With his three passions in mind, Iguchi took a leap of faith and accepted a job as an Assistant Professional at a facility in Georgia, bringing him, for the first time, to America. 

Despite graduating from the Holland program, Iguchi was not considered a PGA Member and enrolled in the associate program because the facility agreed to increase his pay by 20 cents if he completed the program. 

Iguchi described this experience as a big culture shock and tough to adapt to “America’s Corporate Golf.” 

After a short stint in Georgia, Iguchi was transferred to Ko Olina Resort & Marina in Hawaii in 2001, a part of the country that Iguchi felt he would be more comfortable in and a chance to learn from some of the best, working under former PGA of America President Jim Richerson. 

However, the tragedies of 9/11 brought many uncertainties to the Island, prompting Iguchi to make a change. 

“I came to America to be where Tiger Woods was,” explained Iguchi. “I wanted to experience where pro golf was. I looked up the number one course in the country and Pebble Beach popped up so I reached out.” 

The desire to work for the best led Iguchi to an Assistant Professional role at The Links at Spanish Bay. For the next three years, Iguchi continued to grow working at an extremely high level and fast paced facility. 

“The experience was tough, I have never been so busy in my life, but I thought Pebble Beach was the place where I grew up. It was where I went from a boy to a man.”

Iguchi’s maturity and rise was recognized by Rob Oosterhuis, the son of Peter Oosterhuis, who offered him a job at the Four Seasons in Costa Rica. 

With the eight-year window closing to finish the PGA program, Iguchi forwent his membership to focus on his new role as Head Professional and later as Director of Golf of the Four Seasons, Costa Rica.

In that role, Iguchi began to feel insecure and doubted his own abilities as the position was not aligning with his three main passions. A change was inevitable. 

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With $75,000 in savings, Iguchi went all in on his dream of playing professional golf. He worked with instructors Mike Adams and Jim McLean and competed in events all around the world. While his game was improving, he didn’t have the scores to show for it. 

Iguchi allowed his past insecurities and doubt to creep in and eventually sought out a high level sports psychologist. 

“He didn’t turn my game around but changed my perspective of the game and that was the beginning of the change in my career.

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In 2010 and now 33, Iguchi spoke at the European Golf Course Owners Association Conference.

After giving his speech, job offers began coming his way and he ultimately accepted a position in Ukraine, bringing him back to golf management. 

While in Ukraine, Iguchi's main role was to teach the locals the American way of golf management. While there, Iguchi met his future wife.

Now married and with his first child at home, Iguchi and his wife decided Ukraine may not be the best place to start a family. 

Iguchi stumbled upon a position in Japan at Camp Zama Golf Club. While unfamiliar with the location himself, Iguchi’s wife had visited the Military Base where the course was frequently while growing up. 

For the next four years, Iguchi served as Assistant Manager at Camp Zama Golf Club and finished his PGA Membership, becoming a Class-A Member. 

Now with his full membership and the cost to raise a family in Japan on the rise, Iguchi spent the next six months back in Ukraine searching for what would be next. 

While searching, a job at Golf Galaxy in Pembroke Pines continued to pop up. With little desire to work in retail golf, Iguchi felt as if he was running out of options. 

“I can’t make it any worse than it already is," he said. “My resume has already gotten bad.”

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Once again, Iguchi took a leap of faith and moved to Florida to work as an instructor at Golf Galaxy. 

Iguchi bought in fully to his new role and over his first 12 months, his store was named the No. 1 Golf Galaxy in the country, gave 1,200 30-minute lessons, became the first instructor to use Trackman and Iguchi was promoted to oversee the entire Florida District. 

Biomechanics was a skill Iguchi was required to learn as a youngster in the Holland PGA Program and now as an Instructor, who also happens to speak seven languages, his people skills have improved because he is able to translate the information given to him by the trackman into a way anyone can understand. 

For two years, Iguchi thrived at Golf Galaxy, adjusting his approach to become the most positive and best version of himself. 

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Now fully comfortable in his environment and with himself, Iguchi applied for the Director of Coaching position at PGA Golf Club. 

Despite his most recent experience at a box office golf retail store, Iguchi was offered his dream position. 

Once there, Iguchi dove head first and immersed himself in all PGA Programming -  PGA HOPE, PGA Junior League, PGA Family Golf, all while giving lessons and serving in a mentor role for all the assistants under him. 

While everything is now going great for Iguchi and his family settled in America, the Ukraine war has wreaked havoc on family and friends back home, including Iguchi’s mother-in-law whom he helped rescue and bring to America.

Additionally, Ignuchi received a phone call from his former first assistant in Ukraine who called to thank Iguchi for giving him a life in golf, sharing his appreciation in case he didn’t survive his deployment in the war.

“You made such a big difference in my life,” he said. “I’m headed to the front line of the war and not sure I will survive.”

Thankfully his friend survived the one-year service and he saw the great work Iguchi was doing with PGA HOPE in America and wanted to start something similar in Ukraine. With the help of Iguchi, a similar PGA HOPE program was developed in Ukraine for kids who may have lost family members in the war. 

Now a year and a half in, Iguchi has found his footing at PGA Golf Club and his perspective on life and the PGA of America has never been better. 

“Once I figured out that is not what the PGA can do for you, but what you can do for the PGA, that is when my career really changed.”