Golf isn’t just a game – it is also an industry that generates billions of dollars worldwide annually through the millions of golfers who regularly tread their favourite fairways and greens.
And, like any industry, golf requires well-educated and skilled personnel to ensure its successful operation.
Across the golfing world a wide and varied selection of management roles are available for degree educated personnel which is why the three-year Applied Golf Management Studies International (AGMSI) degree has been launched by The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and the University of Birmingham aimed at young people in the Far East eager to make a career in golf.
PGA Director of Education and Career Development, Dr Kyle Phillpots, explained: “The AGMSI degree opens up a world of possibilities for people passionate about working in golf.
"The three-year degree is targeted specifically at those interested in managerial roles within golf across developing golf nations ... it will equip graduates with the skills and expertise to succeed across a range of management roles in the golf industry."
The launch of the AGMSI degree follows the success of the Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS) degree which this year celebrated its 10th anniversary since it was launched.
Each year graduates emerge into the golf industry to take advantage of exciting opportunities and The PGA and University of Birmingham hope the AGMSI programme will create similar openings for its overseas students. Among the AGMS students making their way in the world of golf is Eleanor Woodall, who after graduating landed her dream job in France as Ryder Cup project supervisor for the 2018 matches.
"I applied for the job never expecting to it get as I was really young, had only just graduated and given that so many people in France have got degrees, I didn't expect much," she said.
"At the interview, they were quite shocked that I was so young and with a considerable amount of experience and had to ask me again just to check I was 21.
"The AGMS degree gave my application added value, not only for what I learned but also for the experience I gained on placement. I'll be supervising the programme and overseeing the co-ordination of all of the projects linked with the entire event in France. One of them is to get 100 new golf clubs and make the sport more financially accessible for everyone."
Other graduates who have used their AGMS degrees as a springboard to success in the golf industry include Matt Davies and Sam Green, both currently based at the world-famous Mission Hills Resort in China while students from South Korea and Hong Kong are currently enrolled on the AGMS course.
For Matt, the AGMS degree has opened up an exciting career opportunity where he is set to join the China Britain Business Council to open up a PGA representative office in Shenzhen, China where he will be working on behalf of the PGA World Alliance to develop its education programmes in the Far East.
Davies commented: "I have always been passionate about golf, particularly about pursuing management roles and gaining a degree through one of the UK’s best universities in tandem with The PGA has proved an ideal platform to realise my ambition."
Green added: "I don’t think I would have got this opportunity without the AGMS degree. My manager out here is really interested in the degree and utilising what I’ve learnt and seeing if it can be put to good use at Mission Hills."
Dr Phillpots said: "Like the AGMS course, the AGMSI course will be very challenging but offers all students a solid grounding for a wide range of careers in the golf industry.
"Eleanor, Matt and Sam have shown the opportunities are there and many other graduates have gone on to secure excellent roles within the game and we expect AGMSI graduates to enjoy similar career prospects."
Anyone interested in finding out more about the course should email Dr Martin Toms, programme manager from the University of Birmingham at m.r.toms@bham.ac.uk
