Golf

The PGA of America has more than 30,000 members and associates today who work as golf professionals in our industry.

When I first started as a young PGA apprentice professional in the 1980s, we probably had about one-quarter of that number. Even with the growth we have seen, and with more people entering the profession than ever before, we still have a relatively small number of female golf professionals.

If you combine the number of female PGA and LPGA professionals currently working in the industry, the total is somewhere around 3,000. That means only about 10 percent of all working golf professionals are female.

Well, that makes the odds of every club having a female on staff very small. But what is the value of having a female member on your golf team? We always tried to have at least one female member on staff because they can relate to members in ways that sometimes differ from male staff members.

THE VALUE OF HAVING A FEMALE GOLF PROFESSIONAL ON YOUR STAFF

In today’s evolving golf landscape, country clubs are increasingly recognizing that diversity within their professional staff is not just a matter of representation. It is a strategic advantage. One of the most impactful ways to broaden a club’s appeal, strengthen its culture and grow the game is by including a female golf professional as part of the instructional and leadership team.

1. EXPANDING THE CLUB’S REACH AND APPEAL

Golf has historically struggled with inclusivity, particularly regarding gender balance. By employing a female golf professional, clubs send a clear message that the environment is welcoming to everyone. Female members and prospective players often feel more comfortable when they see someone like themselves in a leadership or instructional role.

Many women new to the game also prefer learning from a female instructor, particularly in the early stages when confidence and comfort are critical.

2. ENHANCING INSTRUCTIONAL DIVERSITY

Every golf professional brings a unique teaching style, perspective and communication approach. A female golf professional often introduces different ways of explaining mechanics, course management and mental strategies. This diversity in instruction benefits all members by offering alternative methods that may resonate more effectively with certain learners.

Different perspectives are especially valuable in junior programs. Young girls gain a relatable role model, while all juniors benefit from varied coaching styles.

3. STRENGTHENING JUNIOR AND FAMILY PROGRAMMING

Family-oriented programming is a cornerstone of many successful country clubs. A female golf professional can play an important role in creating and leading initiatives that engage women and children, such as ladies’ clinics, mother-daughter events and junior camps.

Having a visible female leader also helps reinforce the idea that golf is a sport for everyone, encouraging long-term participation among juniors, especially girls.

4. FOSTERING A MORE INCLUSIVE CLUB CULTURE

Culture is one of a country club’s greatest assets. A diverse professional staff contributes to a more inclusive and forward-thinking environment. Female golf professionals often bring leadership styles and interpersonal dynamics that enhance team collaboration and member engagement.

5. ALIGNING WITH INDUSTRY TRENDS AND EXPECTATIONS

The golf industry continues working to grow participation among women. National organizations, manufacturers and governing bodies are investing in initiatives designed to make golf more accessible and appealing to female players. Country clubs that reflect these efforts internally are better positioned to remain relevant and competitive.

Having a female golf professional demonstrates alignment with these broader trends and signals that the club is committed to the future of the game.

6. DRIVING BUSINESS GROWTH

From a business perspective, inclusivity drives revenue. More women playing golf means increased participation in lessons, leagues, tournaments and social events. A female golf professional can help design programs that attract and retain members, contributing to the club’s financial health.

Including a female golf professional on a country club staff is more than a symbolic gesture. It is a strategic investment in growth, inclusivity and long-term success. By broadening the club’s appeal, enhancing instructional offerings, strengthening programming and fostering a more welcoming culture, female professionals play a vital role in shaping the future of the game at the club level.

As golf continues to evolve, the clubs that embrace diversity within their teams will be best positioned to thrive.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – May/June 2026

Paul K. Levy, PGA, Search & Consulting Executive, KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. He can be reached via email: paul@kkandw.com.

This issue of BoardRoom magazine is spotlighting award winners, and the PGA of America has just announced its 2026 national award recipients.

These honors recognize excellence across the profession, from Merchandisers of the Year, Player Development award winners in both the overall space and all important junior golf space, The Bill Strausbaugh Award that recognizes professionals who are key to advancing employment of other professionals, Teacher of the year, Executive of the year and a quick shout out to Brian Crowell, PGA, the 2026 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year, President/GM of Bally’s Golf Links in the Metropolitan section of the PGA in New York.

This also feels like the perfect time to reflect on why recognizing your golf professional and team at every level matters.

Whether they are shaving strokes off your members’ handicaps or trying to keep the ball on the planet, the PGA professional is the heartbeat of the game. Recognizing these individuals isn’t just about acknowledging a golf coach, someone who manages tee times, or someone who sells members a shirt; it’s about valuing the stewards who preserve the integrity, growth and joy of the sport.

They are the architects of the golf experience at your club, and they wear many hats: educator, business manager, equipment expert, teacher, coach, and occasionally, amateur psychologist. They care about the day-to-day golf experiences for your members and guests. When you recognize their expertise, you acknowledge the thousands of hours of rigorous training and certification they have undergone. They don’t just teach a swing; they manage the complex ecosystem of the club, ensuring the turf is respected, the pace of play is maintained, tournaments are delivered that are both fun, fair and memorable, all your golf needs are diligently cared for and the culture remains welcoming.

One of the most valuable aspects they bring to the golf committee, and to search committees looking for a new golf professional for that matter, is their ability to attract young professionals into the game and business, and to provide mentorship and opportunities for growth.

During the due diligence phase of a search for a new director of golf, one of the questions I hear most often is which qualities and attributes the club should prioritize in its next golf professional. Does this person have a history of attracting talent, or as I like to say recruiting, training, motivating, mentoring and developing their team? Great PGA professionals do! This is critical to the future of the game and business. PGA pros are the primary recruiters for the next generation of players, and some will be the next generation of PGA professionals working at your club, delivering awesome member experiences for all and growing this great game.

Golf is a difficult game, and many members’ long-term enjoyment of the club depends on whether they feel supported in improving and enjoying the game. At a quality club, the golf operation is a high-touch, relationship-driven part of the overall member experience. PGA professionals play a central role in that equation, helping members navigate the game with patience, skill and consistency. When clubs recognize and support their golf professionals, whether through appreciation, professional development or award nominations, they are investing in stronger member satisfaction, deeper engagement and the long-term value of the club experience.

Recognition at the PGA section or national level is great, much like recognition at the CMAA’s national awards. But none have the day-to-day value of simple “thank yous” and “pro you’re awesome” coming from you and members at your club. In the relationship-driven world of private clubs, your staff is the heartbeat of the member experience. Recognizing and thanking your team isn’t just a polite gesture; it’s a strategic investment in the club’s culture. When a server, greenskeeper, assistant golf professional or locker room attendant feels seen and valued, their sense of ownership deepens, boosts employee retention, elevates service and strengthens morale.

The golf committee should have on their annual planning calendar which events will recognize not just the golf professional and their staff, but the entire club team. Do you have an award scholarship program that members contribute to each year to fund scholarships for your key people at your club? Is there an employee members’ annual golf tournament that builds these relationships, which could be a simple 9-hole scramble and/or a lot of fun? Put it on the agenda, think outside the box, and remember that, ultimately, a culture of gratitude trickles down and turns into appreciated staff who create satisfied members, which is the hallmark of any prestigious club.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – April 2026

Paul K. Levy, PGA, Search & Consulting Executive, KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. He can be reached via email: paul@kkandw.com.

As your golf committee looks to kick off the 2026 season for most of you, the golf committee and its members are probably thinking about what your club can do new for tournament schedules, possible changes in policies and procedures, how the golf professional and their professional staff will enhance the member experience, what new products the golf shop will carry, and more.

This is an invaluable time. As I used to tell my teams, evaluate “what can we do better,” or WCWDB. Just as an entire club should annually continue to evolve for the better, so should the golf operation.

This process should be driven by the director of golf and their team at the grassroots level. The committee should charge the professional with bringing forward a report on these areas and other new concepts to consider, with a focus on continued improvement. These changes or new directions should not be made for the sake of change, but to make the overall golf experience for the membership the best it can be.

Just as technology continues to drive change, improvement can often come from simpler adjustments, such as a tweak to a tournament program, new teaching and coaching offerings, or a planned member trip with a different approach than previous years.

Human beings do not look forward to change and are often resistant to it. At times, golf committees may be hesitant or focused on ideas that are not aligned with the direction of the overall golf program, which the golf professional and their team manage and deliver on a day-to-day basis. This is where balance in the relationship between the professional and the committee is critical.

Individuals in the club industry, such as the GM/COO, director of agronomy, food and beverage director, and executive chef at top clubs, have embraced continuing education to increase their value to their clubs. The focus of the WCWDB process is similar: taking a hard look at what the golf operation can do better as a team to deliver greater enjoyment and stronger member experiences, which often leads to increased usage in the new year.

In many ways, it serves as a form of continuing education for the golf staff. Because the golf professional and their team are most connected to the membership, they are best positioned to drive meaningful enhancements to the overall golf operation.

Consider having the director of golf and their staff make a presentation to the committee at the beginning of the season outlining initiatives they want to implement differently that year. When those  delivering the experience generate ideas and finalize them with the committee, the results are often stronger. This approach also reinforces that the club’s leadership values creative thinking and acknowledges that the staff’s priority is the best interest of the membership.

One of the most common things I hear from search committees when I am helping to identify a new director of golf is that they want a professional who will continue to push the program forward, not simply maintain the status quo. In some cases, experienced professionals who are encouraged to retire earlier than expected are viewed as being reluctant to change long-standing practices. Incremental improvements in programs, services and offerings may seem small year to year, but over time, they demonstrate a commitment to progress and relevance.

A question I am often asked by candidates I am recruiting for director of golf positions is how long the previous professional held the role and what led to their departure. A continued focus on “what can we do better” supports longevity and benefits members by creating anticipation for the golf season each year and encouraging increased engagement at the club.

When you look at how the golf industry has evolved over the past 40 years, you see that expectations and delivery have changed. By involving the golf professional and their team in shaping what clubs will do each year differently, clubs help support long-term stability while enhancing the member experience.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – January/February 2026

Paul K. Levy, PGA, Search & Consulting Executive, KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. He can be reached via email: paul@kkandw.com.

Did we really think this “COVID bump” thing would become a version of Mount Everest? If you say yes, I do have some good old Louisiana swamp land I would love to sell you.

Who would have thought we would be sitting here today as an industry healthier than ever? And who has benefited? Everyone in the game, but especially private clubs. In fact, I just received an NGF short read that said it appears private rounds are on pace to be up three percent in 2025 compared to one percent for public play. Private clubs are full, and rounds continue to grow.

It is a challenge for many clubs to continue to manage course accessibility issues. Overall, 502 million rounds were played in 2020, a significant increase from the previous year despite pandemic-related course closures in the spring. We are on pace this year to beat the record set in 2024 of 545 million rounds of golf played. The only year that did not see an uptick was 2022, which had a two percent decrease.

New golf course development is seeing an uptick. Over 120 courses are in some stage of active planning or construction. This number is nearly double the three-year pre-pandemic average.

In 2024, 25 new facilities opened in the US. It was one of the busiest years for new openings in over a decade. Accurate numbers for 2025 are not available yet, but the trend continues. This year is expected to be a big year for new private clubs, and 2026 could be the biggest for new courses in a decade. Recent trends show that about two-thirds of new course projects involve private clubs. This is another sign of a healthy golf industry.

Many private clubs today have waitlists to get in versus waitlists to leave. More has been spent on capital projects to improve the facilities—clubhouses, fitness and spa facilities, adding more cool food and beverage venues, pickleball and platform tennis courts, and yes, revamping the golf facilities and courses. The equipment companies have never had better sales.

I will use Titleist, which has allowed me to be a professional staff member for 30 years, as an example. In 2024, Titleist’s total golf gear sales hit $2.46 billion, up from $1.6 billion in 2020, or up over 50 percent. Golf ball sales alone are up over 54 percent, going from $507 million to $786 million. That is a lot of golf balls. Maybe a few are in that favorite water hazard on that dogleg par 5 at your club that you’re always trying to cut the corner on.

Golf coaching and teaching entered a golden age, and the profession has never had more quality coaches/instructors, better technology and just downright better opportunities for all to learn the game at a higher level. Spending on golf instruction in the US grew significantly between 2020 and 2024, rising from an estimated $1 billion in 2020 to about $2 billion in 2024. The industry’s growth was fueled by a surge in golf’s popularity, particularly among younger players. And to continue that trend, we need more PGA professionals.

So, how has the COVID bump helped that? It has created a mountain of interest among young people entering our industry and wanting to become PGA professionals.

In July 2020, the number of associate professionals getting into the business and trying to become Class A PGA professionals was 3,628. By October of this year, the number had swollen to a staggering 8,427 associates—more than double.

A far cry from the shortage of help we were bemoaning in our golf operations just six or seven years ago. This means we are finally starting to make strides on backfilling the baby boomer generation of golf professionals who are retiring.

As it is said, the proof is in the numbers. So, as we look to close out an awesome 2025 for the game and industry of golf, should we be calling the great increase in all facets of the game and business of golf the COVID bump or the “COVID mountain”?

I do not see this slowing down anytime soon. We can be bullish on the game and industry of golf. Not too many red flags on the horizon to say this is going to slow down quickly. What a great time to be in our industry and to be a PGA golf professional. Yes, my friends, the game we love called golf is very healthy. Hit ‘em straight.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – November/December 2025

Paul K. Levy, PGA, Search & Consulting Executive, KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. He can be reached via email: paul@kkandw.com.