GBN University Podcast

In this episode, Col (R) Spencer Clouatre, PhD talks with Chief Operating Officer and Director of Golf at Plainfield Country Club, Scott Paris. This episode touches on the importance of hospitality and culture, measuring feedback from members, the significance of recon and intelligence in decision-making, and the value of creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas. Scot...

In this episode of "Getting Better Now," Col (R) Spencer Clouatre engages in a dynamic conversation with Jason Prendergast about the journey of being dream driven and supporting others in achieving their aspirations. Jason shares his personal experiences and insights, guiding listeners through the multifaceted process of chasing a dream with numerous goals and milestones. Drawing from hi...

In this episode of “Getting Better Now” Col (R) Spencer Clouatre sits down with Tom Wildenhaus to discuss effective leadership in the golf industry. Drawing from personal experience and offering insights aimed at helping listeners understand the core principles of leadership. Tom emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within the industry. He provi...

How do you gain buy-in when managing a large, organization-wide change? In this compelling continuation of the interview with CW Canfield from S10 EP02, Spencer talks about the mechanisms of appealing to logic and data, as well as being a leader who inspires your team to follow, even when the path is uncharted, rocky, or takes an unexpected turn. Great leaders apply the key mechanisms of psycholog...

When change is on the horizon, what helps you weather the hurricanes and unexpected hurdles that sometimes cross your path? In this episode, Spencer and CW, both West Point graduates, cover the key elements that motivate staff to optimize scarce resources and navigate uncertainty with sound decision-making. What role does empathy and cooperation play in executing the master plan? Check back soon f...

How do hospitality, golf, and leadership intersect? In this episode, Spencer and Phil Owenby discuss the nuances of creating a memorable customer experience that keeps people coming back time and time again, while remaining engaged with every member of your staff and making the most of the scarce resources we sometimes all face.  GBN is the leading  private network for today's most successful...

GBN University has launched the Leadership Accelerator program, the only leadership program developed by Golf Professionals FOR Golf Professionals.  Registration is open to any PGA Professional or Associate but space is limited!  Go to https://golfbusinessnetwork.com/gbnu/leadership-accelerator/ for more info and to grab your spot! Ryan Hawk is the host of The Learning Leader podcast, one of the m...

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition. If you’ve been listening for a while, you’ve come to understand how i...

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition. Welcome back for part two of my conversation with Seth Waugh, the CEO...

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition. In this season of Getting Better Now, we’ve talked a lot about the st...

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition. Most of you listening to this are working at golf clubs that are busi...

Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff?  GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition. Seth Waugh came to the PGA of America after a highly successful caree...

This episode is brought to you by GBN University.  GBNU is where today's PGA Professionals come to grow their skills, advance their careers, and increase their bottom lines.  Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/gbnu for more info. Welcome to Season Eight of the Getting Better Now podcast! We kick things off with an important conversation about a topic you’re all too familiar with.  There probab...

One thing we could probably all agree on is that traditionally the golf industry is pretty resistant to change.  Look at the way we staff our golf operations with a Head Professional and X number of Assistants.  That’s been the model for as long as anybody can remember.  Add to that the scope of the job for everyone on the staff from teaching some, running events, doing some merchandising, etc. It...

It’s not often that we get to hear a conversation on the issues facing our industry directly from the leaders at the PGA of America.  In the summer of 2021 I had the opportunity to record a conversation with Don Rea, the current Secretary of the PGA, and feel this conversation was definitely worthy of releasing again.   This was a wide ranging discussion that covered the challenges of recruiting i...

For close to half a century as a PGA Professional, John Kennedy has supported, coached, and mentored people for a living.  Whether it was his team of Assistant Professionals and other staff at the famed West Chester Country Club where he spent 26 years as the Director of Golf , the students he loved to help on the lesson tee, or bringing the game of golf to military veterans, he’s used his role as...

Whether it was managing golf course operations as a Superintendent or now heading his own consultant and search firm, Tyler Bloom has always been a problem solver.  After working at some of the top clubs in the country as an Assistant Superintendent, Tyler landed his own job as a Golf Course Superintendent and spearheaded some innovative ways to address the challenges of recruiting and retaining p...

This episode is brought to you by GBN University, powered by Golf Business Network.  GBNU is where leading PGA Professionals come to improve their skills, build their careers, and increase their impact.  Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/gbnuniversity for more info. The last time we heard from Kraig Kann on the Getting Better Now podcast, he was giving a keynote (or as he tells us he doesn’t do ke...

This episode is brought to you by GBN University, powered by Golf Business Network.  GBNU is where leading PGA Professionals come to improve their skills, build their careers, and increase their impact.  Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/gbnuniversity for more info.   Whenever you hear anyone talk about Caves Valley Golf Club, the first thing they’ll mention is the “experience”.  From the moment y...

If you’re in a leadership role, there’s no doubt the spotlight has been shined on you to respond appropriately for all of the people that you impact.  How should a good leader respond? What if you’re not in a leadership role yet but are hoping to be in one someday soon?  Are there lessons you can learn from this crisis?  Where can you focus so that when it’s your turn to respond, you have the answ...

In this episode we're joined by Jason Sutton, aka “The Golf Guru”, who is the Director of Instruction at Carmel Country Club in North Carolina and the host of the appropriately titled podcast, “The Golf Guru” show.  But long before Jason was putting out 90+ episodes of his show, he was building a following online and developing his own brand, which as we talk about, has paid major dividends. ...

What’s your story?  If someone asked you that, do you have an answer?  How are you making an impact in the position where you currently serve?  Are you confident that you’re truly making an impact?  What are you doing to stand out from the crowd, so that someone might tell another person about you?  Anything? Some of these may be difficult questions for you to answer.  I know I didn’t have a great...

As PGA Professionals, we’re in the business of “Growing the Game”.  It’s a phrase we hear ad nauseam in our business.  Grow the game at our facilities, in our Sections, and in our communities.  So in order to do our job of growing the game, we develop programs for our members and customers that consist of clinics, lesson packages, golf schools, junior programs, beginner programs, the list goes on...

If you’re a typical Golf Professional that takes on a number of different roles and responsibilities, even if you love to teach, finding time to fit in golf lessons can be a challenge.  Do you come in early? Stay late? Sacrifice time you set aside for other tasks and say yes to the lesson request? It’s a conundrum that we often fall into. And for a lot of Golf Professionals, the opportunity to tea...

It’s been said that you can’t grow personally or professionally without developing self awareness.  Knowing how you’re perceived by others, what your strengths and weaknesses are, how you handle stress, and how you impact those around you, are just some of the elements of self awareness, that can go a long way in helping all of us reach enjoy success at work, and also at home. For Cameron Doan, th...