“There is great history between McGuirks Golf and The PGA and that will continue into the future,” says Ring, himself a PGA Professional. “Our Managing Director, Michael McGuirk, is a PGA Professional, his right-hand man, Paul Turner, is a PGA Professional and we have five pros who manage the stores and another nine who are custom fitters.
“Jonny Yates is one of the touring pros who works for us and is head of transfers. He’s one of the best guys we have. His work ethic is phenomenal and you can see he takes that out onto the golf course, he’s an incredible guy.
“Tara Delaney manages our Kilkenny store and Ryan Madigan is in Waterford and they both have assistant professionals. From the top down from Michael to floor staff, we have a range of roles filled by PGA Members.”
Ring is passionate about The PGA sector and feels the role of the PGA Professional is now evolving, given the levels of training they receive and new initiatives like PGA Excel.
PGA Excel was launched in 2022 to replace the Association’s previous APAL system and allows PGA Members to demonstrate their impact, achievements and value to their peers, employers, golfers and the wider industry as they move up the different membership designations, from PGA Advanced Professional right up to the coveted standing of PGA Master Professional.
Ring encourages all of his PGA-qualified staff to consider PGA Excel as a cornerstone of their personal development. He feels it is important for them to keep pace with the ever-evolving profession, but perhaps more importantly, to further themselves and demonstrate their impact and achievement to the golf industry.
“PGA Excel enables PGA Professionals, PGA Coaches and PGA Managers to further themselves and progress their standing. They drive lessons, run pro shops, it allows them to focus on improving and developing their coaching, take on director of golf roles and focus more on the business side of the golf industry if that is what they aspire to do.
“The options that a PGA Member has to study are so diverse now and aspiring pros can further their careers with PGA Excel. So many PGA Members are moving into director of golf roles or general manager jobs or into different roles within the industry and PGA Excel can really help.
“I would always encourage our members here at McGuirks to further themselves whether it be as Professionals, Coaches or Managers. Obviously, we will have a cohort of people coming through our scholarship programme who are ready for the golf industry and have career paths created for them to push on if that’s what they want to do. We have them trained in every aspect.”
