Martha Hall, PGA,Assistant Director,Florida Gulf Coast UniversityPGA Golf Management Program,Fort Myers, Florida
For many, the summer internship season brings helping hands to support the operation. But according to PGA of America Golf Professional Martha Hall, Assistant Director of the PGA Golf Management Program at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida, the most successful facilities view interns as something more valuable: future leaders of the industry.
Over the past 18 years, Hall has facilitated nearly 2,500 internship placements across approximately 700 golf facilities through the Florida Gulf Coast University PGA Golf Management Program. Along the way, she’s been asked one question repeatedly: What creates a great internship experience?
Rather than speculate, Hall went straight to the source and surveyed 211 interns (pictured). The answer was consistent: Interns want to contribute, be mentored and feel like they matter.
“The best internship experiences combine real responsibility, strong mentorship and opportunities to make meaningful contributions,” Hall says.
That doesn’t mean assigning interns only to the visible parts of the operation. Students Hall interviewed repeatedly highlighted experiences that exposed them to the full business of golf.
Some pointed to practical moments – restructuring junior golf games, helping execute Monday outings or reorganizing rental operations. Others remembered opportunities that felt smaller in the moment but had lasting impact.
One student shared that working one-on-one with resume development boosted confidence and prepared him for future opportunities. Another said shadowing a lesson with a PGA Director of Instruction inspired him to develop his own teaching philosophy. One recalled sitting down to learn budgeting, forecasting and realizing the importance of being detail-oriented and thinking ahead.
Hall’s research also found that culture plays an equally important role. Students consistently valued welcoming environments, supportive leadership, career conversations, networking opportunities and the ability to experience multiple parts of the operation.
“One intern said they felt adopted into the team right away because they were included in so many different areas of the business,” Hall notes.
For facilities, that investment also pays dividends. Students talk. Exceptional internship experiences travel quickly through PGA Golf Management programs and peer networks, helping facilities attract motivated, high-potential candidates year after year.
But Hall believes the impact extends beyond recruiting.
“When PGA Professionals invest time into developing interns, they strengthen their own teams, contribute to the future of the industry and create professional relationships that can last decades,” she says.
