Making an investment

ROSEDALE — Steve Whidden is making an investment in the future.

The Rosedale Golf & Country Club PGA Master professional and director of instruction has spent the last seven years trying to get players back in the swing by creating a fast and fun golf environment.

Now Whidden hopes to generate even more interest through a free teaching expo and a series of new private-lesson programs.

On Aug. 22, Whidden will hold a free teaching expo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rosedale, 5100 87th St. E., Bradenton.

During the clinic, which is open to the public, golfers will rotate between four stations, at which they will work on putting, chipping, pitching and full swing. Participants should bring their own golf clubs, however, Rosedale will provide clubs to individuals who don’t already have them.

The clinic is open to the first 32 people who register at the pro shop. Whidden plans to hold at least one teaching expo every quarter.

“The goal is to get more people into the game,” Whidden says. “I look at it as an investment.”

Whidden also recently implemented three new programs as part of the Steve Whidden Golf Academy. Each program consists of a series of three 45-minute private lessons during which clients can focus on the specific areas on which they need to work. Each package costs $210.

Breaking the Barrier is designed for the golfer who plays frequently and wants to break a desired score.
The second program is The Fix. It focuses on improving a specific area of a player’s game, such as putting.

Finally, Perfect Practice is designed for players who simply want to get out on the course and practice their game.

In addition to helping clients improve their game, Whidden also hopes to share his knowledge with other PGA professionals and assistant professionals across the state. Earlier this month, Whidden was elected chairperson of the new Instruction Division of the North Florida PGA Section.

Whidden developed the idea to start a teaching program in 2011. He invited the roughly 80 professionals and assistant professionals in the Southwest chapter of the North Florida PGA Section, which stretches from Port Charlotte to Bradenton, to a series of meetings at which he shared his experiences as a teaching professional.

Interest in the program gradually grew over time, but at the same time, Whidden noticed there wasn’t a similar program offered to the three other chapters in the North Florida PGA Section. He discussed the program with section leaders, and, before long, they approached him about implementing a similar program for the entire North Florida PGA Section.

As the chairperson of the five-person committee, Whidden, who has been a teaching professional for 23 years, wants to offer programs and advice as a way to help other professionals attract clientele.

“As a professional, it’s my job to try and find out why people aren’t coming back (to play),” Whidden says. “(Our goal) is to get young professionals, as well as seasoned professionals, to branch out and be flexible and creative.

“We want to get together as a teaching community and help others by teaching them new ideas to attract (business),” he says.

For more information, contact Whidden at [email protected].

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].