PGA Excel the key to sustaining excellence at Royal County Down

20/05/2025

As PGA Master Professional Kevan Whitson steps down from his prestigious role as Head Professional at Royal County Down, he emphasises the critical importance of building a dedicated team and the transformative role of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and PGA Excel in a golf facility’s success.

Reflecting on a career marked by achievement, including training 33 assistant professionals, Whitson credits PGA Excel as a vital tool for staying relevant in the fast-evolving world of golf. The framework ensures that PGA Professionals continually enhance their skills, adapting to meet the demands of RCD and those that aspire to reach the same premier level.

As Whitson passes the torch, he leaves behind a legacy of professionalism, mentorship, and impact on the game, with the belief that PGA Excel is the key to personal growth and the future success of the industry.

Why is continuous development so important for PGA Professionals?

I think it’s immensely important, especially to stay relevant within the industry. Existing PGA Pros in their jobs need to be engaging with CPD to keep their skills up to modern standards.

I think it’s important for any of the top facilities or top venues around the world. The idea that their PGA Professional is continually enhancing their current skills and acquiring new ones and staying relevant is hugely important. It’s important to keep pace with these wonderful facilities, I mean they are moving at a rapid pace themselves, so it’s relevant to the club every club and definitely RCD.

Have you noticed these big changes in your time at RCD?

Absolutely. Over my career, I’ve seen this need to continually change, almost like a chameleon in many ways, the job continually changed. It was important for me to offer and take on new responsibilities within the club, to help it enhance and grow, especially with the speed things can move at. I think the PGA Pro plays a crucial role in this to say, ‘I can fill that gap, I can help with this or make that happen’.

The DNA of the PGA Pro is to help. Whether it’s a lesson, looking after the shop or whatever their job may require them to do, it’s to basically enhance the game and try and take it forward. There’s a huge skillset required. Yes, there’s the technology skills and the hard skills, but there’s also the soft skills, the ability to recognise markets and where the golf club wants to go and be able to see how you and your team can fit into that vision and indeed enhance it.

Why is PGA Excel so important for developing skillsets amongst Pros?

It’s the adage, if you qualify as a youngster and take no further qualifications and aren’t held to account for the next 50 years, then you could become a passenger quite quickly. You’re not doing the facility where you work any favours and you’re not doing yourself any favours. It’s a career of learning. Whether there is CPD in place or not, the relevant professionals today are looking to always enhance their skills anyway.

The fact The PGA now have such a fantastic pathway to growing those skills, I think it would be remiss of any professional, young or older, to not get involved.

It’s so important to remain relevant in the industry. Every day literally is a school day. If you are not asking questions or looking to further your knowledge, then you are going backwards. Show me a PGA Professional who isn’t trawling through YouTube looking at all the outlandish swing techniques that are being touted.

Just to keep abreast of knowledge is so important. There is an extensive amount of knowledge out there. To be able to examine the different areas of the game; like the psychology, equipment technology, commercial side of the business and retailing, admin through to coaching, there are so many areas to the game. To be an expert in just one of these fields, you are certainly going to need help. To have a PGA Excel framework there to help and add to those skills is invaluable.

In your own journey, you reached the highest mark as PGA Master Professional. What does that mean to you?

I think first and foremost it’s a great honour. It’s a great honour to have the PGA letters behind your name in terms of what it gives you and the opportunities as a professional. To be afforded the title of Master Professional is something very special. You just know by the reaction of your peers and the people within the industry, it’s recognition of your career, that perhaps you don’t see yourself.

A fairly low number have reached Master Professional status, but that number is changing, and more pros are engaging with it. That’s the whole point, to say it may be a select group, but it’s aspirational and something that young pros can see and feel that they can achieve, plus the respect that it brings with it.

Do you see PGA Excel becoming a larger consideration when hiring PGA Pros?

I think going forward, golf clubs and the industry will recognise the different stages of PGA Excel. It’s going to be attractive if there is a nice title going behind the name. Venues and facilities will recognise the extra level of qualifications. If that makes a difference for the individual to get onto a shortlist for a top job, then the whole thing has been worth it. Ultimately it comes down to who you are as a person, your attitude and application toward become a better version of yourself.

Is it important to recognise these skillsets at Royal County Down?

Absolutely. I think when we are looking to recruit anybody in the golf club, we’re looking for a high level of qualification, married to a real desire to be a part of the organisation, someone who wants to come on board.

To find out more about PGA Excel and the importance to the golf industry, click here.

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