Golf is a growth industry. In 2000 alone, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reported that there were 368 new golf course openings across the country. With this development and growth has come a corresponding need for golf course managerial personnel. The number of college graduates with the combination of technical and managerial knowledge is small considering the demand. Golf Course Management graduates have a competitive edge over those with degrees in narrowly focused areas of expertise or in programs not centered on the industry.

Unprecedented growth in the leisure and service industry has created a demand for golf course managers including clubhouse managers, golf professionals, and golf course superintendents. According to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the Professional Golf Association of America (PGA), there is an ever-increasing demand for qualified individuals who understand the technical aspects of the industry and have the management skills necessary for the overall success of golf facility operations. Delhi's bachelor-degree program in Golf Course Management offers students the opportunity to develop these skills.

The Instructional Program

The Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program in Golf Course Management is designed to prepare future management personnel for the growing number of golf courses in the region and the nation. Graduates of the program qualify for assistant managerial positions at various golf courses, and after gaining sufficient experience, may become candidates for management positions in the golf course industry.

The program builds upon the long history of excellent two-year A.A.S. programs at SUNY Delhi in Golf Course Operations, Hospitality Management, Business Management, and Recreation Management. The Golf Course Management program offers a well-integrated curriculum that incorporates the liberal arts, general business, turf management, and hospitality management theory and application. In addition to completing a core set of courses, students select one of two program majors. These majors require an extensive 15-week internship at an approved national or international internship site.

Facilities

SUNY Delhi is proud of the outstanding facilities that support the Golf Course Management program. Delhi is the only college in the Northeast that has an 18-hole golf course that serves as an academic laboratory. The golf course has a clubhouse that houses a full-service restaurant and pro shop, a 30-station practice range, and a chipping/putting practice green. The Turf Education Center, dedicated in 1994 with industry support, houses state-of-the-art equipment, a demonstration laboratory, greenhouses, a classroom, and turf demonstration test plots. Alumni Hall Hospitality Center has a student-operated restaurant and lounge. Farnsworth Hall houses various classrooms and horticultural laboratories. A 35,000-square-foot air structure gives students enrolled in the program year-round opportunity for golf practice, education, and coaching.

Professional Golf Management 

The Professional Golf Management major offers instruction for students interested in becoming a golf professional. Applicants must have a 12 handicap or less verified by a PGA golf professional or high school coach. Students complete a sequence of courses emphasizing golf fundamentals, golf education and coaching, tournament organization, golf shop management, merchandising, and business management.

Curriculum

SUNY Curriculum Code: 1509

Second Semester

Summer Session:  PGMB 182 Golf Course Internship 1 cr. hr. (May-August)

Third Semester

Fourth Semester

Summer Session: PGMB 282 Summer Internship 1 cr. hr. (May-August)

Fifth Semester

Sixth Semester

Summer Session: PGMB 382 Summer Internship 1 cr. hr. (May-August)

Seventh Semester

Eighth Semester

Spring-Summer Internship

PGMB 482 Internship 6 cr. hrs. (January-August)

Ninth Semester

Degree Requirement: 131-133 credit hours

Notes

*The preferred foreign language for this curriculum is Spanish.

Professional Golf Management Major Anticipated Student Costs*

At the completion of the four-year PGA/PGM program, the student will be responsible for additional PGA fees/costs in order to continue his/her professional career. This includes the Levels 1, 2, 3, & Final Checkpoints. For more details, contact the PGM Program Director at 607-746-4678.

*Note: All fees are subject to change.

Admissions Requirements

Freshmen: Applicants should have a minimum 80 high school average, a minimum of 75% on the Math A regents, Biology, and one other science. SAT/ACT scores are not required, but an SAT score of 950 or better or an ACT score of 19 or better will be used as an indicator of success. An on-campus interview is strongly recommended. Playing Ability: Applicants must have a 12 handicap or less verified in writing by the PGA golf professional at their home course, or preferably a record of competition scores from matches and qualifiers from their high school coach, in order to be considered for admission.

Applicants who do not qualify for admission to the program may be considered for admission to the Individual Studies program. A campus interview is required for students offered this option. Following the interview, a faculty/staff panel will determine an applicant's admission status. Students accepted into the Individual Studies program with the intent of transferring to the Professional Golf Management program must achieve a minimum 2.3 cumulative GPA by the end of their first year and be recommended by the faculty for unconditional admission into the B.B.A. program. Students not meeting these requirements must apply to and be accepted into an associate-degree program in order to remain matriculated at the College.

Transfer Students: Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, and only grades of C or better in college coursework will be accepted for transfer. See the "Academic Policies" section of this catalog for further information about transfer credit. An on-campus interview and a letter of recommendation from a PGA golf professional are mandatory. Playing Ability: All applicants must have an 8 handicap or less certified by a PGA professional or college coach.

Program Objectives

A graduate of the Golf Course Management: Professional Golf Management B.B.A. program should be able to:

1. Discuss the scope of the golf course management industry.
2. Exhibit knowledge of merchandise purchasing, receiving, and display; the basic elements of salesmanship; customer service; and product knowledge.
3. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the rules of golf: how they function in a golf operation: how to mark a course for a tournament, to include programs to better educate the members.
4. Demonstrate proficiency as a teacher, coach: how to teach the student, whether private, group or clinic, and have a working knowledge of the golf swing and how to correct it.
5. Exhibit knowledge of traditional management theory, leadership, and management roles; organizational structure and change; quality service and function; decision-making; and ethics.
6. Exhibit knowledge of computer applications as it relates to merchandise inventory, budgets, lessons, tournament set-ups, tee times, and written communications.
7. Exhibit knowledge of organizing golf tournaments, member activities, and other activities as it relates to the entire golf operation, annually.
8. Understand the complexities of customer satisfaction and develop creative strategies for effectively managing and resolving customer-service conflicts which may arise.
9. Develop strategies for managing conflict and resolving concerns while still meeting the demands of members, guests, employees, and various government agencies.
10. Develop a personal training plan: how to manage your time, academics, golf, and PGA materials.
11. Develop a professionally enhanced résumé to include a cover letter, professional portfolio, and develop the interview skills to enable you to successfully find gainful employment in your chosen career path.
12. Have a working understanding of how the golf car fleet is managed.
13. Develop an understanding of the basics of club design, repair, and club fitting.
14. Develop a working knowledge of business operations to include: an understanding of the accounting process; business terminology; understanding and using a financial statement; writing a functional business plan; developing financial forecasts and budgets; and developing a sound merchandising system, to include an open-to-buy plan, a merchandise assortment plan, pricing strategies, and tracking and monitoring inventory.
15. Be knowledgeable of the complexities of golf course management and turfgrass management to include: mowing, irrigation, aeration, and fertilization practices, as well as cup rotation, tee markers, and limiting play.
16. Develop a working knowledge of the food and beverage industry to include: the ability to identify the benefits and characteristics of a successful food and beverage operation, identify the typical levels of food and beverage and determine which services are appropriate, describe the stages of menu costing and development, and identify the phases of staffing the operation.
17. Develop a successful plan for completing all the necessary educational materials prescribed by the PGA of America, so as to become certified as a Class A PGA Professional.