S8 EP 02 | It's Supply and Demand | Seth Waugh, CEO PGA of America
Are you looking to hire team members on your golf staff? GBN's Recruiting Services make hiring easier with our best in class network of Golf Professionals that helps you reach deep into the market to locate your next staff member.Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/recruiting to get started and get ahead of the competition.Seth Waugh came to the PGA of America after a highly successful career on Wall Street and most recently as the CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas. His love for golf and respect for the Professionals that power the game were the driving forces behind his move to the PGA. He’s often been quoted as saying his goal in this position is to better the lives of PGA Professionals so they can impact more lives. It’s a noble cause that was never going to be easy, and that has turned even more difficult than we could have imagined. Seth’s tenure has already endured more tough decisions and crises than most would ever handle in this position. For a while it seemed like the biggest challenge he would face would be the PGA’s move to Frisco, TX, which is now nearing completion. However, a once in a lifetime global pandemic threw golf into a new stratosphere of demand which quickly erased the constant conversations of how we were going to grow the game and stop the bleeding of a reduction in golfers year after year. Seth’s previous leadership experience in crisis helped him and the rest of the PGA leadership team guide the game through the pandemic as well as provide support to PGA Professionals. Tough questions have come one after the next. There was the decision to move the 2022 PGA Championship site after January 6th, should they hold the PGA Championship or the Ryder Cup in 2020? Now there’s the question about how to handle the LIV Tour players as it pertains to the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup. All while PGA Professionals battle a never before seen labor shortage at a time when demand for play remains near all-time highs. And that’s where we start the conversation in part one of my interview with Seth Waugh. You will hear how he sees the labor situation and how the PGA is working to combat this challenge. How does he feel about the work-life balance question? Is it possible in our industry? You’ll want to hear his answers. GBN is the leading private network for today's most successful PGA Professionals. Exclusive events at premier facilities, vendor partnerships to grow your business, education to increase your knowledge, and access to the top Professionals in the industry are just some of what membership in Golf Business Network will get you. Go to www.golfbusinessnetwork.com to find out more and become a member.