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Game Changers

Tony Chavez, PGA, Found a Renewed Energy & Mindset Shift through ADM Training

By Hayley Wilson
Published on

Tony Chavez has been a PGA Member for 20 years. But his path in golf hasn’t always been straight-forward.
“I only made the switch back to golf because of COVID,” Chavez said. “I got the campaign from PGA about continued education. I had free access to courses that I’d started and never finished, so I poured myself into them.”
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As part of that education, he found PGA.Coach and became American Development Model (ADM) certified. Chavez –– originally from Indio, California, but raised in Mexico –– was introduced to golf at 6-years-old. After coming to the states, he was blown away by the sheer access kids had to the best courses and latest equipment. And yet, his former club produced Esteban Toledo, who became the first Mexican to win on the Champions Tour in 2013. 
“I realized it was possible to become competitive in the world of golf even if you’re coming from no means,” he said. “ADM defies the notion of how kids used to learn… it’s not handing a kid a 5-iron, telling him to hack at it, and come back when he’s done hitting four buckets of balls. It builds athletes for life.”
With PGA.Coach, the switch flipped.
“For the first time in the years since I’ve been a PGA Member, someone shifted the focus onto what should’ve been done all along,” he emphasized. “Focus on the people, rather than on technique.”
Chavez reflected back on what coaching looked like when he embarked on his PGA Membership in the late 90s. There was no engagement, no retention and seemingly nothing to show for it.
So he set out to become a general manager, and another familiar pattern emerged. His members were telling him they loved it when they saw him on the first tee or putting green, but he retreated back to the piles of paperwork in his office.
In 2017, he found himself burned out in the GM role and yearned for a switch into coaching. His first thoughts went to tradition, technique and technology. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this mindset, there’s something major missing: human connection.
“PGA.Coach was a paradigm shift for me,” Chavez said. “We often forget the core value of the PGA Professional, which is to promote the game of golf through touching lives.”
Chavez dove right into cultivating relationships, becoming a pass holder at a local club in Indian Wells, California, and meeting as many people as he can. His warm demeanor, ease and sense of humor make it easy. 
“By the pure power of me being a decent golfer, being friendly and relating to people, it’s going to build a database,” he explained. “And that is going to create a ROI beyond my expectations.”
When talking to him, Chavez’s positivity and hope is infectious. 
“I’m coming back to this with renewed energy, because I know that the way I saw coaching before to the way coaching is now is totally different,” he said. “I want to be part of it.”
Tony Chavez, PGA

Chino Hills, CA

Tony Chavez

Director of Golf

A proud native of Indio, California, Tony Chavez discovered his passion for golf at the age of 5 while accompanying his father, Jose, at Mexicali Country Club in Mexicali, Mexico. At 16, Tony moved to the United States to pursue his dream of playing high school golf and continuing his education. In 1992, he enrolled at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, as part of the Golf Management Program, where he developed the foundational skills to launch a career in the golf industry. After completing an eight-year apprenticeship, Tony earned his Class A status with The PGA of America in 2000, a milestone that marked the beginning of a distinguished career in golf. With over three decades of experience, Tony has remained committed to his mission of "helping people through the game of golf." He holds a PGA Certification in Teaching and Coaching and is currently pursuing Master PGA Professional Certification to further refine his expertise and leadership in the industry. Additionally, Tony is TPI Level 1 Certified, equipping him with advanced knowledge in biomechanics and the body-swing connection to optimize his students' performance. Beyond the course, Tony has a passion for music and enjoys exploring self-improvement audiobooks, continually seeking ways to grow both personally and professionally.

Meet Tony
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