Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Calhoon.
Hi Cody, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey began as a young kid. Finding interest in the game of golf as I watched my dad catch the golf bug, I would try to imitate the guys on TV. With the advantage of a large back yard, I spent some of my summers digging small holes and creating my own imaginary golf course where I’d play with a borrowed/stolen club from my dad. My biggest issue with that scenario is that he was right handed and I am left handed so I learned the art of the escape shot early on. His biggest issue was that sometimes I may have forgotten to put them back. So we compromised. I didn’t get to use his clubs anymore but if I could hit a baseball over the outfielders heads I would get my own set of junior lefty clubs, not an easy find in the mid 90s. So in the next game, I gave my dad the golf swing celebration while standing on third after popping one up over the right fielders heads. For my 12th birthday I got my first set and it was on. Only ever really farted around with the game for the next 10 years or so because golf is hard and my wonderful daughter was born in 2003. Spent the next decade coaching and instructing youth sports as she grew up. I really enjoyed coaching and teaching not only mechanics of an action but also the philosophy and intent. Any youth sports parent would understand that there is not a lot of time for golf in that period of life. I didn’t catch the golf bug for real until she went to college in the summer of of 2021, and I found myself with a little extra time. Crossed paths with a childhood friend and teammate through youth sports of mine while playing some beer league softball and started playing golf together. He had spent the prior decade working in the golf business. Next thing you know we are on the course, talking shop, learning the art of golf, and mentoring me along through the accelerated path of golf. The dream began. Becoming a PGA member, being a golf coach/teacher, helping people to believe in themselves and learn that they can do very difficult things with the right perspective and amount of effort they apply. Spent the next couple of years competing in amateur tour events and preparing for the PGA of America’s PAT (playing ability test) to work towards membership. Passed the test in August of 2023, almost acquired someone else’s shop but by the grace of that fell through, and got the keys to the “dogghouse” in December 2023. I am a carpenter by trade so with the help of an amazing friend group, golf coach and now shop manager/buisness partner, we began transforming the space into what it is today. From demo to framing, drywall and painting, low voltage and electrical fixtures, and most importantly top of the line golf sim equipment, we put our blood sweat and tears into this place. An old school saloony vibe mixed with modern golf technology that we call Bird Doggs Golf Shop opened their doors to the community in September of 2024. Hi welcome to Bird Dogg
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To me, golf is life. As in, golf is the most relatable sport to the game of life. You get bad breaks from good shots, some good breaks from bad shots, but always have to play it as it lies. So if you have ever played a round of golf you will know that even your best round is never a smooth round. It’s a constant pre shot investigation mixed with post shot analysis that is transpiring in real time with ever changing variables. Wait, were we talking about golf or opening and operating a small business. If it was a smooth road would we even want to travel it? We play golf because it challenges ourselves. In a mix of control and surrender we still rely on faith and self confidence to influence a positive outcome. So in golf, as in life or business there are many struggles. Struggles that we don’t remember having and struggles that we can’t see coming. The struggles are important though, they teach us to focus on solutions in order to handle our business. And in an indoor golf shop business you get some pretty cool problems to solve and solutions to implement.
We’ve been impressed with Bird Doggs Golf Shop, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Bird Doggs Golf Shop in Greenwood, MO, is an indoor golf facility featuring 2 Trackman 4 simulators for virtual play, leagues, lessons, tournaments, and club fittings through our partnership with Mizuno. We offer a PGA-recognized indoor practice facility and instructional environment for all skill levels, including weekly junior golf programs, leagues, memberships, parties, events, and open bay time. We also offer custom club repair services and tend to find the best deals we can for our customers. I think what we are most proud of so far on this journey is our community. Almost every single person that has walked through our doors have brought their own unique positive vibe to the place. We give them a place to learn and practice if they want to, compete if they want to, or just let their hair down and have a good time if they want to. We’ve got a wild bunch of characters and some pretty solid golfers to help grow the game. Whether you are looking to compete with some scratch-ish golfers or are just picking up the game for the first time we’ve got a spot and some bay time for you. We are very excited and proud to be a part of your golf journey in whatever capacity you want to take on the game.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
In life, golf, or business? Well..Honesty, integrity, calling out your own penalties, recognizing the patterns that cause those penalties and focusing on improving those tendencies. Perseverance, determination, discipline to practice the exaggerated subtleties that stack up to solid improvements and not cut corners. Never improving your position by bending the rules, but playing it as it lies with an understanding that your last shot is the cause of the decision being made for your next one and owning it. Being useful, being pleasant while being in service to the community in alignment with something that makes your heart race. Being grateful for the journey, maybe a little bit obsessed, and definitely some delusional self confidence in your ability to figure it out and hit the shot.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Birddoggsgolf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birddoggs_golfshop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562802881339
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BirdDoggsGolfShop
