Former Topgolf Exec Named PGA of America COO
Former Topgolf exec Craig Kessler has been named the Chief Operating Officer of the PGA of America, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Kessler served as COO and Head of Emerging Concepts at Topgolf from 2016-21.
“PGA Professionals have had a significant impact on my life. They’ve taught me, my wife, and our boys how to play the game we love. The opportunity to play a part in helping the PGA of America serve our Members and grow the game is both exciting and meaningful,” said Kessler in a statement.
He begins his role at the PGA of America on March 6 and will report directly to PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh.
“I always admired Craig’s knowledge and love of the game, appreciated his partnership while he was at Topgolf and was thrilled when his name surfaced through the search committee. We are all grateful that he is excited to bring his passion and expertise back to the game and our Members. For the first time in history there are now more off-course golfers than on-course, so his track record of innovation and growth has never been more relevant or welcome,” Waugh said in a statement.
Kessler will be based in PGA Frisco.
About Kessler
Kessler served as Chief Executive Officer of Buff City Soap, a fast-growing, experiential retail company based in Dallas. Buff City has grown from 100 to 260 locations since Kessler joined as CEO. Today, the brand has stores in 32 states.
While at Topgolf, the company experienced explosive growth from 25 venues to 70, and to more than 25,000 employees.
Kessler served as the primary point of contact between Topgolf and the PGA, and during his tenure Topgolf employed more than 60 PGA Members.
Kessler earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
He began his career with the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. From there, he became an operating partner at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Providence Equity Partners, two private equity firms, before joining Topgolf full-time in 2016.