About PGM

The Associate of Applied Science degree program in Professional Golf and Golf Complexes Management (PGGCM) is a set of coherent academic courses that provide the educational and practical foundation for individuals interested in the golf profession - who want to become competent golfers, professional golfers and/or managers of golf complexes and country clubs.

The learning outcomes of the PGGCM program are based on the following criteria:

a. Critical thinking:
     the ability to analyze problems, conceptualize hypotheses, develop arguments, weigh evidence and derive conclusions
b. Communication:
     the ability to articulate the critical thinking outcomes in writing and/or speaking or by other modes of communication
c. Self-awareness:
     the ability to analyze one's actions, to see the perspective of other persons and to work with others in groups, and
d. Personal actions:
     the ability to take responsibility for one's actions and make ethical decisions in complex situations.

To assure that courses meet academically rigorous criteria, each course has measurable learning outcomes at each level of the program to evaluate mastery of subject material and critical thinking development. Our faculty are selected for their outstanding teaching ability, professional experience in the golf profession and industry and for their ability to create an educational environment completely focused on student learning. The aim of the program's faculty, staff and administrators is teamwork - the ability to collectively work toward a common vision; the ability to direct individual accomplishment(s) toward the program's goal and objectives, thereby, creating an environment that supports the intellectual, personal and professional development of the student.

Because the program's instructors practice what they teach, in small classes with a high level of student-instructor interaction, the goal of exposing our students to every facet of the golf profession and industry is facilitated by instructors who can share their experiences with students and provide them with first-hand input on what it takes to be a successful professional golfer or sport manager of a golf complex or country club.

The PGGCM program has outstanding physical facilities - including spacious classrooms, a club design and repair room, a golf studio and a golf library. Lessons include playing time, short game skill development, video analysis, club fitting and repair, regripping and reshafting. An integral part of student training is labs in which students give instruction to the general public and/or each other. A tournament is held each week for competitive experience. These tournaments are organized by the program's students to provide practical tournament planning experience.

Tournaments and open play are conducted at area golf courses. The instruction provided by the program's golf professionals during classes gives students the opportunity to improve their game and to examine how golfers may view the game differently. This experience provides students with an understanding of how to teach golf to a wide range of golf students - a skill that is important to their future success as golf professionals. The sport of golf is rapidly expanding in popularity both nationally and internationally.

Employment opportunities are numerous and are publicized through a multiplicity of sources - employment bulletins, direct requests from employers, extensive networks of golf industries and service providers and membership organizations, to name a few. Positions for graduates deal with teaching, managing, sales, marketing, the PGA tour and other tours; or are related to facility, product, or service. Business opportunities and venture capitol is available for entrepreneurs.