The game of golf can find us in unexpected ways. It has a way of meeting us where we are, scooping you up, and carrying you along for a ride – and most of the time, it’s hard to tell where that ride may take you. But also, in a weirdly endearing way, the sport can lead you to some incredible opportunities, moments, and experiences that you never thought were possible.
This is how PGA WORKS Fellow, Shandiin Harper found the game of golf – or rather – how the game found her. She speaks highly about how he was initially enthralled by the individuality the game offered.
“Up to that point in my life, I had always played team sports,” says Shandiin. “I just loved how in golf, everything is up to you. There isn’t really anything or anyone else that you can lean on – you have to pull everything off during a round, so I loved that element of the sport and was hooked pretty quickly from there.”
The reality is Shandiin didn’t pick up a club and start exclusively playing golf until later in life. Growing up in Farmington, New Mexico, she remembers how much her father played and loved the game. This love inevitably spilled over to Shandiin and she started playing more exclusively in junior golf tournaments when she was in high school. She credits her high school coach and PGA of America Member, Tom Yost and her father for ushering her along this newfound journey and encouraging her to keep dreaming and see what else the game of golf had to offer her beyond high school.
Shandiin continued her golf career with Western New Mexico University where she played all four years. She describes her time there as a dream come true – with her getting to play alongside some of best friends who became like family, there isn’t really anything much better. “My coach at the time, Kent Beatty, set the overall tone for the team from the very beginning,” describes Shandiin. “That was what really drew me in and made me feel like I was a part of a larger family. This was so nice, especially since I was living in a brand new town and trying to get my footing as a college student.”
During her time at WNMU, Shandiin emphasizes how she learned about the importance of building relationships and holding those close. She is a big believer in how it’s the people who make the place, and she held on to that truth knowing it would eventually set her up for success. As Shandiin progressed through her playing years at WNMU, she always knew she loved the game, but admits she never thought about the possibility of what opportunities lie outside of the ropes. She even says that she went to school to become a dentist – majoring in chemistry and math. However, as the game so often does for others, it sneaks in and presents opportunities that we never even thought were possible.
“I remember there was a moment when I realized that the game of golf goes far beyond an 18-hole score,” notes Shandiin. “There’s a whole career that someone can make out of this game – and you don’t have to be a scratch golfer to attain that success.”
Back in 2023, Shandiin crossed paths with Taylor Harvey who was the only other Native American college golfer playing in the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, being contested at Shoal Creek in Birmingham, Alabama. “Somehow we both knew that we were playing in this championship, and ended up meeting each other,” says Shandiin. The two stayed connected through social media throughout the remainder of their college careers. As Shandiin was finishing up her senior year, she says there was a small moment of panic because she still hadn’t completely figured out what she was going to do upon graduation.
Luckily, Taylor was finishing up her time as the first-ever PGA WORKS Fellow for the Sun Country PGA Section, and she knew just the opportunity for Shandiin – to move back to her home state and succeed Taylor as the second PGA WORKS Fellow for the Sun Country Section. So naturally, Shandiin decided to put the dream of becoming a dentist on hold to see what else the game of golf had to offer her.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is more than a job. It creates an immersive experience for a young leader to be integrated into a PGA Section’s operation so they can be exposed to all the game has to offer. The Fellowship fosters growth and development offering a wide range of job functions so the Fellow is ready to take on what’s next in their career upon completing the Fellowship – whether they pursue a career in golf or beyond golf.
Today Taylor is in a full-time role with the Sun Country Section, and Shandiin gets to learn directly from the person who was just in her shoes. Shandiin says that she couldn’t have handpicked a better way to dip her toes in the golf industry.
“It’s amazing how much I have learned from Talyor and the way she has made this experience so special to me,” says Shandiin. “With her being essentially a year ahead of where I am, it’s been the best way to kick start my career. While she does care about who I am as a worker, she cares more about who I am as a person – and that has made all the difference.”
Furthermore, Shandiin says the relationships she’s built with the staff at Sun Country Golf House is only half of what she has gained. She says the Fellowship has unlocked so many facets of the game that she never even knew existed.
“The Fellowship has definitely taught me that golf is more than what you write down on a scorecard,” says Shandiin. “Programs like PGA HOPE and PGA Jr. League are changing lives, and I’ve gotten to see firsthand how those programs come to life. A lot of my frame of mind was very surface-level – maybe it was how much money I want to make or what I want my title to be – but being a minority in this space, and showcasing representation for others is priceless.”
The position Shandiin found herself in upon graduation from WNMU is not uncommon for many student-athletes across the country. Many of them get to the end of the road and ask themselves the million-dollar question: “What’s next?”
This is why the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship was created, and Shandiin understands all too well the power behind this almost forty-year-old championship.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says Shandiin. “It really hits all the checkboxes for a collegiate golfer. You have these incredible venues with stacked fields,” recalls Shandiin. “But the best part is, the championship is opening doors and creating paths for minorities in the sport that never existed before – and that’s what makes the week so special. It leaves students, coaches – everyone involved really – motivated to go back and make the same impact on others.”
As a player in the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championships, Shandiin has a plethora of memorable moments from her time as a player. Now as the championship gears up for its 39th edition at The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida from May 4 - 6, Shandiin is getting to see the event from a whole new lens as she works behind the scenes. She understands that this is not just any event, but something that she and so many others hold closely to them – it just means that much.
I always think to myself – ‘how did the PGA make me feel like this, year after year?’ It’s indescribable until you actually in one as an athlete, because afterwards you realize how much the experience actually meant to you. That’s what I hope I can play a small role in for all the students playing in this year’s event.
More than the playing experience, she hopes the players enjoy themselves and take in every moment. She also wants the players to envision their futures and think about whether or not golf will be a part of their stories after they graduate. Will they continue to pursue the dream of playing professional golf, will they work in golf, or perhaps something totally different? She wants them to know that this tournament offers the space to think big – to dream big.
“I never considered a career in golf, but here I am today,” says Shandiin. “Myself and Taylor are direct success stories of what this championship can offer. It’s life-changing and we are two examples in a pool of literally millions of other people who have said ‘yes’, and made the jump. If you love the game, that love will spill over into a meaningful and fulfilling career – and I want these students to know there is a place for them, too.”
As far as what’s next for Shandiin, for her it’s all about representation. Whether it’s serving others on a golf course or in a dental office – Shandiin has a heart for uplifting those around her. She says working in the same Section where she grew up has inspired her to keep pushing the boundaries of where the game can go for Native youth – both in communities throughout New Mexico and across the country. “Working in this role and showing other kids who look like me what’s possible in this game has been the best part,” says Shandiin. “It’s really special seeing that progress being made first-hand and I’m excited to be a part of that for as long as I can.”
Through PGA WORKS, we are committed to helping equip the next generation of leaders. It’s our why behind being as intentional as possible when it comes to opening doors for new professionals to make an impact on the golf industry and beyond. We’re serious about establishing golf as both a game and a business open for anyone – and it takes all of us to get there. Learn more →