| A Leadership Role in Golf |
| What is The PGA of America? |
The PGA of America is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.
PGA Professionals, who are expert instructors, skilled businesspersons and community leaders, are the backbone of The PGA of America. Through comprehensive study and training in a variety of disciplines, PGA Professionals are uniquely qualified to teach the game and conduct the business of golf. As a result, PGA Professionals enhance the enjoyment and overall experience for the more than 25 million golfers in the United States.
The Association's origins date back to 1916, when a group of New York area golf professionals and prominent amateurs attended a luncheon hosted by department store magnate Rodman Wanamaker to discuss forming a national organization which would promote the game of golf and help elevate the vocation of the golf professional. Among other things, that meeting led to the first PGA Championship, held later that same year. Today the PGA Championship is one of golf's four major championships, and the trophy given to the winner still bears Wanamaker's name.
In addition to the PGA Championship, the Association conducts three other premier events: the Senior PGA Championship, the oldest major championship in senior golf; the biennial Ryder Cup, which pits a team of top American professionals against their European counterparts; and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which annually brings together the winners of the game's four major championships.
The PGA also conducts some 40 tournaments for PGA Professionals, as well as the Buick Scramble, the world's largest golf tournament for amateurs with more than 100,000 participants annually.
The PGA has developed numerous programs to promote the game to people of all ages and skill levels. At the forefront is the "Play Golf America" campaign, which kicked off in 2003 with the goal of attracting new golfers and increasing participation among occasional golfers. The PGA is spearheading this unified effort among golf's leading allied associations. More information on this initiative can be found at the program's web site, www.playgolfamerica.com.
The PGA of America is supported by 41 PGA Section Offices located throughout the geographic regions of the United States, as well as a staff of more than 175 employees at the national headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Through its grass-roots network of PGA Professionals at the Section level, programs such as Kids on Course, Golf in Schools and First Swing are exposed to more than 500,000 youngsters each year.
As part of its mission to make golf accessible, the Association operates PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Fla. PGA Village is home to three distinctly different 18-hole courses at PGA Golf Club, and includes the state-of-the-art PGA Learning Center and the PGA Historical Center.
The PGA conducts the golf industry's two major trade shows: the PGA Merchandise Show, held each January in Orlando; and the PGA Fall Expo, held each autumn in the western United States. For complete information on these shows, visit www.PGAExpo.com.
To facilitate the training and education of PGA Professionals, The PGA developed the Professional Golf Management (PGM) program, a four-year college curriculum now offered at 16 colleges and universities nationwide. If you are interested in training to become a PGA Professional, click here.
Since 1916, The PGA of America has established new standards of excellence by expanding educational opportunities, programs and services for its members. At the same time, the Association stands firm and continues to flourish on the principles that were set down by its founders.
If you have any questions or comments regarding The PGA of America, its events or its programs, click here.
