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The Teacher and The Pro
Elementary school teacher Nathan Rarick interviews PGA Professionals about their journeys into golf and their unique paths within the golf industry.
The Teacher and The Pro is a Fairway to Green podcast.
The Teacher and The Pro
Andrew Cornish | Llanerch Country Club
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In this episode of “The Teacher and The Pro”, host Nathan Rarick interviews Andrew Cornish, an Assistant Golf Professional at Llanerch Country Club just outside of Philadelphia, PA.
They discuss Andrew’s decision to become a PGA Professional after earning a criminal justice degree. He shares his journey and his favorite parts about the profession.
Andrew then talks about the competitive tournament golf he plays in the Philadelphia PGA section.
"The Teacher and the Pro" is a Fairway to Green podcast. You can see all episodes at www.fairwaytogreen.com.
Meet Andrew Cornish: From College Golf to PGA Professional Golf
SPEAKER_00Welcome to the Teacher and the Pro, where we dive into the PGA professionals' journeys and the paths they've chosen within the golf industry. I'm Nathan Rarick, an elementary PE teacher and golf writer for Ferry to Green, an equitable sports media company. Joining us this episode is Andrew Cornish, an assistant golf professional at Lanark Country Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Andrew discusses how a year of being a caddy guided him to choosing to become a PJ professional. He then talks about his favorite part about being a PJ professional and how it was going through the PG8 Associate program. At the end, we discuss how Northeast golf is different than the other types of golf being played on the PGA tour.
SPEAKER_01Now, before we get into your career as a PJ professional, we're going to go back to how it all started in the game of golf. And who or was a specific event or something you watch on TV that got you into the game of golf?
SPEAKER_02Hmm. Yeah, that's uh that's tough. I I wouldn't say it was a specific person. I was always around golf growing up. I have a dad that plays a lot, my my older brother plays, my uncle plays, my grandfather plays. So I was
High School Injury
SPEAKER_02around it. I didn't play golf until I was a freshman in high school, actually. I was playing baseball all my life and came in on a floul foul foul ball actually in batting practice and sprained my wrist and needed to find something else to do because baseball wasn't going to be the pathway. And and ended up in golf. And my first year of freshman year of high school is when I when it started.
Journey to College Golf
SPEAKER_01Nice. Now, did you continue playing golf in college at all? Or once you graduated high school, you stopped?
SPEAKER_02So yeah, I played all four years in high school and then I didn't play my freshman year in college because I went to the University of Arizona. And then when my family decided to move back eat to the East Coast here, I reached out to some college coaches at some smaller schools and ended up at Penn State Burks, which is a satellite campus for Penn State, and played there for the rest of my years and enjoyed it. Small D3 golf, but played a lot of good golf courses, met some cool people.
SPEAKER_01Nice.
Choosing the PGA Professional Path
SPEAKER_01Now, when did you decide to become a PJ professional? Is it something that while you were playing in your college career, like, you know what, this is what I want to do the rest of my life? Or maybe was it you stepped away from the golf game of golf after college? And you're like, you know what, I want to go back into that world.
SPEAKER_02Right. So in college, I actually caddied at Cedar Bird Country Club, the place that I mentioned. I had a family member that was there, got me into caddying. And like I said, I played golf. So caddying was just second nature to me. Was around it there and graduated in 2020 as a COVID year, which is always always fun. So graduated with a criminal justice degree and was going to get into some form of law enforcement or law in general. And things took a turn there in that year and caddying at the club and was like, I'm a decent player. I like the game of golf. I like being around these people. Why don't I try and give this a shot? So I fell in there and enjoyed
The PGA Program Explained
SPEAKER_02it.
SPEAKER_01Now you you went to school, obviously. So you did the self-learning way to become a PG professional, correct?
SPEAKER_02Right. Yeah. So I was in the PGM program through the through the PGA. And I it took me, I just finished last year, actually. I I got my class A in August of last year. And but yeah, I went through that and it was a it was a not hard, but they drop it all on you and say, here, you got three years to do this, three years to do this, and three years to do this, and just at your own pace and how you do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I know. I just I'm a teacher, so once we get that first certification, you have to get your master's within so many years. And I was like, I gotta go right back to school because if I take any years off, I'm not going back. Like right. So I literally graduated with undergrad in May and went right back to school in August. And all my friends are like, What are you doing? I'm like, I'm saving myself now because I know I won't do it in five years. Right,
Experience as an Associate Professional
SPEAKER_01exactly. Now, you just earning your class A certification, were you able to work as an assistant pro while earning your class A certification?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so there's an associate program that they put you into, and you can still be a PGA associate, is what you call your PGA professional, but you're an associate, you're not a member of the PGA. So most clubs actually, I think most clubs in our area has have at least one or two associates working with them. It's a great way to learn. Obviously, you learn more on the job than anything you can rate from a textbook or what they tell you. But yeah, so that was that was great. I worked at Cedarbrook and they they helped me with my education there at that club. And and I was able to, I guess I get my class A last year.
SPEAKER_01Nice. Now, once you got your your class A, did your role change? Were you given more responsibility with it, or you just stayed the same?
SPEAKER_02Stayed the same. I I wouldn't necessarily say it was more, but you learn so many things going through the the program, everything from merchandising to running a golf shop to giving a lesson, giving a fitting, things like that. So it's a wide variety of things that you learn. But like I said, a lot of things you can learn on the job as well. But it was a great program to be a basebone of a base of education.
A Day in the Pro Shop
SPEAKER_01What what does your your day-to-day look like? Are you more merchandising? Are you more teaching lessons? Are you more creating tournaments? I know you're probably starting the golf season right now, so it's probably getting more busy as the weeks go on. So what what does a day in the life of Andrew look like? I don't know if there's a set day in the life.
SPEAKER_02I think that's one of the things I like so much about the job is that you can come in and have a rough outline of what the day is going to look like. And then by 10 a.m. it's it's completely different. For me mostly though, I I do some lessons. I don't do a ton as much as some other teachers that I know, but I do a lot with tournament operation side of things and things going on at the golf shop. So we get some things, some apparel or hard goods in the golf shop, inventorying that, merchandising that. But also, like you said at the beginning of the year here, we're getting ready to go for tournaments, opening day tournaments, and and getting the season going, doing a lot of that running from the the software point using golf genius, creating the event, signups to the end of the event, running the event, everything about it, which is I think my favorite part of the job. I would say Saturday, this past Saturday, we had our opening day tournament. I just something about tournaments I get ready to go and excited for. So that's probably my favorite part of the job.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was that was gonna be my next question what what is your favorite? Because I know right, yeah. Yeah, again, from what I've the couple interviews I've done and people I talked to is like you can do so many things, and like you said, you could have a plan, and then by 10 a.m. Right completely different based on weather or
Community Connections
SPEAKER_01something like that. So what what is one thing you wish you knew before becoming a PJ professional? That's a good question.
SPEAKER_02I would probably I would probably put it on the connections that I that I've made here. Getting into a section, I think the philodophyse, I think a lot of sections are like this, but the philodelphia section especially is kind of a close-knit unit of people here. We uh a lot of these people that I see on at tournaments or when I'm visiting a club or that, it's you're you're you're more so friends and family than than anything else. And I think that's I think that's really neat. It makes the job that much better connecting with other people. We had a tournament this past Monday where afterwards we sat around on a patio and had had a beer or two together and chatted it up. And I think that's I think that for me that really really makes it that much better.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I mean, we talk about Philadelphia for a second. You guys, one of the courses in your area is holding the the PJ Championship. So are other courses helping out around a minc at this point, or just you're waiting to see what they need you you guys to do.
SPEAKER_02Right. Yeah, it's it's a it's a uh a mix. We have fielded a few calls from the professionals over there. They set up a uh a program for reciprocal for their members because the course has been closed since November, so they don't they don't have any play. So occasionally you get a phone call from them to see if they have a group members at your spot or or anything like that. I think the the PGA section, the Philadelphia section has done a great job with getting some volunteers for the event, which is huge. A lot of PGA professionals in our area. This is first time since I think 1962 we've had a PGA championship. So it's pretty cool to see people band together and really try and put on a good show.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So have have you played the golf course, like or not obviously since November, but have you played it before?
SPEAKER_02Yes, I have. Luckily enough, I played in a tournament a couple times outside of outside of the tournament. It's I think it will it will be a challenging test for the players come May. I I hope it is. I think a lot of it's gonna be weather dependent. Luckily enough, we were the the truest championship last year was at the Photo View Cricket Club. And I think Cricket did a great job standing up. It was so cool. Yeah, it was a great great tournament. I'm I'm excited to see these guys are so good. People see them on TV, they they're like, oh, they're good. They just a lot of people don't realize how truly, truly special talent these people are. I know they added a few tea boxes and moved some fairways in and things like that. The property itself, I don't know, is is big enough to to keep them at bay. I think they're gonna have a lot of wedges in this empar fours, but like I said, it's all weather dependent. We get some good weather and and get a firm week. I think it's gonna hold up pretty pretty good. It's gonna it's gonna be cool to see. It's right down the road for us. It's it's it's gonna be a great event, I think. I'm gonna try and get over there as much as I can, as much as my my job will wills me to get over there, but but it's gonna be it's pretty exciting. Kodolfi's got a lot of great things going on this year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think the the one thing with Brian Rolap and his kind of State of the Union dress down at the the players and trying to get to more northeast cities. And like you mentioned, Philly Cricket Club was, I mean, I really enjoyed it. I just watched it on TV and I enjoyed it. I'm sure Ironamic will be really cool. I'm still like considering, like, again, it's not that far of a drive for me. So I'm like, maybe do I shoot shoot down maybe a practice round day or something. Like, I don't know. But like, I think again, there's so many cool courses in the Northeast and Philadelphia that I think it'd be cool to see some of these PG Tour players go to some of the the courses and just see what they can do. It's new to them, it's new to the viewers, and we're missing out on some great golf courses.
SPEAKER_02I think I I think there were a couple quotes last year. I think Justin Thomas was one of them said about cricket, like that we we need to play more golf up in this area because it's just so different than what they normally play. They like California swing and then they go down to Florida, and it's just so different up here. Like I said, it's all weather dependent. It's most of the reasons why they don't have a ton of events up in this area. But I think it's gonna be really cool to see uh a test for those guys, and and it hasn't really had a I think 2017 or 2018 they had a they had a PGA event, but other than that, not a lot of these guys or something. Yeah, yeah, I think Keegan Bradley won that year. Yeah, but not a lot of these guys have seen this golf course or played this golf course. So I think it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting.
SPEAKER_01Do you do you think it will favor a certain type of golfer? Like it will favor a bomber or a ball striker, a really good putter, or just again, is that weather dependent?
SPEAKER_02I think it's a little weather dependent. I think you gotta drive it straight because the the the defense of the course is definitely gonna be the rough, but also the greens. These guys don't play a lot of northeast greens where there's some a lot of undulations to them. I think it's gonna favor a really good iron putter and iron player and putter. I think the key is definitely gonna be putting because if they get these greens moving and a lot of undulations, you gotta you gotta make some good good butts. And so we'll see. I I think some strengths definitely if you hit it far. I mean, all of them do, but I wouldn't be surprised if you see a guy that's middle of the road and driving distance win this event.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna put you on the spot and do you have a a winner, predict a winner, or do you think you have a favorite right now for it?
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's tough, man. I mean, I I I I love Scotty. I'm a big Scotty fan. I I I think I've I've had actually Cameron Young circled for for quite some time for a Ronnie McGum. He's a sleepy hollow kid, he's a northeast kid, used to playing golf up in this area and playing better than just about anyone on the planet right now. So I he he's my winner. I think if he putts it well, I think he can he can do a great job there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he was he was mine even before this this master's I don't want to call it collapse, but showing and I think he is a really good putter and his distance doesn't help. And I do think, like you said, the northeast thing, like he played really well at Beth Page and from that area. So I think he has maybe a slight advantage, like you said, and he's he's just really good. And also if Scotty won, I wouldn't be shocked either.
Highs and Lows of the Job
SPEAKER_01Right. We'll go back to the PJ professional stuff right now. And what would you say are some highs and lows of being a PJ professional?
SPEAKER_02I I think for me who who thrives in having that member relations with them, with whether it's a certain member or membership in general, I think that's that's uh uh it can be a both a high and a low. You see some people that you have a great relationship with, but but you might have a tough encounter every now and again that puts you you in a tough spot. And I I think that's not necessarily a low. I think it's more of a learning experience, right? But I I just I try and keep it not too high, not too low, right? You gotta you gotta stay on your toes. But I think trying to treat each each interaction as a as a learning experience is huge, especially um I've started at a new place this year, so it's it's meeting new people, it's it's putting faces to names and figuring out 400 different personalities on on the fly, right? So I think that's that comes with its challenges, but it's also very, very rewarding, and I like that.
Winter Work and Golf Simulators
SPEAKER_01Philadelphia, the the weather is not great. We've mentioned before what what do you guys do in the winter months? Do you guys do you have a lot of simulator stuff or what what does it look like in the winter there?
SPEAKER_02So it's a couple different uh at the places that I've been, I've I've had ever I've done everything from running a simulator league to just just some small lessons inside a simulator to nothing getting ready, not nothing, but getting ready for the year, a little bit of downtime, right? You get some some long hours and some some strenuous times for about six months here. You got your head in the sand, but you know, you you peak up in October and November and you start looking for next year. So at some places I like I said, I ran a simulator league, which a lot of people enjoy. Gets them gets them to the club, gets them seeing their friends, and and it's a small competitive format. So I I enjoyed that greatly. It keeps me also moving a little bit in the winter, but as up here in the northeast, especially this past winter, it's it's it's cold and it's it's tough to get going and be motivated to do it, but it's but it's a good time to get things collected or maybe further education somehow. I've done a couple education courses this past winter, so it's it's stay on your toes a little bit, but a little bit slower than your your seasonal months.
Member Trips and Pinehurst
SPEAKER_01This is something so I went down to the the PGA show in Orlando this year, and I was sitting down at one of the the PGA professional talks just to hear more. And the one guy was talking about, he took some of his golfers from his club on a golf trip, like to like Europe and stuff. Have you ever done that, or is that something you'd be interested in doing? Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's that's always something great. My I think it was my first or second year in the business. I was able to go down and tag along. It was already in the books, it was already in the plans before I got there to go down to Pinehurst with. I think it was it was myself, my head golf professional, and I want to say it was 10 other members would make it at even 12. I think 10 members, it was I it one of my favorite trips. I I look back on it, it was it was so great. I've been on one club organized trip than a couple other trips with members that were just member member trips, and that's it's a great way to create a relationship with these people that are more than just a day-to-day, you're at the club, hello, how are you, type of thing. And I I think it's I think it's crucial for the success of of PGA pros. You want to get to know these people on a better basis, and I I think that's huge for it. I love trips, I love to play, so I will I'll go anywhere under the sun and and go play golf with people. I think that's I think that's just a a pro of the business for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it's Pioneerse is a definitely a good trip too now.
Finding Time to Play
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01Obviously, PGA professional, you're busy all the time, and that that's again one of the things I hear is long hours, it's tough. How often do you get to go out and play, whether it's a nine-hole round or just 18, or how often do you get to enjoy the game? Right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so that's I mean, I think it was one of the big things that got me into the business was my enjoyment for the game of golf. And I hope that's a lot of answers for for for people. But I think I you do hear stories of the long hours and people like, oh, I don't have time to go play golf. So for me, I try and make it a a priority. If I if I have a long day and we lock up the shop at six o'clock, but it's nice out, I'll I'll go try and squeeze in nine holes. I I my goal this year, and and I think it's great at the club that I'm at now. Our goal is for all of us to play at least once with members during the week. Join in a group, go play with them, go get to know them. I think that's great for for us and for them. They get to get to know us a little bit better and we get to know them a little bit better. I think that's huge. And so that that's my goal. I try and work on my own game. I play a lot of tournament golf here in our section, which is which is nice for me. So I try and try and stay sharp as much as I can.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's I'm sure it's the those tournaments can get pretty exciting and get into it. And I'm sure the Philadelphia area has some some good professional tournaments.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, we do. We're lucky. We played a lot of like a lot of good places. Our section does a great job with that. We play a lot of tournaments compared to a lot of other sections. We play for some good money, and we have a lot of really good players here. So it's it's very competitive, but it's it's like I said, it's a good uh good community for
Advice for Aspiring PGA Professionals
SPEAKER_02sure.
SPEAKER_01That's fun. Now, if there is a PGA pro or an aspiring PGA professional listening to this, what's one piece of advice you would give them?
SPEAKER_02I I I think, you know, I think it it's like this in any business, but I think be a sponge. Learn learn as much as you can, take it all in. I think it's a tough, tough business to be stubborn in and be stuck in your ways a little bit. You might find that at a certain places, but I think as as long as you try and learn something from someone every day, whether it's a member, whether it's a fellow pro, whether it's a teaching professional, whether it's another assistant, try and put yourself out there to learn something every day and and be less. I know my first few years I got in the business, I I wanted I I learned as much as I could, but I wanted to do it a certain way in that way only. And I think now changing clubs and and learning different things, I think is huge. And and taking it all in, I I I think is is is very important to success moving forward in your career. I just learning as much as you can.
SPEAKER_01I'm a teacher and I I just had a student teacher with me for seven weeks, and I I told him, I go, you can ask me anything you want. There is no stupid question because these next seven weeks and the seven weeks when you're at another placement, it's the most you're gonna learn instead of the four years of school. Like you're not gonna deal with again, uh teach PE, so you're not gonna deal with a kid crying because he got the wrong color soccer ball in a classroom, but you will hear and you gotta figure out now. Like, again, I understand all the classroom stuff is important, but the best learning experience is right now. And I was like, you get asked, like, asked me, like, I was like, hey, this is how I do, like, I have to do bus duty. Like, I bring an extra pair of shoes because if it rains, I don't want wet shoes. Like, it's like all these little things that again I picked up as a first, second year teacher that I now do. And I'm like, wow, looking back, like these are smart things that I learned that I would have never thought of in school.
SPEAKER_02Right, right. And and and to ask questions, be be as out there as you can be. And I was lucky enough to to be a mentor in some ways to an assistant that just got into the business a couple years ago, and and he's a dear friend of mine now, but you know, he came in with a little shell around him and I was a little shy, coming on some things. And I was like, dude, anything I can do to help you out, feel free to ask me questions, feel free to follow me for an entire day and see see what I do on a day-to-day basis, see how I interact with this member or that member. I just just I think the more you learn, like you said, on the job is is crucial to your success later on for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it's there's nothing better than the hands-on experience, and like especially in a new job, and like again, just go ask. It's there's no such thing as a dumb question unless you're a first grader asking me something, and then there is. But yeah, this it's just the things I hear is it's just yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I think I think working in such a business, and and yours is probably uh pretty similar where you know, like I said, you have a day-to-day framework of what's gonna happen, but something always comes up, something always changes, and and you gotta be able to think on the fly and and manage your emotions and expectations on what it's gonna be. I think that's very important for success as well. I like I said, I still even fall victim to it of sometimes where I have an expectation of something and it's gonna go this way, and of course it doesn't, and you gotta be on the fly and and not get too high, too low, like you said earlier.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, a hundred percent. It's just you never know with what's gonna happen. And yeah, it's it's it's a wild world sometimes teaching us. Sometimes I question like, why did I do this? Like, why am I here? Like, come on. I have friends that make double the money welding and don't have to deal with this, but here I am. But it it's still fun.
Rapid Fire Questions
SPEAKER_01Now, this last segment, these last couple questions are called our fair fairway rapid fire questions. So there's I think it's six questions that are just top of your head. Give me what you think or what your best answer is for them. All right, the first one, your dream course to play.
SPEAKER_02Oh man, I I was lucky enough to play Marion last year. I love that golf course, but I still keep PV Pine Valley at the top. I I haven't played Pine Valley yet as my obtainable, I guess you should say, golf course. I mean Augusta National, of course, would be there, but I'll say Pine Valley right now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that one, okay. I've Pine Valley is the first one. I've had Augusta, like you said, and then someone said Cypress the other day. Like, whoa, there's there's one. How how hard is Marion?
SPEAKER_02It's tough. It's I mean, I uh if you look back at the open there, I mean it it it's no more than 7,000 yards, but it has so much teeth. And I think Justin Rose's one under even part of the one. I think it's I really hope they go back there soon. Like I they have the U.S. amateur there this year, August. So I think I'm gonna try and go over there and see a few days of that because it's it's I mean you got some wedges in it, places, but you really gotta think your way around that golf course. And I don't think enough golf courses do that anymore.
SPEAKER_01Definitely not. What's your favorite encore snack?
SPEAKER_02Oh, I'm a big can, I'm a big candy person. It's probably not good for my golf game, but I love some starbursts out there, man. I I I I I like that.
SPEAKER_01They don't like melt or anything in the bag.
SPEAKER_02Oh no, just I keep them right in the cart with me, or if I'm walking, I keep a few in the bag. I they're I'm I'm just a big sweet tooth, man. Like, I gotta get it.
SPEAKER_01I never thought about candy, but okay, that's our things are good. So they I'm no judgment here. Like, but I'm definitely gonna take some of these things that I've had. Someone told me I asked someone and they said, was it peanut butter and bacon or something?
SPEAKER_02So our course does it, and actually Marion's very famous for it too. Peanut butter, jelly, and bacon. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's it's pretty good. I I we have one at our at our midway house at our golf course.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I was like, I heard that. I'm like, I guess that's something I have to try now because I've never thought about that combination.
SPEAKER_02It's very good.
SPEAKER_01Early morning tea time or a sunset round. Oh, that's tough.
SPEAKER_02I I love do sweeping, I love being the first one out. Something about it's very peaceful to me, but like like I said, something about golden hour and and being out then it's great too. But if I had if I had to choose, I would probably say do sweeping first thing in the morning.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think there's no one on the course you can go at your own pace. And yeah, I yeah, and plus then I'm done with it and I have the rest of the day. So whatever I need to do.
SPEAKER_02And there's something great about standing on the first screen, and and you're you're the first one on it, second group on it, and nobody's been on it.
SPEAKER_01It's it's a good feeling. Yeah. Favorite club in your bag.
SPEAKER_02Oh, it's gotta be driver. It's gotta be driver. It's probably my best club in the bag, and and I have a good relationship with it right now. We'll we'll hope it stays that way through through October. But play a drawer fade. Fade. I'm a cutter of the golf ball, big cutter of the golf ball.
SPEAKER_01Okay, who would be in your dream for some to play golf with?
SPEAKER_02Oh man. I would say my my grandfather, my father, and then probably my my fiance. That would be my dream, dream for some.
SPEAKER_01And the last one, your favorite golf movie.
SPEAKER_02Ooh, that's a good one. I mean, I gotta say Happy Gilmore for my guy Adam Sandler, big Adam Sandler fan. So I'm gonna go with Happy Gilmore.
SPEAKER_01Were you disappointed in the second one?
SPEAKER_02There were some parts of it where it was pretty funny. I'll sit down and watch any Adam Sandler movie. As long as he's attached to it, I'll watch it. But I think it was they it was tried a little too hard at certain certain things. But I mean the the classic, the originals, the go-to.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, it was on TV the other day. I'm like, I have to sit down and watch the 300th time. But the second one, I was like, you know what, there's some of it I'm like, all right, this is a little gimmicky now, but it's still again, I had to watch it because it's Adam Sandler and it's happy Gilmore.
SPEAKER_02Right, exactly.
SPEAKER_01All right, Andrew, that that's all I have for you. Thank you for doing this. I know it's really busy, especially with the golf season kicking out, and I'm sure a lot of the listeners will get some some good advice from what you had to say.
SPEAKER_02Thank you. Yeah, thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.