Meet the head golf professional: Phil Waugh

From Brampton Golf Club in Cumbria, Phil talks about how he manages all the work that needs doing, teaching the game to juniors and his impressive playing career.

Can you detail what your life was like from the first lockdown in March 2020 until the present day?

At first when the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown I wasn’t expecting retail shops to be closed for too long, so I didn’t feel that I would be impacted too much. As the months went on and the longer the pro shop was closed, I began to worry about the sustainability of the business during that time.

Then when retail was allowed to reopen and with golf being an outdoor sport that can be played socially distanced, I was pleased to see that the sport had increased in popularity and we were busier than ever with lots of new members and new players coming through the door.

At present golf is still increasing in popularity and player numbers are still high which is keeping us very busy at the club.

What daily challenges do you face in running a pro shop and teaching?

The challenges I face on a daily basis running the pro shop and teaching include being open seven days a week all year round. With myself and one other member of staff, it certainly is a juggling act with teaching out of hours and also competing in tournaments. To add to this we run the tee sheets and competitions for the club from the pro shop and maintain the club’s buggy fleet, as well as fix and repair members’ equipment, this all adds up to a busy time.

My biggest challenge is keeping on top of invoices and placing orders and making sure the shop is fully stocked.

There is a constant flow of new golf products – how do you manage your stock to serve the needs of your members and visitors?

I have been at Brampton Golf Club for six years now and feel I have a good understanding of what the members and visitors like to purchase. I take note of the market share reports I get from TGI Golf and try to buy accordingly. I currently use an EPoS system which allows me to manage my stock and keep an eye on what sells and doesn’t.

How do you manage your day?

I arrive at the club early in the morning and get the shop set up for the day and buggies out before the members arrive. I then will make a list of the more important jobs that we need to get done throughout the day.

I usually try to conduct my lessons in the afternoon so I can be around the shop in the morning when the tee sheet is busier. My assistant usually comes in at lunchtime and we have a crossover where two of us are in the shop to get some of the repairs and orders done.

I sort a lot of my emails and orders at home in the evening as it’s difficult to complete this when the shop is busy and the phone is ringing most of the day.

What are you doing to support junior golf and introduce kids to the sport?

We currently have a thriving junior section with boys and girls both playing frequently. We run weekly junior coaching sessions at an affordable cost, which helps the levels we see at the club.

I also teach at local schools and some more rural, smaller clubs to try and increase the junior section number. I try to encourage the juniors as much as possible as the game has given me so much opportunity and I would like to give them the chance I’ve had.

We have also been part of the national Golf Girls Rocks programme, trying to encourage young girls into the game.

Are you trying to attract more women to golf?

We currently have 22 new ladies that we are offering beginner lessons to, myself and the club have linked with England Golf to try and increase the ladies’ section numbers. All 22 have signed up to the next batch of lessons and are enjoying their new sport.

Do you have any programmes in place such as academy membership to make it easier to introduce beginners to the game?

We currently don’t have an academy membership in place at the club, but we are trying to implement this to help sustain the numbers at the club going forward. A local golf club already has this in place and it seems to be going well, so definitely an avenue to explore.

A lot of PGA pros are having to be a step ahead of their competitors in their offerings and technology – what additional added value services do you provide?

We offer a quality after-sales service to make sure the customers are happy with their purchases. I make sure my staff are fully trained on all the products we sell so the customer has a great experience and feels confident in what they are buying.

When custom fitting we use all the latest equipment to help provide the correct information to help the player receive the correct clubs for them.

When did you join the TGI Golf Partnership and what was it about it that attracted you?

I joined the TGI Golf Partnership six years ago as my old boss Andy Paisley was with the group and I always had an amazing service from them. This has certainly continued and I am pleased I joined the group and would always recommend it for any PGA professional starting out.

Has TGI Golf been of benefit to you as a PGA professional?

TGI Golf has benefited my business dramatically, it has helped with various aspects of my profession, how to market my business, shop layout, ways to increase sales and manage stock and how to improve my relationships with the customer.

Without them starting my business and managing its continued growth would have been a lot more difficult.

What year did you turn professional and what have been your career highlights, both playing and employment?

I turned professional at the age of 21 in 2007 and have had some great moments since then. I have won several PGA events and my highlight would be winning the NENW Portugal Pro Am three years in a row. Outside of playing I have been very pleased to grow my business year on year and my reputation at the club is strong with the members.

Overall my job can be consuming with long hours in the summer months – but it is also very rewarding. Working In a scenic environment is also a plus with Brampton Golf club being one of the best.