PROFILE
Title: PGA Teaching Professional, Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort and Spa, Rancho Mirage, California | Classic Club, Palm Desert, California | Yocha Dehe Golf Club, Brooks, California
Years as a PGA Professional: 5.
Top achievements / honors: SCPGA Desert Chapter Teacher / Coach of the Year (2022), GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional (2020); SCPGA Desert Chapter Professional Development of the Year (2020); SCPGA Desert Chapter Junior Golf Development of the Year (2019); SCPGA Desert Chapter Associate Player of the Year (2018), SCPGA Desert Chapter Assistant Professional of the Year (2017); SCPGA Desert Chapter Assistant Champion (2016); SCPGA Desert Chapter Player of the Year (2016).
SOCIAL MEDIA / ONLINE
Facebook: @davidcurtisgolf
Instagram: @davidcurtisgolf
YouTube: @davidcurtispga
Website: DavidCurtisGolf.com
TAP-INS
What app is a must-have on your phone? The must have app on my phone is my USchedule app.
What book(s) would you recommend? There are so many good books out. Without any names, find the topics on time management, marketing skills, body language, coaching skills and self improvement.
Who is your favorite golfer?: I grew up a Tiger Woods fan.
What is your most memorable round of golf? Playing with my grandfather and getting a hole-in-one during one of the last years we were able to play together.
Q&A
The First Call: What made you want to pursue a career in golf?
David Curtis: I pursued a career in golf because it was something that I enjoyed doing growing up and thought it would be a fun career.
TFC: What is your favorite instructional tip to share with a golfer?
DC: Your hands are the most important thing to control the clubface. Understand your natural grip style and wrist positions to hit any type of shot on command.
TFC: What advice do you have for someone considering a career in golf?
DC: My advice for someone considering a career in golf would be to find a few good mentors to take you under their wing. Find a great leader that supports your ideas. Find a place of work that fits your personality.
TFC: What is the best advice you have received on your career path?
DC: The best advice that I have received during my career path is — don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution, and it is not going to get handed you, you have to be hungry, so go get it done.
TFC: Is there a particular area of your job that you find most rewarding?
DC: The most rewarding part about teaching golf is helping people get better and seeing improvement during the lesson.
TFC: What is one challenge you currently see in the industry? Thoughts on how to address it?
DC: One challenge that I currently see on the golf instruction side is that not many up-and-coming PGA Professionals want to teach golf.
TFC: Do you have a preferred style or philosophy for teaching golf?
DC: My preferred style in teaching golf is that everyone has different athletic ability. You have to make the correct adjustment per person and not give the client too much information or make it complicated.
TFC: When you look at your career, in what area(s) do you believe you have evolved for the better? And how so?
DC: The areas I believe that have evolved for the better are my time management and marketing ability. Time management is extremely important to set your schedule in advance for the season to prepare for a successful season. It has helped me to be able to work at four different properties during the year.
My marketing skills have definitely improved over the years — creating email blasts, swing tips and social media posts to keep my clients involved in my current lesson opportunities.
TFC: How does being a PGA Professional add value to your brand?
DC: Being a PGA Professional does add value and opens the doors to get involved in the PGA of America. I had been able to be on the SCPGA Desert Chapter Board for the past five years as Associate Chair and Junior Golf Chair. With the three letters “PGA” at the end of your name, it proves that you are knowledgeable in the golf industry.
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