By Isabel Laulhé
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico State University offers one of just 16 PGA Golf Management programs in the country, giving students a unique path to combine golf with business and marketing. The program is designed for passionate golfers who want to specialize in the golf industry.
On campus, it’s not unusual to see students carrying their golf bags. They’re heading to class as part of their degree, where the game becomes part of the learning experience.
The four-and-a-half-year program includes coursework, playing ability tests and 16 months of internships at golf facilities. Students graduate with a PGA Membership, which guarantees them jobs at golf courses, nationally or internationally.
Senior Marley Moncada, an Arizonan and NMSU women’s golf team player, is following in her father’s footsteps as she finishes her PGM degree. After graduation, she plans to move to Houston to work in the golf industry.
“If you want to continue to surround your life by the golf industry, whether running a course, teaching, or working with club or ball manufacturers, it gives you a good starting ground, and they always love people who go this route because they need more of them, especially women” Moncada said. “It really helps you find internships and jobs all over.”
PGM students have full access to the campus indoor simulator studio and NMSU golf course. They also compete at tournaments between other universities offering the program.
This summer, Nikolas Pitiris, a senior from Cyprus, will become an assistant pro at the PGA Headquarters in Frisco, Texas, managing financials and events. He says PGM provides strong career opportunities.
“Straight after college, you have a guaranteed job with a very good salary,” Pitiris said. “The connections you build in golf are usually of very high standards.”
The program is open to any student with a United States Golf Association handicap of 12.0 or lower.
For those who love the game, it offers the chance to turn a passion into a career.
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