Being a Canadian PGA Professional is an exciting and rewarding
career path and the steps to becoming one are not easy. The Canadian
PGA's philosophy is to provide the Canadian golf industry with the
highest quality professional administrators, teachers, players and
promoters of the game, through superior training, education and
member development.
The
Canadian PGA believes it takes time and focus to develop the type of
Professionals who are the best, most effective and productive in the
golf industry. That is why it sometimes takes a Canadian PGA Apprentice many
years to achieve their Canadian PGA Class 'A' status.
The
Canadian PGA ELITE (Enhanced Learning and Innovative Training and
Education) is the Canadian PGA's Apprenticeship Program. It
involves an intensive eight stage process, that will
provide aspiring Canadian PGA Professionals the opportunity to
acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the golf
industry through formal education studies, teaching certification,
professional development and golf-specific workshop studies.
Candidates
Prior to become a Canadian PGA ELITE Apprentice, applicants must
first successfully complete the following Candidate requirements and
Player Ability Test. Anyone wishing to register as a Candidate must
do so at their local CPGA Zone not later than June 1 of each year.
No applications are accepted after this date. Click here for a
complete listing of the nine CPGA Zone Offices. Candidate
requirements:
a) the
person must be at least 18 years of age;
b) have a
grade 12 education or a provincially recognized equivalent or proof
of acceptance into a community college business program or
university;
c) be
employed by a Canadian PGA Class "A" Head Professional or Head
Teaching Professional;
d) submit a
Candidates Application and Employment Verification Form, and;
d) attend a
Candidates meeting held by the local CPGA Zone.
Playing
Ability Test
New applicants are required to successfully complete a Playing
Ability Test comprising two 18-hole rounds meeting the standard of
acceptance of 2 x course rating + 15 for males and females (who may
be asked to present an official handicap card of eight, or less,
signed by the presenting Head Professional). If there are ten or
more candidates in a field (male or female) then the 30% parameter
shall also apply. If the percentage is used than all those meeting
the standard of acceptance or 30% of the field whichever is greater
shall be accepted.
The tests
will be organized and supervised by the local CPGA Zone Office.
Candidates may not attempt a playing ability test outside of their
own Zone. Failure to successfully meet the standard will result in
the applicant not being accepted. If a candidate tries all available
tests in their Zone in the fall and fails and the Zone is having a
spring playing test, those candidates may try again at the spring
test and if successful will be accepted into the ELITE program.
ELITE
Apprenticeship Program - 8 Step Process
1. Employment
Individuals must be employed on a full-time basis by a CPGA Class
“A” Head Professional or Teaching Professional for a minimum of
three seasons. At least one of the minimum three seasons must be at
a Canadian PGA-Approved Golf Course. The Apprentice must stay
eligibly employed to remain in the program,
even
if they have completed the minimum three year requirement.
2. Education
A three-year community college business diploma, Canadian PGA-endorsed
Professional Golf Management Program or a university degree is
necessary to complete the program. If the university degree is not
in a business discipline, the person will be required to obtain
additional business courses (click
here to obtain a list of additional business courses).
The Canadian PGA endorses eight Professional Golf Management
Programs (PGM). It is important to note that ELITE requirements #5
to #7 are included in the program content of CPGA-endorsed PGM Colleges.
Students attending these programs do not need to repeat these
steps. See below for a list of CPGA-endorsed PGM Colleges.
3. Teaching & Coaching Certification Program
Workshops One, Two, Three, and Four of the Canadian PGA Teaching and
Coaching Certification Program must be completed. Workshops One and
Two must be completed before Apprentices may provide golf
instruction. These sessions are administered exclusively by the
Canadian PGA.
4. Specified Seminars
Apprentices must participate in a minimum of thirty-six (36) hours
of seminars from the Canadian PGA Specified Seminar List.
5. Rules of Golf Seminar
Apprentices must successfully complete a Canadian PGA-recognized
rules of golf seminar.
