If you have ever considered a career in golf then now is the time to apply for the The PGA Training Programme.
Whether you are interested in becoming a traditional club professional, coach or working in golf operations or management, then the #PGADraft2023 campaign is now underway.
And there is still time to apply to join the October 2023 intake with the deadline to start the course for the 2023/24 academic year being next week on August 31 2023.
The PGA offers three routes into Membership: a Foundation Degree in Golf Studies, a Diploma in Higher Education Golf Studies and a BSc in Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS).
There is a revamped website which is packed full of insightful case studies, information about the courses and inspirational stories from current PGA Members who are working in a variety of roles across the industry. A brochure is also available which outlines everything potential students and their parents need to know about the routes into PGA Membership.
Dr Paul Wiseman is the PGA Executive Director – Education and he highlights the global nature of the course as one of its huge benefits.
“One of the most exciting things about The PGA Training Programme is the universality of it. We’ve got trainees from tens of different countries globally. When our trainees come on the residentials, they’re mixing with people who work in the golf industry across the world where the PGA trademark is alive.
“We have one training programme, but they must do two coaching qualifications, they come to us for three residentials, they do 12 academic modules of 20 credits each, which account for 200 learning hours each, that constitutes a minimum of 24 assessments, 21 professional rounds of golf and they’ve got to work a minimum of 30 hours a week.
"This is a training programme like no other and it’s certainly the most challenging.”
Similarly, the broad range of options is another big pull for anyone considering the courses. Simon Hubbard, a PGA Professional, is the Head of The PGA Training Programme and he added: “Some of the roles that our graduates have gone on to once they become a PGA Member could include the typical roles you would expect of being a club professional or coach.
"But we have people go into club management, we have people who become tournament referees, we have people who work at some of the major brands, perhaps on the custom fitting side of things, so the variety and the opportunities that are available for graduates is huge.”
Stella McClure, a qualified doctor, was 51 when she decided to follow her dream job – she recently graduated as The PGA’s Trainee of the Year for 2023.
“I have to say it’s probably been my toughest challenge I’ve taken on in my life,” said Stella, who plays at Forfar GC. “Maybe that’s partly because I’m 54 now but I think it was also the modules that we undertook were really demanding and the assessment standards were really high so I feel I really deserve this award.
“I enjoyed all of the modules and I didn’t expect to enjoy them all as much as I did, especially the business part of the course, but I appreciated the business aspect of the course because I need to know about this in order to develop my coaching business.
"I also appreciate how important a knowledge of equipment technology is to a golf coach. I have a background in medicine, so I really do love the anatomy and physiology side of things. All of that is important to providing the right kind of coaching for each client.”
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