Great Time to be a PGA Professional
For the thousands of us for whom golf is a profession, for the millions who invest their time, treasure and passion into it as an avocation, for those with merely a passing interest, for some in our government and even for many who typically have no interest at all, golf is in the news.
Of course, at the top of the media pyramid is the PGA Tour/LIV Golf entanglement and would-be reconciliation that has commanded wide attention within and without the golf industry. Sadly for golf, in my opinion, the narrative has become principally about money, the riches Tour players didn’t get paid and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its limitless wealth, in essence, buying a seat at the table. That and the unconscionable fact that Tour members were kept in the dark while existential decisions were being made by just a few within their organization. At this writing, an amicable solution seems distant.
But looking past this mushroom cloud, there is much more to know, engage in and be proud of as we turn our gaze inward.
The comment period for the USGA and R&A’s proposed Model Local Rule to restrict or roll back the distance a golf ball can travel for “elite” players ended August 14. As you may know, the World Alliance of PGA’s issued a statement in opposition to the proposal signed by each of the allied associations that includes the PGA’s of America, Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain & Ireland, Holland, South Africa and Sweden.
The statement wisely argued the need for more time for study and an agreed upon standard for measuring distance statistics and caution on the prospect of a rules “bifurcation” and where that might ultimately lead. The PGA Tour has also indicated they would not implement the MLR for Tour competition. There is merit to the USGA and R&A position if you believe “elite” players hitting 7-irons into par 5’s runs counter to the game’s intent. There is not a consensus for what constitutes an “elite” player or competition and it would fall to PGA Professionals to implement the MLR at the club level if desired. More time for study seems prudent.
Deferred Compensation for PGA Members appears to be off to a solid start. There are now 4,235 enrolled Members with about 250 already with approved points. As I’ve mentioned previously, if you have not considered or explored PGA Deferred Compensation before, I urge you to do so at www.pga.org. It’s kind of a no-brainer.
Much has been accomplished since the recent opening of our new Home at PGA Frisco. In addition to hosting the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship and the upcoming 13u National Car Rental PGA Junior League Championship, the just completed PGA Buying and Education Summit was met with rave reviews by attracting more than 1,000 professionals from 44 states, 8 different countries and 166 different golf brands, arguably the most impactful PGA Show ever.
PGA Associate enrollment is up. Impressively. As of 5/1/23, 4,477 Associates were registered as compared with 3,686 as of 5/1/22. This total is more than at any time in the past 8 years. And every so often, a satisfaction survey of PGA Members is taken to gauge our “satisfaction” with National. That number is now measured at 70% which represents a 23% increase since 2018. For a significant majority of PGA Members, the Association is performing well.
Finally, the Ryder Cup, the unique and vaunted place it occupies in the game and all that goes with it is about to capture the attention of the world for all the right reasons. What a great time to be a PGA Professional.
Jeff Lessig, PGA
National Director, District 14