Alliance, formal launch of the new apprentice
program called PGM
2.0, and plans for new growth
of the game initiatives promise to expand the PGA
Professional’s influence for years to come.
The PGA has empowered PGA Professionals to
become more influential through better education,
particularly at PGA Golf Management Universities
and through the PGA Certified Professional Program. But the expansion of PGA classifications,
which allows PGA members to work outside the
green grass facility in retail, as coaches, manufacturers’ reps, administrators, teachers, tournament
organizers and in various other capacities; the
rebranding of The PGA logo, the PGA Trade-In
Network, support for and programming of Play
Golf America and Get Golf Ready, and tools such as
PGA PerformanceTrak and PGA Best Practices
also have helped the PGA Professional increase his
or her influence.
“The fact that PGA Professionals are more
influential today than ever before has a lot to do
with the expanded career-path classifications and
the PGA Certified Professional Program that was
introduced several years ago,” says PGA President
Jim Remy. “The expanded classification and career-path program has allowed PGA Professionals to
expand their involvement in the industry to points
we didn’t touch
30 years ago. With some
24 PGA
classifications, we now have experts in every part
of the golf industry. Those positions of influence
simply weren’t there
20 or
30 years ago.
“Imagine where we would be today
if that group of (PGA) officers didn’t
have the foresight and vision to see that
the industry needed such a diversity of
PGA Professionals. Needless to say,
the influence of the PGA Professional
and the power of the PGA brand would
not be as strong today.”
“GETTING PGA PROFESSIONALS AND
OWNERS TO BUY INTO A NEW PROGRAM
THAT MIGHT NOT SHOW IMMEDIATE
IMPACT ON THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOT
EASY IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC
CLIMATE BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE.”
—JAY MOTTOLA,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, METROPOLITAN GOLF ASSOCIATION
the 2016 Games, and the future of golf worldwide
looks bright.
The PGA of America is driving the global
growth of the game and supporting worldwide
education and training programs for PGA Professionals worldwide through formation of the World
PGA Alliance, which includes the Australian PGA
and the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland as other
alliance founders.
“It’s a small world these days, as evidenced by
how the global recession has affected countries
throughout the world,” observes Remy. “It’s a real
credit to (PGA of America CEO) Joe Steranka that
he recognized the need for global professional golf
organization and took the lead in the formation of
A Worldwide Influence
As The PGA of America and allied
associations have introduced programs
to grow the game worldwide, so has the
influence of the PGA Professional
spread throughout the globe. Need
some evidence?
While more golf courses have closed
their doors than have been built in the
United States during the past three
years, golf course construction and the
game itself is showing continued
growth in China, India and South
America. Buoyed by Y. E. Yang’s victory
in the 2009 PGA Championship,
when Yang became the first male,
Asian-born player to win a major, television ratings for golf telecasts have
reached an all-time high in Korea,
China and Japan. Add the excitement
of recent Ryder Cups and the fact that
golf will become an Olympic sport in
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