PGA Professional Chris Kulinski is the PGA of America’s Director of Recruitment. Chris leads a team that exists to ensure the future of PGA of America Membership and the health of golf facilities across the United States. The Recruiting department of PGA Career Services is committed to creating a vibrant labor force for all golf industry employers while ensuring the future of PGA of America Membership.
Chris believes strongly in PGA professionals and their positive impact on both the golf operation and the local community. Throughout his tenure, he has a track record of fostering long-term relationships between PGA professionals and their employers and now focuses on assisting individuals into the golf industry and into PGA of America Membership.
Previously, he served as the Head Golf Professional at Orchard Park CC outside of Buffalo, NY. While at Orchard Park CC, Chris developed multiple growth-of-the-game programs and was the WNYPGA Youth Player Development Award recipient in 2015, 2017 & 2018.
Chris was honored by the WNYPGA as the 2020, 2023, 2024, & 2025 Bill Strausbaugh Award for his mentorship to fellow PGA Professionals daily. He was most recently honored by the WNYPGA as the 2025 PGA Professional Development Award for a strong desire for lifelong education, including outstanding and continuing contributions to WNYPGA Professionals’ education. Chris also won this award in 2021.
Chris’s passion is working with kids and adults and showing them all the doors golf can open in this world, along with mentoring and helping his peers on their career journey.
In addition, he is excited about the potential programs that can benefit PGA Professionals and help driven, customer service-oriented men and women break into the golf industry. Chris has conducted growth of the game, youth and family, and women’s clinics that have introduced the game of golf to so many people. Some of these individuals have pursued a career in the business of golf.
His father introduced Chris to the game of golf when he was 12 years old. When Chris was deciding on what college to attend, his father let him know he could go to school to become a golf professional. Chris did not attend a PGM school, but all throughout college, he worked for PGA Professional Tim Fries. Tim mentored Chris for 8 years and helped him become a PGA Head Golf Professional at the age of 27.
Chris was tasked with developing a recruitment/awareness platform for the PGA of America in 2018. After a few years, Chris now leads a staff of 5. His team has spoken to over 200,000 individuals and discussed career opportunities in detail with over 30,000 people. During this time, hundreds of people have started their education to become a PGA of America Member or are working in the golf industry.
Chris graduated from the University at Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and human resources and a minor in history. Chris is married to Amanda and has 3 daughters, Lyla, Kendyl, and Aubrey.