PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Thomas R. Inczauskis, PGA director of instruction at Methodist University Golf Club in Fayetteville, N.C., has completed the final requirements to achieve PGA Master Professional status as a graduate of the PGA of America's Master Professional Program in Instruction. Inczauskis completed final requirements last month.

"Continuing education is becoming a necessity for those in the golf industry, especially as additional demands are being placed on PGA Professionals to not only be experts in the game of golf, but also run mutli-million dollar facilities and businesses," said Inczauskis. "Earning my Master Professional status is a tremendous personal and professional achievement. As I tell my students, education should be an important part of the development of a PGA Professional and it doesn't stop after you achieve the Master Professional status."

Since the program's inception, 323 PGA Professionals have graduated from the PGA Master Professional Program. The program is the highest educational level attained by PGA of America members. It was established in 1969 to recognize PGA members who make a significant effort to improve themselves as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. One of the original requirements for earning PGA Master Professional status was the submission of an extensive thesis on one aspect of golf, which was reviewed by a panel of professional experts in the field. The thesis topics ranged from the mental and physical aspects of the golf swing to golf course construction and computer technology in the golf shop. The PGA Master Professional Program then changed to require members to complete one of seven Specialty Certification courses: Instruction, Rules, General Management, Golf Operations, Tournament Operations, Golf Car Fleet Management or Merchandising. Professionals desiring PGA Master Professional status also had to be active PGA members for a minimum of eight years.

The PGA Master Professional program now originates from the PGA Certified Professional Program. After a PGA member passes the PGA Certified Professional Program ProFiciency Test, he or she is eligible to work toward their "Masters Degree" in education by preparing a special project in their selected career path that meets the approval of examiners. This process is similar to the "Masters Thesis" project previously required to earn PGA Master Professional status. The Master Professional applicant then presents his or her project to a panel of examiners and answers questions on the project.