Davis III becomes third African American to earn PGA Master Professional status
FRISCO, Texas (June 27, 2023) – The PGA of America has announced that Robert Davis III, PGA, the Director of Golf at the PGA Learning & Performance Center at Yalong Bay in China, has earned PGA Master Professional status, the highest educational designation a PGA Member can obtain.
Davis III, a Member of the International PGA Section and the third African American to become a PGA Master Professional, joins a special group of 436 PGA Members who have earned PGA Master Professional status. He follows in the footsteps of Richard Brown, PGA and Anthony Stepney, PGA, who became the first two African American PGA Master Professionals in 2019.
Having achieved his designation in Teaching & Coaching, Davis III is supporting the global expansion of golf as the first PGA Master Professional to work in China.
The PGA Master Professional program was established in 1969 to recognize PGA Members who make a significant effort to improve as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. The program is designed to ensure PGA Professionals are prepared to meet the growing demands of the marketplace within the Executive Management, Golf Operations, and Teaching and Coaching Designations.
“Achieving PGA Master Professional designation has been a long-time dream of mine,” said Davis III. “Through hard work and dedication, I’m extremely honored to be recognized alongside some of the most distinguished PGA Professionals in the game. I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to continue to grow the sport across the globe, while serving as a mentor to young and aspiring PGA Members.”
Davis III played golf at Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla., before transferring to and graduating from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. After graduating, he immediately began his journey toward PGA Membership, serving as an Assistant PGA Professional and Golf Instructor at facilities in the Midwest, Middle Atlantic and Northern Texas PGA Sections, including a stint as the General Manager of The Golf Club at Twin Creeks (Texas).
For most of 2022 he served as the Woodbridge Golf Club PGA Head Professional in Wylie, Texas. His journey to help spread the game globally began last October, as he moved overseas to follow his passion of teaching and growing the game.
The PGA Master Professional Program is available to any PGA Professional with at least 10 years of PGA Membership and has achieved advanced certification through the PGA Certified Professional Program. The curriculum includes an extensive project based on the specific certification previously acquired by the PGA Professional. PGA Master Professional status is earned upon successful completion of the presentation.
