Assistant pro's

MadAdey said:
Not interested in the argument that is going on but I would like to put a question across on another angle within this thread:

If your club Pro stopped employing these young lads as his assistant, then eventually there will be no club pros as there is no one coming through as assistants.

Also if your club pro employs an assistant alongside some top salesman then who is going to pay the wages. As we all know some club pros are struggling in this financial climate to make a good living.

My point is what will happen if they stop employing these young lads?
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Quite - you want to be served by a knowledgable AP then just go to a golf club. I don't WANT to be served by a great sales person in my pro shop (btw I don't go to AG or DG but support my club pro). Our current pro was previously an AP at the club. The two current APs are trying to make a go on the local APs tour - with a bit of success this year - well done Ollie and Luke. I want our APs to represent the club both when in the shop, around the club and course and when playing comps. I want them to be engaged with club activities - taking lessons (and earning money); involved teaching and playing with Juniors. I want them to have an honest 'non-sales' approach to advising me on gear.

I get that.
 
Foxholer said:
Neither of the sort of guys being discussed will actually be members of PGA. They would have to be Professionals for that, and the guys being discussed are (perhaps) at the early stages of the road to that.

They are both basically shop assistants, one of whose path could well be to become a Professional, the other's being more likely to become a Store Manager.
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slightly confused... so a pga member who either works as an assistant pro or at ag wont be fully qualified?
 
Most (not all) of the young assistant pro's that I have met over the years have been so far up their own jacksies, I wouldn't want to talk to them anyway. They tend to think they are going to be the next Poulter and look down their noses at anyone playing off an "average" handicap unless the magic word "lessons" are mentioned. They then see £££££ signs and become your next best friend.
 
elevenredmen said:
slightly confused... so a pga member who either works as an assistant pro or at ag wont be fully qualified?
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There are a number of terms that probably need definition,

Professional Golfer: Someone who earns his/her living by playing Golf
PGA Professional. Someone who has passed all the requirements of the (Foundation) Degree in Professional Golf Studies (or recognised equivalent). Is entitled to put 'PGA Professional' after their name.
PGA Member. Either a PGA Professional or a Professional Golfer (there may be a qualification period) who has joined the PGA.
Assistant Professional. Job Title of PGA Qualified Professional who works for another Professional.
Trainee Professional. Person working at PGA approved Golf Club who is studying for, but not yet passed, the requirements of the Golf Studies Degree.
Professional's Assistant. Someone working for a (PGA) Professional. May or may not want to become a PGA Professional or a Professional Golfer.
Sales Assistant. Someone working in the Sales area of a Golf Shop. May or may not play Golf!

The guys being discussed are in the last 3 categories.
 
Last edited:
Forgot that the Degree in Applied Golf Management, more academically/business oriented than the Trainee Professional method, exists. Graduates can use PGA Professional after their name too. More oriented to those aiming to manage Golf facilities as opposed to those teaching in them.
 
bobmac said:
A trainee professional MUST work at a golf club which has been PGA approved for training.
When he/she has qualified, he/she can then choose where to work
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That makes sense. My confusion was based on the manager at ag in Slough telling me that he was, and had been, a PGA Professional for 25 years.

So basically a pga professional/pga member in ag/dg/nb will be "qualified" rather than a "trainee".
 
I work in a Golf Club part time. When I'm there I run the Pro Shop, sell golfing equipment, book tee times, take green fees, organise competitions of the day, manage the driving range (collect and replace the balls etc), sell drinks and chocs, carry out various on course tasks like changing pins over in bad weather when the greens staff are away, putting out and collecting LD/NP markers for groups, managing the Buggies and varied other day to day activities that may be necessary to keep the place running. Keeps me busy and out of trouble.

My title tends to be 'Brian' or the bloke in the shop. :)
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Quite - you want to be served by a knowledgable AP then just go to a golf club. I don't WANT to be served by a great sales person in my pro shop (btw I don't go to AG or DG but support my club pro). Our current pro was previously an AP at the club. The two current APs are trying to make a go on the local APs tour - with a bit of success this year - well done Ollie and Luke. I want our APs to represent the club both when in the shop, around the club and course and when playing comps. I want them to be engaged with club activities - taking lessons (and earning money); involved teaching and playing with Juniors. I want them to have an honest 'non-sales' approach to advising me on gear.

I get that.
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rosecott said:
Wow! When were you elevated to that position of power?
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"Power" now thats an interesting word divised by people who like telling people what to do......
 
So can anyone clear up the American Golf promise, about having a PGA pro in every shop? Is that as literal as it sounds, a PGA qualified (ie passed the tests) person, or are they using a play on words to get around that?
 
CheltenhamHacker said:
So can anyone clear up the American Golf promise, about having a PGA pro in every shop? Is that as literal as it sounds, a PGA qualified (ie passed the tests) person, or are they using a play on words to get around that?
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Yes AG do have a pro in every shop who is PGA qualified in some cases more that one PGA qualified person.
 
Seems to be a lot of angst aimed at assistants on this thread, yet i'd believe 50% of the people posting maybe more would have loved the opportunity had it been presented to them at the same age.

End of the day if you believe your getting poor customer service from anywhere what do you do, you simply have a word with the powers that be so they can retrain and instill the required skills into their staff. Yes it takes nothing to be courteous and polite and if they're not doing this a brief word from their boss can address that, and the rest are all skills he/she is theri to learn anyways.

We all need to remember that once we were young and learning and didn't know it all straight away, it takes time to build up knowledge and skills.

The assistant at my dads club is rude, arrogant and downright pitiful with his knowledge and customer service skills and he's in his mid to late 40's, but likewise his boss the Pro is rude, arrogant and pitiful with his customer service as well and refuses to accept any form of constructive criticism, to the point where the majority of the membership now only pay their comp fees in the shop and nothing else.

Then you come to my club and the young lad in his early 20's couldn't be more helpful regularlry goes out of his way to help members and visitors. Even to the point where he has offered to take new members out to show them the course and introduce them to others to get games, I forgot to put my name down for the club champs this weekend and he sent me an email informing me he'd put me down as he'd not seen me at the club so I didn't miss out on the draw sheet.

Its not generaly about age and ability its more about personality and the pro teaching them good habits, if they have a bad teacher they'll be a poor assistant.
 
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