This summer, we are highlighting PNW PGA Professionals who have contributed Best Practices to the Section. We hope their programs will inspire you! Search the full Best Practices archive at https://pnwpga.com/bestpractices.
Name: Tim Ressa, PGA
Facility: Harbour Pointe GC
Hometown: Pullman, WA
PGA Member Since: 2007
Tell us about your golf beginnings. How did you get started in this career?
I started playing golf with my dad and my brothers. Dad and all his brothers would have a tournament to play in every year. My brothers and I would play all day at the old 9-hole course at WSU. My love for the game blossomed from there. I decided to start teaching full time after spending some time on the operations side of the business. I had the opportunity to go to teach in Asia for six years and have been teaching ever since.
Who are or were your mentors?
I have had a lot of people influence me along the way. Too many to name. I would say my dad has been my most important mentor. I have tried to ask questions of every teacher I have met along the way, trying to gain as much knowledge from everyone I meet.
You had success in 2019 with your Operation 36 Women’s Academy. Can you tell us a little bit about your program and why it was successful?
The Operation 36 Women’s Program has been great at helping new golfers as well as women who are re-entering the game. I am a big believer in the program as it gets new players onto the course very early, because they start playing close to the hole and working their way back as their skills develop. It really provides a fun, less intimidating entry point into the game.
How many participants do you have this year so far? Have you had to make any changes for social distancing?
This year I have 60 junior golfers and 33 women in the Operation 36 Program. The changes I have made has been to limit the class sizes to 5, instead of 6 or 7 in a class. The guys at Operation 36 did a great job getting out front of the COVID-19 crisis, providing me with great materials on how to educate my students on social distancing, changes to playing on the golf course and changes to social distance during classes. It has been challenging to teach new golfers while socially distancing, but it has helped me develop my communication to be very simple with my instruction.
Search the full Best Practices archive at https://pnwpga.com/bestpractices.