Golf Education
UUM International School Melaka (UUMISM) has a role to play in meeting all these expectations via the PGA Australia Diploma of Golf Management program. The program focuses on management, providing essential knowledge on the business of the golf and skills development to be club managers. Graduates can make a career out of playing or teaching golf or get employed in various other fields and the golf management subjects offered are tailored to meet the needs of the industry. With the Diploma, graduates can be employed as executives or assistant managers in areas of marketing, public relations, finance or mass communication. The Diploma offers a 2nd year entry into 3 universities in Australia to pursue a degree program. Some of the courses offered by these universities like BBA, Bachelor of Tourism and Bachelor of Sports and Recreation and Sports Science are designed to meet the industry needs.
The industry provides many career opportunities ranging from professional golfers, golf teachers to managers of golf facilities. There is a real need for more professional approaches in educating golf students and club personnel for the good future of the industry. There are basically 2 types of education needed by the industry: those wanting to be golf professionals albeit tour players or golf teachers and those managing the businesses of golf in the industry. The focus may be different and require different education and management styles to suit their needs.
Educating potential professional golfers at UUMISM specialized golf program focuses more on developing their individual skills and competitiveness. They are taught on how to apply those skills needed in tournaments. Their training programs are very structured. At the same time they are also provided with basic knowledge in business to manage their professional careers or facilities they operate. The role of teaching professionals is equally important in developing the sport and creating greater participation.
For those who manage the business side of the industry, having a higher education qualification is often required. Having a degree in hospitality management, business and communication are good candidates for the industry. Skills like good communication, marketing, customer service and interpersonal are good assets to have. The main challenge faced by the industry in Malaysia is the lack of research and development especially in golf development. Post graduate research in golf related studies are definitely encouraged.
The use of technology in golf is important. Golf academies need to invest in modern teaching aids to improve the teaching methods to enhance training programs and equip the students with the necessary skills for both mental and physical aspects of the game. At the same time, clubs need to use modern machinery and gadgets that can reduce costs and increase efficiency. The right technology used can determine the survival of each golf facility.
Also, there is a need for Malaysian clubs to benchmark with institutions or countries that have been successful in producing top golfers. The benefits of benchmarking are there. It is a powerful tool to make changes and improvement as it recognizes world class performance and best practices. Thailand, Korea and Australia are good candidates to benchmark.
Industry Needs
There is a need for golf facilities to engage professionals with good understanding of the industry plus superior business skills to meet the demand of club members and guests. Like in any business, it is essential for golf club managers to understand revenue generation, operations management, marketing and customer service, employee supervision and they must be able to establish budgets, control costs and seek ways to make the club profitable. Club managers must have the ability to read and analyze financial statements and they are expected to find ways of increasing the bottom line. Today, superior business skills and good understanding of technology are needed to manage golf clubs and golf courses.
The industry needs professionals in the following field: business management, tourism and hospitality management, marketing, retailing, turf management, public relations and many others. Other skills required are mainly in communication, customer service, human relations, leadership, organizing tournaments and others. All these will equip the managers with skills to meet the challenges and give the club a professional image. At the same time, professionals on tour and the teaching pros also need to be educated but require different types of knowledge and skills. Golf teachers must have the knowhow to transfer their skills and knowledge to their students. Professional golfers on tour not only depend on their playing and competitive skills but also their ability to manage their lives including travel schedules and being away from home for a long period.
Today’s golf business is very competitive. It is also essential that each golf business needs a clear strategic plan and continuously make improvement. Unfortunately, many clubs do not have the much needed skills or commitment to put together a plan. Managers must be able to think outside the box in creating value to their members and guests. Hence, a skilled workforce is essential to improve the quality of products and services for clubs to compete in the global market.
Conclusion
For the industry to survive, there is a need to create greater participation. Continuous introduction of the game at schools ‘to grow the game’ should continue on a much bigger scale, a role that should be played by all stakeholders. Creating golf as a mass sport will definitely help the industry prosper in the long run. Clubs should make their facilities easily accessible to all. At the same time, young talents should be identified and developed into elite players. With the right level of education and business knowledge, golf facilities can be better managed to be successful in this competitive environment. This is critical for the survival of the industry as a whole. UUMISM, an institution that provides Cambridge IGCSE and a Specialized Golf Program welcomes students who wish to have a career in the industry.
