The PGA’s world-renowned training programme continues to deliver outstanding results as the industry emerges from the pandemic. GBQ asked Dr Paul Wiseman, Executive Director – Education at The PGA, to explain how they go about it.
GBQ is a benefit of the Business Management Group. CLICK HERE to find out more and how you can become a member.
AT a time in which the game is enduring a well-documented struggle to recruit and retain high-calibre people into a range of roles, The PGA is endeavouring to address that supply issue – and is enjoying genuine success in delivering highly-trained and motivated graduates capable of filling a wide variety of roles across the industry.
Responding to the ongoing demand from PGA Professionals wanting more staff, The Professional Golfers’ Association’s world-renowned training programme continues to deliver outstanding results as the industry struggles to cope with the demands of a post-Covid golfing landscape. The three-year programme, which is run in conjunction with the University of Birmingham and Highlands and Islands in Scotland, leads to a foundation degree or diploma in higher education and is one of the few established, structured pathways into the industry.
With a strong focus on golf coaching and sports science, additional modules include key industry skills, junior development, equipment technology and custom fitting, principles of business and business finance – ensuring graduates emerge from the course well rounded and ready for the workplace. Combining a work placement with more formal learning, the programme has grown steadily in recent years.
“We have continued to develop and evolve the program to meet the needs of the industry,” says Dr Paul Wiseman, Executive Director – Education at The PGA.
“PGA Members now occupy more than 80 roles in the golf industry and individuals who enter our program are telling us the qualification provides them with a wide range of skills to allow them to develop their careers. As well as the traditional roles that PGA Members occupy such as coaching and retailing, we are seeing more students wanting to move into management positions in the industry – a specialism that some 30% of PGA Members now occupy.
“In both 2021 and now 2022 we’ve taken almost 350 students onto the course, which is a significant increase from five years ago when new admissions to universities and higher education establishments were all experiencing a dip.
“This is quite remarkable and highlights the continued appeal of golf - and moreover The PGA as a trusted provider of a globally respected qualification. I think it also points to the fact that the pandemic has prompted people to evaluate their lives and careers, particularly those who were made redundant or furloughed.”
In addition to benefitting from the slipstream of golf’s new-found popularity and changes in lifestyle and outlook, The PGA’s renewed commitment to extensively marketing the course has reaped rewards.
In recent years, recruitment campaigns have increased in size and scope, with a dedicated portal, brochure, videos and articles created to help raise awareness of the programme. Targeted digital and social media promotion has driven huge amounts of traffic to the site, with both current trainees and celebrated graduates helping to extol the virtues of the course. Backed up by a dedicated admissions team to assist applicants through the process, the training programme is now repeatedly at near-capacity.
“Our course is an online qualification in which you work in a golf setting, gain experience, get paid and end up with a foundation degree or diploma in higher education which can lead to a degree," added Wiseman. Furthermore, it’s possible to top that up and convert it to a BA honours degree.
“It all adds up to a broad introduction to the business of golf. Even though we run an academic programme, the lived experience of day-to-day involvement in a golf setting is where the learning takes place. What the academic side does is to introduce new thoughts and ideas – the students can then compare what is happening in their settings with what could happen.”
In terms of what could happen once a student qualifies, the career paths and opportunities available are extensive. That diversity is also reflected in the designations that a qualified PGA Member can now adopt, with the PGA Professional title being supplemented by the option to specialise as a PGA Coach or PGA Manager, better reflecting the areas of interest of expertise.
Key to the success of the training programme is the wide-ranging subject matter it covers and the equally extensive catalogue of career opportunities it can lead to.
“There are 8,000 PGA Members, 1,500 of them working overseas in more than 50 countries,” says Wiseman. “Our Members fill more than 80 different types of roles in golf – well beyond the traditional remits of coaching and retail. They are managing some of the world’s greatest golf facilities or working for equipment manufacturers. They hold significant posts within governing bodies or the wider golf industry. They are YouTube stars, Head Professionals, General Managers… and everything in between. They hold some of the biggest jobs in the game and the training programme has helped them to get there.”
"I’ve really loved the course and the facilities at The PGA are fantastic”
Daniel Messom is a recent PGA graduate who is attached to Market Harborough GC and was named as the Assistant of the Year in the Midlands in his second year
“I want to be a general manager going forwards so everything we’ve learnt on the course will enable me to put it into practice. I’ve really loved it, and the facilities at The PGA are fantastic.
"Typically, I work day-to-day in a management role so being able to be really practical is something that I’ve really enjoyed, and I've loved studying things like sports science as it is so different to what I’m used to.
"For anyone thinking about doing the PGA training, I really recommend it. You get to meet some fantastic people and make great connections, and it’s something that I’m going to look back on in the future and think, 'this was a great decision.' I’m really excited to have a career in golf.”
GBQ is a benefit of the Business Management Group. Exclusive to those who sign up to BMG Plus and BMG Premium options, GBQ is available both digitally via the members' area of The PGA website and is mailed out each quarter.
CLICK HERE to find out how you can join The PGA's Business Management Group.
