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Golf Professional: Occupations in Alberta - alis
Do you live for the satisfying sound of a golf club connecting with a ball? Do you enjoy sharing your passion for the sport? Then you may want to walk the course toward a career as a golf professional.
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Occupations in Alberta

Golf Professional

Golf professionals manage golf pro shops and operations, promote the game of golf, and provide services, such as teaching, to golfers. Some golf professionals play tournament golf while others manage golf and recreation facilities.

Contents Expand All
Also Known As

(Assistant / Associate / Executive / Teaching / Tournament) Professional, Educator, Head Pro, Instructor

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 5254: Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness

2006 NOC-S

  • F154: Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation and Sport

2011 NOC

  • 5254: Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness

2016 NOC

  • 5254: Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness

2021 NOC

  • 54100: Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness

2023 OaSIS

  • 54100.01: Program leaders and instructors in recreation and sport
Duties
Updated Mar 31, 2020

Golf professionals are expert players who promote all aspects of the sport, including teaching. They provide services such as golf club cleaning, storing, and repairs, caddie service, and rentals of clubs and power carts. They also:

  • Manage a pro shop, which includes recruiting, training, and supervising staff, buying and promoting items for sale, and creating and managing budgets
  • Organize club tournament operations
  • Direct and maintain a golf program, including practice ranges and putting greens
  • Use launch monitor and computer technology to custom-fit golf clubs
  • Book tee times and manage tee operation
  • Represent the club in provincial or national activities such as tournaments, clinics, and seminars
  • Help with golf club administration and management
  • Liaise between the general manager and golf course superintendent

Golf pros who play in tournaments are called tournament professionals. Tournament professionals must be associated with a recognized golf tour.

Working Conditions
Updated Mar 31, 2020
  • Strength Required Lift up to 20 kg

Golf professionals work indoors in golf shops and outdoors playing and teaching. They may need to lift and carry heavy and bulky equipment. They often work long hours in summer, but most of the time they work 40-hour week. The work can be seasonal, from early spring to late fall. To ensure year-round employment, some golf pros develop other golf-related activities, such as indoor teaching, indoor driving ranges, or making custom golf clubs. Some have introduced winter sports to clubs, such as cross-country skiing.

Tournament professionals may play year-round, in Canada during the warmer months and in the southern United States during the winter months. An important part of their work is practicing many hours a day.

Work Personalities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

How This Occupation Compares to Your Work Personalities

Fit
Fit Guide
An occupation can be a great, good, fair, weak, or poor fit for you.
S
Social
This occupation
You
E
Enterprising
C
Conventional
This occupation
You

To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.

This Occupation’s Work Personalities

Program leaders and instructors in recreation and sport
2023 OaSIS: 54100.01

Click or tap a personality type for its description.

  • 1
    Social

    Social jobs are about helping and working with people. People in these jobs enjoy teaching, caring for others, or giving advice. They often work in schools, hospitals, or community centres. These jobs involve talking, listening, and supporting others. Examples include teachers, nurses, and counsellors.

  • 2
    Enterprising

    Enterprising jobs are about leading, selling, or starting new projects. People in these jobs like to take charge, make decisions, and reach goals. They often work in business or politics. These jobs may involve some risk and require strong people skills. Examples include managers, salespeople, and entrepreneurs.

  • 3
    Conventional

    Conventional jobs involve following rules and working with information. People in these jobs like to keep things organized and follow clear steps. They often work with numbers, files, or data. These jobs usually happen in offices and involve working with data and details more than ideas. Examples include clerks, accountants, and data entry workers.

Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.

Your Work Personalities

To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.

Quick Guide

Alis work personalities are based on Holland’s theory. It identifies 6 personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. People with similar personalities and interests will tend to pursue similar careers. They are likely to create work environments that are favourable to their type.

Most people will identify with 2 or 3 dominant personalities. If the occupation’s personalities match your more dominant types, this occupation is more likely to be satisfying and rewarding to you.

This Occupation’s Work Personalities lists the personalities most likely to be found in that occupation. They are listed in order of importance, with 1 as the most important.

Your Work Personalities shows where the occupation’s personalities rank within your test results. Rank 1 is your most dominant type and 6 is your least dominant.

Learn about work personalities

Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Program leaders and instructors in recreation and sport
2023 OaSIS: 54100.01

How This Occupation Compares to Your Abilities

The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.

The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.

The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.

Abilities Sets

The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.

Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.

This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities
Individual Abilities

Compare this occupation's score with yours for each ability in the set.

Inductive Reasoning
Verbal Ability
Information Ordering
Categorization Flexibility
Deductive Reasoning
Fluency of Ideas
Problem Identification
Written Comprehension
Written Expression

Numbers and Patterns

Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.

This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities
Individual Abilities

Compare this occupation's score with yours for each ability in the set.

Memorizing
Perceptual Speed
Pattern Organization Speed
Numerical Ability
Mathematical Reasoning
Multitasking
Pattern Identification
Spatial Orientation
Spatial Visualization
Selective Attention

Physical Activity

Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance. 

This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities
Individual Abilities

Compare this occupation's score with yours for each ability in the set.

Stamina
Static Strength
Trunk Strength
Explosive Strength
Body Flexibility
Dynamic Strength
Gross Body Coordination
Gross Body Equilibrium
Multi-Limb Coordination

Mind-Body Coordination

Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities
Individual Abilities

Compare this occupation's score with yours for each ability in the set.

Finger-Hand-Wrist Motion
Rate Control
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Control of Settings
Finger Dexterity
Manual Dexterity
Multi-Signal Response
Reaction Time
Speed of Limb Movement

Senses

Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking. 

This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:

lower
a match
higher
Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities
Individual Abilities

Compare this occupation's score with yours for each ability in the set.

Hearing Sensitivity
Speech Clarity
Peripheral Vision
Auditory Attention
Depth Perception
Far Vision
Glare Tolerance
Near Vision
Night Vision
Speech Recognition
Sound Localization
Colour Perception

Quick Guide

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Occupations use different combinations and levels of these abilities. The Abilities Quiz helps you learn more about your ability levels and which occupations match your strengths.

If you have completed the Abilities Quiz, you can compare the occupation’s ability expectations to your own ability scores. Your scores may be lower than, a match to, or higher than the occupation’s expected abilities.

Learn about abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Mar 31, 2020

Golf professionals need:

  • Honesty and the ability to innovate
  • Dependability
  • Organizational skills
  • A friendly and outgoing manner with a strong customer-service orientation
  • Exceptional golfing skills
  • Teaching skills
  • The willingness to work long, irregular hours
  • Communication skills and the ability to get along with all kinds of people

They should enjoy taking a methodical approach to assembling and custom-fitting equipment. They should enjoy monitoring activities, teaching people, and planning programs.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness

2016 NOC: 5254

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 103 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Apr 24, 2024 and Oct 05, 2025.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Tasks: Plan and carry out recreational, fitness and sports activities
Tasks: Ensure health and safety regulations are followed
Tasks: Monitor recreational, sports or fitness activities to ensure safety and provide emergency or first aid assistance when required
Tasks: Demonstrate and instruct athletic, fitness or sports activities and techniques
Team player
Reliability
Tasks: Lead groups and individuals in recreational or leisure programs
Tasks: Leading/instructing individuals
Organized
Tasks: Assemble supplies, sports and game equipment
Tasks: Plan and carry out recreational, fitness and sports activities 90
Tasks: Ensure health and safety regulations are followed 86
Tasks: Monitor recreational, sports or fitness activities to ensure safety and provide emergency or first aid assistance when required 85
Tasks: Demonstrate and instruct athletic, fitness or sports activities and techniques 84
Construction Specialization: Team player 68
Construction Specialization: Reliability 63
Tasks: Lead groups and individuals in recreational or leisure programs 63
Tasks: Leading/instructing individuals 62
Construction Specialization: Organized 62
Tasks: Assemble supplies, sports and game equipment 61
Educational Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2020
  • Minimum Education 3 years post-secondary

The Professional Golfers’ Association of Alberta recommends that aspiring golf professionals develop skills in:

  • Business and leadership
  • Communication and teaching
  • Human resource management
  • Food and beverage management

Additionally, they should learn club house management, turf care, and pro shop merchandising skills.

As well as exceptional golfing skills, golf pros need strong business skills. Most employers prefer to hire members of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Canada. Membership requires completion of the PGA Training Academy program, which has partnered with 3 post-secondary programs in Canada.

For more information about membership requirements and registration, visit the PGA of Canada website.

Related Education

The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.

Mount Royal University
Olds College

To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2020
  • Certification Not regulated

There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Mar 31, 2020

Golf professionals working at facilities in Canada must give up their amateur status. Visit the Golf Canada website for more information.

Golf professionals work for golf clubs, golf courses, driving ranges, and golf retail shops. After completing an apprenticeship, it may take up to 10 years to secure a position as a head golf professional.

Once employed, golf professionals may advance from assistant professional to associate, head, and executive professional. They may become general managers, which means overseeing clubhouse operations and possibly golf course maintenance. Or they may open their own driving ranges or specialty golf shops.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
2016 NOC: 5254

85.2% of people in this occupational group work in:

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

Look for Work

Think Industries and Sectors When Planning Your Career

Jobs and occupations are changing every day. It can be hard to know what the future of work looks like—but not impossible. Look at industries and sectors for possible inspiration, insights, and opportunities.
5-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list
©
iStock.com/filadendron
OCCinfo

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Learn how these factors can affect your career decisions.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
2016 NOC: 5254
2.7%
Annual Growth
(Above average)
293
New Positions

Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated Mar 31, 2020

Salaries vary with an individual’s experience and between different employers.

According to PGA of Alberta’s 2018-2019 Membership Compensation Survey, Class A registered golf professionals earned, on average, $46,920 per year. Head professionals averaged $87,189 per year.

Private clubs may pay golf professionals more than public facilities.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness

2021 NOC: 54100
Average Wage
$22.29
Per Hour
Average Salary
$22,517.00
Per Year
Average Hours
23.5
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
8.5
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 54100 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

B: Good Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $15.00 $28.49 $18.65 $16.00
Overall $17.00 $31.77 $22.29 $20.00
Top $18.00 $50.00 $28.13 $24.00

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Information, Culture, Recreation
Educational Services
Accommodation & Food Services
Public Administration
ALL INDUSTRIES $22,517
Information, Culture, Recreation $13,967
Educational Services $26,892
Accommodation & Food Services $12,312
Public Administration $45,249

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
52%
52%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
45%
45%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
14%
14%
Vacancy Rate
8%
Related High School Subjects
  • English Language Arts
  • Physical Education
  • Health, Recreation and Human Services
    • Recreation Leadership
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Business, Management and Administrative Studies
Other Sources of Information
Updated Mar 31, 2020

Canadian Society of Club Managers (CSCM) website: cscm.org

Golf Canada website: golfcanada.ca

Professional Golfers’ Association of Alberta website: www.pgaofalberta.com

Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Canada website: www.pgaofcanada.com

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 31, 2020. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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