Mission of the PGA PGM Program
The PGA Professional Golf Management Program
The PGA Professional Golf Management Program provides world-class training for aspiring golf professionals by offering skill-based training programs that provide state-of-the-art skills and knowledge. Graduates of this program will become outstanding golf professionals who provide exceptional service to their customers, employers, fellow professionals and the game of golf.
Mentorship and Motivation
On a daily basis, PGA Professionals have the opportunity to mentor and help apprentices complete the PGM Program. As leaders of the golf industry, you can and should help your apprentices. In fact, there are several ways to mentor and motivate your apprentices as they strive for PGA Membership:
1) Link progression or completion of the program into your apprentice’s employee agreement
2) Utilize the course objectives to match your facility’s activities
3) Create a weekly plan in which a certain number of activities must be completed
4) Review each inventory checklist to parallel work experience activities with on the job responsibilities that will match specific learning situations at your facility
- Utilize an upcoming tournament that could serve as the focal point of Tournament Operations
- Have your apprentice update or create golf car maintenance schedules for Golf Car Fleet Management
- Create an inventory and marketing campaign for club repair services for Golf Club Design & Repair
- Utilize a demo day for clubfitting sessions in Analysis of the Swing
- Have your apprentice write a rules tip or article in the member newsletter for Rules of Golf
- Conduct a group lesson and use your apprentice as an instructor for Philosophy & Swing Concepts of Teaching
- Allow your apprentice to work with the golf course set up crew for Turfgrass Management
- Assign a budget project to your apprentice (i. e. the golf range expense budget) for Business Planning & Operations
- Give your apprentice the responsibility of creating various holiday merchandise displays for Merchandise & Inventory Management.
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5) Conduct predetermined and routine study sessions
6) Counsel and motivate your apprentice on a scheduled basis
7) Conduct an event to raise money for program and checkpoint fees
8) Advise your apprentice on sources of information for off-site activities
9) Attend section/chapter meetings and events with your apprentices
The possibilities are endless. Communication is the key. Communicate through your words and actions the importance of the apprentice’s progress.
PGA Mentoring Line
The PGA Education Department has implemented a mentoring program provided by PGA Members directly involved with the PGA PGM program.
The mission of the PGA PGM Mentor Line is to offer apprentices and members the opportunity to enhance the apprentice experience by providing a mentoring program geared toward expanding their knowledge and offering support utilizing PGA Education Center Faculty.
There are PGA Members permanently employed at the PGA Education Center, who, in addition to years of experience in the golf industry, have knowledge and skills in the seminars, self-study courses, work experience activities and overall course content.
Take this opportunity to utilize the staff at the PGA Education Center to assist you with content questions that may arise during the journey from apprenticeship to membership by calling (866) 866-3382, option 6 or sending an e-mail to pgapgmmentor@pgahq.com. Please continue to utilize PGALinks.com and the Member Information Service Center (800) 474-2776 for all other general checkpoint and work experience kit status inquiries.
PGA Rescue and Recovery
The Rescue & Recovery Team is manned by select PGA members of the permanent faculty at the PGA Education Department who offer one-on-one assistance to apprentices who have not been successful at a checkpoint. The R & R team statistics are amazing in their success rate, but the entire foundation of the effort starts with the APPRENTICE’S desire to accept the offer for free help. An e-mail to mavery@pgahq.com after the apprentice has signed up for a return retake checkpoint starts the process. The cornerstones of the success of this team are found in (a) it is driven solely by how much the apprentice is willing to put into the effort, (b) discussions about better time management, (c) discussions on more effective study habits, and (d) a refusal on the team’s part to give the apprentice the answers but instead showing them how to find the answers for themselves.
PGALinks
PGALinks.com, The PGA members-only web site, allows members to conduct PGA business at their convenience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Members can use PGALinks.com to register for events, access their membership files, check membership status, register for education workshops and seminars, check employment opportunities, shop online at the members-only PGA Golf Shop, and apply for a loan or credit card through The PGA Credit Union. Members can also get free PGA-branded e-mail and can even take part in discussion groups to exchange ideas and opinions with fellow members.
Apprentices can access information on PGM policies and procedures, costs, work experience kits, acceptable progress / kit tracking, checkpoint information and schedule.
Supervising Professionals can also use PGALinks.com to monitor their apprentice’s progress through the PGM Program. Through the Apprentice / PGM Corner, you can monitor your apprentice’s start date into the program, acceptable progress dates, and the status of Work Experience Kits.
Begin by visiting the Education section on PGALinks.com. Click on Apprentice / PGM Corner. From there, click on Acceptable Progress Checkpoint Status to enter your apprentice’s information. Survey your apprentice’s Level 1 Start Date, Checkpoint Due Dates, Checkpoint Completions, and PGA PGM Kit Status to plan your mentoring opportunities. Be sure to utilize this information to schedule review sessions with your apprentice
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