The USGA will fund more than 125 internships across its network of 58 Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) in 2022 through the P.J. Boatwright Jr. Internship Program.
Since the program’s inception in 1991, the USGA has invested more than $32 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 AGAs across the country. 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 total value of the internship funding in 2022 is $1.7 million.
“If you work in any aspect of the golf industry, you’ve likely crossed paths at some point with a former Boatwright intern,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “Providing paid opportunities for individuals across the country to start to their careers in golf is one of the most important investments we can make in the game’s future.”
All 58 AGAs in the United States and Puerto Rico were granted funding for the 2022 class. Lasting between three and 12 months, the internships provide experience in managing all aspects of the game, from conducting competitions and junior golf programs to supporting membership initiatives.
The internship program includes an orientation 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 2022 summit is being conducted virtually for the third straight year through a series of sessions running in May. The sessions are led by USGA staff members and include firsthand introductions to each of the association’s key service functions, including Championships, Rules, Green Section, Handicapping, Human Resources, 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.
