Membership Policies and Procedures

Any former PGA of Canada member who is looking to reinstate their amateur status with Golf Canada must fill out the Golf Canada Application for Reinstatement form found here.

Once the form has been filled out, you can send it to Jacob at jacob@pgaofcanada.com to have the section “Statement by Professional Golf Association” filled out and sent to Golf Canada for review, approval, and to determine your waiting period.
 
To learn more about Amateur Status, please click here.

To apply to change your membership category with the PGA of Canada, go to the website to review category definitions (here) and upload your job description outlining your responsibilities at the facility (here). Additionally, business owners will be required to upload proof of ownership.

Your category change request will be reviewed by the National Office Staff. It is the responsibility of the National Office Staff to approve or reject any applications based on the policy approved by the National Board of Directors. The National Office Staff may consult with Zone Office Staff to ensure your application meets the criteria.

Please note:  By uploading an incorrect job description, you will be breaching the PGA Code of Professional Conduct and Safe Sport Policy and may be subject to disciplinary sanctions by the PGA of Canada Disciplinary Committee as outlined in the policy.

Please click here, to update your facility if you have accepted a new position in your current zone.
If you have accepted a new position outside of your current zone, please refer to our “Zone Transfer Procedure” below. 

If you have forgotten your password to log in to your PGA of Canada profile, please follow these steps:

1. Click on the person icon on the top right-hand corner of your screen and select sign in.
2. Click on the black button that says, “Forgot Password?”
3. Enter your PGA of Canada Member ID number and click “Submit”. 
4. An email will be sent with a link to reset your password. Please make a new password and try logging in.

Or watch the video tutorial on how to reset your password - click the play button below. If you forget your PGA of Canada Member ID number or are still having trouble logging in to your profile, please contact Jacob at jacob@pgaofcanada.com for assistance. 

As an Apprentice Professional, you are required to complete a minimum of 3000 industry hours before achieving your Class “A” status. Along with needing to obtain a minimum of 5 Training Academy credits per year, an Apprentice Professional will need to work and submit a minimum of 400 industry hours in a calendar year to remain in active and good standing with the PGA of Canada. 

Please click here, to access the Industry Hour Form.

Industry Hours FAQ: click here

The PGA of Canada Insurance Program is mandatory and is included with your annual dues at a minimal cost. What coverage is included? 

Liability Insurance

$5 Million in liability insurance coverage. For more information, click here.

For a requested specific certificate of liability insurance, please click here for the request form and forward it to Sacha Vaillancourt at svaillancourt@bflcanada.ca.

To access the general Master Liability Certificate of Insurance, please click here. 

Life Insurance
$15,000 until the year you turn 70 as part of your PGA of Canada Membership. For more information, please click here. 

Beneficiary Form
The Beneficiary Form determines who would receive the $15,000. To update or submit your beneficiary form, please follow the instructions below:

1. Print the form - click here

2. Section 1  - Plan Member Details:

Plan Member ID =  your PGA of Canada Membership ID number
Contract Number = 70643
Location/billing group number = Please leave this box blank

3. Upload the form to the Documents section of your profile - upload it here

4. Mail the original Beneficiary Form to:
        BFL Canada - CSI
        Attn. Nicholas Landry
        2010 - 181 University Ave
        Toronto, ON, M5H 3M7

As a PGA of Canada member, you have access to a variety of exclusive benefits and perks. Please click on the following links below to learn more about what is offered through your PGA of Canada membership:

​​​​​​

• Access to Golf Events
• Awards and Scholarships 
• Compensation and Benefit Survey
• Discounts 
• Insurance
• Member Assistance Program
• National & Zone Championships
• Professional Development
• Retirement Advantage Program
• Trade-In Network

Please click on the following links to learn more about each PGA of Canada member category:
 

•    Applicant

•    Apprentice Professional

•    Class "A" Assistant Golf Coach

•    Class "A" Assistant Professional

•    Class "A" Associate Professional

•    Class "A" Chief Executive Officer

•    Class "A" Chief Operating Officer

•    Class "A" Club Fitting Specialist

•    Class "A" Director of Golf

•    Class "A" Director of Instruction

•    Class "A" Director of Operations

•    Class "A" Emeritus Professional

•    Class "A" General Manager

•    Class "A" Head Golf Coach

•   Class "A" Head Professional

•   Class "A" Head Teaching Professional

•   Class "A" Manager of Golf Operations

•   Class "A" Owner/Operator

•   Class "A" Professional

•   Class "A" Pro-Manager

•   Class "A" Sales Representative

•   Class "A" Teaching Professional

Designations 

•   Class “A” Life Professional 

•   Class “A” Master Professional

•   Hall of Fame Member

Honorary

•   Honorary Director

•   Honorary Life Member

•   Honorary Tournament Professional
 

Membership cards are available digitally on your PGA of Canada profile. To access your digital card, you can go to pgaofcanada.com and log in. After logging in, click on the top right-hand corner log-in circle (either your initials or the picture you uploaded). A menu will drop down and you can select “Membership Card” from the menu to view your digital card.

Please click here, to access more information about PGA digital membership cards.
Please click here, to directly access your PGA digital membership card.

Plastic Membership Cards: Plastic membership cards are still available if you wish to order one. To order a plastic membership card, please click here, to access the member card request form.

Please note, that membership cards will only be sent out to members who are in active standing with the PGA of Canada.

Check out the PGA of Canada Handbook by clicking on the image below!

Class “A” Members and Apprentice Professionals work in the golf industry and reside outside of Canada. These individuals will be considered Non-Resident. These individuals will not be subject to zone dues unless they wish to hold membership within the last zone that they were affiliated with. The zone will have discretion over the eligibility of the individual to be a part of the zone. Zones have the discretion of whether to allow Non-Resident Members and Apprentice Professionals to play in zone tournaments. Non-residents may not be eligible for some of the group insurance benefits and will not be subject to insurance premiums relating to benefits that they are not eligible to receive.

To apply, please fill out this form - here to provide us with your new contact information. Non-resident applicants will also be required to provide the following:

• Facility Name
• Facility Address
• Facility Website
• Facility Phone Number
• Job Title
• Letter From Your Employer to Confirm Your Employment

If you have any questions about the Non-Resident application, please contact Darcy at darcy@pgaofcanada.com or 1(800)782-5764 ext.224

The Playing Ability Test is a standardized test all applicants must pass to be eligible to apply for membership.

Registration costs $175 plus tax. Registration is valid for 1 year from the date of registration. The PATs are conducted by the Zones, the cost for each additional PAT attempt will range from $150-$215 plus tax.

PAT Target Score:

• 1 round PAT
• No maximum number of attempts per year
• All PATs are open to all applicants
• For Men, 49 years of age and under, the course rating plus 9
• For Men, 50 years of age and older, the course rating plus 11
• For Women, 49 years of age and under, the course rating plus 13
• For Women, 50 years of age and older, the course rating plus 15
• For Golfers with Different Abilities, click here to learn more

For the schedule of PAT events (posted by April 1st) and online registrations for PATs, please click here. 

PAT Refund Policy:

After the registration deadline for a PAT has passed, no refunds will be issued, and your PAT attempt included with your registration fee will be used - not transferable to another PAT opportunity.

Registration Refund Policy:
Once you attempt a PAT, you are no longer eligible for a refund of your registration fee.  After December 31st of the year you registered, no refunds will be issued for that year's registration.

PAT Exemptions

In recognition of demonstrated playing ability, an applicant will be awarded an exemption from the Playing Ability Test requirement based on the following criteria:

• Must be a stroke play event with rules officials present
• Score meets the PAT standard of 9 over the course rating for men and 13 over the course rating for women
• Scores from an event within the past two years (2022 & 2021) run by one of the following:
  Golf Canada and its provincial associations, The R&A, USGA, European Disabled Golfers Association (EDGA), NCAA, PGA Tour, Mackenzie PGA Tour Canada, Korn Ferry Tour, Asian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour Australasia, Sunshine Tour, Challenge Tour, Champions Tour, European Seniors Tour, Korean Tour, LPGA Tour, Symetra Tour, Ladies European Tour, LPGA of Japan, Australian (ALPG) Tour, Korean LPGA Tour (KLPGA), PGA of Canada National Championships, PAT run by a PGA of Canada Zone and a PAT run by recognized foreign PGA's.

To submit your application form for a PAT exemption, please click here. 

Please note that if granted a PAT Exemption, your registration fee will be adjusted to $350 plus tax.

Please send any questions or inquiries to the following email: applicants@pgaofcanada.com

Before officially becoming a PGA of Canada Apprentice Professional, each applicant must provide the following:

 

 

Brand and Logo Use

The use of the logo is not just an earned privilege; it is a contractually binding obligation on behalf of the user. If you are not a qualified member in good standing you are not eligible to use the logo or the brand. If you are a qualified member you are eligible to use the logo and the brand name on the condition that you use it only within the prescribed regulations.

To review the Regulations Governing the Use of the PGA of Canada Logo and the Brand Name PGA of Canada, please click here. 

For access to the logo file, please email marketing@pgaofcanada.com

PGA Code of Professional Conduct and Safe Sport Policy -  click here

Safe Sport Screening Requirements - click here
Safe Sport Screening Requirements FAQ - click here

International PGA’s: 

The PGA of Canada offers reciprocal arrangements with Class “A” Members from the following PGAs:

• PGA of America
• PGA of Australia
• PGA of France
• PGA of Great Britain
• PGA of Germany
• PGA of New Zealand
• PGA of South Africa

To become a Class “A” Member with the PGA of Canada using the reciprocal arrangement with the above association, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Email Darcy at darcy@pgaofcanada.com to inform him that you would like to start the reciprocal arrangement process.
2. Provide your contact information to set up your account - preferred email address, phone number, mailing address, and date of birth.
3. Obtain a letter from your PGA  stating that you are a Class “A” Member in good standing.
4. Complete a police check with ISB Global Services (One Badge)– click here
5. Complete the online Respect in Sport Program – click here
6. Payment of Annual Dues 

If you have any questions about the International PGA Reciprocal Arrangements, please contact Darcy at darcy@pgaofcanada.com or 1(800)-782-5764 ext.224

LPGA

The PGA of Canada has developed an exciting partnership with the LPGA, opening a pathway for LPGA Class “A” members to join the association. To learn more about this partnership, please click here. 

Any LPGA Class “A” members will be exempt from the Play Ability Test (PAT) and will automatically receive 20.0 of the 30.0 credits required to achieve Class “A” status with the PGA of Canada. 

Any LPGA member that is looking to become a PGA of Canada member, should contact Darcy at darcy@pgaofcanada.com  or 1(800)-782-5764 ext.224 to initiate the process.

Please refer to the PGA of Canada-LPGA Pathway Chart below for course equivalencies in the PGA Training Academy:
 

 

Former PGA of Canada members or apprentices who want to be reinstated into the association, learn the process (6 steps) is outlined online here. Any questions or inquiries can be directed to reinstatements@pgaofcanada.com.

Leave of Absence:

Any Class “A” Member or Apprentice Professional may apply at any time that they are in good standing and are not indebted to the Association in any manner whatsoever, for a Leave of Absence. This Leave of Absence shall have a twelve-month time limit and must be pre-approved. A Member on a Leave of Absence shall not be eligible to enter nationally conducted tournaments and shall not be entitled to vote at any Annual General Meeting or special general meeting or hold office as a Director of the Association. Zone privileges will be determined by the Zone Board. 

For Class “A” Members or Apprentice Professionals requesting a leave of absence for parental leave, the time limit shall equal that of which was agreed with their employer up to a maximum of 18 months.   

Members can reapply for an extension prior to the completion of their first leave of absence.  

To submit your application form for a Leave of Absence, please click here. 
Please send any questions or inquiries to  darcy@pgaofcanada.com

Resignation:

If you are currently a PGA of Canada member looking to resign, please send an email to jacob@pgaofcanada.com stating your intent to withdraw from the association and the reason. We will update your profile with the necessary changes as well as refund your dues (when applicable).

Please see below, for the steps to update your PGA of Canada profile:

1. Log in to your PGA of Canada profile
2. Once logged in, click on the top right-hand corner circle icon (will be a picture or your initials)
3. When the drop-down menu opens, click “Profile”
4. This will lead you to a page that allows you to change your personal information, email, phone number, language, bio, etc. 
5. If you would like to change your address, click on the “Profile” drop-down menu to the left of your screen and click, “Change Your Address”. 

Please click here, to access your member profile directly. 

If you have accepted a new position in a different zone than you are currently in or have moved to another province to find work, please email jacob@pgaofcanada.com to proceed with the necessary steps for a zone transfer. A zone transfer may include a change in your:

•    Zone
•    Annual Dues Invoice
•    Facility
•    Contact Information 
•    Member Category (If Applicable)