Got your exam results? Why not consider a career in golf?
Picked up A-Level and GCSE results and still wondering what’s next? A career in golf could be your calling.
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) is looking to inspire the generation of professionals through a dedicated campaign aimed at potential students, anyone considering a career in golf, or those who have never given it a thought.
#PGADraft2020 calls on the experiences of its members and brings to life the range of career options that are available.
Members include European Tour players like Robert Rock and world-renowned coaches such as David Leadbetter and Denis Pugh, while the majority of the 8,000-plus membership enjoy a wealth of rewarding careers at home and abroad.
PGA Professionals are employed in more than 80 countries and #PGADraft2020 talks to those working around the world in areas including coaching, administration, retail and management.
The campaign explores the career paths of head professionals, club managers and even golf club owners. What they all have in common is the three letters after their name – PGA – and the training programme that set them on their career path.
“That trio of special letters represent a universally recognised qualification that is respected and valued the world over,” says PGA chief executive Robert Maxfield.
“Golf is a global game played in every corner of the world and a PGA qualification is a reassuring stamp of golfing expertise for prospective employers.”
The PGA offers a range of courses and qualifications, including the Foundation Degree in Professional Golf and the Applied Golf Management Studies (BSc) both in conjunction with the University of Birmingham – part of the prestigious Russell Group, which comprises the top 24 universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge.
For Scottish students, The PGA delivers a Diploma in Higher Education in partnership with the University of the Highlands and the Islands, which has a close association with Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
The Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland is based at four-time Ryder Cup venue, The Belfry, has been at the heart of golf for more than a century and takes pride in the quality of its education.
“We are incredibly proud of the training programme we deliver,” says Dr Paul Wiseman, PGA executive director for education. “It is recognised globally as world-leading and is the foundation upon which The PGA is built.
“It has been developed over the last 50 years to become a sophisticated education programme delivered in partnership with two leading universities plus tutors and coaches who are experts in their field.
“Our courses combine paid work experience, an academic qualification, and a range of PGA requirements including coaching qualifications together with 21 professional rounds of competitive golf.
“On completion, our graduates feel an enormous sense of pride as they move into full membership of the oldest professional association in golf and a wide variety of roles.”
The next intake for all three courses will be in October 2020 and applications are open now. For more, visit the #PGADraft2020 website.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
