Golf Industry Central Spring 2017 | Page 12

Industry news MY PGA ‘SHARPENING THE SAW’ MOMENT By Mike Orloff - PGA Member (US/AUS) I took up golf later in life at the ripe old age of 16, with a goal then to become a tour player. Well many decisions along the way, such as coming to realisation this was more a dream than a reality, I happened into golf facility operations. This started a life journey for me with two of the largest golf management companies in the world, and saw me move up the ladder to become a General Manager as well a Regional Manager over dual properties in Australia. From the classic business book THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE. The first big career goal I set for myself 25 years ago was to become a PGA of America member. I worked very hard in my traineeship to pass through the system in three years, with many of my counterparts taking the average four years to graduate. Now with close to 20 years as a full member of the PGA of America, and the past eight years as a PGA of Australia member, attending the recent Australian PGA Expo was a great opportunity for me to spend some time with my PGA peers and the roots of why I got into the game/industry in the first place. ‘Sharpen the Saw’ means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have-you. It’s an industry that has given me so much over all these years, such as a fantastic career path, my own business opportunities doing what I love as well meeting my wife Chelsea and having two great kids. The PGA Expo could not have fulfilled this more for me. The three days were packed with content to help us improve in many areas of our profession - Game Development, Management, Coaching and Small Business. 12 The Golf Marketing Professionals I www.golfindustrycentral.com.au