The 2017 PGA Merchandise Show was one for the books! The University of Nebraska's PGA Golf Management Program was well represented with 27 students on hand (more than any other PGA Golf Management program!).
The week kicked off on Monday evening with dinner at Miller’s Ale House and then plans to travel out to Demo Day on Tuesday. There, students got a peak at all of the latest equipment and technology in the golf industry. Tuesday night continued with a reception hosted by Billy Casper Golf. This was a tremendous opportunity for students from all PGAGM Universities to interact with each other and the leadership with Billy Casper and seeds were planted for future employment opportunities. As the Reception was winding down most made the walk to the Tangerine Ballroom at the Orange County Convention Center for a Deirks Bently concert put on by The Folds of Honor thanking the golf industry for their support of the charity which raises scholarships for the families of America’s fallen and disabled service-members.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were dedicated to the indoor portion of the PGA Merchandise Show. All students in the group worked the UNL PGA Golf Management Booth for a minimum of 4 hours and if they didn’t have an internship lined up before they got there, they’re sure to have something in the pipeline now! The demand for interns and graduates to place in full-time positions seems to be at an all-time high. In order to meet this increased demand, our recruiting efforts will be ramped up along with a call to our support/alumni base to send individuals interested in careers in the golf industry our way. The industry needs more talented golf professionals to support the growth of the game!
Other activities the students participated in during the show included a short game skills challenge in which university students could compete for $500 each day for their respective clubs. UNL managed to move the needle on the leaderboard on Wednesday, but ultimately we were unsuccessful in holding any top spots. All students also had the opportunity to take part in a leadership seminar hosted by Titleist and luncheons hosted by the PGA, which put students in touch with either Past Presidents of the Association or the current members of the Board of Directors. Students raved about both opportunities and the knowledge gained from them.
Overall, the show helps to put our program into the overall context of the golf industry and the overall feeling is very positive. It’s another great show in the books for our program and for the industry. Already looking forward to January 2018!
More details at: http://pgm.unl.edu