Professional Golf Management Accredited Universities

If you love the game and want to work in the industry, professional golf management education could be for you!

Professional golf management education is a relatively new approach to a long-established career path. There are 19 university-level accredited Professional Golf Management programs in the United States. Any young high school student who is passionate about golf and a possible career in the golf industry has some options to pursue this program as they are are quite spread out across the country.

It doesn’t matter where you live. There’s a professional golf management program near you: Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, New Mexico State University, Las Cruses, NM, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, Penn State University, University Park, PA, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Co, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, and University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV.

The universities all have specific entrance requirements but there are several common components to the curricula. It takes 4 1/2 to 5 years to earn a bachelors degree in such fields as marketing, business administration, hospitality administration and recreation and park management. Students serve internships along with extensive classroom studies as they learn the skills necessary to succeed in the golf industry.

Remarkably, these programs boast a 100% post-graduation placement rate! You might not always start out at your dream job, but a rung on the ladder is available to climb your way up in Professional Golf Management.

I would like to feature two of the programs I am most familiar with: Ferris State University and The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

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Ferris State University professional golf management program was the first PGM program sanctioned by the PGA in 1975. At Ferris State, the 4 1/2 year program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in business- PGA Golf Management Degree. This program includes five semesters of work in a cooperative education program, alternating with on-campus study. The program includes internships at public courses, private courses, resorts and students can also study abroad, including Scotland.

Students must pass a playing ability test and PGA Knowledge Tests and Seminars for Levels 1-3. 18 months of internship are covered along with the class load and PGA background checks. Aaron Waltz is the Program Director.

The PGA Golf Management Program at Ferris State University has announced plans to raise $3.5 million for a state-of-the-art learning center that includes year round golf instruction and practice. The facility will also house the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame!

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has been successful since 2003 in helping students find careers in the golf industry. The students complete 16 months of internships. Many areas of emphasis can be combined with the PGA Golf Management option. Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources Management, Information Systems, International Business, Marketing, Management & Service Management are all options. Molly Sutherland has been the Director of the Professional Golf Management Program since 2012.

The western schools that have professional golf management have an in state tuition agreement set up that I would look into to keep more options open as to which school to attend. UCCS often places students right down the road in Colorado Springs at the world class Broadmoor. The Broadmoor, which is banked up against Cheyenne Mountain holds the longest continuous 5 star-5 diamond rating in the country.