The PGAs of Europe is an Association of some 29 individual European country PGAs whose objective is to act as a support role to individual PGAs on a business-to-business basis. It strives to raise standards and opportunities collectively across Europe in the education and employment of golf professionals as well as representing member countries with governments and other legislative and influential bodies in the promotion of the game and the interests of professional golfers in general.

A core and key activity of The PGAs of Europe is education and the development of golf and the individual PGAs in their respective countries and to date, 17 member countries already deliver recognised professional training programmes. The PGAs of Europe continues to pursue a unified approach to training standards to assure the quality of education for PGA Professionals and coaches who provide the infrastructure for the growth and development of the sport across Europe, at grass roots through to elite levels of performance.

The long established PGAs of Europe education committee has representation from the larger PGAs with mature educational programmes (including of course PGA of GB & I at The Belfry) as well as experienced teachers and coaches who are well positioned in a structured way to assist member countries in their own educational development (but with limited/finite resource).

There has been demand to increase and better co-ordinate the work of the education committee and its objectives and an urgent need to formalise in golf, the European Coaching Council dictate of a ‘Four level system' of coaches (as in all sports).

As part of a three year plan (2008-2010), The PGAs of Europe are financially supported by Ryder Cup European Development Trust in funding a Director of Education who with Trust funds can concentrate on approved programmes:

  • Training of golf Tutors in the target countries

  • Development and regional delivery of appropriate elements of education programmes

  • Structuring and set up of local PGAs and establishing/improving relationships with Federations/Unions or national recognised sporting bodies

Practicing golf