Crown Golf creates new roles for its top PGA pros

Crown Golf has invested over £300,000 in a move which enables its most experienced PGA professionals to have maximum ‘face time’ with golfers by creating the Golf Development Professional (GDP) role.

As a result handicaps are coming down faster, more golfers are having lessons, and Crown Golf’s top PGA professionals are working more closely at the heart of their clubs.

If you need an introduction to fellow members, the GDPs are also helping new Crown Golf members to meet other golfers at their own club, and across the Crown Golf group.

And with a packed annual diary of over 50 golfing and social events at every Crown Golf Club, over and above regular medals and club matches, the GDPs are also heavily involved in the competitive side of the golf club.

The new roles have already started at Crown Golf venues in Surrey, Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, London, Middlesex and Merseyside.

Crown Golf members will find their GDP is available to engage with them daily, helping them to achieve their golfing goals, lower their handicap and expand their social life both at their own golf club and also across the wider Crown Golf family through the group’s popular ‘one membership, 23 clubs’ ethos.

The GDPs will also be Crown Golf’s chief ambassadors to the local community, developing participation both at the club and throughout the area, and will also manage each club’s custom-fitting service following Crown Golf’s investment in the latest launch monitor technology across the group.

“Now more than ever, golf has to compete for people’s free time,” said Crown Golf CEO Stephen Towers. “The sport can only grow if we meet this challenge, and across Crown Golf the Golf Development Professional now holds the key to increasing golf participation, and keeping people playing this great sport.”

Rob Spurrier, who coordinates coaching across the Crown Golf group, said: “The best PGA Professionals are like the captain of a football team. Everybody knows their name, and which golf club they work at, for miles around. They can work miracles with your golf game and your confidence levels, and their personality sets the tone at the golf club. We’re putting them where they belong – among people – to fully use those core PGA skills for which they have spent years in training.”

The new GDP positions are already improving the member experience at Crown Golf clubs in many different ways. “This has freed up our top PGA staff to run extra activities such as weekly bunkers masterclasses or putting clinics, which have quickly become a popular attraction for members,” said Spurrier. “Part coaching, part custom-fitting, part social event, they are a great way for our GDPs to help as many members as possible through the year.”

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A graduate of Cardiff University’s highly respected post-graduate magazine journalism course, Andy has successfully edited four different publications across the B2B, trade and consumer sectors. He is skilled at all aspects of the magazine process in addition to editing websites and managing social media channels.