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 who have the management skills necessary for the overall success of golf facility operations. Delhi's bachelor degree program in Business and Professional Golf Management offers students the opportunity to develop these skills.

The Instructional Program

The Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program in Business and Professional Golf Management is designed to prepare students for the growing number of management positions in 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 industry.

The Business and Professional Golf Management program offers a well-integrated curriculum that incorporates the liberal arts, general business, turf management, and hospitality management theory and application. It also offers a sequence of courses that are golf-specific, such as those for golf club design and repair, rules of golf, tournament organization, teaching golf, and golf shop operations. This program also requires four different internships at approved national or international internship sites.

Facilities

SUNY Delhi is proud of the outstanding facilities that support the Business and Professional Golf Management program. Delhi is the only college in the Northeast with 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. A 35,000-square-foot air structure gives Business and Professional Golf Management students year-round opportunity for golf practice, education, and coaching.  A swing analysis lab with dedicated golf-specific technology is located on campus near the PGM office.  Three PGA professionals with over 60 years of combined industry experience lead all aspects of the program.

Curriculum

SUNY Curriculum Code: 1509

SUNY General Education Requirements: Students who intend to receive A.A., A.S., or baccalaureate degrees must satisfy SUNY and campus General Education (GE) requirements to graduate. Students should be aware that GE requirements may vary by academic program. Consult with your academic advisor. For general information, see the "General Education" section of this catalog.

A.A.S. and A.O.S. degree students may not be required to fulfill General Education (GE) requirements; however, any student who may wish to transfer should complete as many GE courses as possible. Consult with your academic advisor.

Second Semester

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

Third Semester

Fourth Semester

Summer Session: PGMB 282 Internship 2 (May-August), 1 cr. hr.

Fifth Semester

Sixth Semester

Summer Session: PGMB 382 Internship 3 (May-August), 1 cr. hr.

Seventh Semester

Eighth Semester

Spring-Summer Final Internship: PGMB 482 Internship 4 (January-August), 6 cr. hrs.

Degree Requirement: 131-133 credit hours

Notes

¹ English is by placement according to competency.

² Mathematics is by placement according to competency.

³ The preferred foreign language for this curriculum is Spanish.

Technical Standards: In addition to academic requirements, all applicants must also be able to meet the minimum Technical Standards for the program, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Admissions Requirements

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet the requirements below:

Freshmen

• be a high school graduate with a minimum 80 overall average or a minimum 2500 GED test score
• have 75% or higher on the Algebra and Biology Regents exams
• have 75% or higher on one other science Regents exam
• have a 12 or less handicap 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.
• have letter of recommendation

Additionally,

• 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.

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 to whom the college offers 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 Business and Professional Golf Management program must achieve a minimum 2.3 cumulative grade point average 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

• must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average
• only grades of C or better in college coursework will be accepted for transfer
• An on-campus interview and a letter of recommendation from a PGA golf professional are mandatory.
• must have an 8 or less handicap certified by a PGA professional or college coach

Student Learning Outcomes

A graduate of the Business and 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 turf grass 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.