New Membership structure to provide support and influence

10/03/2020

The PGA’s announcement last year that it was reviewing its membership structure to futureproof the organisation and the role of the PGA Professional into the next decade and beyond, was widely welcomed by existing Members, those lapsed and the industry at large.

The driving force behind the new structure is borne out of The PGA’s desire to become the leading professional organisation at the heart of the golf industry- and with it the ability to directly influence and support club owners, employers, and golfers to the benefit of Members.

Alan White, Chairman of The PGA said: “This is about influence through growing the support and value to our Membership. We need to impact what is happening in the industry right now and in the future.”

With an increased ability to influence, comes clear and immediate benefits to Members now and in the future:

The PGA will have a greater influence on the wider industry, facilitating a better understanding of the role and value of a PGA Professional to employers and consumers alike
To open more career pathways for existing Members and those coming into membership in the future
To create relevance and specialism for PGA Professionals to better promote themselves and their levels of competence and expertise
To provide cutting-edge support and Member benefits including tailored CPD, career development and recruitment.

THE MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
There will now be three distinct membership offerings:

PGA Professional- this category will see the existing membership maintained as the foundation membership with core qualifications and principles remaining unchanged.
PGA Coach- a membership for qualified PGA Professionals whose core work and majority of time is spent in coaching and potential new members coming through thePGA educational pathways who wish to specialise in coaching from the outset.
PGA Golf Manager- a specialised category for qualified PGA Professionals managing and operating a golf facility and potential new members who wish to specialise in golf operational management.

The PGA has followed its core principles in the roll out of the new categories. The focus has been not to undermine but enhance the rights and benefits of existing Members. Quality standards are also at the top of the agenda with The PGA focussed on maintaining the standards, reputation and quality it has worked hard to achieve.

SPECIALISATION AND ASSESSMENT
It is recognised that with the introduction of the new categories, the bulk of the membership will remain in the PGA Professional category and this will remain at the core of the Association.

Each of the categories will offer up to four levels based on a combination of competence, expertise and achievement
Whilst all Members are rightly regarded as skilled coaches, the new PGA Coach category offers Members the chance to specialise and over time move through four attainment levels, each demonstrating their level of expertise.

An employer or a golfer will be able to identify a PGA Coach with the competence and knowledge to develop their game whether a beginner, or elite golfer. A similar set of competencies will be developed for the new PGA Golf Manager.

Whilst changes to the Membership framework are focussed very much on existing members and impacting their careers and opportunities now, there are also plans to develop new pathways into membership for all the categories. These will be expanded upon in future months.

SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY
The new membership framework will undoubtedly have positive benefits for the industry at large. The ambitions are for the Association to become the number one workforce development and recruitment organisation in golf and in doing so establish the ‘quality standard’ for specific roles within the industry around the professional, coaching and golf facility management.

The different categories and increased educational pathways mean the PGA Member will now be more skilled, educated and well trained than ever before- fitting for a modern-day industry.

Importantly the development of expertise will continue beyond qualification with ongoing personal and professional development and targeted educational programmes benefitting PGA Professionals and the employers.

Recruitment services will be a key support function of the Association, both for Members and employers. Facilities will be able to identify PGA Professionals who have the most relevant skill set for their business such as coaching expert for Head Professional role, or PGA Golf Manager for the General Manager role

BUILDING TO LAUNCH
The full membership framework for all the categories is currently being fully scoped including but not limited to entry criteria, the application process and the services and benefits offered to all categories.

Timelines are:

Summer 2020- existing members will have the opportunity to remain within the core PGA Professional category or specialise within the PGA Coach and PGA Golf Manager categories.
Autumn 2020- Lapsed members will be invited back into the Association in any of the three categories subject to them meeting the entry criteria.
Early 2021- the wider industry will be invited to apply for membership to the Business Management Group.

THE WIDER INDUSTRY AND THE PGA
Alongside the new membership categories, The PGA will be launching a Business Management Group, and offering the opportunity to the wider golf industry to engage with the Association.

The creation of a PGA endorsed Business Management Group is most likely to create discussion within the industry. This is expected to open its doors in early 2021. Membership will encompass all levels of management from executive to junior and in all sectors of the golf industry. Golf clubs, golf hotels and resorts, golf operations, expanding to golf retail, equipment, specialist management roles.

It will be a very distinct product from the three PGA professional Memberships with different access criteria, benefits and services. But importantly it will provide a structure for those people already working in the industry to formally engage with The PGA.

Robert Maxfield, Chief Executive, said: “It is a fundamental principle of everything we are doing that we do not undermine the rights and benefits of existing members but enhance them. The Business Management Group offers a two-way channel to the marketplace where we can direct thinking, education and the status of employees- our Members.

“The vision is for it to become the leading network within the golf industry for game development, knowledge sharing, networking opportunity, career development, employment and recruitment. Everyone working in the industry will have the opportunity to become a member, but each will need to meet minimum standard of criteria for entry. We need to maintain the standards and reputation we have always set as an organisation and our Members have worked hard to achieve.”