S6 E2 | Building the Ultimate Learning Experience: Business Acquisition & Growth with Bird Golf Academy’s Tyler O’Connor
Host: Golf Business Technology
Guest: Tyler O’Connor, CEO, Bird Golf Academy
Series: The GBT Podcast — Season 6
Executive Overview
In Season 6, Episode 2 of The GBT Podcast, we go behind the scenes of one of the golf industry’s most compelling acquisition and growth stories. We are joined by Tyler O’Connor, CEO of Bird Golf Academy, to discuss how a former US Army officer and self-funded entrepreneur took the helm of a national leader in personalized golf instruction.
Tyler breaks down the business model that sets Bird Golf Academy apart—pairing elite PGA/LPGA professionals with students in exclusive 1-on-1 and 2-on-1 formats—and reveals how he is executing an ambitious expansion strategy across world-class resort destinations.
Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights
- From Military Leadership to Golf Entrepreneurship: How military service and a structured MBA approach prepared Tyler for the self-funded search model and acquiring a high-touch service business.
- Preserving Culture While Driving Growth: Managing a seasoned coaching staff with over 350 years of combined teaching experience while scaling operations across 20+ locations.
- Resort & Facility Partnerships: The playbook behind partnering with leading resort operators (including Golf Summerlin and Horseshoe Bay Resort) to drive multi-day stay-and-play instruction revenue.
- On-Course Instruction vs. Range-Only Models: Why Bird Golf prioritizes deep, on-course learning over simple range tips—and how technology like Bird Golf Digital extends the customer lifecycle long after the lesson ends.
About Our Guest
Tyler O’Connor is the CEO and owner of Bird Golf Academy. A US Army veteran with six years of service and an MBA from George Washington University, Tyler acquired Bird Golf Academy through a self-funded search. Under his leadership, the academy continues to expand its premier instruction footprint at iconic resort courses across North America and Europe.
Listen Now
Stream the full audio episode below or read the transcript. Subscription tiers for GBT Members include access to our exclusive Q&A transcript and episode show notes.