not the members’ employers—the clubs do
that, or else they’re entrepreneurs. We’re an
umbrella organization whose role is to spread
educational resources and best practices, pro-
vide them with guidance and the tools to suc-
ceed. Our job is to foster an environment where
they can perform their best. It’s the talent, hard
work and determination of the members them-
selves that ultimately make the difference.
● ●●
phones have obviously become a constant
companion in today’s life, and golf is adapt-
ing to that reality. Many places have relaxed
policies; some have not. I would say one thing,
I’m pretty sure I’ve never hit a good shot after
checking my phone. I get that it’s hard to un-
plug for a few hours, but it’s healthy to do so.
Hopefully it’s a time to live in the moment, to
enjoy the walk, the company, the beauty of the
surroundings, and the game. And appreciate
the reminder that golf ’s greatest weakness is
also its greatest strength. Much of golf ’s appeal
is the meditative thing, silence interspersed
only with conversation, our thoughts and the
game’s unique sounds. I hope it always re-
mains a primary reason for playing.
● ●●
clancy is 24 now, and I still caddie for him
just as I did whenever I could for junior golf.
As he gets older, better and more experienced,
the dynamic between us has also evolved. Last
year, when he attempted to qualify for the PGA
Tour Canada, he asked me to be on his bag.
We came up with three ground rules. One, he’s
the boss. I provide the yardages but club him
only when asked. Two, I read putts but only
offer my opinion when asked. Three, if he ever
behaves like a jerk, I’m his dad. Clancy missed
qualifying by one, and I’m happy to say I didn’t
have to invoke the third rule.
● ●●
coming to the PGA of America has exposed a
weakness of mine. I’m not an on-time person,
and the PGA happens to be the most punctual
organization I’ve ever seen. The principle ofalways making your tee time
must have sunk in, because
every meeting starts on the
dot. At Deutsche Bank, I was on
time first thing in the morning
and then late the rest of the day
because I tend to take on one
extra task or have one more
conversation. Our president,
Suzy Whaley, doesn’t work
that way. Not only does she
start things on time, she moves
through an agenda like no one
I’ve ever seen. She’s helped me
restructure the way I work.
● ●●
a lot of ideas for improving
the game are going to come
from outside of golf. Arjun
Chowdri, who we just named
as the PGA of America’s first
Chief Innovation Officer, told
us recently about a discovery
prompted by the problem of
waste in grocery stores. The
amount and cost of produce
going bad before it moves off
the shelves is staggering. Ar-
jun noted that scientists have
developed a safe polymer that,
when sprayed on fruit and veg-
etables, makes them last several
days longer. Arjun is wondering
if there might be a use for that
polymer on golf courses. Could
it mean less water usage, which
we know is an increasingly
critical issue in golf? Can it
keep the azaleas in bloom at the
Masters a week longer? Maybe,
maybe not. But we’re going to
be encouraging and investing
in that type of alternative think-
ing. One benefit of moving our
headquarters to Frisco, Tex.—
we’ll have golf courses and oth-
er state-of-the-art facilities—is
to create a laboratory for the
game in all forms. It will be the
canvas to incubate ideas, and
to test and develop concepts in
real-world settings.
● ●●
my father, Jim Waugh, taught
English at the Groton School in
Massachusetts and later at the
Lawrenceville School in New
Jersey. He had a Socratic meth-
od of teaching in which the
students became the teachers,
often of themselves. He would
ask the questions, not provide
the answers. He exposed mul-‘
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