This post is dedicated to the people that surround me daily, and for saying thank you for a great 2015!  Many people contribute to the ongoing success of my brand, John Hughes Golf.  Saying thank you for a great 2015 is the least I can do for those who make a positive impact to my business, and the game of golf.

For as long as I can remember, I always take the days between Christmas and the New Year to reflect upon the previous year and look forward to what lies ahead.  From a business perspective, those dates are a bit late to look back and plan for the future.  So the past 8+ weeks have been filled with reflection on the past 12 months, introspection to the items that inspire and motivate me, brainstorming and planning for things I want to accomplish in 2016 and beyond, and decision making to insure the programs installed and maintained during 2016 create an even better year for you and me.

Thank You for a Great 2015 to:

My Clients

Without you, my client, I can not do what I do on a daily basis.  Your willingness to allow me to assist you with your skills, and your enjoyment of golf, continues to motivate me to keep setting the bar higher.  I look forward to doing more of the same in 2016!

My Partners

Thank you for a great 2015 Jody Seifert, Ryan Hosford, and the entire staff of Falcon’s Fire Golf Club!  Every day I am at Orlando’s Best Public Golf Course, I feel welcome and part of the operation.  Thank you for providing me an opportunity to grow the instructional programs at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club!  As we turn the corner to 2016, all golfers of all skill levels, pay attention to the new programs on the horizon that will take place at Falcon’s Fire (See Below).

Thank you for a great 2015 Henri Johnson, Madelein Nel, Kobie Pieterse, Alex Trujillo, and the rest of the staff at FlightScope!  You have provided me an opportunity to expand my knowledge base and serve our mutual clientele in a productively fun and factually based way.  The promotional and research opportunities you provided me this past year are very much appreciated.  2016 will bring even more of the same for us both.

Thank you for a great 2015 Chris Hart, CEO of Interactive Frontiers and V1Pro, and for being a long time supporter of my Coaching Practice!  Chris’ product and team are second to none in my industry when it comes to thinking forward and providing state of the art video analysis software that allows me to communicate to my clientele in an efficient fashion.

Thank you for a great 2015 Charlie Fisher of Golf Pride and Bill Holbrook of Cobra Golf, for your support this past year and for being an integral part of the “Grip Project!”  The baseline data produced so far has benefited golfers in more ways than we initially intended.  2016 should be even more eye opening as we get ready to provide golfer’s everywhere with information about their grips that will make the game easier to play.

Thank you for a great 2015 to the individuals who comprise the group I call my “business mentors.” Your brutal honesty, your wealth of knowledge, and your willingness to share and support my efforts this past year keeps me on track.  You know who you are.  Without you, I could not be as successful as I am today.

My Digital Media and Promotional Partners

Thank you for a great 2015 Jean Perpillant, owner of Design Theory, for your continued support and nurturing of my website design skills. Jean has been instrumental in the building of this website the past 2 years, providing volunteer guidance and the occasional “fix” when I get stuck. Look for more of Jean’s creative forces to take shape in a planned revamp of my site scheduled for the summer of 2016, as well as his assistance in another project I will roll out in 2016.

Thank you for a great 2015 Russell Kirk, for your fantastic image contributions to my website and other content I provide the golfing world, and for being a long time friend! Russell is my “Michelanglo” when it pertains to the detail and artistry that is often times forgotten as golf coaches create content to publish.  Russell always steps to the plate to insure the images I use to represent my brand are of the highest quality. Look for more of the same from Russell within all of the content I produce in 2016.

Thank you for a great 2015 Nick Taylor, for your support and for producing fantastic signage and branding products for me through your company, Creative Sign Solutions.  Nick produces the highest of quality signage and graphic design products.  Nick is a great friend and supporter of my brand who will play an even bigger role with the projects on my white board for 2016.

Thank you for a great 2015 Rick Sessinghaus and Victor Williams of Golf Tips Magazine, for providing a platform for me to share my instructional ideas, philosophy, and articles to assist golfers of all skill levels!  With a new look, a new website, and new ownership committed to the mission of instructional content, I am looking forward to contributing more and doing even more lessons through the “Show Us Your Swing” promotion in 2016.

Thank you for a great 2015 Ted Odorico, for the opportunity to be part of your weekly Podcast, Golf Talk Live.  Its been a pleasure being part of your Coaches’ Corner every 2nd Thursday each month in 2015.

Others I Need to Thank

There so many people I need to say thank you for a great 2015, for providing me the freedom to be me as a person, and the freedom to be me as a Golf Coach.  For those I forget to mention, please accept my apologies as my brain is working overtime to remember all of you.  Thank you for a great 2015 to:

Ed Fulford, Bob Geppert, and Thomas Troncoso – life long golf friends who remind me everyday what great friends are and what great friends are for.

Mike and Ruth Warobick, owners of US1 Golf Center in Rockledge Florida, who are also great friends, for providing a place to conduct the Grip Project this year.

The NFPGA Officers and Senior Staff – Tony Jonson, Mike Lynch, and Rich Smith; thanks for allowing my learning curve to be fast and thorough.  Without you, serving our fellow North Florida PGA Members would be a much harder task to accomplish.  Mike Touhey; best of luck in your new role in Western New York.  And welcome Charlie Rymer!  We are all looking forward to you being part of the NFPGA Leadership Team.

The golf schools I serve as an Independent Contractor – thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your overall business model.  I very much enjoy serving our mutual clientele and am there to assist you with growing your businesses as well.

My network of friends and supporters – Way too many to mention in this post but I want to say thank you to all of you for being supporters of my brand and for allowing me to be part of your personal and professional lives.

My Neighbors – I have many good friends who live in my neighborhood who are always inquiring about my business.  All of you continue to inspire me to do more.  There are too many of you to name here, but thank you to all of you for being a wealth of moral support throughout the year.

My Family – If it were not for the support and effort my family provides me on a daily basis, nothing would be possible.  To my Mother and Father, my wife Judy, my son Jack, to my sister Linda and her family, and to my brothers Bill and Jim and their families, thank you!

What do I want for Christmas? – One Small Favor to Ask of All

When Jack asked me recently what I wanted for Christmas, I can honestly state I desire nothing material in nature for Christmas.  I have way too much “stuff” as it is and I need nothing new to add on top of that pile.  If you are like me, it is time to get rid of some stuff in 2016.

But I can think of one non-material item I need to ask of you now and ongoing in the future.  I need everyone’s assistance sharing the John Hughes Golf brand with your friends, loved ones, and social network.

My marketing and advertisement budget each year is ZERO! I rely heavily on word-of-mouth promotion from you my clients and my network of golf friends.  Heading into 2016, I have a small favor to ask of everyone; please SHARE the posts you read on this website as well as the various social media posts you see within your social network platforms Clicking the “Like” button only goes so far.  Sharing is entirely different animal that can provide the marketing and media support I need to continue to grow the game and to serve you.

I am asking you, my Santa, to please share all my posts and social media mentions in 2016, by hitting the “Share” button each time you read or see something you know others will enjoy seeing or participating in.  Thank you for doing so in 2015 and thank you for doing more sharing in 2016!

Moving Forward to an Exciting 2016

2016 will be a ground breaking year in many ways for me and the John Hughes Golf Brand, stepping out of my comfort zone to bring more programs to more golfers, as well as expanding the efforts already in place. In the days to come, there will be more detailed announcements about each of the new programs for 2016 listed below.  Be sure to check back often for more information and to share the information with your friends and social network.

Giving Back

Motivated by multiple personal experiences with loved ones living or past, who endure the daily issues related to Parkinson’s Disease, I am proud to announce the formation of the PD Fun Golf League and Clinics, beginning February 9, 2016 at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club.  Every 2nd Tuesday of the month, golfers of all ages and skill levels living with PD are invited to come out for a variety of golf activities. This is a fun monthly event I and the Parkinson Association of Central Florida intend to grow in 2016.

Instructional Video Portal

I began production of instructional videos in 2015 and have posted a couple to this website.  As I posted a few on this site and worked on the 12+ others currently in post production, I realized I could do better making my videos meaning full and fun to watch.  In 2016, plans are in the works to hire a professional team of videographers and post production experts to assist me with producing video instruction content.  Look for a new website featuring all new instructional videos as well as featuring a book I have been working on for a while, but never took the time to finish.

Growing the Game/New Instructional Programs

2016 will mark the beginning of several new programs an initiatives to grow the game of golf and reach golfers who currently do not know I am available to them.  These programs will include:

“Play Golf Now!” – Inspired by other beginner golf clinics and affordable lesson packages.  Play Golf Now programs are affordable 5-hour group lessons consisting of 4-8 individuals, held over the course of a weekend or once a week, based upon the schedule you choose.

Breaking 100/90/80 – If your sole purpose is to overcome a scoring barrier, these programs will be for you.  One price will provide you regular group sessions with others who have the same goal, individual coaching hours, a range membership to Falcon’s Fire Golf Club, and a guarantee you will reach or exceed your goal in a realistic time period we both agree to.

Junior Golf Programs –  There will be a series of Junior Golf Programs taking place at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club covering all age groups and skill levels.  Regular Saturday Group Clinics, a Summer Junior Program, and a Elite Junior Competitor Program are in the works for 2016.

Golf Vacation Package – I am currently negotiating the final details to a late April Golf vacation excursion to a world class golf resort.  Details of this package should be out by the end of January 2016.

Once again, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT 2015! 

Merry Christmas!

Wishing a happy, successful, and fun-filled 2016 for you and your family!