CCU Celebrates Opening of Professional Golf Management Academic Learning Lab

Coastal Carolina University celebrated the opening of its new Professional Golf Management Academic Learning Lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at General James Hackler Golf Course, marking a significant investment in hands-on education and professional development for students preparing for careers in the golf industry.

The University broke ground on the $10.8 million project in March 2024. The 15,975-square-foot facility provides a modern learning environment where students can connect classroom instruction with the daily operations of a golf facility. Located at Hackler Golf Course adjacent to the University's campus, the two-story building replaces the course's original clubhouse, built in 1969. 

Designed to support the diverse needs of the golf industry, the Academic Learning Lab integrates classrooms, golf-swing and putting laboratories, player development spaces, workshop areas, meeting rooms, faculty and staff offices, and a pro shop. The facility also features a restaurant, central lobbies on both floors, and views of the golf course. 

By bringing academic instruction and golf operations together under one roof, the facility gives students opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. Students also gain experience with technologies and equipment used by golf facilities and PGA professionals, helping prepare them for careers in golf management, instruction, player development, and golf operations. 

“The new Academic Learning Lab will transform how our students learn by placing them in an environment that mirrors a modern golf operation,” said Gil Feagain, director of the PGA Golf Management Program. 

CCU’s PGA Golf Management Program is South Carolina's only PGA-accredited university program and one of just 16 programs accredited by the PGA of America nationwide. Housed in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, the PGA Golf Management Program combines academic coursework with professional golf experience. Students can pursue degrees in fields such as management, marketing, finance, accounting, and hospitality while completing the requirements for PGA membership. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a new chapter for a program that uses Hackler Golf Course as an extension of the classroom, giving students practical experience in the industry they are preparing to enter.