News
GolfTEC to add 100 PGA pros, CEO responds to industry declines
As we reported on June 23, Dick’s Sporting Goods let go of its entire staff of PGA professionals, leaving an estimated 500 pros out of a job.
The decision came amidst regular news of the decline in golf participation, flat equipment sales, and pervasive doom-and-gloom scenarios such as “3 reasons golf is in the rough” on CNNMoney.com and “How the business of golf got stuck in the rough” on the Financial Post.
It’s in this environment that golf instruction company, GolfTEC plans to add more than 100 PGA professionals to its existing roster of 600 pros. As the company’s CEO and co-founder, Joe Assell, recently wrote in an editorial, “Some would blame [Dick’s] decision on a declining interest in golf, but I don’t see it that way.”
Further, Assell wrote:
“PGA Pros have propelled a 100 percent increase in our company’s revenues over the last five years. During that time, we gave millions of lessons to hundreds of thousands of golfers who visited a GolfTEC Coach at one of our 190 locations. In fact, outstanding work by PGA Professionals at our improvement centers has GolfTEC poised for an exceptional 2014. This will include record highs in our revenues, number of lessons given and the number of GolfTEC locations.”
The CEO doesn’t feel that he is alone in his optimism. As he wrote:
“There are a number of people who appear to share my view that it is a good time to invest in golf. Donald Trump’s entry into golf course and resort ownership, Newcastle Investments’ recapitalization of American Golf, and the investments of Kohlberg & Co. and Great White Shark Enterprises in Troon Golf all point to an upside for our industry.”
Reached by phone last week, Assell said that declines in the golf industry have much to do with golfers’ limited time, lack of skill, and reduced discretionary income. He said that major innovations in golf technology have plateaued and that golf equipment can only ever do so much to improve a golfer.
Legitimate and lasting improvements can only come from taking lessons, Assell said. Thus, he feels GolfTEC is uniquely positioned to meet industry challenges head on, thanks to its convenient locations, online scheduling and lesson portal, roster of PGA pros, defined methods and costs commensurate with the market rate of lessons in each center’s area.
Assell pointed to data from the National Golf Foundation, which correlates spending, participation, and enjoyment to handicap. The lower a golfer’s handicap, the more he/she spends, plays, and enjoys the game. Thus, one way to counter a decline in participation is to help those who do play to get better, as well as helping new golfers to understand the golf swing and consistently improve.
Such is the work of GolfTEC. And in the face of industry contraction and frequent bad news, the company seems unfazed.
+For more about GolfTEC, check out the company website.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Chuck
Aug 15, 2014 at 2:21 pm
I am very happy with the lessons I have received from Ian in the Chicago area. Proven Path – Proven Results!!
n79pp
Sep 14, 2014 at 12:16 am
I am a 4 and have been at student at golftec for around 18 months. I have given it enough time and now I’m officially done. The biggest issue is that the instructor doesn’t seem to remember what we worked on last lesson and has me take 4 or 5 swings, then seemingly randomly picks something to work each lesson. Sometimes 3 to 4 concurrent changes (even I know you never should do that). I also don’t think he gets to the root cause of swing flaws resulting in a fix of the wrong things. I have never ever swung on top of the plane – ever! I do now. I have never fanned a driver off to the right with a weak fade until now. The actual cause of this is a slight lateral move on the downswing (result is fade) that has gotten worse with the new over the top move (compounded problem) – not “hanging on” to the club like he is suggesting. I suppose if you are a 25 handicap golftec can help you. But if you are a fairly decent player trying to get better it is imperative that you find a good pro. BTW, they teach stack and tilt.
Sid
Aug 15, 2014 at 2:56 am
Goltec is a joke. Their pricing structure is outrageous. Any teacher or program requiring upfront payment is ridiculous. They won’t refund your money for UNUSED lessons if you are unsatisfied. I love how they claim to have a 95% success and customer satisfaction rate. I would love to see this independently verified. Most people are so embarrassed that they were duped into spending $1000-2000 that they feel like that can’t say their true feelings or it will expose what an idiot they were for falling for it. System golf teaching is inefficient- different people have different needs. And they never teach anyone how to actually play. I’ve known many people who have gone there and most of them ended up quitting golf altogether because of chronic shanking. Golftec is not the answer to resurrecting golf. Time to look elsewhere.
bud
Aug 15, 2014 at 11:22 pm
went to golftec as a mediocre highschool player averaging around 80 i would guess. worked the winter of junior year thru summer with occasional lessons during senior year. average went down to 76. went to state finished ~20th
now playing division 1 golf at miami university.
every golftec instructor teaches what they believe to be right. find someone you believe in and work well with. if you work hard and actually do the drills on your own time (!!!!!) you will improve
Bill
Aug 21, 2014 at 7:18 pm
last time i check miami does not have a mens golf team
Dave
Aug 14, 2014 at 10:31 pm
Golftec is too expensive to be taught by people who are lost without their camera, sensors, and other tech.
Tommy
Aug 14, 2014 at 9:42 pm
All of the centers in Chicagoland teach stack and tilt FYI
bradford
Aug 14, 2014 at 11:19 am
“Dicks Buys Golftec–Re-Fires 100 PGA Pros”
nikkyd
Aug 13, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Gotta be better than the “barely passed my P.A.T. ” pros at dicks. That place is a joke.
bradford
Aug 14, 2014 at 11:20 am
How’d you do on yours?
Regis
Aug 13, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Wow An article on the golf industry that is not bashing Taylor Made. Kudos to Golf Tec. I’ve played a lot of golf in a lot of different environments . Few if any golfers take lessons at all let alone on a regular basis. I may not like Golf Tec and I may not agree with their teaching/marketing philosophies but Good Job.
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Charlie
Aug 13, 2014 at 2:07 am
All of the GolfTec people I know teach some pseudo stack and tilt hybrid. Be wary my friends!
cc-rider
Aug 13, 2014 at 10:07 am
Be wary of gibberish comments like this one….
Evan
Aug 13, 2014 at 3:54 pm
You’re way-off Charlie…
I couldn’t be more pleased with the results of the past year I’ve spent with GolfTEC. The two pro’s that I’ve worked with – worked with MY game, not some stack and tilt nonsense. I’ve recommended them to many including some playing partners that are quickly closing the gap on me…
Marty
Aug 13, 2014 at 10:53 am
I took lessons at GolfTec and I can say it was the best thing to happen to my game, one season of lessons took me from a 30 handicap to a 15 and I have gone lower since then. My pro was very against stack and tilt.
Henry
Aug 13, 2014 at 5:33 pm
Dude, your an idiot !!
Honest Abe
Aug 14, 2014 at 1:18 am
That is not true at all. I’m out of Palm Springs and have taken lessons from golf tec for a year. I had to actually call headquarters to find a someone they would recommend for stack and tilt. My local golftec guy is a jim hardy disciple which is close enough. I travel a lot for work and practice all over SoCal only one teacher I have talked theory or teaching style with teaches or is even very knowledgable about stack and tilt. If you watched any of the videos you would know more about stack then most golf tec guys. Golf tec is great just really expensive.
cally golfer
Aug 14, 2014 at 10:54 am
Shame your swing can just not be saved….piff
Tom
Aug 14, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Golftec by me in IL definitely teaches S&T. Maybe the 3 teachers I have been to are just the ones. I love the idea of Golftec, but as a 1 handicap, it has not improved my game at all after 50 lessons (at least they were free!) I would highly recommend it to anyone who has no knowledge of the golf swing, but anyone who has big goals like me should be very wary of the Golftec teachers who just teach their system rather than individualized instruction that I have received from top ranked teachers in this area like Jim Suttie and John Elliot. There is only so much you can do in a half hour with these Golftec sessions. Feedback is very limited. I wish they would bring this technology outdoors.
Gonzo
Aug 15, 2014 at 8:55 am
Charlie you are an idiot. What do you know about S&T? After teaching 10000 lessons with GolfTEC the last 1800 were the best lessons I ever gave after learning from Mike and Andy. Quit reading golf digest for your monthly tips.
Tom
Aug 15, 2014 at 2:19 pm
At least Gonzo can confirm the S&T nonsense taught by at least one scrub at GolfTec. So much for individualized instruction!
Humanlabrat
Aug 13, 2014 at 1:17 am
I think if you are not a low handicap golfer that has good knowledge about the technicalities of the golf swing, lessons are very beneficial and would help anybody enjoy the game more.
MHendon
Aug 13, 2014 at 12:18 am
There is no question the better I became at golf the more I wanted to play. So GolfTec’s belief the best way to grow the game is through lessons may very well be right. However the growth created by this strategy will undoubtedly be much slower then many on wall street can stomach. But those that are brought to the game through this method are much more likely to make it a lifetime instead of a season.
Billy Joe
Aug 12, 2014 at 10:54 pm
I had a great experience with Golftec. I really liked my teacher Mark. He always made sure to explain the reasoning behind everything. I think that the only thing holding many golfers back is that they think they know everything so they can figure it out by themselves. I have a few friends who take a lesson and then won’t do anything the pro asks because they don’t agree. Then they don’t get any better.
Taylor
Aug 12, 2014 at 9:55 pm
I’ve had 6 lessons at my local golftec. Went from a 18 handicap to a 7.3 in under a year. Stuff works.
Carl truitt
Aug 13, 2014 at 6:37 am
I was a 20 HC last year, and this year I qualified for the FedEx playoffs….give me a break…..you are obviously a GolfTec instructor or joe assell’s brother in law!
Scooter McGavin
Aug 12, 2014 at 9:41 pm
Until they run out of money a year from now and do the same thing as Dick’s.
Hellstorm
Aug 12, 2014 at 9:20 pm
This guy Joe knows what he is talking about. Of course people will do something more if they are better at it and get more enjoyment from it. The problem is that most people starting out look at what lessons cost and they can’t justify the cost. I would say the average lesson in my area is probably around $65/hr…which is equal to about two and a half rounds of golf or six large buckets at the range. It really is a lot of money for somebody knew who is not sure of where they are going with golf.
I have often wondered why there is not a tier system for lessons. Why not have shorter lessons….15 minutes to teach somebody how to grip the club and get aligned….a few group lessons here and there for supervised hitting. I read that a guy in Florida is charging a flat rate for a season and giving 15 or 20 minute lessons whenever you feel like you need something looked at or adjusted and he seems to be doing very well and his golfers are actually improving more than under the old model. I wish more PGA guys and girls would offer this type of set-up. I think that would go a long way, especially for new golfers who might be overwhelmed with an hour of instruction.
Evan
Aug 13, 2014 at 3:57 pm
A typical lesson is only 30min and usually another 30min to yourself – to groove whatever you were working on.
n79pp
Sep 14, 2014 at 12:37 am
30 minutes to grove the stuff you just learned. Sounds good to me.
Tom Stickney
Aug 12, 2014 at 8:27 pm
I know joe personally and he’s a stand up guy…I support him 100%!
M-smizzle
Aug 12, 2014 at 7:15 pm
So it says here your last job was at dicks sporting goods