Promote Training, a new company created in partnership with Promote Golf and Golf & Leisure Marketing, have launched as the first dedicated eLearning provider to the UK golf industry.

The company, headed by David Reeves and Matthew Orwin of Promote Golf and Golf & Leisure Marketing respectively, is aiming to introduce a wide variety of practically based eLearning courses for Club Managers, Heads of Department and craft-level employees.

David comments, “We’re really excited about this new venture. Both Matthew and I, along with a number of other carefully selected industry partners, are aiming to create a stable of training courses that really get down to the nitty gritty of working in a golf club environment. That’s what all our courses will focus on – the practical skills and strategies needed to create a successful and sustainable golf club business.”

The company has a very clear picture as to the composition of the training offering. Each course is being developed to take no longer than 25 hours to complete and to stand alone as self-contained and confined to the subject matter.

“We’re not aiming to create the ultimate, all-encompassing qualification in either golf or health club management. In order to achieve this, it would need to ask for a considerable time-commitment from the delegate. We know that’s a tough ask – especially if they’re already working in a club. What we’re doing is creating a series of courses around specific subject matter. People can pick and choose, maybe based on an assessment of their own knowledge or to help them address weaknesses developing within their business. For instance, if a golf club are looking to address a shortfall in green fee income, our “Driving Green Fee Revenues” course is an ideal option.”

The courses are being delivered through an innovative eLearning platform whereby delegates can undertake the training at a location, time and pace that is convenient to them. This learning mechanism came about as a direct result of both David and Matthew’s near 50 years combined experience in the industry. They themselves experienced the inherent difficulties of participating in training whilst working in a business that’s open from first light through to dark, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Matthew continues, “It’s all about accessibility. The eLearning delivery mechanism means delegates don’t have to travel far and wide to participate in training and development. Furthermore, the training can fit into the delegates schedule and commitments rather than vice-versa. Yet the technology still allows the content to be engaging and interactive. We can add videos, discussion forums and live web-conferencing. Delegates can also exchange ideas and share their best-practice experiences with other participants through the inter-delegate messaging system.”