New Jersey, United States: Recognising a growing interest in golf-related careers, the United States Golf Association (USGA) is helping funnel emerging talent to a broad range of job opportunities that exist in the game.

In total, the USGA supported 323 interns in 2024 – a number that is nearly equal to that of the USGA’s current full-time workforce – reflecting the organisation’s focus on career development to foster a stronger, more welcoming game.

As part of that commitment, the USGA directed recruiting efforts toward reaching individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.

These efforts resulted in a 59 per cent increase in applicants from historically under-represented backgrounds across the PJ Boatwright Jr Internship Programme from 2023 to 2024 and a 12 per cent increase in women participating in USGA internships.

This year’s pool of interns represents a broad spectrum of disciplines – including students majoring in science and technology, data analytics, research, education and non-profit management.

The interns were then matched with USGA core service and programme teams that leveraged the interns’ knowledge while also providing a platform for progress and growth. 

“It’s important that we don’t think of these young people simply as interns, but rather the future leaders of our game,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “The proof is in the numbers – we are providing more opportunities and in turn, seeing higher percentages of USGA interns working full-time across the golf industry.” 

Of note, 201 individuals are completing PJ Boatwright Internships this year across the USGA’s network of 57 Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) – a record-high for the programme focused on providing interns with paid, on-the-job training in golf administration.

In 2024, the USGA provided US$2.1 million in grants to AGAs – a portion of which came from philanthropic contributions – to support wages, travel costs and AGA operational support.

The Boatwright programme began in 1991 and has had a large impact. Across AGAs, 33 per cent of executive directors and 38 per cent of all AGA staff members are former Boatwrights. Upon completion of the programme, interns will join a network of more than 3,300 alumni working across sports and beyond who launched their careers as Boatwrights.

As golf evolves, so too do the roles and functions of interns. In 2024, a number of interns are immersed in specialised areas focused on sustainability and inclusion initiatives, including supporting adaptive golf programmes, turfgrass research and management through the USGA’s Green Section, diversity programmes and advanced technologies.

Earlier this summer, 112 under-graduate and graduate students had the opportunity to intern at the US Open in Pinehurst, providing them with first-hand access and exposure to job functions that power a major sporting event.

Championship and merchandising interns were immersed in a variety of operational jobs, while the 24 Pathways Interns took advantage of career exploration and networking opportunities.

Research released by the American Golf Industry Coalition in 2023 highlights golf’s US$102 billion economic impact and the 1.65 million jobs that are powered by the sport.

Serving as executive sponsor of the Make Golf Your Career workstream, Whan represents the USGA’s commitment to collaborating with partners across the golf industry to identify, attract and engage more talent from diverse backgrounds to lead the game forward.