Ben Polland, PGA
“I am currently an Assistant Professional at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, NY where I have the pleasure of working for PGA Professional, Darrell Kestner. In addition to the ordinary duties of an assistant professional, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to chase my dream of playing golf professionally.
I was probably a 3 or 4 handicap shooting mid to high 70s until the summer of my senior year when I shot my first under par round in tournament. I was not good enough to play division one golf, but I knew I wanted to keep practicing and also get into the business side of things. That is where I stumbled upon the PGA Golf Management degree. Out of all the schools I visited, Campbell was the only school that focused on three words; business, teach and play. I remember David Orr, the Director of Instruction, saying that I would be a better player and teacher when I graduate. None of the other schools said that! I can tell you now, he was right.
With Campbell’s resources and the direction from its faculty and upperclassmen, I began to learn, practice, and gain experience that is truly unique to this little school in Buies Creek. I played in our student association’s tournament series, went to student led instruction seminars, attended PGMSA student led-bible studies, and even found out that I liked business classes! I became a better student, matured in my faith, and got better at golf!
The network that is continuing to grow because of alum, staff, and current students is what makes Campbell University the best. Most schools, including Campbell, have their own golf courses and facilities, some have new technology like Trackman, but none have a network like ours. If you are a prospective student reading this, my advice would be to seek a program where its goals are aligned with your interests, and be ready to invest in not only the school you see, but the people you meet.”
Jeff Beaumont, CPGA
“After many years working abroad, I have returned to my hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada to work as the First Assistant Professional at The Toronto Golf Club. The Toronto Golf Club is the third oldest golf club in North America being founded in 1876. It is a private facility located in the suburbs of Toronto and home to 27 holes and teaching academy.
Upon graduating from Campbell University in December, 2010 I accepted a seasonal job at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. After one season at Cape Kidnappers I moved north to take on the First Assistant Professional position at Kauri Cliffs located in KeriKeri, New Zealand. Both Cape Kidnappers & Kauri Cliffs are top 50 golf courses in the world with Cape Kidnappers being ranked 22nd & Kauri Cliffs ranked 39th by Golf Digest.
The PGA Golf Management program at Campbell University provided me with the knowledge and understanding of the golf business so I could succeed on my internships. The internship program at Campbell University is very well connected and allowed me to experience some of the top facilities in United States such as TPC Sawgrass, Westchester CC and The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. The golf management program also provided me the skills to become a strong player & instructor. The program’s Director of Instruction, David Orr and Assistant Program Director Ryan Dailey, provided instruction through the Player Development & Teaching Development program to help me take my game & teaching to the next level.
There are many great reasons to choose Campbell University Golf Management as your place to study but the main reasons I chose Campbell were the staff, facilities, reputation, internship opportunities and the Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) degree you receive at graduation. I’m very happy with my choice to attend Campbell University and would make the decision again!”
Jeremiah Graham, PGA
“Currently, I am the First Assistant Golf Professional at the Sea Island Golf Club located on the historic St. Simons Island in South Georgia. Sea Island is consistently recognized as one of top resorts in the country and also is host to the McGladrey Classic on both Seaside and Plantation courses. We also are fortunate to have four top 50 instructors at our state of the art Golf Performance Center (Todd Anderson, Jack Lumpkin, Mike Shannon, and Gale Petterson). The opportunities at Sea Island are endless. Prior to my time here at Sea Island, I was fortunate enough to spend five years at the Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, NC. Wade Hampton is consistently ranked among the top 25 golf courses in the country and gave me invaluable experiences servicing members and guests at the highest level. It was at this club where I was given the opportunity to serve as the liaison to the USGA in preparation and execution of the 2013 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.
The experiences and accomplishments above could not have been possible had I not taken advantage of the many resources which Campbell University afforded to me as a student. The lessons learned in the classroom and while on internships are invaluable in the development of a professional career. The most important lesson that I learned during my time at Campbell is to really identify what sort of facility matched my personal strengths and allowed me to be the most successful PGA Professional possible. Whether it be a high end private, resort, public, etc. it is important to identify what fits best and take full advantage of the resources at Campbell and the many opportunities while on internship.”