PDR Frequently Asked Questions

A primary goal of PDR participation is to promote professional development. PDR should help PGA Members become well-rounded professionals who are committed to the traditional values of golf which are teaching, playing and promoting the game. Player development, continuing education and participation in Section and Chapter activities are a vital part of the process.

Fifty‐four (54) Total credits are required for a three‐year cycle; of which at least 30 must come from Education and/or Specified Player Engagement Programs and six (6) must come from Meetings and/or National Survey Submission.

You may track your requirements and earnings via PGA.org at any time. In addition, the PGA Membership Department is available at (800) 474-2776 to offer assistance during regular business hours.

Yes. The intent is to award PGA Professionals for their efforts to bring new people into the game and plans to retain them. With this in mind, you can earn credits for your own programs provided they meet certain parameters.

Once you’ve logged into PGA.org, go to the “Earn and Report PDRs” to ensure your program meets the basic parameters.

Please remember, you have the flexibility to keep your original name or adopt the national brands. Internally, the PGA will be able to track and promote your programs.

• PGA HOPE Clinics (1 credit for hour or each hour of participation, up to six credits per PDR cycle year
• PGA Junior League (6 credits per team/season, maximum of two PGA Members earning credit per team/season, up to twelve credits per PDR cycle year
• PGA Family Golf ‐ (Two (2) Credits per program with a maximum of six (6) per cycle year)
• PGA Junior Camps – (2 credits per camp week, up to six credits per PDR cycle year)
• Drive Chip & Putt ‐ Host PGA Professional ‐ 4 PGA Required PDR credits. Other PGA Professionals participating/volunteering ‐ 2 PGA Required PDR credits for five to eight hours participation, 1 PGA Required credit for four hours participation, up to eight credits per PDR cycle year.

These programs must be introductory in nature, targeting new or former beginners and include:

• Series or group lessons or clinics
• Cover the basics of golf including putting, short game, full swing – irons, full swing – woods, and overview of rules, etiquette, terminology and history of golf
• On-course learning experiences
• Give students access to using clubs and golf balls throughout the program
• Affordably priced

Yes, provided there are at least three students for every instructor. As an example, if two PGA Members taught a Get Golf Ready program for a total of eight students, each PGA Member would earn PDR credit. A PGA Member can earn a maximum of 2 PDR credits for any one Get Golf Ready program.

• Log into PGA.org and navigate to your dashboard
• Click on “Report PDR Activity”
• Depending on what type of event you are reporting, click on “Report PDR Activity”
• For “Service to the PGA/Industry,” complete the requested information and click submit
• For “Get Golf Ready” type of events, click on the “click here” bullet point to create an Event
• Enter event details and click “Submit”
• Click on newly-created Event Name and complete the requested information and click “Submit”
• Add your students to the roster and click “Next Step,” either by typing in First/Last Name on the right and then click on Summit or by adding previously entered students from the list on the left hand side
• Then verify your entries to make sure they are correct and then click “Next Step”
• Now you need to select the PGA Professionals from the facility who should receive the PDRs, or you can search for the other PGA members at another facility to add their name to the list of who should receive the PDRs and then click on “Submit”

In general, these should be next-step group lessons targeting novice golfers. The lessons should follow the same basic topics and parameters, yet taught in more comprehensive details, further enhancing your novice golfers’ confidence to play.

The desired end result is ultimately creating new golfers who have the confidence to go on to a course and play. “Get Golf Ready Outings and Leagues” are simply branded phases for structured opportunities for the new and novice golfers to play in casual formats.

To earn credits, the playing opportunities must be:

• Structured and organized by the golf staff
• Fun, casual formats (i.e. scrambles, 3-6 holes, PGA Family Tees, etc)
• Professionals and/or staff need to be on hand to mentor / help players have a fun experience
• Players should have access to golf clubs and balls

There are two ways to report results and earn PDR credits. First is to use the online tools to promote your program and accept online registrations. This will allow PGA to track the number of events. The other is through submitting end of the season reports.

While the PGA would prefer you use these tools, we understand members may already have adequate systems in place. However, a member will need to report results online in order to receive PDR credit.

You are not required to give this data, however, the PGA does request that you do provide this information as we reach out annually to measure golfer participation and spending. Plus appropriate marketing messages about golf are sent throughout the year. Regardless of what you share, it is vital that you collect this data for your own marketing purposes.

Respecting there are privacy laws, only those students / consumers who give appropriate opt-in permission will receive emails.

Using the reporting tools is all that will be required. As PGA Professionals are committed to uphold the Code of Ethics, we are confident the data reported will be accurate.

A Section meeting is where Section business is conducted; i.e. approval of minutes and discussion of tournament eligibility.

Yes, attending Section, Chapter and/or National PGA committees and board meetings will be awarded PDR Meeting credits.

“Education” is defined as attending or serving as an instructor or speaker for any education that is conducted directly by the National, Section or Chapter PGA, including online education via PGA.org. All Education will be credited toward the 30 PGA Required credits.

Examples of Education: includes any gathering of members organized by a Section/Chapter or National, whether for governance, education, or both. In addition, career-specific education from outside sources approved by the PGA will be credited toward this category.

No, PDR education credits can be earned as just an attendee, just an instructor/speaker or any combination thereof.

Any workshop or seminar conducted by or for the National PGA, Section or Chapter will be worth PGA Required credits. Credits are posted as one hour of attendance equals one PDR credit, with no maximum.

All online education offered via PGA.org is approved for PDR Education credits for the PGA Required category. PGA Professionals can receive PDR credits from the many online education offerings beyond the scope of PGA.org, which will be credited toward “PGA Required.” Please keep in mind that online courses/ webinars without an assessment are not eligible for PDR credit. The following parameters will be used to qualify outside online courses:

• Course provider must be able to provide a course outline.
• Course provider must be able to provide an estimate of the time required to complete the course.
• Course must be considered professional development and not personal development.
• PGA Member is required to submit verification of successful completion and assessment of the course within 30 days of completion.
• Pre-Approved Online Provider information would need to be submitted.

It is the responsibility of the PGA Member to provide all the needed documentation listed above. Documentation would be reviewed and approved by the PGA Membership Department in consultation with the PGA Education Department. A maximum of eight (8) PDR “PGA Required” credits may be awarded for any one online course.

Yes, but only if the seminar is not company product specific or used primarily as a sales promotion. For example, a seminar on golf balls, the history, evolution, manufacturing, etc. … would be worth PDR “PGA Required” credits. A seminar promoting a particular brand of golf ball would not be worth any PDR credits.

An article is worth credits only once, even if published multiple times or in multiple magazines or newspapers.

Each Section can sanction a number of events for PDR credit into the Total Category. Sections may choose to sanction any and all events on the Section and/or Chapter calendar, or Sections may choose only specific events that are considered sanctioned. Please check with your Section for a list of sanctioned events.

As a member in the Unaffiliated Section, you are required to fulfill 2/3 of the PDR hours required for Affiliated Members which based on current requirements would be 24 PGA Required credits and 36 Total credits (versus current 36 PGA Required credits and 54 Total credits).

As a member returning to a PGA section, you will have a pro-rated PDR requirement to complete for the remainder of the cycle once you have returned stateside. To determine the pro-rated amount, please click here for the PDR Pro-rated Schedule.

Yes, provided this is not your primary employment. Please send written documentation from the Athletic Director or school official, on school letterhead, of the golf season (start and end dates) and duties performed for review.

Members who do not satisfy the requirements of the Professional Development Program shall be reclassified as Class “F” Members of the Association at the beginning of the next fiscal year. They shall remain in this classification until they earn the deficit requirements of the previous period and an amount equal to the deficit in the new period. Class “F” Members who do not satisfy these requirements by the end of the Professional Development Program period in which they were transferred to Class F shall be terminated from membership.

Once Class F members get out of Class F, they will have additional requirements to be satisfied by the end of the current PDR cycle to avoid being transferred back to Class F.

So long as they are Members of the Association, Class “F” Members may not be transferred into any other classification until they satisfy these requirements. Members may appeal their classification as Class “F” Members or their termination from membership, as a result of these provisions, to the Board of Control in accordance with the provisions of Article VII.