Are you thinking about working in the golf industry? If you are planning to have a full time career in golf, the most likely scenario would be as a PGA golf professional at a local country club. There are 29,000 PGA Professionals in the world and becoming a PGA Professional is a great opportunity for anyone looking to work in the golf industry. If you are not looking to go pro on tour or become a golf professional at a local golf course, below highlights 4 careers in golf you probably have never thought about (but might want to).
1) Club Manager
Did you know almost all private golf courses have a Club Manager? Being a club manager means that you are not just handling the golf operation, but are handling finance, HR, F&B, staffing, and overall management of the property. Sometimes a club manager and a golf professional are the same person, but more often than not being a club manager is a stand alone position. If you are lucky enough to get this position as a good private golf club, pay is lucrative and the benefits are strong. You can learn more about being a club manager from the CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) and learn about positions available Nationally on the CMAA website.
2) Tour Operations
Ever wonder what it is like to work inside the ropes at the PGA Tour? Early mornings, late nights, constant headaches due to weather, and managing a staff of thousands of volunteers can give you some insight into a tour operations job. Many of these positions are full time and on-site at a PGA Tour venue even though the fruits of your labor will only been seen for one week when the Tour is in town. If you are lucky enough to work in Tour Operations on the PGA Tour, you have hit the pinnacle of an operations career in golf. Getting to the PGA Tour takes some time, but there are many smaller golf tours like the AJGA, Hurricane Tour, and Web.com tours which can help you gain experience in golf tour operations.
3) Golf Course Architect
There are not many people that go to college in hopes of becoming a golf course architect. If you are lucky enough to get one of these great jobs, you have the opportunity to travel the world and study some of the best golf courses ever built. Although the total number of golf courses in the US has been declining over the last decade, golf is a worldwide game and new golf courses are being built all over the world. As a course architect, you should follow the path of great designers of the past like Pete Dye and Donald Ross given the courses these individuals have built will last forever and can ensure you always have courses to perfect your craft. You can learn more about becoming a course architect by visiting the American Society of Golf Course Architects on the ASGCA website
4) Golf Course Superintendent
The GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) is the trade association that supports all the golf course superintendents in America. Cutting the grass every day is just one aspect of the job being a “super” at the course given there is a lot more to grass than meets the eye. You will need to know agronomy inside and out, become an expert on fertilizer and chemicals, manage a maintenance budget, and motivate part time employees that start work around 4am. Being a super is a challenging job given you always need to deal with mother nature and the condition of the golf course relies on your shoulders. If you happen to be a great super and can prove your abilities to keep the grass green and firm, you have the opportunity to have a great career in golf. You can learn more about the GCSAA and becoming a golf course superintendent on the GCSAA website.
There are a number of other careers in golf including sales reps, software engineers, mechanical engineers, writers, cameramen, administration, and even inventors! Check out the Nextgengolf golf jobs board for career opportunities across the golf industry.
