The Road to PGA Success Completed
Next time you find yourself playing golf in Delaware, we invite you to stop by the Golf Shop at Heritage Shores Club to congratulate Head Golf Professional, Brooks Massey, on recently acquiring his PGA status!
Brooks Massey has been a familiar face at the Heritage Shores Club since 2006, when he began his journey as the 1st Assistant Golf Professional and in 2011, was promoted to Head Golf Professional. Delaware Golf Professionals undergo a tedious process to earn their PGA Certification which requires not only golf skill but patience as well. There are four steps and three levels that must be completed within six years in order to qualify for certification.
First Step: The Playing Ability Test
Brooks shot 151 over the two rounds to qualify for PGA registration in August 2006
Second Step: Become a PGA Apprentice
In order to register with the PGA to become a PGA Apprentice, you need a minimum of 6 months of work experience with a PGA Professional. In March 2007, Brooks was able to register for the program as Heritage Shores became a PGA recognized golf facility. Once registered, Brooks became a Level 1 Apprentice, which would require him to complete 2 years of on the job training. When Brooks completed his 2 years of training, he then traveled to the PGA Headquarters in Florida for testing. This testing includes 6 knowledge tests and 4 simulations tests. In February 2009, Brooks passed all tests with flying colors to become a Level 2 Apprentice!
Third Step: Level 2 Apprenticeship
While Brooks was halfway through his application process, he still had 2 more years of work experience to complete. Brooks was fortunate during this 2 year stretch that he was able to work with two golf professionals gaining valuable work experiences from both Dan Elliott and Mike Tritapoe. Once his 2 years was complete, he then traveled to Florida for more testing which included 4 knowledge tests and 2 simulation tests. In February 2011, Brooks passed his tests moving him up to Level 3 Apprenticeship!
Fourth Step: In the Home Stretch!
Within one year, Brooks was able to complete his final work experience kit and in January 2012, he traveled to Florida for his final round of tests. This trip included 4 knowledge tests and 1 simulation test. In addition to his testing, Brooks was tasked with preparing a 30-minute presentation relating to the golf industry. His topic of choice was “maximizing revenue while keeping value in a golf membership.” Brooks was also required to submit his resume to a PGA Certified Professional, which then led him to a mock interview. Needless to say, Brooks did a fantastic job and on January 13th, he was elected to PGA status!
The four steps mentioned above may not be a fantastic representation of the PGA Certification process, but please know that Brooks completed his certification in 5 years when he was allotted 6 years to finish. In total, Brooks underwent 31 tests, both knowledge and simulation to earn his stripes. We are very proud to work side-by-side with Brooks everyday and we are pleased to call him our PGA Head Golf Professional!