Are You a PGA Member Wannabe?

If you are like me, you may have assumed that anyone that calls himself a PGA Pro must have spent some time on the Tour. However, after researching last months article, I discovered that becoming a certified PGA Pro, and playing on the Pro Tour are two different things entirely. Last month we highlighted the requirements needed to play on the PGA tour, this month the focus has turned to educating the golfing public on the process that every PGA pro must go through to be certified by the PGA. This is a fairly involved process and can take anywhere from 1 to 7 years to complete.
The first step in pursuing PGA membership is to successfully complete the Playing Ability Test (PAT). The PAT is offered approximately 600 times per year by the PGA’s 41 Section Offices throughout the country. While you don’t have to play well enough to win a PGA Tour event, you still must shoot pretty well. In order to be successful, you must achieve a 36-hole score within 15 shots of the course rating. This competition is normally conducted in one day. For example, if the course rating is 72, the target score for the 36-holes would be 159 (72 x 2 = 144 + 15 = 159).
The PAT is conducted from the middle tees of the golf course with the flagsticks set in the middle of the green. This may sound relatively simple to some of you experienced golfers, however, less than 20% of those taking the test achieve a passing score. If you are not close to being a scratch golfer, get there. If you are a scratch golfer, stay there. The PAT is valid for two years so don’t sign up until you are ready to do all the work that is required to become a PGA member.
To register by phone, please contact the Member Information Service Center (MISC) at 1-800-474-2776.

Once you have completed and passed the PAT, you are ready for the next step in becoming a PGA Pro and that is to register for the PGA Golf Professional Training Program (GPTP). The GPTP is a three-level program consisting of seminars, work experience activities, self-study courses, and testing.
This Program is taught in Palm Beach Florida at the PGA Education Center. The cost for this program is a flat fee of $5400 and covers air transportation to and from Palm Beach International Airport, transportation to and from the airport to the PGA Education Center, lodging and two meals per day - breakfast and lunch.
The Golf Professional Training Program is a self-paced program. People who utilize excellent time management skills have completed the entire program in 13 months. However, the average indicates that it will take approximately 16-18 months to complete Level 1, 12 months to complete Level 2, and 6-12 months to complete Level 3. Thus, an overall average to complete the Golf Professional Training Program is approximately 3 years.
With over 180 work experience activities, one must utilize good time management skills. If apprentices will work on this program just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, they will complete the work experience activities in a relatively short period of time (4-6 months).

Apprentices have seven years from their Level 1 start date to graduate from the GPTP. If apprentices do not graduate in seven years, they are terminated from the program and must complete the GPTP in its entirety. Apprentices have two years from their date of graduation to become elected to membership in The PGA.

This program has various elective courses that allow prospective PGA members to specialize their training to their particular job or position in the Golf Industry. The list below shows the multitude of employment opportunities that the GPTP can prepare you for.
Employment Opportunities As A PGA Member
Traditional Golf Professional (Assistant Golf Professional, Head Professional, Director of Golf)
Golf Instruction and Player Development (Director of Instruction, Academy Manager, Teacher, Golf School Manager, Golf Coach, Minority Golf Director)
Executive Management (General Manager, Regional Manager, Multi-Facility Manager, Corporate Management)
Association Management (Association Management, Executive Director, PGA Section staff, PGA headquarters staff)
Marketing and Promotions (Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, Membership Director)
Consulting (Operations Consulting, PGA Career Consultant)
Sales (Sales Representative, Independent Sales Representative, Regional Sales Manager, Retail Manager, Computer Software Sales, Computer Hardware Sales, Computer Systems Installation)
Research and Technology (Golf Club, Golf Ball, Equipment and Software Research and Development)
Merchandising (Merchandise Manager, Regional Merchandising Director)
Broadcasting/Journalism (TV, Newspaper, Magazine)
Tournaments (Tournament Director, Tournament Manager, Rules Official, Junior Golf Director)
Ownership/Leasing (Course Ownership, Course Leasing, Retail Ownership)
Golf Project Development (Golf Course Development, Architecture, Construction, Design, Golf Facility Development, Real Estate Development, Real Estate/Community Management)
Golf Course Maintenance (Golf Course Maintenance, Turfgrass)
Golf Equipment Specialist (Club Fitting, Club Repair, Club Maker)
Golf Retail (Head Professional, Department Manager, Store Manager)

This is just a brief overview of the steps needed to become a PGA member. Apparently, brief is a very relative term. If you would like even more in information on becoming a PGA member head over to the PGA Links website and look under the Professional Readiness Orientation Program (PRO) found at this address http://www.pgalinks.com/pro/index1.cfm.

Good luck!