The USGA will fund 135 internships across its network of 59 Allied Golf Associations in 2021 through the P.J. Boatwright Jr. Internship Program, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Since the program’s inception in 1991, the USGA has invested more than $30 million into cultivating future leaders of the golf industry by providing qualified applicants of all backgrounds with paid, hands-on experience as staff members at state and regional golf associations. The program has helped launch the careers of more than 3,000 individuals, with alumni holding leadership positions throughout the golf and broader sports industries and beyond.
The value of the internship funding in 2021 totals $1.7 million.
“Providing a pathway to a career in golf through the P.J. Boatwright Internship Program is one of the most important annual investments the USGA makes in the game’s long-term sustainability,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “Our 59 AGAs play a critical role in advancing the game at the local level and provide interns with some of the most valuable experience our industry has to offer.”
All 59 AGAs in the United States and Puerto Rico were granted funding for the 2021 class. Lasting between three and 12 months, the internships provide experience in managing all aspects of the game, including conducting competitions and junior golf programs, and supporting membership initiatives.
One-third of all current state and regional golf association staff members are Boatwright alumni, including 21 AGA executive directors, as well as 16 USGA staff members.
The internship program includes a two-day summit, in which interns from across the country visit the USGA campus for interactive professional development sessions and to network with USGA staff and each other. Due to the circumstances caused by COVID-19, the 2021 summit is being conducted virtually for the second straight year through a series of sessions running from May 19-26. The sessions are led by USGA staff members and include firsthand introductions to each of the association’s key service functions, including Championships, Rules, the Museum, Green Section, Handicapping, Equipment Standards, and embracing differences, personal growth and development as well as Communications and Marketing.
The program honors the contributions of P.J. Boatwright Jr., the USGA’s third executive director, who played a pivotal role in the development of both the USGA and golf in the United States. An accomplished amateur player and one of the game’s foremost Rules experts, he served as executive director of the Carolinas Golf Association for five years before joining the USGA in 1959. He served the association until his death in 1991, leaving a legacy of sportsmanship and service.
In addition to being a recipient of the Bob Jones Award, the USGA’s highest honor, Boatwright’s legacy is celebrated through his enshrinement in the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, Wofford College Hall of Fame and Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame, among others. In 1990, the Golf Writers Association of America presented him with the William D. Richardson Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to golf.
The internship program is part of the USGA’s annual $70 million investment back into the game fueled by revenues generated by the U.S. Open Championship.
