Seth Waugh steps down as CEO

FRISCO, Texas (June 26, 2024) ー The PGA of America announced today that CEO Seth Waugh has decided to step down from his position as CEO and move to an advisory role.

“On behalf of the PGA of America’s more than 30,000 golf professionals, we are grateful for Seth’s leadership and all he has accomplished for our members, our game, our business and our people,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at The Country Club of Lansing in Lansing, Michigan. “He skillfully guided us through extremely difficult times and has always been a great partner. We are fortunate to have his always helpful advice and counsel.”

A nationwide search for a new CEO is underway and will include internal and external candidates. During the transition period, Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh will serve as interim CEO. Haigh, who has been a key member of the PGA of America’s leadership team since 1989, will not be part of the candidate pool for the new CEO position.

Waugh, who was named CEO in August 2018 after a three-year term as an independent director on the PGA of America board, has served with the association for almost nine years.

“I recently informed the board that I will not be renewing my contract, which expires on June 30, but I am honored to continue to serve the Association as a senior advisor,” Waugh said. “It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve as CEO of the PGA of America for the past six years.

“I am proud of all we have accomplished for the more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals and the game itself. I enjoy every moment I get to serve alongside all of my colleagues, various officers and board members, and get to know the many dedicated members who are on the front lines of the game we love every day of the year. The Everyday Game has never been stronger, more loved or better prepared for the future thanks to their passion and how we all worked together to make the lives of millions of people better through our extraordinary sport.

“Our goal from the beginning was to leave the premises in better condition than we found it, and I believe that together we have done just that. Golf has never been younger or more reflective of the larger population. It has never been more future-oriented, more popular or considered cooler than it is today. I have often said that golf is one of the greatest agents of good on earth. I am probably the greatest beneficiary of that good of all time, and I would like to thank the Members, my colleagues, all my various board members, past presidents, our extraordinary partners, my peers in all other golf organizations, and all those who play and love our beautiful game, for all your support and friendship along the way. What a gift it has been. Thank you.”

Waugh’s list of accomplishments is impressive: As a board advisor, he played a key role in crafting PGA of America’s groundbreaking 11-year media rights deals with CBS and ESPN. As CEO, he finalized complex $500 million transformational public-private partnership agreements with Omni Hotels & Resorts, the City of Frisco, its economic and community development enterprises, and the Frisco Independent School District, making PGA Frisco and the home of the PGA of America become reality. He helped grow the PGA of America’s business in many ways, including signing groundbreaking partnerships with Rolex and T-Mobile. He helped expand the impact of the PGA of America REACH Foundation by spearheading a $100 million capital campaign titled “Impacting Lives Through Golf.”

Fulfilling a promise made when he was appointed CEO, Waugh developed the first deferred compensation retirement plan for members of the PGA of America. During Waugh’s tenure as CEO, the number of PGA of America golf professionals topped 30,000 for the first time, average compensation had never been higher, and member satisfaction levels reached an all-time high.

Perhaps most notably, Waugh has skillfully led the PGA of America through the uncertainties of the pandemic. Under his leadership, the PGA spearheaded the creation of the nearly $8 million Golf Emergency Relief Fund. The Back 2 Golf initiative developed important safety protocols with the CDC, leading to a historic increase in rounds played. Waugh also reached out to the industry to collectively repackage golf’s schedule, including the PGA Championship as the first major championship to return to play without fans in 2020, and importantly, reposition the Ryder Cup for unprecedented success in 2021.

Waugh and the PGA of America also inspired leading players in golf to form six industry working groups that designed the innovative “Make Golf Your Thing” movement to seize this moment to advance the game generationally and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the golf industry. Under Waugh’s leadership, the PGA has expanded its inclusive practices to help grow the game while providing community access to golf through the launch of “PGA Places to Play” for underserved populations, where a $1.75 million grant led to the raising of more than $35 million in support projects across the country. Today, the game has never had greater participation or been a better reflection of society.

In 2022, Waugh was recognized by One Hundred Black Men of New York with the Judge Robert Mangum Diversity Champion Award. He was also honored with the 2022 Sports Leadership Award for “caring and transformational leadership” at the 39th Annual March of Dimes Sports Luncheon.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the largest sports organizations in the world, comprised of more than 30,000 PGA of America golf professionals who love the game, are expert coaches, operators and business leaders, and work daily to increase interest, inclusivity and participation in the sport. The PGA of America owns and organizes numerous championships and events, including major championships for men, women, seniors and the Ryder Cup, one of the most important sporting events in the world. For more information, visit PGA.com and follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contacts
Jamie Carbone, PGA of America, 561-352-8963, [email protected]