With more than 140 tournaments each year across the six PGA Tours and 24 countries, there is a need for qualified and talented people to be ready to manage successful tournaments. As a membership organization for male professional golfers, it is no surprise that a majority of the leadership amongst the tournament organizers are men. In fact, less than 15% of the tournament leadership are women. The Executive Director Initiative (EDI) is an effort to identify, recruit and develop talented individuals to be ready for selection by the charitable, host organization* or placed at a PGA TOUR-managed event.

*95% of PGA TOUR tournaments are structured as 501(c)3 organizations.

We designed a three-pronged approach with the intent to develop executive directors in the short, mid and long term, as well as for small, medium and large events on all of our Tours.

The plan of attack included:

• A comprehensive understanding of the required knowledge, skills and attributes required
• Identification and recruitment of potential internal and external candidates
• Programs to develop the knowledge and skills needed for success in this role

The success of the EDI is measured in three ways. First, by having a qualified candidate available when an opening arises at any tournament. Second, when a host organization or the PGA TOUR is willing to hire the candidate for their opening. And finally, based on the tournament’s overall financial success. To date, after two training periods, nearly 30% of those who have gone through EDI training are women. The program was officially launched in the spring of 2016, and while the second training period is still in progress, we are pleased we have 100% female placement to date.

Nerissa Robinson