Day in the life of
Director of Player Development – Erika Pirkl, PGA
A typical workday for me is anything but typical – one of the many things I enjoy about this industry.
During our off-season (October – March), we are busy planning for upcoming events, working on marketing strategies, social media, budgeting, etc., with some travel thrown in between.
During our active golf season (April- September), it’s common to be in the office only 1-2 days per week and traveling all over the state running junior golf events, offering educational events to our Wisconsin PGA members, promoting clinics for unique groups of golfers like our military veterans or engaging in fundraising efforts for our WPGA Jr. Foundation. We are fortunate that given the diverse groups of members and people we work with, no two days really look exactly alike!
Specifically, my current position is focused on administering the PGA of America’s growth of the game initiatives like PGA Jr.League and Drive, Chip and Putt with the goal of introducing golf to as many juniors as possible and providing them a pathway of opportunities to stay engaged in the sport beyond their childhood years. Our organization runs close to 130 junior golf events all over the state for boys and girls 7-21, we offer high school and college scholarships, and we employ interns interested in working in the golf industry to help us accomplish our goals.
Pros
One of the most enjoyable aspects of my position is the great people I meet day after day. The golf community is a close-knit but diverse group of people who all have one thing in common – we love the game! Golf has brought me many things that I am thankful for so it’s an honor to be able to give that to others as they continue to play the game.
Cons
A challenging part of working in the golf industry can be the infamous “work-life-home balance.” Many of my mentors have shared this quote with me: “Be where your feet are.” Meaning – if you are running an event or planning for the next, be all in. When you are at home eating dinner with your family, be all in. It might not be balanced all the time – and that’s ok.
