A Parent and Student's Dream: The Penn State PGA Golf Management Program

How does a 4-year degree program with 100% job placement upon completion sound?

What about a program that incorporates five different paid internships for every student?

Sound too good to be true?  Not according to Associate Teaching Professor Eric Handley, Director of the Penn State Golf Teaching & Research Center. Guest speaking at the annual membership meeting of the Penn State Central Maryland Alumni Chapter on June 14, at Glory Days Grill in Ellicott City, MD, Handley and Reagan Hubbard, a rising junior in the Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program with certificates from the Smeal College of Business and the Bellisario College of Communications, shared these details while highlighting the partnerships with prestigious PGA golf country clubs like Augusta National as well as golf equipment manufacturers like Calloway, that make these opportunities possible for students.

Reagan, an Ellicott City, MD resident and Centennial High School graduate, whose parents were in attendance, spoke about her experiences in the program and how they’ve provided her with insight about possible careers. And she emphasized the impact that a professor can have. “Professor Handley has been such a great mentor to me,” she noted.  

As the VP of the Penn State PGM Student Society and the Social Media Chair for the Penn State PGM THON committee, she has further expanded her skill set and her network. “We have the opportunity to meet and network with alums in prestigious industry roles, who speak at our meetings,” she added.

To gain an international perspective and a broader network, many students in the program will travel to the home of golf—St. Andrews, Scotland—over spring break instead of tanning on a beach! A spring semester course prepares them by providing an overview of the country’s history and culture, the history of the sport, as well as knowledge regarding golf course architecture and facility design. Playing on some of the most iconic courses in the world, like Carnoustie and Turnberry, is just icing on the cake!

Handley mentioned that over the past three years, the number of students in the program, launched in 1990, has doubled to 170, and the GTRC continues to prioritize research and expansion to accommodate these students. The GTRC’s innovative teaching technologies include multiple motion capture systems, a 3D Doppler radar ball flight machine, a putting green, and equipment for modifying clubs. And they’re hoping to expand the number of practice bays, for example, and an Introduction to Golf Ball Flight class will be added to provide students with insight into flight trajectory.

A recent Forbes article, leveraging data from Handshake, a job search platform used by many colleges, estimates that roughly half of recent college graduates reported having an internship during school. So those without this opportunity wouldn’t reap the benefits that multiple internships in programs like this one provide.

Students who golf and seek to work in the field, while experiencing a broad range of internships that allow them to determine the type of role (i.e., teaching, business, or a combination) and organization that resonates most, also benefit from the security of being employed upon graduation. The Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management and the PGA PGM Program also help defray program costs by awarding scholarships based on academic achievement, financial need, school/community activities, leadership positions, and work experience.

Penn State Central Maryland Chapter attendees were certainly impressed by the program and Handley’s role in expanding it. And Reagan’s experience was a testament to the career preparedness and job security it provides. If there’s a prospective college student in your life who might want to learn more, or if you’d like more information about the program or opportunities to support the Teaching & Research Center, reach out to Eric Handley.