Sport Management (BS): Professional Golf Management Concentration

Through extensive classroom studies and internship experience, our program prepares students to take on the business side of the golf industry, including marketing, budgeting, merchandising, instruction, golf cart fleet management and tournament operations. Students also develop valuable skills around the social impacts of the sport to help them deliver excellent customer service in the areas of teaching, customer relations and technology.

We provide small classes that work specifically with the PGA Work Experience Kit and offer in-class testing and preparation for the PGA tests. Students must have a handicap of 12 or below to be admitted to the program. 

Students complete 16 months of required internships at golf facilities around the country and world under the direction of Class A PGA professionals. We work with more than 600 facilities, including Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota, Pebble Beach Resorts in California, Pacific Pine Sports Group in China, NBC’s Golf Channel and Stitch Golf. Through innovative service-learning partnerships with Inspiration Golf, First Tee of the Triangle, and SwingPals, Inc., PGA Golf Management students practice their teaching skills regularly with at-risk and middle school youth and students with limited abilities. Our graduates receive PGA membership upon job placement.

Scholarships

We host an Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament to raise money for incoming freshmen and current student scholarships in PGA Golf Management. We also encourage our students to apply through PACKAssist to be eligible for all college and departmental scholarships as well. Contact Gabriella Story (ggsinkov@ncsu.edu) for more details. 

Contact Person

Gabriella Story, PGA
4016 Biltmore Hall
919.515.8792
ggsinkov@ncsu.edu

Through extensive classroom studies and internship experience, our program prepares students to take on the business side of the golf industry, including marketing, budgeting, merchandising, instruction, golf cart fleet management and tournament operations. Students also develop valuable skills around the social impacts of the sport to help them deliver excellent customer service in the areas of teaching, customer relations and technology.

We provide small classes that work specifically with the PGA Work Experience Kit and offer in-class testing and preparation for the PGA tests. Students must have a handicap of 12 or below to be admitted to the program. 

Students complete 16 months of required internships at golf facilities around the country and world under the direction of Class A PGA professionals. We work with more than 600 facilities, including Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota, Pebble Beach Resorts in California, Pacific Pine Sports Group in China, NBC’s Golf Channel and Stitch Golf. Through innovative service-learning partnerships with Inspiration Golf, First Tee of the Triangle, and SwingPals, Inc., PGA Golf Management students practice their teaching skills regularly with at-risk and middle school youth and students with limited abilities. Our graduates receive PGA membership upon job placement.

Scholarships

We host an Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament to raise money for incoming freshmen and current student scholarships in PGA Golf Management. We also encourage our students to apply through PACKAssist to be eligible for all college and departmental scholarships as well. Contact Gabriella Story (ggsinkov@ncsu.edu) for more details. 

Contact Person

Gabriella Story, PGA
4016 Biltmore Hall
919.515.8792
ggsinkov@ncsu.edu

Plan Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
PRT 150 Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management Orientation 1
PRT 266 Introduction to Sport Management 1 3
PRT 156 Professional Golf Management Orientation 3
Mathematics Elective 3
Acad Writing Research 1 4
 Hours14
Spring Semester
COM 110 Public Speaking 3
PRT 250 Facilities Management in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management 3
Select one of the following Economics courses: 3
Fundamentals of Economics 2  
Principles of Microeconomics  
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics  
PRT 238 Diversity and Inclusion in Recreation and Sport 3
 Hours12
Summer
COP 100 Co-Op Work lst Alt  
 Hours0
Second Year
Fall Semester
PRT 210 Golf Management I 1
PRT 212 Golf Instructor Development 2
MIE 201 Introduction to Business Processes 3
PRT 286 Writing and Speaking in Sports Organizations 3
PRT 375 Professional Development and Internship Orientation 2
 Hours11
Spring Semester
COP 200 Co-Op Work 2nd Alt  
 Hours0
Summer
COP 300 Co-Op Work 3rd Alt  
 Hours0
Third Year
Fall Semester
PRT 211 Golf Management II 1
PRT 312 Golf Management III 1
PRT 277 Psychological & Cultural Dimensions of Sport 3
 Hours5
Spring Semester
ST 311 Introduction to Statistics 3
PRT 380 Evidence-based decision making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management 1 3
PRT 376 Leadership in Sport Administration 1 3
 Hours9
Summer
COP 400 Co-Op Work 4th Alt  
 Hours0
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
COP 500 Co-Op Work Graduate Alt 0
 Hours0
Spring Semester
Select one of the following: 3
Concepts of Financial Reporting 2  
Survey of Financial and Managerial Accounting  
PRT 411 Club Management 3
PRT 413 Golf Management IV 1
 Hours7
Fifth Year
Fall Semester
PRT 414 PGA Apprentice Program Completion  
PRT 476 Sport Marketing 3
PRT 406 Sports Law 3
 Hours6
Spring Semester
PRT 466 Sport Finance and Economics 3
PRT 478 Sustainable Sport Facility Management 3
PRT 366 Sport Programming 3
PRT 458 Special Events Planning 3
 Hours12
 Total Hours76
GEP Natural Sciences7
GEP Humanities6
GEP Social Sciences3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives2
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Free Electives
Free Electives21
Total Hours44

 Math Electives

MA 105Mathematics of Finance
MA 107Precalculus I
MA 111Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry
MA 114Introduction to Finite Mathematics with Applications
MA 121Elements of Calculus

 Acad Writing Research

ENG 101Academic Writing and Research
FLE 101Academic Writing and Research
Transfer Sequence
ENG 1GEP100 Level English Composition3
ENG 202Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing3

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
PRT 150 Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management Orientation 1
PRT 266 Introduction to Sport Management (CP) 1 3
PRT 156 Professional Golf Management Orientation (CP) 3
Mathematics Elective 3
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research 4
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
COM 110 Public Speaking 3
PRT 250 Facilities Management in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management 3
GEP Requirement 3
Select one of the following: 4 3
Fundamentals of Economics  
Principles of Microeconomics  
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics  
PRT 238 Diversity and Inclusion in Recreation and Sport  
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours13
Summer
COP 100 Co-Op Work lst Alt 2  
 Hours0
Second Year
Fall Semester
PRT 210 Golf Management I  
PRT 212 Golf Instructor Development  
MIE 201 Introduction to Business Processes  
PRT 286 Writing and Speaking in Sports Organizations  
PRT 375 Professional Development and Internship Orientation  
Free Elective 3 3
 Hours3
Spring Semester
COP 200 Co-Op Work 2nd Alt 2  
 Hours0
Summer
COP 300 Co-Op Work 3rd Alt 2  
 Hours0
Third Year
Fall Semester
PRT 211 Golf Management II  
PRT 312 Golf Management III  
PRT 277 Psychological & Cultural Dimensions of Sport  
GEP Requirement 3
GEP Requirement 3
Free Elective 3 3
 Hours9
Spring Semester
ST 311 Introduction to Statistics  
PRT 380 Evidence-based decision making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management (CP) 1  
PRT 376 Leadership in Sport Administration (CP) 1  
GEP Requirement 4
GEP Requirement 3
 Hours7
Summer
COP 400 Co-Op Work 4th Alt 2  
 Hours0
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
COP 500 Co-Op Work Graduate Alt 2  
 Hours0
Spring Semester
ACC 210 Concepts of Financial Reporting 5  
PRT 411 Club Management  
PRT 413 Golf Management IV  
GEP Requirement 2-3
Free Elective 3 6
 Hours8-9
Fifth Year
Fall Semester
PRT 414 PGA Apprentice Program Completion 2  
PRT 476 Sport Marketing  
PRT 406 Sports Law  
GEP Requirement 3
Free Elective 3 6
 Hours9
Spring Semester
PRT 466 Sport Finance and Economics  
PRT 478 Sustainable Sport Facility Management  
PRT 366 Sport Programming  
PRT 458 Special Events Planning  
Free Elective 3 3
 Hours3
 Total Hours67-68

The U.S. golf industry is growing. Annually, it generates around 70 billion dollars and employs nearly 2 million people. This means our PGA Golf Management students graduate with options. Since they learn all aspects of the industry, it’s up to them to decide where they want to go and what they want to do.

  • PGA Director of Golf – Manage and develop all aspects of the golf business and oversee golf operations, including the golf shop, golf course maintenance, food and beverage, outside golf services, golf-specific sales and marketing and the facility’s administration. Recent employers include Valhalla Golf Club, TPC Dorado Beach Resort, Pinehurst Resort and Lonnie Poole Golf Course.
  • Tournament Director – Oversee general operations of a tournament, including coordinating staff and volunteers, logistics, communications, scheduling, promotions and participant recognition. Recent employers include TPC Sawgrass.
  • Teaching and Club Fitting Professional – Provide lessons and club fitting experiences to develop a student’s playing ability in all aspects of the golf game. Recent employers include GolfTEC, 1757 Club and Tour Edge.
  • Sales/Merchandising Representative – Promote products for a variety of clients, from a merchandising or technology company to green-grass golf facilities. Recent employers include Peter Millar, Trackman Golf and Cleveland Golf.
  • Marketing Representative – Develop and promote the services of a golf facility or company, including customer service and strategic planning. Recent employers include Golf Channel and GolfNOW.