As an unparalleled know-how accomplice for forward-thinking golf companies, Lightspeed is celebrating Gamechangers within the golf trade. In collaboration with the PGA of Canada, we’re shining a highlight on superb Canadian golf professionals who’re making a distinction at their programs via instruction, inspiration and golf course administration.
Introducing: Shannon McGeady
Skilled Class: Class A Head Skilled
Course: Tobiano Golf Course, Kamloops, British Columbia
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
Enjoyable Reality: Shannon was inducted into the Regina Sports activities Corridor of Fame in 2019
While you converse to Shannon McGeady about her function as head golf skilled at Tobiano, the very first thing you discover is a way of pleasure, gratitude and validation.
After committing a lot of her life to taking part in golf at a excessive stage, working at a wide range of golf programs and studying the intricacies of golf course administration, the chance to signify certainly one of Canada’s best public amenities is one she nonetheless savors after ten seasons on the job.
I’ve to pinch myself once I take within the views I get to have a look at, the standard of the golf course I get to play and the folks I get to work with. I get goosebumps speaking about it as a result of I really feel so fortunate.
After all, that is the form of luck that’s earned, and it’s not arduous to grasp why Tobiano’s management needed Shannon for the function. She’s participating, she’s extremely keen about golf and he or she understands that good administration—like good instruction—comes all the way down to a love of working with folks.
It’s an idea that hit house for her as she moved via the PGA program at Lethbridge Faculty.
“Golf is a customer support trade and there’s rather a lot that goes into it, however with out the folks, there’s no trade. So I actually resonated with the administration and communication programs, with making an attempt to learn the way totally different personalities operate, how totally different folks work and easy methods to get the very best out of individuals. Attempting to grasp what sort of learner the particular person is.”
Creating and championing this people-first mentality has been key to Shannon’s impression as a head skilled each on and off the course.
On shifting gears from skilled golfer to golf skilled
A gifted athlete in her teenage years, Shannon made the selection to pursue aggressive golf and devoted her time to taking part in at a excessive stage. She turned down scholarships to different universities as a way to attend college at house in Regina, acquire work expertise at golf programs and play in as many tournaments as she may.
It’s a choice that led to quite a few wins—most notably on the Saskatchewan Girls’s Newbie Championship in 2007.
Regardless of her successes, the each day grind of pursuing skilled golf finally began to take its toll.
I reached some extent the place golf wasn’t enjoyable anymore. I actually needed to play properly, as a result of if I didn’t, I wouldn’t make the following event and if I didn’t make the following event, how would I earn cash and survive?
The following step
Nonetheless in college, Shannon struggled to land on a satisfying profession path and was unsure how golf was going to suit into her future. That’s till certainly one of her mentors, a head skilled named Brad Herridge, instructed she pursue a profession as a golf skilled by way of the PGA of Canada.
“It was one thing that I had by no means actually considered, however he put the bug in me and it appeared like an excellent thought. By the point I began this system, I spotted that whereas I liked taking part in event golf, it wasn’t the life I needed for myself.”
I began to ask myself how I may nonetheless make golf part of my life, whereas making it enjoyable and with the ability to contribute to it in a roundabout way. So I went the route of being a golf skilled, not an expert golfer.
On the trail to Tobiano and changing into a head skilled
Drawn to British Columbia’s comparatively lengthy golf season, Shannon flooded the province’s golf programs with resumes as soon as she’d completed her program. After working and gaining useful expertise at golf programs within the BC inside, she achieved her Class A designation with the PGA of Canada.
She accepted the function of Head Skilled at Tobiano in 2014.
“After I was provided the job, I used to be excited but in addition a bit terrified as a result of Tobiano has all the time had an incredible status and I had by no means been a head skilled earlier than. However the normal supervisor was so supportive and it was an incredible alternative. I’ve executed all the things I can to simply proceed to develop inside it.”
On the time she was employed, Shannon was certainly one of solely 4 ladies who had been head professionals within the province. Since then, BC has seen a big enhance within the variety of ladies who maintain distinguished positions in any respect kinds of golf amenities.
On being a pacesetter that places folks first
With a staff of 30 reporting to her and tasks starting from golf instruction and visitor expertise to golf operations and administration, each certainly one of Shannon’s days is a balancing act. Efficiently navigating all of those calls for comes all the way down to making a tradition the place her staff feels trusted, valued and counted on.
A big a part of my job is managing folks and ensuring that they’re set as much as succeed
She needs to make sure that they “really feel empowered to make choices and that they’re completely satisfied to [work at Tobiano]. In the end, [that flows] over into the visitor expertise as properly.”
“I handle all kinds of folks, from 17-year-olds to 80-year-olds and everybody in between. For me, it’s about serving to these youthful generations develop and bringing them out of their shell on this customer support trade, whereas additionally studying from the older gents and girls working right here with us who’ve a lot life and work expertise.”
On her strategy to educating and golf instruction
This people-first strategy is an extension of Shannon’s philosophy on golf instruction. For her, it’s about attending to know her college students, understanding their objectives and creating constructive associations with the sport.
“In a brief time frame, I have to attempt to perceive what sort of learner they’re and the way greatest to show them based on how they swing. I need that particular person to benefit from the expertise in order that they need to come again to the golf course or go to the vary to try to enhance.”
She understands the facility of that one swing thought that may unlock one thing and encourage a pupil to maintain working towards.
Whereas educating remains to be her “completely satisfied place,” Shannon embraces the duty of being Head Skilled, the problem of balancing numerous calls for and the enjoyment of watching her staff excel.
“At this stage, I don’t need to be a full-time educating skilled as a result of I actually get pleasure from what I do. I get pleasure from taking management of issues, creating totally different processes, working with my employees and watching them develop. I’m so lucky that I’m surrounded by very succesful folks in golf operations in addition to phenomenal assistant professionals.”
On creating the very best buyer expertise
Shannon’s dedication to creating constructive relationships along with her employees, Tobiano’s membership and its company is finally about offering the very best visitor expertise—an expertise that retains folks coming again.
“I feel the way in which that we will separate ourselves from different amenities that we’re in comparison with is by actually making an attempt to boost that visitor expertise. Did they really feel good after they left? Did they benefit from the course regardless of how tough it may be to play? Have been they proven the place to go? Have been they communicated with in a fashion that made them really feel particular?”
It’s the little issues that make the distinction. With golf’s buyer base rising for the reason that pandemic, Shannon factors to Tobiano’s determination to calm down their gown code and add Bluetooth audio system to golf carts because the form of small modifications that may have a significant impression on company.
“We need to discover methods to maintain the sport pleasing for brand new members in order that they proceed to return again.”
On simplifying operations with Lightspeed Golf
It’s simpler for Shannon and her staff to offer an excellent visitor expertise when golf operations run easily. With Lightspeed’s golf administration software program, Shannon has a system that simplifies day-to-day duties, from the tee sheet to the professional store to the again workplace.
“We’re a public facility and a variety of our company have by no means performed right here earlier than. As a result of Lightspeed is cloud-based, I may give my starter a pill to exit on the primary tee and he can see the tee sheet stay, see any modifications being made and greet company with their title as a result of he’s received it on the tee sheet. It’s an enormous profit from an operational standpoint by way of understanding who’s on the course and the place they’re on the course.”
Lightspeed’s built-in funds and reporting performance has additionally helped Shannon and the staff at Tobiano unlock extra effectivity and make knowledgeable enterprise choices.
On recommendation for future golf professionals
Given the on-and off-course nature of her function, Shannon’s recommendation for these trying to make golf a profession is two-fold.
On the course? Hold it enjoyable!
“It’s really easy to get caught up in chasing these low scores and get down on your self. The extra relaxed you might be on the golf course, the much less stress you placed on your self. The much less tense you might be while you’re making an attempt to make that golf swing, the better the sport really is. So the very first thing I might say is simply discover the enjoyable issue and don’t lose that.”
Off the course? Attempt to be as well-rounded as doable.
“I used to be lucky to work at and expertise so many various kinds of golf amenities. I grew up at a personal membership, I labored at a municipal membership, I labored at a semi-private membership, I labored at a public course. I labored at a resort golf course. When the time got here to be a head skilled, I used to be in a position to attract on these totally different experiences at various kinds of amenities to create one thing that I used to be happy with.”
On the long run
So far as what’s subsequent for Shannon, she relishes the chance to take Tobiano additional and is aware of the membership has much more to supply. That mentioned, she’s additionally decided to benefit from the current second.
“Tobiano nonetheless has a variety of room to develop. To have the ability to have been right here so long as I’ve, seen what it’s come via, see the place it’s going and to be part of that’s extraordinarily thrilling.
“However I additionally love dwelling within the second. I don’t get to manage what occurs tomorrow, I solely get to manage my perspective once I get up each day, and the way I need to deal with issues that come my approach. So I focus rather a lot on being as constructive as I can, rolling with the punches once I have to and doing all the things I can to make a constructive impression on the folks I encounter everyday.”
Lightspeed Golf’s transformative options assist golf programs ship superb buyer experiences. To seek out out extra, discuss to certainly one of our golf consultants in the present day.
To be taught extra concerning the PGA of Canada and their mission, go to pgaofcanada.com/about-us
To be taught extra about Tobiano and the providers they provide, go to tobianogolf.com
