Jessica Albright is a PGA Assistant Professional at Sea Pines Country Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Jessica Albright on the importance of marketing golf fitness to members:
I earned my Class A PGA membership in 2015 and recently spent some time away from the game to attain my personal training certification. Now back in golf, I am TPI-certified and working to integrate fitness into our golf programming and instruction. My plan has been to build awareness of golf fitness through group classes, personal training and within our golf lessons, as well. So, after conferring with our Fitness and Wellness Director, I started teaching some golf-specific fitness classes, in addition to the golf instruction and coaching that I provide. Implemented in May of 2021, Dynamic Golf focuses on mobility, flexibility, strength and endurance, and also emphasizes the importance of injury prevention. After all, we have many members who are either seeking guidance after surgery or looking to raise their game to the next level through the many benefits of golf fitness. These sessions are held twice per week and we’re maxing out each class at 10 students per session. Seeing the need for a prerequisite to Dynamic Golf, I implemented 1st Tee Flow just a couple of months ago. This class utilizes a lot of TPI ideas and concepts, and is geared more specifically to mobility and stretching for the golf swing. Stretching includes static and dynamic iterations that aid the students before, during and after the golf swing. Golfers see increased distances and are more mobile, ideally alleviating pressure on the body. In addition, we discuss recovery, a sorely overlooked aspect of most physical activity. These sessions take place on Saturdays, and we’re getting a consistent dozen students signing up for each session.
Jessica Albright on the business impact of marketing golf fitness to members:
Generally speaking, the need for golf fitness exists at every club. I like to say it’s what “they didn’t know they needed.” At our facility, we have a lot of members who can truly benefit from this guidance and mentorship, and are doing so at increasing rates – both men and women, mostly between 50 and 75 years of age. By talking to each other, they’re promoting our innovative new programming. As seen at most courses, we have many great 14-hole golfers who run out of gas down the home stretch. Increasing their endurance for a more-efficient final few holes will make a world of difference in their scores, their enjoyment in the game and their overall health and wellness.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email jalbright@seapinescountryclub.com.
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