The University of Wisconsin-Stout has created a major for students who are searching for a way out of the rough and onto the fairway of their lives: golf course management. According to information from the university, it is a one-of-a-kind program nationally and has the endorsement of the National Golf Course Owners Association. The Journal Sentinel's Nahal Toosi chipped a few questions toward Joseph Holland, chairman of the department of hospitality and tourism at Stout.
Q. So why not a major in hockey rink management, soccer field management or, say, international political economics?
A. Bottom line on that is that most people do not realize, but golf is a $69 billion industry worldwide. And one of the challenges facing golf course owners today is to find people prepared to manage all aspects of the golf course that, with today's competition, with the number of golf courses and a limited number of golfers, all aspects of a golf course must be profitable. This is golf enterprise management, so we will be preparing people who go into those golf-related enterprises, such as equipment, turf and chemicals. We feel that the major focus will be on those people who want to be golf course managers, but we are also working with advisers from related industries to help prepare the people that they need.
Q. The university's announcement about the major said it "represents a major shift in how golf courses are managed, placing greater emphasis on business acumen rather than player aptitude." What exactly does that mean?
A. In the past, the golf courses have relied heavily on the professional golf management program, which is sponsored by the PGA (Professional Golfers' Association). And this program prepares professional golfers with the skills for management. But their main focus still remains on playing the game and giving lessons. So they have found a gap with people who understand other aspects of course operations, including the food and beverage operations. Many times, they have been hiring a person with a business or a hospitality degree, but these people had not had a good background in other aspects of a course such as golf course supervision, which includes turf management issues, retail and even player development and retention.
Q. How many golf courses are there? Is there a great market for these graduates?
A. We have been working with the National Golf Course Owners Association. Their members represent over 7,600 golf courses in the U.S. Their membership is a little over 5,200, but several of the courses are multi-course operations, where either a company or an owner owns more than one course.
Q. How many golfers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. It only takes one because golfers are exceptionally intelligent.
Q. Do you have to be exceptionally intelligent to change a light bulb?
A. No, but when it becomes a group activity, it connotes something less than exceptional intelligence.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
