The Club Pro Crisis
A series of Fire Pit Podcasts hosted by Matt Ginella
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 1: "Ignorance Isn't Bliss"
In this first of several podcasts on what many consider a “club pro crisis,” we talk to current and former PGA Professionals and various industry leaders as they help us understand how the job has evolved and why it’s so hard to find and keep talented pros. The idea for this podcast began when the host, Matt Ginella, made an uniformed comment on a podcast last fall, and many voices spoke up to educate him. Throughout this series, you’ll hear from Butch Harmon, PGA of America leaders Seth Waugh and Suzy Whaley, writer Shane Ryan and various club pros who offer thoughtful and constructive perspectives on the past, present and future of a profession that is on the ropes.
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 2: "Work/Life Imbalance"
In part 2 of a Fire Pit podcast series on the “Club Pro Crisis,” Matt Ginella gets into how and why Shane Ryan’s article in Golf Digest (May, 2022) highlighted issues of a work/life imbalance, money and awareness. In short, club pros and PGA Professionals are taken for granted.
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 3: “Where do we go from here?”
In Part 3 of this podcast series on America’s club pro crisis, another collection of voices and perspectives offer potential solutions to several complicated issues affecting club pros. Butch Harmon, Chandler Withington, Shane Ryan and a variety of current and former club pros discuss unionizing and properly incentivizing a “fed-up” industry of selfless men and women whose love of golf is being tested.
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 4 "Sit Down w/ Seth Waugh"
In Part 4 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we talk to Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America since 2018. Waugh shares his thoughts on how and why he got involved, how he’s doing a lot of listening in order to improve the lives of his membership, and we learn about his ultimate goal: “I’m trying to leave the room better than I found it.”
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 5 "PGM Programs w/ Dr. Brian Soulé"
In Part 5 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we hear from Dr. Brain Soulé, an associate teaching professor at Penn State’s Professional Golf Management program for the last 15 years. And we’re joined by Jack Davis, one of Soulé’s former students and current head pro at the Essex County Club in Massachusetts. Both talk candidly about the industry and what they’re doing to try and make it better for the next generation of club pros.
The Club Pro Crisis - Part 6 "Sit Down w/ Former PGA President Suzy Whaley"
In Part 6 of this podcast series on the Club Pro Crisis, we’re joined by Suzy Whaley, who, in 2018, became the first female President of the PGA of America.