As player participation is forecasted to steeply increase in the coming
years with baby boomers moving into retirement, Brian Whitcomb,
president of PGA America, sat with SEW to talk about the future of
golf, both in those playing and those working in the industry to make
it possible.
A key focus for the PGA is its PGA/Professional Golf Management (PGM)
program, a four-and-one-half year structured educational program
designed for aspiring PGA Professionals. The college curriculum is
accredited by the PGA of America at 19 universities, just having added
the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond to the programs ranks. The
program includes extensive classroom studies, internship experiences
and player development opportunities.
The PGA/PGM was first launched in 1975 at Ferris St. and currently
boasts a 100% job placement rate for those students passing a
playability test at the programs conclusion. Graduates are also more
likely to advance than those in the apprenticeship program, moving up
to a head PGA post 2.5 years quicker with a higher rate of compensation.
While the PGA can look to the horizon and see a mass of potential
players in the population, it is actively recruiting the younger
generation as well, working with PlayGolf, which launched 4 years ago.
The group is also working on diversity efforts to bring more people
onto the golf course both in playing and working roles. On the youth
efforts, Whitcomb espoused on golfs unique ability to provide “an
unstructured environment, to an extent, that is filled with unique
rules of etiquette and allows kids a chance to play.”
