Mon 29 Mar 2010 |
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Alumni Spotlight on Andrew Thompson |
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 When Andrew Thompson talks about golf, you don’t just hear him talking about it. You feel him talking about it. Perhaps it is his long history with the game or his obvious dedication to it, but one thing is for sure, Andrew Thompson is doing what he loves to do.
Since he was in the single digits he was a regular fixture on the course, tagging along with his grandfather’s Sunday league. It was his grandpa, Moe, who first introduced Andrew to the game and Thompson recalls affectionately “He taught me how to play the game, how to respect the course, etiquette. Everything.” When he was 10 years old, he got his first full set of clubs and hopped on the fast track to becoming addicted to the sport.
Like any other skill, it takes hard work to get good, and to get recognized, but that’s exactly what he did. His senior year of high school was marked with an award for Most Improved Player and a team victory at the Jeremy Pinnow & Associates Championship. With credentials like that, it is no surprise that Andrew was named student with the Most Positive Attitude in his graduating class at PGCC.
Andrew got his professional start in 2005 literally working his way from the ground up. He began by working with outside operations and grounds maintenance and eventually transitioned into tournament coordination. A lateral move where Andrew recalls that he “gained a vast amount of knowledge of the game and the business” but he knew there was “so much more to learn.” At that time, only one mystery remained. Where would he go to learn all of the ins and outs of the game he wasn’t yet familiar with?
After selecting the Professional Golfers Career College as the place to pursue his golf education Andrew notes that his world just opened up, “There wasn’t anyone at the school who couldn’t answer a question.” Reflecting on what courses mattered to him the most he cites Teaching I-IV as his main inspirations. Thompson recalls thoughtfully that Mike Berning, a PGCC faculty member who had a particularly strong impact on him, once told him to “write down every piece of information about teaching that you can.” And he did. That advice, and his love of golf, led him to Metro West Golf Club, in Orlando, where he is now an Assistant Golf Professional.
Andrew currently co-hosts weekly golf clinics with 4 dedicated students and another Assistant Pro at Metro West. Everyday Andrew chips away at his goal of becoming a Head Golf Pro at a high end resort or, eventually, opening a teaching academy in his home state of Wisconsin, specializing in junior advancement. As with all things in life that travel full circle, the student has indeed become the teacher.
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Mon 04 Jan 2010 |
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Alumni Spotlight: Alfonso Castillo |
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Upon completing the 16 month program with PGCC in December of 2008, Alfonso Castillo was quickly offered the position of First Assistant Golf Professional at San Juan Oaks Golf Course, in his home town of Hollister, CA. This highly reputable course hosts a variety of honors, most easily recognized as the first Fred Couples' Signature Golf Course in California. Alfonso began making a great impact on the course by concentrating his efforts on client retention and growth, while also consistently re-inventing the marketing and special promotions for the course. Obviously Alfonso’s efforts were well received, as he has very recently been promoted to Head Professional at San Juan Oaks. This is an incredible position that many golf professionals work towards for years. At the age of 20, only 8 months after graduating from PGCC’s Temecula campus, Alfonso is truly living out his dream career. When asked what his favorite part his day is, he states, "It’s hard to pick one thing, I really enjoy what I do...it makes me feel good to make sure people enjoy their day here at our course".
It would surprise most to know that Alfonso Castillo had never played golf, nor really paid it much attention growing up. His only experience with the game was as a golf cart attendant at one of the local courses in his hometown of Hollister, CA. After working for the golf course for a few months, he was asked by his co-workers to play one day. Admittedly, Alfonso was not very good his first few attempts at the game, but as he continued to play more rounds with his co-workers every now and again, not only did his golf game improve quickly, but so did his love for the sport.
When Alfonso began researching collegiate opportunities to see where he wanted to pursue his next level of education, he remembers asking himself, "What is it I really want to do? Where do I see myself?" Then, almost instantaneously, he remembers answering those introspective questions with, “I see myself on a golf course!" It was shortly after arriving at this conclusion that Alfonso saw a commercial for PGCC on the Golf Channel. He immediately looked into the college to determine if this was the right opportunity for him. After careful consideration, Alfonso decided that PGCC was the place where he could truly turn his passion for golf into a professional career.
When asked what Alfonso has taken with him from his time at PGCC, he recalls how highly the faculty spoke of having a good attitude, regardless of where you are. Alfonso now applies that same philosophy in everything he does at San Juan Oaks. "Give me a good attitude, and I can train anyone to have the knowledge," Alfonso declares. The marketing training Alfonso received while attending PGCC has also proved to be an incredible asset to his career. In this current economic client, Alfonso takes pride in creating special promotions and other inventive marketing strategies to keep the course busy. Alfonso has a multitude of duties including client relations, teaching golf clinics, developing marketing strategies, managing tournaments, and most importantly: keeping his guests happy. In comparison to many of the neighboring courses in Hollister, San Juan Oaks is selling rounds consistently by thinking outside the box to create new customers, while always maintaining a strong focus on the retention of its current members.
Alfonso has dearly enjoyed where golf has taken him professionally thus far, and when asked what piece of advice he would give to the students who are getting ready to graduate, Alfonso states, “Keep your positive attitude at all times as you move forward. Don’t just have a good attitude in class and on the course, but maintain that same attitude when you apply for jobs and move forward with your career”. Excellent advice from someone who has already made a great name for themselves in the professional golf world. |
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