Talking Golf With The Golf Guy-Season 6 Episode 6 With Paul Pugmire
in Archives, Blog, Podcasts by Jeff Waters

Talking Golf With The Golf Guy-Season 6 Episode 6 With Paul Pugmire

There are some who derisively, and maybe with just a touch of covetousness, sometimes proclaim, “If you can play, then you play. If you can’t, then you teach.”

A simplistic statement that often does no justice to the individual in question. Great teachers and administrators often possess extraordinary skills that are unique to the lessons and circumstances at hand.

Paul Pugmire, the Executive Director of the First Tee of Utah and Host of Utah Golf Radio, is one such man, endowed with superlative gifts above and beyond just playing the game of golf. Which he has done admirably at the highest levels of High School and College.

That he took those accomplishments, learned on the playing fields of competitive golf, and applied them to nurturing and building the characters of young men and women in the First Tee program of Utah says wonders about the character and talents of this remarkable teacher and administrator.

Designed to teach life skills to youngsters, 5-18, The First Tee program utilizes the game of golf combined with an integrated and defined curriculum carefully designed to help each child navigate the individual challenges they all face on and off the golf course at school, at home, and at play.

The First Tee is replete with success stories of kids from every walk of life and circumstance excelling with the lessons gained and learned from this national program.

A program sponsored and endorsed by every leading golf organization including the PGA of America, PGA Tour, LPGA, USGA, and more recently The Master’s Tournament Foundation, all seeking to make Golf affordable and accessible to every child across America.

As Host of Utah Golf Radio, Paul communicates those lessons of the First Tee to listeners throughout the state of Utah each and every week on ESPN 700.

A remarkable and gifted teacher, Paul sat down with the Golf Guy and talked about his love of the game, his passion for teaching, and his fervor for spreading the unique gospel that only playing and participating in the game of golf can convey.

Please Listen Here.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jeff Waters, MBA, is a PGA Master Professional and the President/CEO of Rocky Mountain Golf Enterprises, a Utah-licensed and registered corporation that uses golf as a marketing tool. With over fifty years of experience in the golf industry, Jeff has worn many hats in diverse roles, including as a player, teacher, Head Professional, administrator, and small business owner. Jeff's extensive background includes ten years as a competitive player, ten years as a Head Golf Professional, overseeing the entire golf course operation, three years as the Director of Player Development for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, managing, directing, and supervising multiple golf course programs, and over thirty years as a golf coach and instructor at Rocky Mountain Golf Academy, teaching the game. His elite professional status as a fully trained and certified PGA Master Professional highlights his commitment to the sport. This prestigious designation is merited by a small and exclusive group of Golf Professionals worldwide. This wealth of experience in both the sport and business of golf has established Jeff as a highly skilled and knowledgeable expert and one of America's most qualified and accomplished Golf Professionals. In addition to his practical experience, Jeff has a robust academic background, including a BS in Political Science from the University of Utah, graduate studies in Economics and Commercial Recreation, at that school, and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He has also taught undergraduate courses at the University of Utah's College of Health and served as an adjunct professor at Granite Peaks Community School. As a well-known media personality, Jeff's versatility in the golf industry is evident through his work as a celebrated broadcast journalist and radio host. He has traveled extensively nationwide, announcing major sporting events at arenas, ballparks, stadiums, and golf courses for national media outlets and syndicated on the Rocky Mountain Golf Radio Network. A member of the Golf Writers Association of America, Jeff regularly contributes editorial pieces to national print publications and has authored multiple books, essays, and short stories. His work has appeared in numerous domestic and regional periodicals and magazines, such as Utah Golf News, Rocky Mountain Golfer, Golf Today, Utah Fairways, Jackson Hole Golf News, and Utah Golf Magazine. He has also contributed to blogs, podcasts, internet forums, and his website at www.jeffgolfguy.com. Jeff's unwavering dedication and service to the golf industry continue to inspire others, underscoring his deep commitment and affection for the sport, business, and recreation of golf.