Bridging the gap - PGA of Australia

Bridging the gap


Tour Professionals Ryan Haller and Nathan Green have broadened their golf industry skills and knowledge via the PGA Bridging Program.

Tour Professionals Ryan Haller and Nathan Green have broadened their golf industry skills and knowledge via the PGA Bridging Program.

RYAN HALLER

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Club: Royal Queensland Golf Club
Age: 41
Born: Ayr, Queensland

Turned Pro: 2000

Ryan Haller has been playing golf 
for most of his life and doesn’t plan on leaving the tour just yet. But with one eye on the 2016 tournament schedule and one eye on his future career options, following completion of the PGA Bridging Program Haller is pleased to now have Full Vocational Membership.

"While I’ll play the bigger events 
this year – the Tier 1s and the odd Tier 2 events – I also want to do some coaching on the side and see where that takes me. I will focus quite heavily on the coaching side of things from the end of March through to September when the tournament calendar isn’t as busy," Haller says.

"The PGA Bridging Program has been a great avenue for earning those necessary teaching skills to make that transition. I’ve really enjoyed the coaching that I’ve done so far. I take a lot of interest in my students, I like seeing them improve, and I believe it could be the right path for me in future. This year will give me a great indication of where I’m at as a player and a coach."

Haller is not ruling out career alternatives, such as a role as a Club Professional. "Absolutely, that could happen. That’s the great thing about the PGA Bridging Program – it prepares you for all aspects of the industry.

It was a full-on course and all of the players who completed it with me agreed the workload was intense yet highly rewarding. I learned so much," he says.

"One of the main areas of interest for me was the planning and preparation that leads to peak performance. That has actually helped my own game as well as my coaching skills. I’m doing a lot of things differently since completing the program," he says.

"Looking back, I wish I had done the PGA Trainee Program when I was younger, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone currently on the borderline feeling uncertain about whether they’ll make it as a Touring Professional or not."

For now, Haller plans to continue his education both on and off the course. "I think I will do further study as I take
 a broad outlook on the whole industry," he says. "I’m keen to keep learning and I’ll see what happens."

"That’s the great thing about 
the PGA Bridging Program, it prepares you for all aspects of the industry"

NATHAN GREEN 

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Club: Toronto Country Club

Age: 40

Born: Newcastle, New South Wales
Turned Pro: 1998

Four-time Professional tournament winner Nathan Green turned to the PGA Bridging Program when he was looking at opportunities away from playing. "Coaching interested me, and my brother Darren is the Head Pro at Toronto Golf Club. He wanted someone to help with coaching so the program seemed like a natural fit," Green says.

"I thought I would have a bit to offer as a teacher and I felt like the PGA Bridging Program could help me build knowledge in that area. I still enjoy playing tournaments but I don’t see myself maintaining a full tour schedule. I’m happy to try and expand my skill set in other parts of the industry."

Green believes the PGA Bridging Program offers benefits for both the students and the industry in general. "The information provided is very useful to help you get started in different golf careers, but it also means the game is not losing quality golfers and people with experience," he says. "If you’ve played on tour for a number of years then you can bring a different perspective to coaching your students.

"I wanted to stay involved in the game in some capacity and at my age the PGA Bridging Program was the ideal way to kick-start that goal. Playing on tour for around 15 years I’ve had other people managing the business side of things for me so that I could concentrate on golf. Now I have an understanding of those business, management and marketing areas that you need," he says.

"I find all areas of the golf industry quite interesting. I was never part of the computer generation at school so the opportunity to learn a lot of those things was really important and beneficial for my career moving forward."

For further information about training and education through the PGA, please contact the PGA on 03 83 8320 1911 or visit our education page.


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