THIS IS ONE OF FIVE READERS’ CHOICE CORE GOLFERS BEST PRACTICES

Build a Community Within Your Golfer Population

Saturday, January 31, 2026

David Jankowski, the 2024 New England PGA Section Teacher & Coach of the Year and the 2019 Section Vermont Chapter Teacher of the Year, is the Owner and PGA of America Director of Instruction at Golf Garage in Burlington, Vermont.

David Jankowski on the importance of building a community within your golfer population:

Changes in golf can be uncomfortable. I want my players to understand that the journey to improvement will have its ups and downs. So, I created a mentor program throughout my player network. Through this, we are building an environment for my players to communicate with one another and discuss concepts together. A huge positive of the program is it applies to all of my players and all skill levels. I teach multiple college and high-level players. I set them up with players looking to reach that level. Guidance and experiences can then be shared, in turn making the process much more comfortable for the aspiring player. The same can be said for my beginner players and all others. I want to create a comfortable environment where successes and struggles can be shared. The mentor program allows us to do so.

David Jankowski on the business impact of building a community within your golfer population:

Like I mentioned, through the mentor program we are developing a community and environment to talk things out. The community can be compared to a golf team. All of the players involved want to help each other improve. Once a community is created, a sense of pride is as well. As a player, it is enjoyable to be a part of a team that wants to assist one another in growing into better golfers. As a result, more players want to be involved. Everyone wants to learn from one another and from each other’s experiences. The communication aspect can go beyond just the golf swing. For my aspiring college players, the mentor program provides them with a voice that has already gone through the task at hand. For my beginners and mid-level players, the same can be said regarding taking their games to the next level. Discussions can be had as to what players are currently working on in their swing or regarding golf course management and strategy. We all want to improve, and I am all about finding new concepts to make improving more enjoyable for my players. This mentor program is one of those concepts.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email janko721@yahoo.com.

Editor’s note: The above comments reflect the opinion and experiences of the submitting PGA of America Golf Professional and are not endorsed by PGA Magazine or the PGA of America. Individual PGA of America Golf Professionals submit their own Best Practices that they have experienced success with via their own businesses and / or places of employment.