Golf Course Careers

by Shane Thornton

Overview

Golf courses offer many career options for people with different skills, expertise and abilities. The golfing industry has grown consistently throughout the past decade and has always offered a solid source of revenue for America's workforce.
Facts

Golf courses offer a wide array of career opportunities with varying levels of golf expertise required. Career options include general manager, head teaching professional, superintendent and food-service careers similar to those in the restaurant industry.

General Manager

The general manager oversees the entire golf course and has a hand in supervising all employees. Becoming a general manager usually requires extensive experience in the golf industry, a business degree and Class A membership in the Professional Golfers Association.
Head Teaching Professional

The head teaching professional has extensive knowledge of the golf swing combined with a Class A education with the PGA. Teaching professionals offer their expertise about the game of golf to customers, usually in one-hour lessons that cost between $50 and $100.
Superintendent

The superintendent is responsible for overseeing golf course maintenance and managing all maintenance staff. The golf course maintenance staff works early mornings before golfers begin playing and is responsible for cutting grass, irrigating and applying the correct fertilizers and pesticides.
Food Service

Most golf courses offer the same career options as the restaurant industry: food and beverage managers, special-event planners, servers, bartenders and chefs.

References & Resources