For PGA professional Glenn Paul, job satisfaction comes with the variety of experiences each new day brings
For more than a decade, Glenn Paul has worked in a range of roles as a PGA professional. From being a head professional and general manager, to embracing a journey as a specialist coach, Paul’s rich blend of experience allows him to help everyone on their golf journey.
Now part of the innovative GolfBox Academy, working across Perth’s Joondalup and Osborne Park locations, Paul takes great pride in being a PGA professional.
“For me, it is pretty much everything,” he says. “Having the opportunity to give back – not just to our membership but to golfers in general – is something I’m pretty proud of.”
GolfBox Academy, the coaching and club-fitting arm of the Western Australia-based golf superstore, gives Paul the chance to work alongside fellow PGA pros Gavin Reed and Ben Percival, to give golfers an all-encompassing experience.
“It’s more than just retail,” Paul explains. “We give customers the chance to get information on their equipment from a PGA professional at the same time as they get advice on their game.”
One of the significant employers of PGA professionals in WA, Paul views GolfBox Academy as something of a one-stop shop for golfers.
“We strive to give the customer a great fitting and coaching experience, as well as a great retail experience,” he says. “So, we’ve got both ends of the stick covered.”
Paul and his team are committed to providing an engaging and cutting-edge environment for all golfers when they walk through the doors at GolfBox Academy. Employing a range of coaching tools and keenly embracing technology, golfers are given an immersive experience under the watchful eye of PGA pros.
At Joondalup, golfers hit into a large, curved simulator screen, but the real innovation begins once the ball has been struck.
“We use GC Quad and Foresight technology,” Paul explains. “Together, they form a great tool from a data point of view to understand what the golf ball is doing.”
Combined with force plates that inform how each golfer is moving, Paul and the team at GolfBox Academy are able to gain an in-depth understanding of each player.
“With all of our technology, we are able to fast-track everyone’s improvement.”
Although he now thrives in the new environment, Paul, like many golfers, understands there can be an adjustment period to moving away from the golf course.
“The transition can be a big one,” he says. “But from a game-development perspective, to go into an environment where it’s neutral – there’s no distractions – has been fantastic.”
“We are able to have a look at exactly what the golf swing is doing without worrying about a range of external factors. From there, the instructional process becomes a lot more simplified for the students and for us.”
To that end, Paul is finding that working at a facility like GolfBox Academy allows him and fellow PGA professionals the chance to expand the horizons of golfers, breaking the mould of how golf has been played in the past. Where traditionally golfers might not have thought it possible to teach feel beyond hitting thousands of balls and grooving a swing, Paul is quick to challenge that thinking.
“I am a big believer that with data and technology, you can actually teach feel because of that constant feedback loop.”
More broadly, through his role at GolfBox Academy, Paul recognises and cherishes the responsibility of helping every golfer he meets. He also understands that this extends beyond the golf swing.
“Everybody wants to shoot a better score, but I find just as much joy in working with people who play the game for reasons other than being good golfers,” he explains. “The game is invaluable for people’s mental and physical heath and helping people to recognise that excites me every day.”
