It was a letter from a North Wales pro in
Golf Illustrated on 12 April 1901 that triggered the idea of a professional golfers' association, advocating that pros needed to band together to protect their interests. Within months the leading players of the day, led by the legendary
J.H. Taylor had galvanised enough support to form the '''London and Counties Professional Golfers' Association'
. The formation of the association was announced in The Times'' on 9 August 1901.
Arthur Balfour consented to be the president of the association. The association had already announced its first competition, to be held at
Tooting Bec Golf Club,
Furzedown on 8 October. The event was delayed by a week and was played on 15 October. The Tooting Bec Club donated a "
silver challenge cup" to be awarded to the winner. Of the 50 members who entered 46 played, the tournament being over 36 holes of stroke play. The name of the association was changed at the first AGM on 2 December 1901 to The Professional Golfers' Association. Membership was reported as 59 professionals with 11 assistants and funds of just over £47. The golfing landscape in those early days was very different to the modern game with pros, even the very best like Taylor,
Vardon and Braid, earning a living from club duties, club and ball-making, green-keeping, teaching here and there and of course competing in tournaments. A separate Northern Counties Professional Golfers' Association was formed as a result of a meeting in Leeds on 9 January 1902. At a subsequent meeting, also in Leeds, on 24 March 1902 it was decided that, subject to certain conditions, it would amalgamate with the London-based Professional Golfers' Association and become the northern section of the new enlarged association. The same meeting also agreed to accept an offer from the
Leeds Golf Club to host a tournament on 6 May at which the club would provide a prize. This prize became the
Leeds Cup. Administration and organisation of the PGA took a big step forward with the appointment of Commander Roe as secretary in 1934. He was at the helm for 28 years and under his leadership regulated membership, improved the quality of tournaments, balanced the books and generally endeavoured to promote an increase in the number of people playing the game. During the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, the advent of the Ryder Cup, new golf heroes such as
Walter Hagen,
Gene Sarazen and
Henry Cotton, all helped golf's popularity and reinforced the PGA's position as a leading golf organisation. As the tournament circuit flourished in the late 1960s and 1970s, the PGA Tournament Division went from strength to strength, ultimately going on to form the European Tour in 1984, while the interests of the club professional continued to be represented by the Association at its Belfry headquarters. During the 1960s and 1970s, the PGA rejuvenated its training and education programme, something it has continued to the present day with assistant professionals now graduating with foundation degrees and honours degrees covering all aspects of golf – from playing and coaching through to golf business and marketing. The PGA has strong links to Europe as a member of the PGAs of Europe and is committed to growing the game and helping ordinary golfers enjoy the game to its maximum. ==Arms==