Golf Pro
November 30, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
When most people think of a golf pro they think of a PGA Tour golfer. The majority of the 28,000 members of the PGA of America are club pros. A club professional’s duty is to direct, oversee and manage the everyday operations of a golf club or golf resort. The position includes managing all aspects of the course, upkeep, vehicle maintenance, retail shop, event scheduling, instructional program and anything else having to do with day to day operations. A golf pro has the responsibility to build membership and increase club profits while maintaining hands-on control of the entire enterprise.
One of the main resposibilities of a golf pro is to build a strong golf lesson program. One way for them to accomplish this is to incorporate qualified assistant professionals to become instructors. A good lesson program creates business in many ways. Students who are involved in the program may eventually become club members. Their membership creates residual business for the club. The students from a large lesson program become a real benefit to the long term future growth of the golf club.
There have been several club pros that have reached fame and fortune, the most well known is Arnold Palmer. Born in Latrobe, PA., Palmer learned golf from his father and was assistant golf pro at the Latrobe Country Club. At the age of 17 he was breaking par (70). Palmer popularized the game of golf like no other golfer in history, so much so that he was given the nickname “the king”. He is responsible for establishing golf as a compelling television event in the 1950s and 1960s. He retired from tournament play on October 13, 2006.
There is a rigorously maintained distinction in golf between professional and amateur golfers. If an amateur plays in a tournament for money, they will forever lose their amateur status. On the other hand, a professional may not play in amateur tournaments. Even if a professional agrees not to play for money it is very difficult to regain their amateur status. Once a golf pro becomes a professional they have two choices: either work at a golf club/resort or become
a member of the PGA tour.
