Jacobsen has become the official turf equipment supplier and partner to Methodist University, home to one of the largest PGA of America-accredited professional golf management program in the U.S. Methodist is located in Fayetteville, N.C.
Jacobsen will provide the Methodist University PGM program with greens mowers, fairway units, rough mowers and other turf equipment through local Jacobsen distributor Tri-State Pump and Controls. Jacobsen personnel will also serve as a resource for the university's educators and will work closely with Steven Dockery, golf course superintendent of the Methodist University Golf Course, and the maintenance staff to test new equipment and aid in the continued development of eco-friendly cultural and agronomy practices.
"Jacobsen is committed to supporting education at all levels, and by partnering with the most respected PGM program in the country, we are helping to ensure that the next leaders of the golf industry are well prepared to succeed and meet the challenges that lie ahead," says Dan Wilkinson, Jacobsen president.
"When you look at the top golf clubs in the country, Methodist University is well represented, and this partnership with Jacobsen is going to help us take our program to another level," said Steven Dockery, golf course superintendent of the Methodist University Golf Course. "We want Jacobsen to have access to every part of our program so we can benefit from the knowledge of their people in addition to the use of their equipment in training the next generation of our industry's leaders to do things the right way."
More than 300 students are enrolled in the Methodist University PGM program, which continues to boast a 100 percent job placement for its graduates. Methodist graduates hold management positions at some of the nation's most prestigious courses, such as Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York, and the courses at Pebble Beach Resorts in California. The program's required coursework covers everything from agronomy and tournament operations to accounting and club fitting, mandating that each graduating student earns a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in professional golf management.
