It's The Banter Not The Birdies That Matters Most - Don Rea, President of The PGA of America

"Whether it's to get better at golf as a game or improve as an executive or you're somebody who wants dedicate their life to the industry and send their kids to college, you've got to surround yourself with people that are better than you are and that certainly has happened for me. A high tide raises all ships and it's elevated my ability to be a good provider for my family, but also feel fulfilled in a life that's dedicated to golf because I just dig it." PGA of America President and Owner/Operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club Don Rea joins host Colin Weston to share his 25 year journey advocating for the game and industry that he deeply loves. "Some people say that they're professional golfers on The PGA Tour and we're golf professionals. There is no doubt the mission of the PGA of America is having 31,000 men and women out there every day trying to help people get it airborne. I believe we're the voice of the golfer in the game. There's 28.1 million out there playing. And who do they talk to? Well, they talk to our members. They talk to me. So we're their voice when it comes to any issues that might face golf. We're the first people they come to. We're the first responders of golf." https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/NwuzeR1D.jpg "The special thing about a college campus is that when you go there, there's a connection to that place. It always will be. And the alumni of that tell everybody why they should go to their college. We never had that. And that's what the new PGA of America headquarters is. It's not just a building. It's our home. There's two championship golf courses, a 10-hole lit golf course that's crazy busy every night, a two-acre putting green where little kids are running around in their bare feet with their big putters that are bigger than they are just putting around. For us, it's our why. There's a lot of relationships out there and ROIs of why you invest in something or partner with somebody. But for us, it's not about that. You need to know our why and why we exist. You can talk about a why, you can show it, you can see it, you can feel it and smell it. And that's what the home quarters of the PGA of America is." "That's where the 31,000 members ensure that we do everything we can to leverage the assets of the PGA of America to tell the story of the PGA professional so that we're serving them. And in the end that's our mission. Serve the member and grow the game. It's just that simple." https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/AIrm15Wa.jpg https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/Apjjd4xt.jpg PGA of America's New Headquarters Campus in Frisco Texas Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear! As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building. I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests. I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf. Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/q_IZwlpO.jpg (https://patreon.com/Modgolf) We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019! Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience? https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/K9NPjjAv.jpg (https://www.golfgenius.com) Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com (https://www.golfgenius.com). Special Guest: Don Rea - President, PGA of America and Owner/Operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Course.