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As PGA of America President, John Lindert Brought Joy to the Game When It Needed It the Most
By Ryan Adams, PGA
Published on
It’s Saturday night at the Summer Olympics, and the main show is at the aquatics center.
“Take your marks,” the starter says.
A split second later, swimmers have hit the pool at the sound of a beep and they’re off racing for gold.
The final length has arrived. The crowd roars to excitement. It’s a tight race. Who’s going to win?
“And here comes Lindert!” the announcer screams to the millions watching across the globe. “He’s got the lead now — unbelievable! There’s no one who will catch him! Wow . . . and the young star does it!! John Lindert from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, takes gold for the United States!”
At one time, there was probably a scenario like this that crossed through John Lindert’s head. After all, he was part of a state championship-winning team that set a Wisconsin high school record for the 400m freestyle. Swimming was his thing. He was recruited to the University of Arizona to swim, and Olympians would eventually come from that team.
A young John Lindert on the range.
But there was another sport that also took his interest: Golf. His parents let him soak in the game as a 4-year-old sitting on the range at Tripoli Country Club, which eventually became the site of long summer days alternating between the pool and the course. Golf brought a smile to Lindert’s face, and that joy became so hard to contain he’d eventually trade a spot on the Wildcats swim team for one on the golf team . . . and never look back.
Fast forward decades later and one glance at Lindert’s resume will tell you he’s earned a gold medal in being a PGA of America Golf Professional. A multi-year Michigan PGA Section award winner. Decades of national committee experience that’s created an unbreakable and impressive network of relationships. A competitor in five PGA Professional Championships and a standout letterwinner on the Arizona Wildcats golf team. Becoming the longtime PGA Director of Golf at Country Club of Lansing in Michigan, where he is beloved by his staff members and the membership.
Lindert hugging his wife, Wendy, after being elected PGA Secretary.
It’s those highlights and countless others that made him a rock-solid choice for a position only 42 individuals in the entire world have held: PGA of America President. Lindert was elected to serve as PGA of America Secretary in 2018, putting him on track to lead a 108-year old organization that was in the middle of its sport’s biggest participation boom in decades.
Lindert approached the opportunity to lead with poise, but also brought a sense of Midwestern understanding, kindness and calm to the presidency. In the words of the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, he was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Lindert looked the part, too, donning a cashmere hoodie sweatshirt where deemed appropriate, because if the PGA of America was to move forward with the game and the trending styles, its leader should be at the forefront of that movement.
No situation would need more calm and composure than June 6, 2023. A framework deal between the PGA TOUR and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which provided the funding for LIV Golf, had been struck. Outside the sports world, “PGA” still only meant one organization to a lot of people, and Lindert was looked to for answers even if they weren’t his to respond to at the time.
It was a fork in the road moment and Lindert went back to his roots of consensus-building, problem solving and working together to figure out the right way forward. What separated the PGA of America and its Golf Professionals from the PGA TOUR? It was an easy answer for Lindert: A love for the game. He knew because he had it in his heart, like 30,000-plus others with , PGA behind their name. The passion turned into the We Love this Game campaign, which has given PGA of America Golf Professionals the spotlight to showcase their true identity to the masses — it’s not about the money or the wins; it’s about showing people the joy golf can bring.
Lindert approached the opportunity to lead with poise, but also brought a sense of Midwestern understanding, kindness and calm to the presidency. In the words of the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, he was as cool as the other side of the pillow.
And the more you dive into Lindert’s time as PGA President, the more you appreciate just how much he cared about the job. If you asked him, he’d find a humble answer that he was just doing what he thought was right. But that’s exactly what was needed. A deferred compensation plan to give Golf Professionals a pseudo-retirement plan based on their contributions to the game. Opening up the lanes to PGA of America Membership, resulting in record-high PGA Associate and University Program student numbers. Working tirelessly to vouch for the Golf Professional in the boardroom to increase their wages, decrease burnout and provide more balance.
Lindert and the victorious 2024 U.S. Women's PGA Cup Team.
In the end, John Lindert always believed there was nothing more rewarding than putting a smile on someone’s face. On golfers’ faces, on the faces he awarded trophies to at championships and, most importantly, on PGA of America Golf Professionals’ faces. He looked to deliver happiness, and he did.
Now that’s worth a gold medal isn’t it?
