From Casual Golfer to Social Media Sensation: The Rise of Matt Gregoire

In a remarkable story of serendipity and passion, Matt Gregoire's journey from casual disc golfer to Social Media Director of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is an inspiration to anyone looking to make their mark. What started as a chance meeting with a celebrity on the golf course eventually led to his appointment at the PDGA, where he has been instrumental in promoting the sport through social media.

It was last May when Matt and his friends were playing at Brookside Park in Indianapolis that they encountered two men who turned out to be from the cast of Glee. One of them, a star of the show, bought some discs from the group and, on being asked for a photo, smiled and said "I'm on TV." Intrigued by this chance encounter, Matt sent a picture of himself with the celebrity to the PDGA, suggesting they could use his fame to generate national interest in disc golf.

Sara Nicholson, Membership Manager at the time, replied to Matt's email and eventually, after some discussion about the lack of engagement on the PDGA Twitter account, Matt offered to take over its management. With no prior experience but a passion for social media and disc golf, he posted his first tweet as @PDGA on June 29th, 2011.

The response was overwhelming. From just under 500 followers at the time, the PDGA Twitter account grew rapidly, reaching 2,000 followers by February 2012 and over 4,200 just a year later. Matt's efforts also extended to Facebook and Instagram, where he created engaging content, encouraged user-generated posts, and linked accounts to drive traffic and interaction.

One notable achievement was when the PDGA Twitter account gained the coveted verified "checkmark" status before reaching 1,000 followers – an accomplishment that Matt attributed to his relentless emailing of Twitter corporate. As a result of his tireless efforts, disc golf has become more visible online, with a significant increase in engagement and participation.

Matt's dedication has not gone unnoticed. He was recently awarded the PDGA Volunteer of the Year Award for 2011, a testament to his hard work and commitment to promoting the sport. When asked about his goals, Matt stated that if even one person had been encouraged to try disc golf as a result of his efforts, he would consider himself successful.

With big plans for next year, Matt invites all disc golf enthusiasts to stay tuned for more exciting developments in online engagement and participation. For those in the Indianapolis area, a chance encounter with Matt can be expected at The Naptown Throwdown on October 20th.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/volunteer-of-the-year