DAYTON, OH — The Southern Ohio PGA is proud to congratulate the newest member of the PGA of America in our section, Jerome Porter, PGA! Jerome was elected to membership in April of 2025 and is the Lead Instructor at Dick’s House of Sport in Beavercreek.

Click here to connect with Jerome on LinkedIn!

The SOPGA caught up with Jerome to talk about his journey to becoming a member of the PGA of America.

SOPGA: Who or what inspired you to get involved with the GAME of golf?

Jerome Porter, PGA: I wasn’t exposed to golf as a kid. Picked it up after my brother got a job at Kitty Hawk and I was his ride. He was never done on time, so I would hit the range, next thing you know I was hooked. Went back to college found a job at NorthStar that allowed me to play and practice.

SOPGA: Who or what inspired you to get involved with the BUSINESS of golf?

JP: After graduating college, I was looking for direction and thought about things I was passionate about, golf being one of them. I reached out to NorthStar to test the waters as an intern and loved it…I felt called to help grow the game in a way that prevented kids from communities like mine and others from missing out on this great game. I didn’t want others to wait until they were in college to find the game of golf.

SOPGA: What are you most looking forward to pursuing now that you are a PGA of America Member?

JP: I’m most looking forward to growing the game in my community and finding a way to get involved with underserved communities. I hope to do this through instruction and junior programming.

SOPGA: What about the game makes you LOVE golf?

JP: This a hard question because there are so many things I love about golf! From the health benefits to competition to the life lessons learned while playing. But for me the thing I love the most is the community/camaraderie! Golf is great at bringing people together on a small personal level and on a larger scale. Helping communities grow tighter and stronger. It’s a great avenue for staying connected with friends and family! My favorite thing about my job is helping others find joy in this game!

SOPGA: Have there been any mentors who have assisted your career along the way to PGA Membership that you would like to thank?

JP: There a lot of people that have played a part in helping me achieve membership, below are some I would like to thank:

Reed Black
Dan Gates
Macrae Conrad
Tim Heffelfinger
Tim Botschner