Boyd keeps swinging

Lindsay Boyd has been an assistant golf club manager, a director of golf and is now the club professional at Donaghadee Golf Club in Northern Ireland. He talks about how he manages his workload, introducing the sport to women and juniors, and how his TGI Retail Consultant benefits his business.

How has your business adapted to the golf industry’s changes since the start of this decade?

I started my business at the end of 2022 after working in golf club management for seven years, therefore I was fortunate not to have to deal with the supply chain issues and so on following the pandemic.

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

The biggest challenge I face is getting the balance between time spent in the shop and time on the range. My teaching diary is extremely busy, which often means I will sacrifice time after the shop closes to teach. This winter I am installing a simulator in the clubhouse to try and maintain teaching levels throughout the colder months.

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

Before I took over as the club professional at Donaghadee I surveyed all the members with a series of questions based around stock, what products would they like to see in store and how much they were prepared to pay for example. This gave a good basis for the initial stock held. As the last two seasons have progressed, I have listened to members’ feedback and am able to look at data through Xpos which provides plenty of data for me to analyse popular products, sizes and so on.

How do you manage your day?

I use an online diary for teaching appointments and staff rota. I have flexible part-time staff also available which is a big help when it comes to fitting in lessons at the last minute!

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

Junior golf at Donaghadee is growing and growing fast. I work closely with our very motivated junior committee who follow the Golf Ireland Junior Framework. Our junior membership is now just shy of 100, with many of them active. When I began my role here, I started the Donaghadee Golf School which provides beginner group sessions for juniors, summer camps, girls golf sessions and group sessions for all sections of the junior section. There is a clear pathway in place for juniors, taking them from a supervised four hole format, right through to being able to take part in adult competitions.

Are you trying to attract more women to golf?

For the past two seasons we have operated the ‘Ladies Get Into Golf’ programme, supported by Golf Ireland. We advertise this to the local community, and it has proven extremely popular. This season we had 19 ladies complete a six-week programme. At the end of the programme the ladies were offered a pathway to full membership and 10 of those involved availed of the offer. As a club we were delighted with this return. To help those ladies integrate into the club, the ladies’ section have a buddy group that take the new members onto the course and introduce them to the rules, handicapping and so on.

We also run a ‘Girls Golf’ programme, again supported by Golf Ireland. The target here is girls aged 11 to 15 years old. We contact local schools and run a four-week programme for them during the summer holidays. The girls are then invited back in the spring the following year for some on-course experience, in the hope that they will enjoy the experience and join as members.

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

At Donaghadee we have a flexi membership that serves this purpose. Those who join in this membership category pay a smaller amount than a full member and use points each time they play. As beginners will normally play less holes, this works well. After two years the members in this category then must choose whether to join as a restricted or full member.

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?

For me it’s trying to offer the best customer service possible and getting members to realise that as part of TGI I have access to almost anything they need, even if it is not in store. Regarding technology, I have recently invested in a launch monitor and I am installing a simulator in the clubhouse that will provide the members not only with a more comfortable lesson experience in the winter but also it allows me to custom fit more effectively.

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

In previous roles as an assistant professional, I have had experience of working with two of the main buying groups, including TGI. When I started my own business, I knew I wanted to be part of the TGI Partnership due to their modern business approach. I knew my business would benefit from the support and resources provided, particularly the advice on hand from the TGI retail consultants.

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

TGI Golf has helped greatly as I have strived to operate a successful business. The expertise and resources available have allowed me to make sound business decisions. Resources such as the buying guides, MyMarketing HUB, TGI Direct and TGI Golf Travel have all helped me provide a much more professional service than I could on my own.

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

I turned professional in 2007. As an assistant professional I played in the British Assistants Championship, the Irish PGA Championship and the PGA Fourball Finals. I received the award for Irish Region Year 1 Trainee of the Year and eventually when I qualified, I was one of the top 15 trainees in GB and Ireland. I moved overseas for a number of years where I continued my growth as a PGA professional. I concentrated mostly on coaching at this point in my career before moving into club management. I completed the PGA director of golf qualification, before deciding to move back to Northern Ireland to become club professional at Donaghadee Golf Club. My most recent highlight of my career was to be named TGI Golf New Partner of the Year 2023. I hope to continue my success with TGI and look forward to a bright future.