PGA of America introduces a new PGA Certified Professional Program - the online distance learning approach ensures broad access to the program while reducing time and travel costs.

The PGA of America promoted its new PGA Certified Professional Program during a 40-minute webcast, Aug. 30. The webcast originated live from the state-of-the-art PGA Education Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and featured PGA of America President M.G. Orender, Vice President Roger Warren; Jim Hinckley, president and chief executive officer of Arnold Palmer Golf Management, and Bill Reid, chief executive officer and co-owner of Headwaters Club in Teton Springs, Idaho.

The new PGA Certified Professional Program is an online, career-enhancing educational curriculum that supports the goals of PGA Professionals who are committed to improving their golf management skills in order to stay ahead of the increasing demands of the industry. The online distance learning approach ensures broad access to the program, while reducing the time and travel costs associated with traditional classes.

The PGA spends more than $8 million on education each year and dedicated more than $1.5 million to developing the PGA Certified Professional Program.

The PGA of America, comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals, is one of the most influential organizations in an industry worth over $62 billion per year. Although PGA Professionals are often thought of as club professionals and teachers, most are frontline managers with the responsibility for attracting customers and generating revenue.

The PGA Certified Professional Program enables golf professionals to achieve certification in one of six career paths:

1. General Management focuses on overseeing an entire golf facility. Core classes include Becoming a Manager, Finance Essentials and Understanding Contracts.

2. Golf Operations prepares professionals for careers as directors of golf, head professionals and assistant professionals. Core classes include Making a Presentation, Conducting Performance Reviews and Motivating Employees.

3. Instruction focuses on managing the business side of golf instruction. Core classes include Assessing Performance, Marketing Essentials and Managing Stress.

4. Retail is based on merchandising at green grass golf shops and off-course retail shops. Core classes include Solving Business Problems, Intercultural Business Etiquette, and Giving and Receiving Feedback.

5. Executive Management is designed to train golf administrators. Core classes include Assessing Performance, Making Presentations and Leading/Motivating.

6. Ownership/Leasing focuses on the development and financing of golf facilities, as well as owning and leasing a golf facility. Core classes include Capitalizing on Change, Managing Difficult Interactions and Financial Essentials.

Once the Professionals have selected a career path, they can begin the online course work, which can be completed at their convenience from any location. The program follows five steps from self-assessment to master professional.

1. Self-Assessment: PGA members respond to three sets of questions -- core competencies, career path competencies, and leadership and thinking styles evaluation -- to assess their knowledge of the golf industry in general and the knowledge of their chosen career path. The assessment determines which areas the professionals need to improve as they proceed through the program.

2. Courses: After the self-assessment is completed, the professionals gain access to an online library of general and career-specific courses at www.PGALinks.com for an annual fee of $245. The professionals may progress through the courses at their own speed to ensure that they complete the program at a comfortable pace.

3. ProFiciency Test: When the PGA members have completed the courses, they may register to take the ProFiciency Test at one of 300 locations nationwide to prove their advanced golf business knowledge.

4. Career Path Certification: Upon successful completion of the ProFiciency Test, PGA members are awarded a plaque and a certificate indicating their certified status, a designation that lasts five years until re-certification is required.

5. Master Professional Program: Professionals who achieve a particularly high score on the ProFiciency Test are eligible to pursue Master Professional status by preparing a special project in their career path that meets the approval of a panel of examiners. Master Professional status does not require re-certification.

Certification enables PGA Professionals to verify that they have quantifiable and measurable skills that will have a positive impact on their employers' bottom line.