MIKE ROGERS, PGA
Director of Golf,
What is Anythin
What is Any Joh Rio Lob Humph What is Anythin wonder because What is Before law, it w Chedda Sweet Gherkin Pickles, and Ritz Toasted Chips (any of the flavors)
MIKE ROGERS, PGA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Tell us something that people might be surprised to learn about you.
I thought I wanted to get out of the golf business, so I applied and got hired by the FBI as an operator on the Public Access Line Unit. I worked for the FBI for 6 months, but I left when I was offered a job at a resort in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
Where were you born/raised?
I was born, grew up, and still live in Buckhannon, West Virginia. I have moved several times in my life, but every move but 2 (Fayetteville, NC, for 3 months, and Beckley, WV, for a year), I have lived within 8 miles of the house I lived in when I was born. Tell us about your family.
- Are you married, and do you have any children?
I am married to my best friend, Kelly, and each of us has a child. My son, Jeremy, wife Taylor and Grandson Bryant live in Lexington, KY and Kelly's daughter, my bonus daughter, lives across the street from us in Buckhannon.
What is the best part of your game?
As a kid, the best part of my game was putting, because I couldn't hit a fairway or a green, but I could roll the rock. Then I learned to hit fairways and hit greens, and I forgot how to chip and putt. Now the best part of my game is the driver.
MIKE ROGERS, PGA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
What is your best round of Golf?
65 in the second round of the Senior Section Championship at Connoquenessing Country Club. It was the low round of the tournament. 70 in the Third Round of the WV Amateur in 1982, and I thought I was going to be in the final group for the final round of the tournament; however, I signed an incorrect scorecard, and I disqualified myself. Huge lesson learned.
Name two favorite golf courses that you've played, and what makes them unique to you?
Pinehurst #2 and the Old White at the Greenbrier. Both for the same reason, the history associated with the courses. Knowing the famous people from all walks of life who have played these courses and the fact that I have played those courses is special to me.
If you could play a round of golf with any three people (alive or deceased), whom would they be?
I would love to be able to play a round of golf with my late father, Bob Rogers, my wife Kelly, who, until August 1, 2024, I played golf with every Sunday, and Akshay Bhatia. I would like to have Akshay in our foursome because I saw him at the RSM Classic in November 2022, and he needed to make the cut to keep his card and he holed a wedge for eagle on his final hole on Friday to make the cut. Since then, I have followed him, and now he is a winner on the PGA Tour.
MIKE ROGERS, PGA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT MEMBER
Who has had the biggest influence on your life or career?
My father had the biggest influence on my life and career. He was a self-made man who had been appointed to the first class at the US Air Force Academy, but, due to his age, my grandmother would not sign the papers for him to attend the Academy. He went to work in the coal mines and worked his way up to owning a coal company, an oil and gas reclamation business, and an inventor in several other entities.
What initially drew you to the game of Golf, and how did you get started?
I grew up in a golfing family. My grandfather was self-taught, and while he never really hit the ball a long way, he could play. At the time of his death, he was still a single-digit handicapper. My dad was a very good golfer, and we had a wall full of trophies that he won from events around the state. I really got started playing when we moved into a new house right off the 6th fairway at Buckhannon Country Club. I was at the golf course every day, whether I was playing or practicing. And growing up and playing with Brad Westfall made playing fun.
What’s your favorite part of working with your members, students, or clients?
Everyone comes to the golf course to have fun, and I love helping them have that great experience. They may not play a good round of golf, but if my staff and I take good care of them, they will leave smiling and want to come back.
MIKE ROGERS, PGA
How long have you been a PGA member, and what made you decide to pursue a career in the PGA of America?
I became a member of the PGA on my son's 11th birthday, April 15, 2001. I spent the first 15 years of my working career in the financial services industry, and when I lost my job due to bank mergers and corporate downsizing, I decided to pursue the career I wanted to pursue out of college. (I was finally going to do the work I wanted to do, not what my mother wanted me to do)
Please provide some insight into your previous roles. Prior to my work in the golf business, I worked in a local bank that is now Chase Bank. I started as a loan collector and worked my way up to credit administrator and member of the loan conversion team when we acquired new banks. In the golf business, I began as a Non-Member head professional at the Elks Club in Elkins, WV. I moved on to Glade Springs Resort, owned my own golf course, Riverbend Golf Club, for 14 years before moving on to Capon Springs, The Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain, and now at The Palmer Course at Stonewall Resort.
What does being a PGA of America Member mean to you?
The letters PGA after my name tells golfers and most people that I am one of the experts in the game. We know golf, not just playing the game, but the day-to-day operations, and the hospitality of the game.
MIKE ROGERS, PGA
What advice would you give to aspiring PGA Professionals?
Learn from everyone in the industry and learn throughout your career. Whether they are good at what they do or not, you can learn something. Even if it's what not to do, you can learn.
What does “Growing the Game” mean to you?
Growing the Game means bringing new players of all ages, genders, and abilities to the game. Some may want to be professional players or high-level amateurs, while others may want to be weekend golfers. Either way, we have to introduce them to the game and get them interested.
What legacy do you hope to leave as a PGA Professional?
I want my legacy as a PGA Professional to be that, at each stop during my career, I left the facility better than I found it, and that I was a boss my employees enjoyed working for and who taught them how to be better people.
Can you provide/list any special awards, achievements 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024 TSPGA Merchandiser of the Year (Resort)
2025 TSPGA Deacon Palmer Award
2-Time Member of the Buckhannon-Upshur High School Athletic Hall of Fame (1982 Golf Team and 1980 Basketball Team)
31-Year WVSSAC High School Basketball Official (3-Time State Tournament Official, working a championship final each time)
MIKE ROGERS, PGA
SPECIAL MESSAGE from the TSPGA
The Tri-State PGA Officers, Board Members, and Past Presidents congratulate Mike Rogers on his 2025 Tri-State PGA Deacon Palmer Award, which was presented at the TSPGA Annual Fall Meeting. Mike is very deserving of the award, having endured and overcome a very tough personal period last year.
Congratualtions Mike!
Please view the video below to hear a few words from Mike after he received the award.