Educator, Head Pro, Instructor, Teacher, Tournament Professional
Interest in manipulating and assembling supplies and sports and game equipment; and in monitoring recreational and sports activities to ensure safety and provide emergency and first aid assistance when required
Interest in instructing groups and individuals in arts, crafts and similar activities; in leading groups and individuals in recreational and leisure programs, and in attending clients with special needs by conducting therapeutic recreational and athletic activities
Interest in co-ordinating information to plan recreational, athletic, fitness and sports programs
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Golf professionals are expert players who:
Golf professionals who play in tournaments are called tournament professionals. They must be associated with the Canadian tour or another internationally recognized tour, and play a minimum number of Canadian tournaments each year.
Golf professionals work indoors in golf shops and outdoors playing and teaching. They may be required to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 20 kilograms.
Golf professionals frequently work long hours during the summer months. The work can be seasonal, from early spring to late fall. However, to ensure year-round employment, some golf professionals have developed other golf-related activities (for example, indoor teaching, indoor driving ranges, fabricating custom golf clubs) or introduced winter sports to clubs (for example, cross-country skiing, curling).
Tournament professionals may play year-round: in Canada during the warmer months and in the southern United States during the winter months. They practise many hours a day.
Golf professionals need the following characteristics:
They should enjoy taking a methodical approach to assembling and custom-fitting equipment, monitoring activities, teaching people and planning programs.
The Professional Golfers' Association of Alberta recommends that prospective golf professionals develop the following skills:
In addition to exceptional playing ability, golf professionals need strong business skills. Most employers prefer to hire members of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of Canada. Membership with the PGA of Canada requires 3 years of related post-secondary education. For more information about membership requirements and registration, visit the PGA of Canada website.
Post-secondary schools throughout Alberta offer 3- and 4-year programs related to business management.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Below-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.
Golf professionals working at facilities in Canada must give up their amateur status.
Golf professionals are employed by golf clubs, courses, driving ranges and shops. After completing the 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 professional to head professional to master professional. They may move into general manager positions overseeing clubhouse operations and possibly golf course maintenance, or they may open their own driving ranges or specialty shops.
Golf professionals are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 5254: Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Over 11,900 Albertans are employed in the Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness occupational group. This group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.5% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 179 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover. Note: As golf professionals form only a part of this larger occupational group, only some of these newly created positions will be for golf professionals.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
According to the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, the average annual salary of golf professionals in Alberta is $78,996 (2011 estimate).
Salaries may vary depending on how many years of experience individuals have and where they work. For example, golf professionals managing public facilities can earn about $70,000 per year, while those working in private clubs may earn over $100,000 a year.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $10.25 | $32.00 | $18.12 | $16.00 |
| Overall | $12.50 | $42.00 | $20.97 | $18.00 |
| Top | $15.50 | $75.00 | $28.60 | $24.85 |
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* 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.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Canadian Society of Club Managers (CSCM) website: www.cscm.org
Professional Golfers' Association of Alberta website: www.pgaofalberta.com
Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of Canada website: www.pgaofcanada.com
For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.
Updated Mar 23, 2016. 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.