Major: Professional Golf Management
It isn’t all fun and games. But in this program for aspiring PGA professionals, you’ll be able to say you’re studying while you practice your putting, because passing a golf proficiency test is required for graduation.
You'll live and breathe golf, but you'll focus on business, not play. You’ll learn basic management practices in areas such as finance and marketing alongside skills specific to running a golf course. These include everything from organizing tournaments to keeping members happy. By the time you finish, you’ll be prepared to start a career in golf -- and your swing will probably be better, too.
Students of professional golf management learn the principles and skills they need to manage golf facilities and related organizations. They also learn how to teach golf.
Did You Know?
- Professional golf management programs take four-and-a-half to five years to complete, including summers.
Are You Ready To...?
- Build hospitality management skills
- Learn how to coach golf
- Create mock budgets
- Spend sixteen months in full-time internships
- Join a student golf club
- Play in tournaments
It Helps to Be...
A golf fanatic with a head for business and natural leadership skills.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA)?
- Does the program offer a stand-alone major, or a concentration within another major, such as agribusiness, marketing, or parks and recreation?
- Does the program have a particular emphasis, such as hospitality or recreation?
- Is there a top-notch golf course nearby as well as state-of-the-art simulation labs on campus?
- Will you be taught by PGA professionals?
- Where will you complete your internships?
- What are recent grads doing now?
“If you watch a game, it’s fun. If you play it, it’s recreation. If you work at it, it’s golf.”
--Bob Hope
Course Spotlight
Golf greens don’t stay green all by themselves, as you’ll learn in turf management, a typically required course. In addition to learning what it takes to be a golf course superintendent, you’ll get a scientific view of how grass grows through lab demonstrations and field trips.
By the time you’re done, you’ll know the difference between a leaf blade and a leaf sheath, Bermuda grass and centipede grass. And you'll have a whole new appreciation for those who care for and maintain those gorgeous greens.
