. They are passionate about the game and the business, exhibit excellent people skills, and constantly reinvent themselves to bring-in more customers and improve service by thinking creatively and entrepreneurially about everything they are doing.

Galvanize team around vision, mission, and values = the entire facility team should be brought on-board to live and exemplify the values and achieve the strategic goals set for the facility in the strategic planning phase.

* Recognize wage and hour and other employment laws that apply to the golf industry

A number of national, state, and local laws pertain to employment. The laws often show that assistant professionals do not meet the requirements for being exempt employees. In the likely case that the assistant professional is non-exempt, there are two primary ways in which to pay him: with an hourly wage and time-and-a-half pay for overtime as well as fluctuating hours and a fixed salary.

National laws and regulations:
Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) = gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances.

Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) = requires employees to attest to employees’ immigration status and makes it illegal to knowingly hire or recruit unauthorized immigrants.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) = helps ensure the health and safety of employees in the workplace.

Equal Pay Act = renders wage disparity illegal on the basis of gender.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) = encompasses a huge amount of wage and hour laws, including all those related to minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) = requires golf facilities comply with a number of design guidelines so that persons with disabilities are fully able to take advantage of what is on offer.

 

Lesson 2: Staffing and Compensation
* Analyze staffing needs, recruit, and hire qualified staff

Defining the structure of the golf operation should reveal these staffing needs. Staffing must support the facility’s business goals, mission, and core values both in its character and in the way it’s structured. The crucial component of staffing is attended to during the process of planning the golf operation. The facility’s staffing requirements are largely determined by the facility’s departments and business areas, which are determined by facility type. Determining the number of staff one needs to meet facility business goals and quality standards is the first step in the actual hiring process. Some functions within the golf facility (janitorial services, security, and building maintenance) can potentially be outsourced to independent third parties. Management should know what skills or abilities new hires should have before joining the facility and which can be taught upon arrival. Many facilities find personal qualities and cultural fit to be more important in new hires than a specific skill set. Recruiting can be done through PGA CareerLinks, PGA JobFinder, or through the PGA’s 12 Regional Employment Consultants. In order to effectively develop a pool of candidates for open positions, the positions must be carefully defined through the use of job descriptions. Application forms are basic but significant tools for initial screening of job candidates. Once applications and resumes have been received, the next step is to review and screen resumes by using a resume evaluation form. Once they have been sorted through, the next step in the hiring process is to interview candidates, check their references and backgrounds, and possibly test them for specific skills through pre-employment testing. During whatever negotiation process is in place when making hiring decisions, job candidates should have the opportunity to say what they expect of the employer and hear what the employer expects of them.

* Describe employment agreements and contracts

Full-time employment = refers to an arrangement in which an employee works 35-40 hours per week (and sometimes more) in exchange for hourly wage or salary and potentially plus benefits. In general, it is best to have key staff on as full-time employees: Head Golf Professional, First Assistant, Director of Instruction, Superintendent, Restaurant Manager, Golf Shop Manager, etc.

Part-time employment = works fewer hours per week than a full-time employee. In most cases, part-time employees are not the facility’s most key staff members.

Independent contractors = including instructional positions, might be appropriate for filling certain positions at golf facilities. Most signs point towards Professionals not being independent contractors if one or more of the following conditions apply: (1) the Professional has signed an “employment agreement” with the facility or any written agreement saying “club (or course” shall employ…” (2) “hours of operation” or time on the job are specified by the club or course, including hours for the golf shop, the course itself, the bag room, and the cart operations, etc. (3) provisions like “rent” (for the golf shop space) are paid by the facility (4) the Professional is provided with the following at no charge: electrical service or utilities, meals, local and/or long distance telephone service, uniforms, teaching equipment, and any other similar amenity (5) the club bills golfers for their account, collects, and then pays the revenue due the Professional. The ultimate safeguard is the completion of Form SS-8, which asks the IRS for a determination if the person is an employee.

* Describe alternatives for employee compensation and benefits

Compensation is generally tied to hours worked, and the wage rate is set by analysis of how similar jobs are compensated in the market. Wages can come in several forms. Compensation includes wages and any other fringe benefits the facility decides to provide. Providing a good package of benefits can be a great way to attract and retain employees. Some consider benefits to be the employer’s most effective compensation expenditure. The benefits the facility grants employees have largely to do with competition. The overall compensation package could include incentives, recognition, and rewards, which often come in the form of non-monetary compensation. Part-time employees are probably best paid hourly. Employees that a facility really wants to hold-on to and develop should be paid by salary plus incentives, and interns or apprentices may be compensated with a lump sum payment or stipend. A facility might also determine that its instructional needs are best fulfilled by contractors who provide lessons and pay the club a fee for using the facility.

 

Lesson 3: Training Staff
* Determine training needs and develop on-site training programs

The training cycle must always begin with an assessment of needs in which the facility identifies the skills needed to improve its business. There are five steps when designing staff education and training programs: needs assessment, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Three keys steps in determining training needs are examining strategic goals, examining required skills, and developing internal and external training programs. Internal training programs include: on-the-job, common orientation/initial training, specialized training for key positions, shadowing or trailing, job rotation programs, staff meetings, on-site consulting, and written and online training materials. External training options include: national, regional, and local conferences and training seminars. Vendors also provide valuable product training at both their facilities and on-site.

When implementing training, teachers may want to keep the following guidelines in mind: keep it simple for new learners, even basic concepts may need some explanation, and evaluate training procedures. The following is a five-step outline for how training can be effectively conducted: (1) review what the student is to learn and why it is important (2) verbal reinforcement – explain how to perform the skills, and explain what successful performance looks like in relation to performance standards (3) visual reinforcement – show the other person how to perform the skill or skills (4) kinesthetic reinforcement – ask the student to perform the skills with or in front of the teacher (5) provide the performer with feedback based on personal expectations and their standard of performance.

Evaluating training should cover all of the following areas: evaluate on what people should do and how they should perform, evaluate on what a good performance is expected to look like, and evaluate the performance based on defined, specific, and measurable criteria.

 

Lesson 4: Supervising and Delegating
* Describe the Performance System for supervising and delegating

At a minimum, the people involved in the Performance System are the person performing the task and the person’s manager. For the system’s optimal performance, the supervisor must work in partnership with his or her staff, sharing responsibility for clarifying expectations and exchanging feedback. There are eight characteristics of an effectively-functioning Performance System: (1) setting clear expectations (2) communicated to willing performers (3) with adequate capabilities (4) who are given resources (5) that allow them to respond to input (6) with appropriate actions (7) reinforced by meaningful consequences (8) and adjusted through timely feedback.

The above characteristics are reflected in the seven individual elements (in bold) that make up the Performance System. The first three elements of the Performance System are strongly influenced by the manager. Performance Expectations are communicated directly from the manager to the performer. The manager provides Resources (material or physical, human, financial, time-based) the performer needs. Input (information, circumstances, cues, or events) consists of the cues present in the system. When the performer has a clear sense of expectations, understands the resources available and how to use them, and responds appropriately to input, then he is ready to perform the Task at hand. Completion of a job or task brings about Results that are obvious to the performer and, most of the time, to other people as well. The results then generate Consequences (internal = psychological, external = material) for the performer. At the end of the sequence of activities, a Feedback (should be objective, timely, based on disclosed performance expectations, specific to the performer’s actions, non-punishing and given in a supportive manner, and easy to interpret) loop arises between the performer and the manager to study the results and consequences.

Desired behavior from the performer can result in positive or negative consequences. Positive consequences from desired behavior support and reinforce the desired results (maintain or increase). Negative consequences from desired behavior discourage the desired behaviors (reduce or eliminate). Undesired behavior from the performer can also result in positive or negative consequences. Positive consequences from undesired behavior support and reinforce counterproductive behavior (reduce or eliminate). Negative consequences from undesired behavior are experienced by performers as attempts to control through threats (use only as a last resort).

* Motivate individual staff members to increase productivity

A high-performance work environment is one in which the focus is clear, the work is challenging, people feel appreciated, barriers to accomplishing work are at a minimum, resources are available, and people help and support one another.

* Assign motivating work to individual staff members

Managers can create motivating work by designing assignments with the needs, interests, and capabilities of the performer in mind. There are five principles of motivating work:

1. Skill variety = the more skills the performer is able to use while completing the task, the more involved he will be in the work
2. Whole task = the performer works on the complete task from beginning to end. This gives him more of a feeling ownership of the results of the task
3. Significant work = performers are more likely to dedicate themselves to tasks they believe have real significance as opposed to tasks that have little impact
4. Autonomy = performers become more motivated when they have the freedom to determine how best to complete the task
5. Feedback = performers who receive clear, timely, and unbiased feedback are more likely to strive for improvement

* Use elements of the Performance System to delegate assignments

Delegation is a process of building a partnership between the manager and the performer. Each staff member has a unique set of skills, experience, and knowledge, meaning that the way in which the manager delegates needs to be tailored to the specific staff member. Delegation strategies take two things into consideration: the staff member’s capabilities and the staff member’s willingness to carry out an assignment.

* Use the four Interaction Strategies when delegating assignments to employees with varying capabilities and willingness

Managers can use four different strategies to properly delegate work in such a way that the facility and the performer can both be successful. These strategies are adapted from the Interaction Strategies spelled-out in Customer Relations:

Directing = best used with an inexperienced and enthusiastic employee
Convincing = best used with an inexperienced but resistant employee
Involving = best used with a highly-experienced but resistant employee
Supporting = best used with a highly-experienced and enthusiastic employee

Delegation Strategy Applications

	Directing	Convincing	Involving	Supporting
Expectations
Specify resulted needed	In precise detail	In moderate detail	In moderate detail	Key outcomes only
Provide a rationale for the needed action	Key outcomes only	Rationale in detail	Rationale in detail	Rationale in detail
Specify how to do the task	In detail with training and job aids if needed	General suggestions with details if asked	Draw out from the performer or develop jointly	Only if asked
Check for understanding and agreement	Check for understanding in detail	Confirm understanding by finding out how the performer intends to proceed	Confirm understanding by finding out how the performer intends to proceed	Confirm understanding of unusual aspects of assignment only
Resources
Specify resources and limitation	In precise detail	Key elements only	Key elements only	Key elements only
Input
Signal to take action	Detailed information on when to take action	Moderate detail on when to take action	Moderate detail on when to take action	When to take action; critical parameters only
Consequences
Align consequences	Balance priorities to accommodate new assignment	Tie to the needs and interests of the performer	Tie to the needs and interests of the performer	Tie to the needs and interests of the performer
Conduct status checks	Acknowledge accomplishments at pre-established intervals	At occasional agreed-upon intervals	On an as-needed basis; give credit for accomplishments	At the performer’s initiative only
Feedback
Establish appropriate feedback processes	Provide feedback and balanced feedback	Focus on progress against established goals	Provide as needed; agreement based on discussion	Provide feedback on critical parameters only
Show appreciation for undertaking the assignment	In terms of value to the performer as a learning experience	Emphasize the positive	Focus on agreement against agreed goals	In terms of value to you and the organization

* Describe how to manage employee performance problems

The manager is responsible for correcting situations where a performer is not satisfactorily meeting the expectations related to an assigned task. The feedback element of the Performance System is critical at this point in order to effectively manage performance problems.

There are four stages managers can use to correct performance problems. Within those four stages, there are six actions used for correcting performance problems. The four stages are:

1. Joint problem-solving with the performer
2. Reinforced problem-solving with the performer
3. Final decision-making with the performer
4. Termination of the employment relationship

The six actions are: 1) address the problem early 2) diagnose the problem before taking action – when all parties involved understand the problem and its cause, then everyone will proceed from the same starting point 3) invite mutual problem-solving with the performer – if the performer is part of the problem-solving process, he will understand the entire solution and take ownership of the solution and its implementation 4) strive for agreement on appropriate goals 5) provide support for improvement 6) establish a clear timetable for follow-up

 

Lesson 5: Talent Management and Evaluation
* Describe an organization’s approach to human resources and the process of talent management

After a solidly-trained staff is in place, two considerable and ongoing tasks remain: managing staff talent and evaluating staff performance. Managing talent brings human resources management full circle, ensuring not only that the right people are on staff but that those people are effectively carrying-out their jobs and fulfilling the facility’s business goals and objectives.

* Establish performance standards, conduct periodic evaluations, and document employee performance

Employees throughout the facility need to know what their roles are and what level of performance is expected of them. Writing a position description before filling each job pushes the facility to define what is expected from employees and provides management with a foundation for performance evaluation. Every description should be updated as circumstances and tasks change. Some facilities write high-performance profiles that define how an employee would act if he were doing the job as well as it could possibly be done. These profiles provide a standard of excellence against which future performance can be measured. Creating detailed and specific performance standards for each position can help staff develop and help the facility achieve its performance goals.

Sample performance categories include: profit, customer service, cost control, quality, facility brand and image, security, safety, human resources, customer/member retention, and customer/member recruitment.

Procedures or operations manuals establish specific procedures for carrying-out facility tasks, describe expectations for employee dress and behavior, and detail employment policies on wages, hours, benefits, overtime, and other important issues. A comprehensive operations manual eliminates guesswork for employees and helps them make correct and consistent decisions.

Whether formal or informal, timely and effective evaluations support the facility’s business strategy and core values. A number of things should happen in an effective performance appraisal. First and foremost, the employee should learn what his supervisor feels are his strengths, weaknesses, and training needs. Formal evaluations should also provide an opportunity for the employee and supervisor to agree upon new goals and objectives for the next assessment period in light of the employee’s experience, knowledge, and skills. One of the most important policies affected by strategy and values is the way in which evaluations are conducted – who conducts them, how they are carried-out, and the way in which the employee provides input for the process. Employee performance should be formally evaluated and summarized on a quarterly, biannual, or annual basis. Ongoing evaluations are even more important.

* Evaluate staff productivity and manage staffing levels

At the beginning of the hiring process, the facility typically determines the number of staff needed to meet facility business goals and quality standards. Staffing represents some of the highest costs associated with running a golf facility. Getting the right level of staff is important not only for monetary reasons but also because the number of staff can strongly affect the facility’s customer service.

One of the most crucial parts of human resource management is the need for management to plan for its own redundancy, to plan a successor for its role and for all other key positions at the facility. The idea of implied progression (career progression is implied for certain lower-level positions such as second assistant and presents an obvious consideration during the hiring process) is important.

Facilities can combat the amount of turnover they experience by hiring the right people for the right positions at the right time, by providing opportunities for growth and development of new hires, by becoming more employee-centered (more likely to elicit strong employee performances and retention), and by considering and incorporating a comprehensive compensation plan.

 

Advanced Teaching and Golf Club Fitting
Part I: Knowledge of Learning
Lesson 1-1: Mental Practice and Motor Imagery
* Explain the role of mental practice and imagery in the teaching, learning, and playing performance of golf skills

Mental practice is the cognitive rehearsal of a physical activity in the absence of any observable muscular movement. It can involve repeatedly thinking about the cognitive aspects involved in the execution of a golf skill or the procedural aspects of playing the game on an “imaginary” course. It can also involve engaging in visual or kinesthetic imagery of the performance of a skill or visual imagery of a shot outcome.

Motor imagery is a term that is often used interchangeably with mental practice, but they are not the same. Motor imagery is a conscious experience in which a player uses all of his senses to create or recreate the execution of a motor skill in the player’s mind. Frequently, students use motor imagery that relies heavily on visualization, which is referred to as visual imagery. Motor imagery is an essential element of mental practice, but the cognitive act of creating or recreating the execution of a motor skill is not mental practice unless it is rehearsed.

Motor imagery can be external or internal. When students use all of their senses to imagine themselves performing a golf skill from the perspective of an external observer (like from behind a camera), they are using external imagery. When students imagine seeing and feeling themselves executing a golf swing from their own perspectives as performers, they are using internal imagery. Greater effects have been found for internal imagery, but both types can improve performance.

There are two major keys to effective mental practice and motor imagery: vividness and controllability (ability to manipulate images generated). Like physical or golf skills, mental practice and motor imagery are cognitive skills that can be learned and improved with practice.

Instructors can have students practice getting vivid images in at least three ways: picturing the furniture in their home, imagining a positive performance of a golf skill, and imagining previous positive and outstanding playing performances. Controlling images begins with thinking of what to do to play effectively. Students can improve their image control with practice using controllability exercises such as: imagining performing a skill correctly while seeing and feeling their movements in a practice context, imagining executing a planned playing strategy on a course or hole just as they would in competition, or trying to recreate an unpleasant playing situation using their imaginations and feelings that accompany it. After that, the students should use slow, deep breathing and logical, positive self-talk. These elements are essential parts of a player’s post-shot routine.

In order to enhance the benefits of mental practice, students should practice when motivated, practice with a purpose, practice the right things, practice the right way, practice the right amount, and practice with relevant feedback. Mental practice alone is better than no practice at all. Physical practice is better than combinations of mental and physical practice or mental practice alone. As the proportion of physical practice increases, the level of motor performance improves.

Three to five minutes of mental practice at one time produces the best results. It is recommended that students mentally practice a motor skill at about the same speed and time that it takes to actually perform it physically. Data also reveals that participants who focus their attention on the outcome while mentally practicing perform better than those who focus their attention on form. It’s also better for participants who are experienced in a motor task to engage in mental practice before engaging in physical practice.

 

Lesson 1-2: Optimizing the Transfer of Golf Skill Learning to Play
* Explain the theories and factors that influence the transfer of learning and playing performance of golf skills

Proactive transfer = transfer of golf skill learning that affects future learning; more specifically, it’s the process by which learning to perform a golf skill under one set of conditions influences learning to perform the same skill or a similar or dissimilar skill under the same, similar, or dissimilar conditions. Three examples of proactive transfer are: learning a swing under different practice conditions, learning to correct a flawed swing, and learning to perform a swing when the drill or training aid is removed.

Retroactive transfer = a process by which subsequent learning of a golf skill affects the student’s ability to perform a previously-acquired golf skill. Two examples of retroactive transfer are: returning to an old swing after learning a new swing and returning to an old putting stroke after learning a new one.

Direction of transfer = can be positive, negative, or zero.

Amount of transfer = refers to the quantity or magnitude of what was transferred. Research has clearly shown that the amount and direction of transfer is largely a function of the similarity of the relationship between the structure of the skills and stimulus conditions in original and in transfer learning. The greater the similarity, the greater the positive transfer.

Transfer of golf learning depends on many factors and how they interact with each other in both original learning and transfer. These factors include:

• Time between original learning and transfer = the passage of time will tend to decrease the similarity between original learning and transfer.

• Structural similarity of golf skills and conditions = the more similar the two golf skills are, the greater the transfer of learning. Stimulus generalization occurs when a particular golf skill is learned under one set of stimulus conditions and can be performed under similar sets of stimulus conditions. Response generalization occurs when a golf skill is learned under a certain set of stimulus conditions in which similar golf skills or variations of that skill can be performed.

• Similarity of skill goals and cognitive processing = both the goal of the skill and the way in which it is cognitively processed by the student need to be the same or similar in both original and transfer learning to facilitate transfer.

• Perceived similarity of golf skills, goals, and conditions = not only does transfer depend on the extent to which the skill and stimulus conditions in original and transfer learning are structurally similar and the degree to which the goal of the skill and the cognitive processing are similar but also on the extent to which the student perceives them to be similar.

• Skill level reached in original learning = increasing the amount of quality practice on the range and course during original learning can enhance the retention and transfer of skill performance to play on the course.

• Ability to learn to transfer general factors = there is research evidence indicating that some transfer can be accounted for by general factors such as knowledge of principles and learning-to-learn. Studies involving motor skills have shown that knowledge of principles, concepts, strategies, and relationships can transfer from original learning to transfer learning. The transfer produced by learning-to-learn largely depends on the relationship between the skills, goals, and conditions in original and transfer learning.

• Emphasis placed on speed and accuracy during original learning = research suggests that transfer of learning how to perform a golf swing is likely to be best facilitated by emphasizing the same speed and accuracy during original learning that is normally required when the swing is performed during play (transfer), provided it can be performed safely and with an acceptable degree of accuracy.

Part-to-whole transfer involves a student first learning to perform one or more component parts of a golf skill and then transferring that part learning towards learning to perform the whole golf skill. There are three ways in which part learning can transfer to the whole skill: part-to-whole learning, progressive-part learning, and repetitive-part learning.

 

Lesson 1-3: Learning to Make Swing Changes
* Explain how learning occurs when students try to make swing changes in a well-learned swing with implications for teaching and playing performance

To acquire a modified or new motor program that is capable of controlling modified or new swing movements requires that the student return to the early phase of learning and then progress through the intermediate and advanced phases. The old, well-learned motor program and the swing it controls have been practiced and used in play extensively, which facilitated their storage in long-term memory. The old program and swing were developed by progressing through the three phases of the golf skill learning process: early (cognitive), intermediate (associative), and advanced (autonomous).

Learning a modified or new motor program that effectively controls a modified or new swing takes physical practice. There is no other way to learn a motor program. The amount of neural change is greater and more permanent with extensive practice and experience, which is one reason it is not easy to learn major corrections for a flawed swing that has been highly-practiced and well-learned. The student’s cognitive ability to understand how to perform the swing change movements and to translate that understanding into physically performing those movements is essential.

Before actually approaching a student about learning to make major swing changes, teachers and coaches should thoroughly think through the advantages and disadvantages of having the student engage in this learning. It’s important to discuss and explain the swing changes with the student so that he not only understands what they are, how they should be performed, and why they should be learned but also so that he becomes motivated to learn them.

 

Lesson 1-4: The Mental Game
* Explain how to teach students to learn an effective mental game to optimize their playing performance

Some of the more common ways that can interfere with each player’s ability to play their best include: trying too hard to ensure shot outcomes, focusing on the wrong things, playing with doubt or lack of confidence, playing with overconfidence, playing with fear, unwilling to accept poor swings and shot outcomes, having a negative, non-appreciate attitude, managing emotions ineffectively, playing with excuses, having unrealistic goals or expectations, placing too much importance on playing outcomes, and using illogical, negative self-talk.

To get out of their own way, players can mentally use logical and positive self-talk, set realistic, moderately challenging goals, focus on the present, focus on what to do, play with confidence, make wise decisions, accept the poor shot outcomes with the good ones, play without excuses, focus more on the process of playing the game rather than on mechanics, have a positive, appreciative attitude, manage emotions effectively, focus on only one goal when playing, focus on the elements of pre and post-shot routines, accept the shot and manage their emotions, progressive muscle relaxation techniques, and evaluate the swing that produced the shot.

 

Part 2: Knowledge of Teaching
Lesson 2-1: Assessing Student Learning
* Use a variety of techniques to measure the current performance level of beginning to expert golfers

Two steps are required in making an assessment: a measurement and an evaluation. Some common reasons why golf instructors assess learning include identifying current knowledge, diagnosing challenges, grouping students, measuring progress, and providing feedback.

Formative assessments are made during the learning process. Summative assessments are made at the conclusion of the learning experience. There are many ways to assess a player’s golf skills and knowledge: paper and pencil tests, direct observation, and videotape analysis.

An accomplished golf instructor uses questions often and purposefully. It does little good for teachers to ask questions if they are unable to listen to the responses that students provide. When proactive listening, the teacher should not merely wait until the student speaks up but rather make a sustained effort to understand the student by getting him to talk. Effective listening requires that the instructor actively accept the students’ remarks and ensures he has a clear understanding of what the student is attempting to convey rather than making reactive judgements to what he says.

 

Lesson 2-2: Focus and Flow – The Tempo of Teaching
* Focus and maintain a consistent lesson pace to maximize student learning

Orchestrating a lesson so that momentum builds properly takes a knowledgeable and skillful teacher. Instructors should open their lessons in ways that the student will find novel, captivating, and engaging. Ideally, students will actively connect with both the content of the lesson and the teacher. When students are doing the “right stuff,” the teacher should let them know it. A good lesson is fun and engaging to watch. Effective teachers are constantly in action: giving information, offering support, and nursing along the learning process. Moving students briskly through instructional and practice activities and ensuring students make continuous progress with a high rate of success is another sign of flow. Devoting most of the available lesson time to practicing skills and concepts should be a goal of every instructor.

Variety is not only the spice of life but also the spice of great golf lessons. Knowing when to make a change in a lesson is an important yet difficult skill that normally takes time for an instructor to learn and master. Once a decision is made to change the activity, it becomes important to make the change without interrupting the lesson flow. Great golf instructors get results because they expect them. A teacher must be able to recognize and avoid events that will derail and arrest the flow of a lesson. As the end of the lesson draws near, the teacher should consider carefully how to bring it to a close. The final activity needs to be selected so the most important aspects of a lesson are highlighted. A skillful teacher builds the lesson to a deliberate, memorable close. Teachers should also attempt to make the student look forward to coming back to the next lesson (tease it). A good instructor teaches with focus and flow.

 

Lesson 2-3: Improving Teaching
* Analyze current teaching and develop effective instructional routines, knowledge, and skills

Reflective teaching occurs when instructors mentally review and question their instruction. Two effective strategies for instructional improvement are reflecting on the limits of one’s current knowledge and seeking new information for a specific teaching purpose. Reflective teachers regularly, purposefully, and carefully evaluate their teaching and its impact on student learning. They are open-minded. They strive to improve their practices and find specific ways to help students maximize their golfing potentials. And they take responsibility for their teaching and the results of their instructional practices. A useful reflection exercise for teaching is maintaining a journal.

When it comes to developing teaching skills, there’s no substitute for experience. Analyzing teaching is a three-step process: observation (direct – either live or recorded), analysis (targeted aspects are either quantified or qualified), and judging the quality of the observed teaching (ultimately the teacher determines what needs to change and why).

Direct observation is the simplest and most common analytic technique. Systematic observation requires a specific set of criteria or categories of teaching behavior that will form the focus of the observation (teacher feedback, student/teacher interaction, student practice time, or communication style). Teaching journals are another way of cataloging and exploring the decisions teachers make.

Becoming a better teacher requires sustained, deliberate practice of specific and critical skills. The lessons of great instructors include fluid, elegant, and seemingly effortless instructional practices. The advantage of instructional routines is that the lesson pattern becomes familiar to both the teacher and the student. Research has identified several routine practices common to expert golf instructors: initiating the lesson with a statement of goals, asking questions to gauge the students’ understanding of the material being learned, offering immediate, positive feedback after selected student performances, and closing the lesson with a review of the main instructional points.

Actually improving teaching requires practicing specific instructional skills such as effective communication skills, lesson organization, and content presentation. As long as there are teachers seeking new solutions to old problems or alternatives to current practices, there will be new innovations in the art and science of teaching.

Research has revealed that expert golf instructors are constantly increasing their knowledge of golf, their students, and their teaching. Golf instructors who cultivate a network of peers tend to develop a rich and continual source of new knowledge. Teachers who trust their intuitive senses in the instructional setting no longer need to deliberate about every action they take. To increase knowledge, teachers have a variety of resources to draw from: listening to and learning from peers and students, developing instincts and intuition, joining professional organizations, and continuing education. The key to becoming a better teacher is to never stop learning to be a better golf professional!

 

Part 3: Knowledge of the Game
Lesson 3-1: Introduction to Short Game and On-Course Teaching Methodologies
* Use a variety of teaching methodologies to meet the specific needs of the golfer

All instructors face the challenge of helping students appreciate the importance of the short game and its relationship to the overall golf score. Before a student and teacher can begin a short game training program, the teacher must assess the student’s current skill level. A primary goal of any instructor should be to help the student develop a realistic expectation level of his performance based on the amount of time he has to practice and play as well as his commitment level to improve.

Verbal explanation is the most common approach used when teaching the short game followed by instructor demonstrations, asking questions, instructor feedback, answering questions, and student demonstrations.

Due to the complex nature of golf, many teachers find it useful to spend time with students on the golf course outside of a practice context. The starting point for on-course instruction is often based on the student’s skill level. A good teacher helps the student keep his or her on-course performance in perspective. The vast majority of golfers play for enjoyment. The instructor who appreciates the importance of the short game on the student’s performance will help lower the student’s score while raising that student’s enjoyment of the game.

 

Lesson 3-2: Fitness and Performance
* Conduct a physical evaluation of a golfer and develop a corrective exercise program

In order to determine physical ability, the instructor must first determine motor skill ability. Testing a junior player on throwing, running, hopping, skipping, jumping, kicking, swimming, and even bicycle riding is valid. Abdominal stability and balance tests are also recommended.

The initial physical evaluation for adults is important for determining mobility, stability, and motor control of the hips, shoulders, and mid-section. There are four main movement evaluations that will help an instructor determine the swing performance of an individual student:

• Standing pelvic tilt = raising and lowering the belt line while staying in golf posture with minimal or no movement in the upper body. Students who are unable to perform this action will have a tendency to change golf posture during their swing, rounding the shoulders to accomplish the movement, or raising and lowering the whole body. The importance of this motion is power generation and control during the swing. Physical corrections include increasing abdominal stability and pelvic mobility, activating the glutes, and lengthening the hip flexors, quads, and lower back.

• Standing pelvic rotations = while maintaining a stable upper body in golf posture, the instructor has the student rotate his hips left and right. The belt line should make a linear movement from the right to the left side. Students who are unable to perform this movement usually have the torso rotating with the hips because they cannot separate the two. Swaying the hips or lifting one side or another is a common mistake. This motion is important for determining hip-shoulder separation and proper hip rotation during the swing. Physical corrections include increasing the student’s hip and pelvic mobility and stability, increasing abdominal stability, and activating the glutes.

• Standing torso rotations = in a golf posture while maintaining stable hip and leg position, the student rotates his torso left and right. Placing a club across the shoulders allows for a good visual of distance and angle of rotation. The torso should travel left and right with ease. A stable hip region should be maintained during activity. This evaluation helps determine if the student is unable to separate the movement of his shoulders and hips from the rotation of his shoulders during the swing. Corrections include increasing mobility of the torso or thoracic spine, increasing the stability of the abs and hips, and lengthening the chest and lower back.

• Deep squats = with his feet shoulder width apart, the student raises his hands above his head and then squats down trying to lower his hips as close to the ground as possible while keeping his arms straight overhead. The hips should be below the knee line and feet should be flat on the ground. His hands should be in-line with his feet. The inability to perform a squat motion limits the student’s mobility or athletic motion during the swing. Some research shows a correlation between this inability and rising-up at impact. Corrections include increasing hip and thoracic mobility, abdominal stability, and lengthening the lats, hip flexors, and quads.

Flexibility refers to the length of a muscle in a specific movement. Mobility is the ability to move around a joint. Mobility is more of a movement term while flexibility is more of a static term.

The human body has two main energy systems: anaerobic and aerobic. The anaerobic system can be broken down into two sub-groups, the ATP-PC (phosphocreatine) and the lactic acid system (anaerobic glycolysis system). The aerobic system requires oxygen for energy while the anaerobic system does not. The aerobic system is used during sustained activity for at least three minutes. The anaerobic system is used for less than one minute. The ATP-PC system provides the power for activities that last for less than ten seconds. The lactic acid system is used during activities that last from ten seconds to about one minute. The golf swing takes less than two seconds and primarily employs the ATP-PC system.

The priority in designing a junior training program is to improve the students’ overall athleticism. Incorporating games and activities into the program tends to be beneficial for juniors between ages six and nine. Junior development training progressions should follow these guidelines: stable to unstable, movement before resistance, abdominal control before variety, unilateral activities, athletic before specialization, and proper firing patterns.

The priority in designing an adult training program is to correct the largest area of concern. The minor concerns are usually improved with correction of whatever the major concern is. The ideal set-up would be for the student to perform five to 15 basic exercise abilities per day as the minimal requirement. Resistance training program routines are broken into chronic program variables and acute program variables. Chronic variables are year-long and monthly programs. Acute is what occurs in the daily training session. The daily program is established on the basis of the chronic program. The workout is a stress that is placed on the body, and the body will adapt to the stress and build muscle, strength, stamina, or whatever improvements the student is trying to bring about (SAID = specific adaptations to implied demands).

 

Lesson 3-3: Golf Club Fitting
* Demonstrate how to fit golf clubs to a golfer

The purpose of club fitting is to allow the player to play his best considering his physical attributes, abilities, and personal preferences. An effective club fitting should match the golf clubs to the player while eliminating as many negative ball flight variables as possible that are caused by the golf club. It should also allow the player to swing in balance with the least amount of effort that will produce the best ball flight. To properly and effectively fit, the professional should become familiar with the golf club elements that influence ball flight and player performance.

* Conduct an effective club and ball flight performance evaluation and make recommendations to improve performance

Lie angle = primarily influences ball flight direction. If the lie angle is too upright, the ball will tend to go high and left. If the lie angle is too flat, the ball will tend to go low and right (for a right-handed player). The influence is greater in clubs with more loft. Stiffness of shaft and clubhead speed relate to the effective or dynamic lie angle at impact. Assuming a player’s hand position at impact does not change, increasing the club length will make the club more upright (toe up), and decreasing the length will make it flatter (toe down). Depending on the flexibility or stiffness of the shaft, the pull or centrifugal force results in shaft bowing, effectively flattening the club’s lie angle, especially for longer clubs. A lie board remains the best tool for measuring and determining the optimum lie angle. These marks, when accurately interpreted in conjunction with ball flight, reveal a great deal about the club’s lie angle and resulting influence on the golfer’s swing. ¼” = 1* for most irons

1. Begin with the player’s own 6-iron
2. Substitute fitting clubs and determine the proper dynamic lie angle
3. Let the player hit the club with the correct lie to develop dynamic balance
4. Check length, shaft, and grip before returning to the lie board at the end to confirm lie angle

Let the ball flight be the guide in interpreting whether the mark on the sole is a good one to use or not.

Club length = is a factor in determining centeredness of hit and is directly related to the distance the ball travels. When fitting for length, the professional should use the longest shaft that results in square hits, a balanced swing, and the greatest directional control. A driver can be used to determine optimum club length. If a player can successfully hit a driver +1”, then it will probably determine length for the fairway woods, hybrids, and irons. Increasing or decreasing shaft length by ½” will change the total weight +/- two grams and the swing weight by +/- three points. If a 44.5” driver is recommended, the next fairway woods should be 43.5” and 42.5” respectively.

Shaft stiffness and flex point = stiffness or flex is a measure of how much the shaft bends or its resistance to bending when put under a force load. When fitting shaft flex, factors include swing speed, release, shaft material, ball flight, feel, and player feedback. The deflection or flex point is where the shaft bends the most while in motion and helps determine shot trajectory. The lower the flex point, the higher the launch angle.

Loft angle = a major factor influencing the trajectory at which the ball leaves the clubface. Loft also has a profound effect on the athletic motion and balance a person can obtain during a golf swing. Increasing loft in the driver, for instance, will often improve both balance and distance. Launch angle is determined by loft angle, lie angle, face angle, angle of attack, clubhead center of gravity, roll, clubhead speed, and shaft stiffness and deflection point, total and swing weight, and length. The optimal loft angle is the one that provides the best combination of trajectory and direction. In general, the lower the loft and the longer the club, the more difficult it is to hit.

Head design = the shape and style of the clubhead – offset or non-offset, deep or shallow face, and oversized or traditional. The physical difference between offset and non-offset is the placement of the leading edge in relation to the farthest front portion of the hosel. The main difference in the influence of these types of heads is the directional flight of the ball. All things being equal, an offset head will send the ball left and possible higher, whereas a non-offset head will send the ball to the right and possible lower. During a fitting, if a player is hitting the ball low and to the right, begin with an offset head to change ball flight. Offset irons will tend to fit well with closed-face to square woods.

Weight, swing weight, and frequency = the total weight is the weight of the assembled club. The swing weight is the weight distribution relationship of the grip, shaft, and head at a specified fulcrum point from the grip end. The variables that affect total and swing weight are club length, shaft stiffness, shaft deflection point, grip size and material, head design and material, and lie angle (3 degrees in either direction will affect swing weight). When golfers complain their drivers are too heavy but their 9-irons are fine, weight cannot be the offending specification, and the problem could be club length or loft. The most accurate method of determining frequency is by measuring the cycles per minute (CPM) using a frequency analyzer.

Grips = grip type and size can help or hinder a golfer’s hand movement through impact. A grip that is too large will inhibit wrist action and decrease clubhead feel. For a right-handed player, if the player’s fingertips lightly touch the thumb pad, the grip size is more than likely correct.

* Explain the rationale for equipment changes, how they will affect the golfer, and the expected results

Putter fitting = putting accounts for as much as 35-40% of the total score. There are five putting variables: length, lie angle, loft, head/swing weight (provide the best feel during the stroke and at impact), and design (usually blade or mallet).

Wedge fitting = there are four basic factors of sole design that determine the effective bounce: sole bounce angle, width of sole, sole radius, and leading edge grind.

Driver fitting = the purpose of a driver fitting is to find the combination that produces the highest launch angle and the lowest spin rate resulting in the most distance. Increasing clubhead loft will usually increase backspin rate. These can best be determined by using a launch monitor. When using launch monitor technology, do not use any face impact decals or face coverings.

 

* Distinguish between the need to alter the golf club or to provide swing instruction in order to optimize performance

The club fitting model has six steps:
1) Conduct a personal interview = gather personal information and ask the player about his current set, swing issues, and goals of the fitting.

2) Evaluate the player’s clubs, and determine the appropriate lie angle = identify the shaft characteristics and specs of the player’s current 6-iron, and use a lie board to check the club’s lie angle. Then, from among the fitting clubs, choose a 6-iron with a similar head design and shaft, and proceed to establish an accurate effective lie angle. This is a good time to connect teaching to fitting by reminding the player of necessary swing fundamentals, including balance.

3) Evaluate the golf club specifications for the entire set = determine an effective clubhead design that will provide the desired ball flight and range of playability factors. Using this head design and the accurate lie angle, determine the appropriate shaft length by using face tape to check for centeredness of contact. Then determine appropriate shaft stiffness, shaft weight, shaft flex point, and then loft. When checking drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids, start with greater loft and work toward less loft. Centeredness and balance are critical in this step. Then establish the proper grip size and material.

4) Fit the putter = see “Putter fitting,” p. 24

5) Re-check the lie angle, fit the wedges, and make set recommendations = recheck the lie angle using a lie board. If it doesn’t match the effective lie angle established earlier in the fitting process, adjust accordingly. Discuss all fitting findings and club specs with the player.

6) Perform a follow-up evaluation = establish a future date and time (approximately 4-6 weeks after the initial fitting) to review the specs and re-evaluate each spec for accuracy.

 

Food and Beverage Control
Lesson 1: Introduction to Food and Beverage Service
* Know the differences among the various types of food and beverage service, labor requirements, relative difficulty in providing the service, and cost differentials

Food and beverage services can generally be grouped into the following six levels:
1) On-Course Concessions = easiest and least expensive. Concessions consist of carts or counters stationed around the course where customers can purchase relatively inexpensive pre-made and packaged food items. Quick service is critical, but because items are pre-made and already packaged, less equipment and staff are needed.

2) Carryout = similar to on-course concessions. Carryout menu items are often pre-made and packaged, and quick service is essential. Larger carryout services may require more staff and equipment than on-course concessions, but this level of service is generally less expensive than others.

3) Full Service a la Carte = the word that comes to mind is “restaurant.” This is much more expensive than on-course concessions or carryout service. It requires complete kitchen and storage facilities, a dining room, kitchen staff to prepare food, service staff to take orders and serve food, and additional staff to bus tables and take care of tableware. Due to these extra costs, full service a la carte food sells for higher prices. The operation should be located in an area with a scenic view.

4) Formal Fine Dining = the most expensive level of food and beverage service. The goal is to make customers and members feel as though they are at the finest restaurant in town. Fine dining is usually reserved for large facilities and private country clubs. The staffing levels are much higher than those of a full service a la cart operation, which can result in higher food and beverage prices. Equipment costs are higher, and staff and training are also more expensive because employees need to perform more specialized tasks with a higher level of expertise.

5) Banquets = provides food and beverages tailored to the needs of a specific organization or person sponsoring the banquet. Expenses can run from minimal to expensive.

6) Off-Site Catering = can best be described as “banquet service offered at the customer’s location.” If formal fine dining and full service a la carte dining are available at the facility, off-site catering should be capable of offering fine dining and full service a la carte dining at the customer’s chosen site. It’s probably the most difficult food and beverage service to provide. It incurs the added expense of trucks and drivers as well as travel time. It requires a higher level of planning than the other service types. Time and money can be wasted sending staff to and from the facility for items that have been left behind.

 

Lesson 4: Staffing and Customer Service
* Know how the Interaction Strategies and Interpersonal Skills are applied within the food and beverage operation using Positive Engagement Routines to initiate the PGA Experience

Good service in a dining context has two main points: all foods should be served at the appropriate temperature, and all foods and beverages should be served in a timely, courteous, and sanitary manner. The food and beverage operation should aspire to deliver the PGA Experience to all customers at all times. By treating every interaction with a customer as a Moment of Truth, the food and beverage operation will deliver customer service that keeps customers coming back to every operation at the facility.

The PGA Experience has six processes (in bold): Greet customers by giving them full attention. Listen to the customer’s response. Assess what the customer says both verbally and nonverbally. Offer a specific solution that satisfies the customer’s needs. Follow-through on the offer by delivering the agreed-upon solution. Make an extra effort to deliver service above and beyond what the customer expects.

Because the greater amount of initiative lies with the customer and not the employee in the food and beverage operation most of the time, the Interaction Strategies used most often by dining service employees are the Supporting and Involving Strategies. When using the Supporting Strategy, the staff member does not volunteer his or her own solution unless explicitly asked. Instead, he works to deliver what the customer has requested. The Involving Strategy comes into play when the customer needs help finding a solution or choosing a menu item. It’s not the server’s role to make the decision for the customer or steer him toward a specific item. Instead, the server should ask questions that help the customer clarify what he wants and offer solutions that meet that need. The server’s ability to listen, be patient, and stay flexible are the keys to this strategy.

The Interpersonal Skills that are most often used with these strategies are Showing Understanding and Encouraging Open Expression. Because the initiative lies with the customer, food and beverage employees should rarely if ever use the strategies of Stating Your Purpose Clearly, Providing a Compelling Rationale, or Giving Specific Feedback. Servers must Act with Integrity at all times, encourage customers to Give Specific Feedback, and be prepared to Reframe Difficult Situations should they arise.

 

Principles of Food, Beverage, and Labor Cost Controls by Paul Dittmer and J. Desmond Keefe
Orientation
Cost and Sales Concepts

Cost = a reduction in the value of an asset for the purpose of securing benefit or gain.

Prime Cost = refers to the costs of materials and labor: food, beverages, and payroll.

Planned Costs = historical records of costs are of particular value for planning, for determining in the present what is likely to happen in the future. In order to plan effectively, managers use historical costs to develop planned costs.

* Understand the difference between fixed and variable costs, especially regarding employees

Fixed costs are normally unaffected by changes in sales volume. They do not change significantly when the number of sales increases or decreases. Variable costs are related to business volume. As business volume increases, variable costs will increase. Foodservice employees may be divided into two categories – those whose numbers will remain constant despite normal fluctuations in business volume (managers and chefs; fixed-cost employees) and those whose numbers and consequent total costs should vary with changes in business volume (servers and waiters; variable-cost employees).

* Know the distinction and the significance of the distinction between Controllable and Noncontrollable costs

Controllable costs can be changed in the short term. Variable costs are normally controllable. Noncontrollable costs cannot normally be changed in the short term. These are usually fixed costs such as rent, interest on a mortgage, license fees, and depreciation.

Sales = revenue resulting from the exchange of products and services for value.

Cover = describes one diner regardless of the quantity of food he consumes.

Sales Mix = describes the relative quantity sold of any menu item as compared with other items in the same category.

* Be able to calculate Average Sale, Average Check, and know when and why they are needed

Average Sale = total individual sales / number of individual sales

Average Check = total dollar sales / number of sales or customers (covers)

The average dollar sale is used by foodservice operators to compare the sales performance of one employee with that of another, to identify sales trends, and to compare the effectiveness of various menus, menu listings, or sales promotions.

* Understand the Cost to Sales Ratio, Cost per Dollar of Sale, and the reasons for calculating them. How might the statement, “35% of the income from food sales over the past year has gone to cover the cost of food” apply to comparing two similar F&B operations or contribute to understanding variations in cost percentages, especially between low and high margin food service operations

Cost to Sales Ratio (food cost percent) = cost of food sold / food sales

Those who calculate the cost of food sold and food cost percent without taking employee meals into account are likely to have overstated food cost and distorted food cost percent.

 

The Control Processes
* Understand the Control concept and who is responsible for control-related functions

Control means exercising governing power over events and situations such that an outcome can be achieved or prevented. In the food and beverage industry, control really means controlling people rather than things. If a business is to operate profitably and reach its financial goals, people’s actions must be managed or, in some cases, limited. Control is a process used by managers to direct, regulate, and restrain the actions of people so that the established goals of an enterprise may be achieved. It is clearly a responsibility of management – either by attending to the work personally or by assigning it to others.

Cost Control = the process used by managers to regulate costs and guard against excessive costs.

Sales Control = the processes used by managers to optimize numbers of customers, to maximize profits, and to ensure that all sales result in appropriate revenue.

Control Process = the means employed by managers to institute control, consisting of four essential steps: establishing standards and standard procedures for operation, training all individuals to follow established standards and standard procedures, monitoring performance and comparing actual performances with established standards, and taking appropriate action to correct deviations from standards.

Standards = are used to define the degree of excellence of raw materials, finished products, and work.

Standard Procedures = those that have been established as the correct methods, routines, and techniques for day-to-day operations.

Know the eight control techniques and how, when, and why each is used

1. Establishing standards – standards are set by management and are used for judging the extent to which results meet expectations.

2. Establishing procedures – procedures are the methods employed to prepare products or perform jobs.

3. Training personnel – managers teaching employees how work is to be done given the standards and standard procedures established.

4. Setting examples – employees in an operation follow the examples set by the manager – the manager’s behavior, manner, responses to questions, and even a failure to speak or take action in some situations.

5. Observing and correcting employee actions – if any employees are failing to follow the standards, it is a manager’s responsibility to correct their performance to the extent necessary at the appropriate time.

6. Requiring records and reports – the larger the establishment, the more likely it is that managers’ observations must be indirect rather than direct and must be abstracted and inferred from a variety of records and reports.

7. Disciplining employees – discipline is used as a control technique in many food and beverage operations and may take many forms. It is the next step beyond observing and correcting employee actions.

8. Preparing and following budgets – may be the most common technique for controlling business operations. The most important type a food and beverage manager can prepare is an operating budget, a forecast of sales activity and an estimate of costs that will be incurred in the process of generating sales.

 

Food Control
Purchasing and Receiving
* Know the definition of Par Stock

Par stock is taken to mean the maximum quantity of a given item that should be on hand after the most recent order has been received.

* Be able to differentiate between Perishable and Nonperishable foods

Perishable foods are those items, typically fresh foods that have a comparatively short useful life after they have been received. Nonperishable foods, frequently referred to as groceries or staples, have longer shelf lives. They may be stored in the packages or containers in which they are received, often on shelves and at room temperature, for weeks or even months.

* Understand the differences between and uses of the Periodic Order Method and the Perpetual Inventory Method

The Periodic Order Method is perhaps the most common method for maintaining inventories of stores at appropriate levels. In contrast to methods for ordering perishables, the periodic order method permits comparatively infrequent ordering. The perpetual inventory method requires the maintenance of perpetual inventory records. Successful use of this method requires complete and accurate records.

* Know the functional difference between a Purchase Order and an Invoice

Purchase orders are formal agreements that a product is going to be bought at a specific price. An invoice is a bill from a vendor for goods or services, often presented as the goods are delivered or the services are performed.

* Understand the concepts behind the following: Sequence of Food Service Operations and Standard Purchase Specifications

All foodservice establishments have the following sequence of operation: purchasing, receiving, storing, issuing, producing, selling and serving. Standard purchase specifications are often based on grading standards established by the federal government or, in some instances, when federal grading standards are considered too broad, on grading standards common in the appropriate market.

* Know the definition of Standing Orders

Standing orders are arrangements made between purveyors and foodservice operators that result in regular delivery of goods without specific orders preceding each delivery.

* Understand the concept of Receiving Controls and Standard Procedures represented by the five steps typically involved in a standardized procedure

One standard procedure that many managers have found appropriate for use in their establishment has five steps:

1) Verifying that the quantity, quality, and price for each item delivered conforms exactly to the order placed.
2) Acknowledging that quantity, quality, and price have been verified by stamping the invoice with the rubber invoice stamp provide for that purpose.
3) Listing all invoices for foods delivered on a given day on the Receiving Clerk’s Daily Report for that day, complete the report as required, or enter appropriate information directly into a computer.
4) Forwarding completed paperwork to proper personnel.
5) Moving food to appropriate storage areas.

* Know the difference between Directs and Stores and why that difference can matter

Directs are those foods that, because of their extremely perishable nature, are purchased on a more or less daily basis for immediate use. Stores, by contrast, are those foods that, although ultimately perishable, will not diminish significantly in quality if they are not used immediately. If management is interested in keeping control over food costs, the separation of food into directs and stores is necessary, and a daily report form should be filled-out whenever food is received.

Storing and Issuing
* Know and be able to give examples of the five principle concerns addressed by establishing food storage standards and procedures

1. Conditions of facilities and equipment – temperature, storage containers, shelving, and cleanliness. Problems with any of these may lead to spoilage and waste.
2. Arrangement of foods – includes keeping the most-used items readily available, fixing definite locations for each item, and rotating stock.
3. Location of facilities – whenever possible, the storage facilities for both perishable and nonperishable foods should be located between receiving areas and preparation areas, and preferably close to both. A properly-located storage facility will speed the storing and issuing of food, maximize security, reduce labor requirements, and minimize infestation of rodents and other unwanted creatures.
4. Security and storage areas – food should never be stored in a manner that permits pilferage. That’s another reason for moving foods from the receiving area to storage as quickly as possible.
5. Dating and pricing of stored foods – date items as they are put away on shelves so that the storeroom clerk can be certain of the age of all items and make provisions for their use before they can spoil. All items should be priced as goods are put away, with the cost of each package clearly marked on the package.

* Know what FIFO means

FIFO stands for the first-in, first-out method of stock rotation. It ensures that older quantities of any item are used before any new deliveries.

* Understand the concept of an Issuing Process

There are two elements in the issuing process: the physical movement of foods from storage facilities to food preparation areas and the record-keeping associated with determining the cost of the food issued.

* Know what a Requisition is and its function

A requisition is a form filled-in by a member of the kitchen staff that lists the items and quantities of stores that the kitchen staff needs for the current day’s production. If the list of items and quantities is correct, the chef signs and approves the requisition, which is given to the storeroom clerk who fills the order.

 

Developing and Costing the Menu
* Understand the concept of Menu Engineering

Menu engineering is a technique used to evaluate a menu by assessing sales volume and contribution margin for each item on a given menu and thus to evaluate the individual menu items.

Item and Menu Contribution Margins = contribution margin is the amount resulting from the subtraction of variable cost from sales price. Menu contribution margin is found by multiplying the number of units sold for each menu item by its contribution margin.

Menu Mix Percent = as used in menu engineering, the ratio of the number of sales of one menu item to the total number of sales of all menu items, expressed as a percentage.

Menu Cost = the number of items sold multiplied by the item’s individual cost.

Menu Revenues = number of items sold multiplied by the sales price of the item.

* Know what Analyzing a Menu involves, especially in relation to Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs

Star = a menu item that produces both high contribution margin and high volume. These are the items that foodservice operators prefer to sell when they can.

Plowhorse = a menu item that produces a low contribution margin but accounts for relatively high volume.

Puzzle = a menu item that produces a high contribution margin but accounts for comparatively low sales volume.

Dog = a menu item that produces a comparatively low contribution margin and accounts for relatively low volume. These are the least desirable items to have on a menu.

Production Portions
Standard Portion Size = the quantity of an item that is to be served each time that item is ordered. It’s the fixed quantity of a given menu item that management intends to give each customer in return for the fixed selling price identified on the menu.

Standard Recipes = the recipe that has been designated the correct one to use in a given establishment.

Standard Portion Cost = the dollar amount that a standard portion should cost given the standards and standard procedures for its production.

* Be able to calculate standard portion costs using the “formula method.”

Standard Portion Cost = purchase price per unit / number of portions per unit

* Be able to calculate standard portion costs using the recipe detail and cost card

Divide the cost of the unit (in this case per pound) by the number of ounces in a pound (16)

Production Volume
* Understand the concept of a Standard for Controlling Production Volume

The standard for controlling production volume is to determine and produce, for any menu item, the number of portions that are likely to be sold on any given day. To control production volume, three standard procedures are required: maintaining sales history, forecasting portion sales, and determining production quantities.

* Know what the Portion Sales number is, why it needs to be known, and how to determine it

A sales history is a written record of the number of portions of each menu item sold every time that item appears on the menu. There are two ways to determine the portion sales number: manual and electronic.

* Be able to calculate Popularity Index and Forecasted Sales of an individual menu item

Popularity Index = the ratio of portion sales for a given menu item to total portion sales for all menu items. (portion sales for a given item / total portion sales for all items x 100 = popularity index %)

Sales Forecasting = a process in which managers use data and intuition to predict what is likely to occur in the future. (forecasted sales = total forecasted portion sales x decimal equivalent of the popularity index for the item; popularity index / 100 = decimal equivalent of popularity index)

* Know the difference between Forecasted Sales and Anticipated Sales

Forecasted Sales = predictions of unit sales, dollar sales, or both, normally based on historical data

Anticipated Sales = business volume for the previous 2 or 3 days / number of days (average)

Measuring Monthly Production Costs
* Understand the process of Taking a Physical Inventory and Valuing the Physical Inventory and what it does for the food service manager

Taking a physical inventory requires counting the actual number of units on-hand of each item in stock and recording that number in an appropriate place. There are at least five possible ways of assigning values to units of product in a physical inventory: actual purchase price method, first-in, first-out method, weighted-average purchase price method, latest purchase price method, and last-in, first-out method.

* Be able to calculate the Food Cost Percent (Cost to Sales Ratio) and know how this number is useful to the food service manager

Food Cost Percentage (Cost to Sales Ratio) = cost of food sold / food sales

When the food cost percentages for a current period and those for the same period in the previous year are compared side-by-side, it’s possible to make a judgment about the relative effectiveness of current operations.

* Be able to calculate Average Inventory and Inventory Turnover

Average Inventory = opening inventory + closing inventory / 2

Inventory Turnover = cost of food sold / average inventory

Controlling Food Sales
* Understand the Sales Control concept

Sales Control = a synonym for revenue control, a collection of activities designed to ensure that each order placed by a customer results in appropriate revenue for the enterprise.

* Know what Price Sensitivity means and what Diamond Star Ratings are

Price Sensitivity = the relationship between sales price and sales volume.

Diamond Star Ratings = one diamond is affordable, good, casual dining. Five diamond is a world-class dining experience and impeccable service.

* Know the distinctions among Homogenous, Differentiated, and Signature goods and services

Homogenous product = a product that is so much like other similar products that customers have no preference for any one over the others and will purchase the one with the lowest price.

Differentiated product = a product that is sufficiently different from other similar products so that customers may consider it unique and develop a preference for it.

Signature item = a unique food product created for a restaurant to help increase sales volume. A signature item is a differentiated product.

* Determine and understand how to add Contribution Margins to Portion Costs

This approach requires that the foodservice operator determine the average contribution margin required to cover costs other than food and to yield the desired level of profit at the expected level of sales volume.

* Understand the concepts of Revenue Control and Revenue Control Standards, including the goal of revenue control and how revenue control standards are the means for achieving it

Revenue Control = the process used by managers to ensure that all sales result in appropriate dollar and income to the enterprise. There are three standards for achieving the goal of revenue control: documenting all sales, pricing all sales correctly, and verifying that all sales are recorded.

Beverage Control
Purchasing
* Know what the Standards for Purchasing Beverages are, especially the principles and factors used to establish Quantity and Quality Standards

For beverage purchasing, standards must be developed for quality, quantity, and price. A call brand is one used only if that specific brand is requested by a customer. A pouring brand is one used whenever a customer does not specify a call brand. There are eight principal factors used to establish quantity standards for beverage purchasing: frequency with which management chooses to place orders, storage space available, funds available for inventory purchases, delivery schedules set by purveyors, minimum order requirements set by purveyors, price discounts for volume orders, price specials available, and limited availability of some items.

* Know the difference between License and Control States and how the differences can affect adopting a Price Standard

License states have beverage wholesalers (and sometimes manufacturers and distributors as well) permitted to sell alcoholic beverages directly to hotels, restaurants, and similar operations. This often results in competitive pricing of brands in the market. Control states have state governments that actually sell some or all alcoholic beverages through their own network of stores (or those that are franchised by the state), thus exercising complete control over prices. In control states, it is typically illegal for hotels and restaurants to purchase alcoholic beverages out of state.

Sales Control
* Know the difference between Food Sales Control and Beverage Sales Control

Beverage sales control has three objectives: optimizing the number of sales, maximizing profit, and controlling revenue. In food sales control, one of the means of maximizing profit is to increase sales to individual customers and to use any of several possible approaches to induce the average customer to purchase greater numbers of products. No beverage manager would ever attempt this approach. Bar operators who attempt to optimize the number of sales in this way will find their efforts restricted by law.

* Know why customers patronize establishments that serve alcoholic beverages

There are five reasons why customers patronize beverage operations and restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages: socializing, conducting business, eating, seeking entertainment, and killing time.

* Know how and how not to maximize beverage profits

In beverage operations, profit maximization is accomplished in two ways: establishing drink prices that will maximize gross profit and influencing customers’ selections.

* Know what the term Dram Shop Laws refers to, including how they apply to beverage service Up-Selling

Dram shop laws hold the serving establishment and the server financially liable for damages if any employee in the establishment has served an alcoholic drink to an intoxicated person who in turn causes harm to a 3rd party.

* Know the special considerations that relate to Revenue Control problems associated with providing beverage services

Revenue control consists of those activities established to ensure that each sale to a customer results in appropriate revenue to the operation. A common means for determining whether control problems exist in a particular establishment is to assess the work practices of the bartender: 1) working with the cash drawer open 2) under-ringing sales either as “No Sale” or as an amount less than the actual sale 3) overcharging customers but ringing-in correct amounts 4) undercharging customers 5) overpouring 6) underpouring 7) diluting bottle contents 8) bringing one’s own bottle into the bar 9) charging for drinks not served 10) drinking on the job.

Labor Control
Performance Standards and Procedures
* Know why Employee Performance Standards and Procedures are needed

Management establishes standards for many reasons, one of which is to determine the extent to which the results of organizational activities match those anticipated by plans.

* Understand the relationship between Quality and Quantity Standards

Before developing quality standards for employee performance, a manager must first have a clear and detailed understanding of the establishment, including the quality standards for food and beverage products. The standards for employee performance in a diner are considerably different than in a fine-dining establishment. Once appropriate quality standards have been established, corresponding quantity standards must be developed. Establishing standards and standard procedures for employees requires organizing the enterprise, preparing job descriptions, and scheduling employees.

Employee Compensation
* Know the distinctions among Direct, Indirect, and Deferred Compensation forms

Direct compensation is received by the employee directly related to that person’s job. Indirect compensation is that benefit to a current employee other than direct compensation. Deferred compensation is defined as compensation received by an employee after the conclusion of his period of employment.

 

Staff Training and Customer Service
* Understand the difference between Training and Education

Training = a process by means of which individuals acquire the skills necessary to perform particular tasks. Education is a broader-based concept with objectives including increasing one’s knowledge of a given subject and developing the capacity of the mind to address complex topics and to analyze critically.

* Know the Objectives of Training

Training objectives identify the skills, tasks, and behaviors that a specific employee will have mastered by the time training is complete.

* Know the definition of Cross-Training and its advantages

Cross-training is defined as teaching a worker to perform the duties of a job or jobs other than his own. Some employers consider it important to provide cross-training so that employees are prepared to perform the duties of those who are absent or ill or so that jobs can be combined during slow periods.

* Be familiar with the eight common training methods, especially the most advantageous uses of each

1. Lecture/demonstration – requires a trainer explain a subject or task to one trainee or a group, demonstrate the skills involved, and respond to questions during or after.
2. Role playing – enables each learner to play a part in a scene created by the trainer.
3. Seminars – group discussions of particular subjects led by trainers.
4. Individual assignments – effective for undertaking the training of employees for particular types of jobs at or near the management level.
5. Field trips – offer an excellent means for individuals or groups to observe others at work and to study the standards and standard procedures they follow in carrying-out their job assignments.
6. Case studies – bears some similarity to the seminar method except that the participants are asked to read a prepared case involving a real or hypothetical situation.
7. Panels – consist of groups of experts called-in by trainers to express their opinions on specific questions for the benefit of an audience of trainees, usually management trainees.
8. Programmed instruction – considered by its supporters to be among the most effective means of providing individual training.

Monitoring Performance
* Know the difference between Direct and Indirect Monitoring, especially the advantages and means of conducting each

Direct monitoring normally means direct observation by a manager or supervisor of an employee at work or direct examination of the results of that employee’s work by a supervisor or manager. Indirect monitoring is accomplished by developing a variety of means or methods for assessing work without directly observing it (through customers, employees, external agencies/organizations/groups, and managers).