To attract alumni, the annual Professional Golf Management (PGM) alumni group tournament and dinner is held at the same time as the Professional Golf Association’s annual merchandise show in Orlando, Fla. This annual show, held since the 1950s and the oldest show of it’s kind, attracts 40,000 industry professionals each year.

“We always have tons of alumni and undergrads in the area for the annual PGA merchandise show so this event is a great way to pull them together for some fun and networking,” says Michael Gardner ’96, general manager of the Tuscawilla Country Club, the location for the last three years of the tournament and dinner.

During the dinner on Jan. 26, the Professional Golf Management APG presented its “Pride of the Lions Award” to Joe Hughes ’99, PGA head golf professional at the Penn State Golf Courses and one of the driving forces behind the ongoing renovations to the University’s golf courses, the Penn State Blue and White courses.

“Joe has been very instrumental with helping to provide a lot of services and programs for the PGM program,” said Gardner. “He’s helped create programs and services that are adding value to the program and differentiating us from other schools in a really positive way.”

The PGM alumni group’s dinner “serves to reestablish alumni relationships and give our undergraduate students the opportunity to meet alumni and share information regarding future internship opportunities and full-time positions,” says Burch Wilkes, coordinator of the Professional Golf Management program.

For more information on the Professional Golf Management APG, e-mail President Kevin Hamluk ’97 at khamluk@cox.net.