What do you see as the biggest challenge to our mission to “serve the member and grow the game?”
Grow the Game. Serve the Pacific Northwest Professional.
Those two sentences drive our Section. It’s our mission statement and it needs to be embedded in our DNA. Every decision we make, every action we take, should serve the membership and grow the game of golf.
I’ve been asked to answer the question, “what I see as our biggest challenges to our mission statement of serving the membership and growing the game.” I can answer this question with one word—meh…
For starters, I want to be clear about one thing. Our first and foremost goal must be to serve the membership. I firmly believe if we FIRST serve our Professionals, we will be inspired to grow the game. If you are following along, I’ve stated this before. I often feel as if we’ve been given an earful of “grow the game” programs for as long as I can remember. What I don’t seem to recall as easily are the programs that make me a better PGA professional.
I work hard every day to be the best Golf Professional that I can be. I play the game as much as I can, I teach the game as much as my schedule allows, and I promote the game daily.
While I don’t live my life thinking my Section owes me anything, I expect my Section to be there for me and to offer me the same commitment I offer the game of golf. Our Section must lead the way and must grow more informed, inspired, and motivated Golf Professionals to grow the game of golf. If our Section takes care of us, we will take care of the game.
meh.
My kids use that “word” often when they are talking about something they could care less about. I asked my son Hayden what that meant to him. After hearing him say “meh” and seeing the gestures he made while saying the word, I completely understood. Meh, is a feeling.
meh.
That one word is the biggest challenge our Section faces in serving the Professional and growing the game of golf.
Apathy is indifference. Indifference is an obstacle. I read once that the opposite of progress is not regress, it is indifference. I think that is an appropriate statement when we talk about the challenges we face as an association.
If we all took a moment to think about why we got into the golf business, I think most of us would say it was for the love of the game and the people that play the game. That passion and love is what drove you down the path to be a golf professional. Some of us love to play, some love to teach, some love to create an atmosphere for others to enjoy the game. Hopefully we ALL love the game.
When you chose to be a Golf Professional, you chose a career in golf. Whether you realized it at the time, you agreed to be an ambassador for the game. You agreed to safeguard the game and to cultivate its longevity. Guess what, Golf needs you now more than ever.
Our Section also needs you. We need you to play more golf, we need you to teach the game to more golfers, and we need you to promote the game every chance you get.
If you make that level of commitment to the game of golf, you should expect the same commitment from your Section staff and its board of directors. You should expect your Section leadership to create programs that make you successful. You should expect more opportunities to learn from one another and you should expect your Section board to work hard to promote each and every one of you.
meh.
If you use this word when talking about your role as a PNWPGA Section Golf Professional, I hope my words have made you think about your chosen profession. If you use this word when talking about your Section’s staff and board members, I would ask that you provide me with an opportunity to change your perspective.
Electing me as your Section Secretary means that you believe that I will hold you to the highest standard. It means you believe that I will work tirelessly to develop programs to make you successful. It means that you understand that I am dedicated to serving you the Section Professional so that in turn, you can grow this amazing game of golf.
Thank you for your time and I would appreciate your vote for Section secretary.
Sean Fredrickson, PGA