Academics

Students plunge into golf industry over spring break

Students and instructors at the Royal and Ancient R&A Golf Club of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland in 2014. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

For the ninth year in a row, a group of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM) students will travel to a well-known golf resort to immerse themselves into the golf management field over spring break.

Twenty-five students enrolled in RPTM 497G, Golf Operation Management Best Practices, for the spring 2015 semester will travel to Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, to witness first-hand the operations of a popular golf course.

From March 7 to 11, students majoring in PGA Golf Management (PGM) will meet with Reynolds Plantation’s professional staff; learn about operations, marketing, facilities, clientele and tournaments; and experience many of the six golf courses. Specifically, students will meet with Mark Lammi, PGM alumnus and vice president of golf operations for Reynolds Plantation and Charlie King, who Golf Magazine named as a “top 100 instructor.”

Eric Handley, class instructor and director of Penn State’s Golf Teaching and Research Center, believes the experience offers major benefits by providing students with an educational and constructive alternative to spring break that is centered on students’ career goals.

“We wanted to offer an opportunity for students to have a good time, but mix in some learning, and have it be relevant to their careers,” Handley said.

Every other year, students enrolled in the course experience a golf resort in the United States. During the alternate years, students visit Scotland, which is considered to be the birthplace of golf, where they learn about the origins of golf and visit some of the most historic golf courses in the world.

“It gives us an opportunity to cover material that might not otherwise be covered in class,” Handley said. And, when in Scotland, “it gives students an opportunity to experience the industry from an international point of view.”

For the spring 2014 semester, students visited the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland. While visiting, Handley and some of his students were guests on “Scottish Golf Podcast,” a weekly podcast focusing on the experiences of golfers visiting Scotland.

“Every time you get to step on the first tee you’re in for a four-hour…history lesson where the greatest in the game, who we love. … They’ve been there; they’ve conquered it; they’ve played it; and it’s unbelievable that we’ve been able to come here and visit all of these places,” student Matt Episcopo said during the interview. “It’s just an incredible experience.”

The engaged scholarship opportunity is an investment for students. The trip to Reynolds Plantation will cost each student roughly $600. A trip to Scotland is roughly a $3,000 expense for students.

Handley says the majority of PGM students learn about the course during their freshman year, then start saving funds to take the trip during their junior or senior year.

The experience is so memorable that alumni are requesting Handley schedule a mentoring trip between students and alumni for 2016.

“We’re providing a really valuable experience to undergraduate students that they don’t forget,” Handley said.

Handley also has dreams of one day expanding the course even further to include trips to other countries where golf is growing, like China and India.

Last Updated February 2, 2015

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