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  • Josh Johnson, new assistant golf professional at Black Squirrel Golf Club, follows the flight of his tee shot during a recent round. DAVID VANTRESS

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June 25, 2012

MONDAY SPOTLIGHT: Course correction

New Black Squirrel assistant pro enjoys new gig

By DAVID VANTRESS THE GOSHEN NEWS

GOSHEN — Sometimes, the career path we end up on is much different than the one we start out on.

That’s how it is for new Black Squirrel Golf Club assistant golf professional Josh Johnson.

The 2003 Fairfield graduate has a degree in criminal justice from Brown-Mackey College.

But he’s not using it at the moment. Instead, he’s pursuing his dream of being a golf professional — a dream that began to take shape during his sophomore year of college.

“In my early 20s, golf started to be more of a game to me,” Johnson said on a recent summer afternoon as he prepared to hit the course for a quick nine holes. “It was something I was really happy doing.”

Johnson recently took over as the assistant golf professional at Black Squirrel, replacing the retired Scott Schuster.

His job includes helping Black Squirrel owner and head professional Tony Krebs run the course, booking outings and helping sell merchandise in the pro shop.

“It’s been a little overwhelming,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot to learn.”

But Johnson is most looking forward to interaction with the public.

“I like to help people,” Johnson said.

And he will get plenty of opportunities to do that as Black Squirrel’s assistant golf pro. He will do a few lessons here and there.

And along the way, he’ll attempt to acquire a trait that is vital for anyone who wants to teach others: Patience.

“I’m not a patient person by nature,” Johnson said with a smile. “That’s something I’m going to  have to work on.”

This is Johnson’s first full-time job in the golf industry, and the first few weeks have served to confirm Johnson’s feeling that this is where his career destiny lies.

“I’m very excited about getting into this, learning the business, and seeing where it takes me,” Johnson said.

Next up for Johnson is a PGA apprenticeship program that consists of both classroom instruction and play on the course. The program takes four to five years to complete, and when it’s over, Johnson will be a PGA teaching professional.

“I’m a bit apprehensive, but I feel good about it,” Johnson said.

“This was a life-altering decision for me, but it was the right one.”

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