Head Golf Professional

Head Golf Professional

The Head Golf Professional plays a pivotal role in shaping the Clubs golf experience and driving its success. This dynamic leader develops and implements innovative strategies, events, and programs that enhance member engagement and elevate the Clubs position in the marketplace.

Responsible for leading all aspects of golf operations including the golf shop, event programming, practice facility, golf services, and cart fleet. The Head Golf Professional also mentors Assistant Golf Professionals, interns, and staff. This role collaborates closely with our membership, Food & Beverage, Academy and Golf Maintenance teams to align and execute a vibrant annual calendar of events. With a commitment to excellence and hospitality, the Head Golf Professional ensures every guest enjoys a seamless, memorable, and elevated golf experience.

All duties are performed in accordance with the department and Sunseeker Resorts policies, practices, and procedures.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

• Operations
  • Implement applicable Company protocols, and safety policies & procedures pertaining to the golf shop and outside services groups.
  • Plan and schedule work duties of department personnel. Monitor performance to ensure customer service standards and productivity goals are achieved.
  • Oversee and create a golf staff schedule including monitoring and managing payroll.
  • Ensure that ancillary services, including, but not limited to, the handicapping system, guest programs, and driving range facilities, are efficiently organized and meet customer needs.
  • Manage employment activities for applicable staff members, including but not limited to personnel recruitment and selection, performance evaluations, training, compensation, discipline, and termination, etc.
  • Maintain a close working relationship with the Golf Course Superintendent and other department heads.
  • Establish Tee Time protocols, Pace of Play standards, and Steps of Service, to ensure overall satisfactions.
  • Work closely with transportation to ensure appropriate resort services are available and working successfully.
  • Coordinate daily inspections to ensure cleanliness, set-up standards, staffing and overall readiness are prepared for daily play.
  • Partner with Housekeeping and Engineering to ensure quality control standards and preventative maintenance plans are being serviced effectively.
• Fiscal & Retail Management
  • Assist in the preparation and implementation of operating and capital budgets. Provide assistance with financial forecasts and analyzing budget variances.
  • Track types and quantity of golf rounds played. Monitor customer preferences, usage patterns, and satisfaction with Company products and services. Assess the quality of internal and/or external customer service and speed of play. Recommend plans for continued improvement.
  • Oversee merchandising operations, including ensuring that merchandise orders are recorded with proper quantities and prices and participating in monthly inventories. Be fully knowledgeable of golf shop merchandise, participate in selling merchandise, and/or provide suggestions to patrons as appropriate to meet their needs.
  • Directly responsible for all hard goods purchases (balls, clubs, bags)
  • Design and implement sales incentive programs for golf shop staff. Monitor results and recommend modifications to achieve budgeted retail sales goals.
  • Assure the efficient and timely submission of all required operational, financial, and budgetary reports.
• Service
  • Meet, greet, and welcome guests, event representatives, etc.
  • Interact with guests in a congenial and professional manner. Always maintain a pleasant and professional telephone manner. Schedule tee times and handle customer inquiries and/or complaints in accordance with operating policies and procedures. Ensure all phone calls are handled before the third ring.
• Club Governance
  • Enforce all rules and regulations governing golf course usage.
• Tournament Operations
  • Oversee an innovative tournament schedule and golf activities program that services all customer segments
  • Sound knowledge and advanced experience with Golf Genius, tournament software, and other integrations. Work with sales, golf associations and other groups to schedule tournaments and group outings. Ensure organization and efficient operation and coordination of golf shop, cart service, and food & beverage activities.
  • Coordinate plans with the Food and Beverage Manager for all food and beverage needs, on-course food and beverage needs, banquets, outside events, and catering for all golf functions
• Instruction
  • Plan and conduct individual and group lesson programs and golf clinics. Assist in developing golf instruction programs, as well as providing instruction when time permits.
• Marketing Development & Community Outreach
  • Remain up to date on customer relationship management tactics and strategies.
  • Represent the Company in meetings and/or presentations with various clients, municipalities, and other outside agencies. Participate in due-diligence, site visits and provide market analysis for various projects, when requested.
  • Play golf with Members/guests of all skill levels as time and duties - when time permits.
  • Maintain knowledge of current and projected industry developments through continuous attention to golf industry periodicals and participation in relevant trade associations and organizations.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment when evaluating new programs, new services and new ideas.
• Stay abreast of property goals in order to create, support and present departmental goals to executive leadership
• Continue to learn and be on the forefront of new technology for the hotel industry.
• Create ways to further enrich the guest experience by continuously reviewing, implementing and refining procedures to ensure every opportunity to offer extraordinary guest experiences while maintaining a culture of smiles, retention of luxury standards.
• Proactively seek guest feedback and liaise with other departments when opportunities present themselves ensuring a seamless and elevated guest experience.
• Manage guest requests and own all complaints; resolve issues immediately and follow up to ensure the guests satisfaction.
• Develop collaborative relationships and synergy with all support departments such as Convention Sales & Services, Facilities, Security, Front Services, Front Office, F&B, Golf Course and Executive Offices
• Foster a management team that possesses and delivers on key strategies of guest service, team member relations, team cooperation, financial responsibility and asset management.
• Ensure all accounting, payroll and team member relations matters are handled in compliance with company policy.
• Perform other functions as needed.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee and enforce golf shop operations policies, procedures, controls, and fee structures to ensure the safekeeping of assets, inventory, and resources.
• Oversee daily operating activities, including opening, closing, and securing the golf shop and storage buildings; managing daily revenues to ensure credit card charges balance with sales receipts; monitoring staff interaction with guests to ensure proper customer service; maintaining clean, presentable, and fully stocked merchandise displays; ensuring that the golf shop, locker rooms, club storage, cart storage, and grounds are maintained to applicable appearance standards.
• Supervises the Outside Staff Supervisor to ensure preventative maintenance is performed on carts, scheduling and payroll fits the budget, services and morale are excellent.
• Establish golf operations personnel policies and ensure proper hiring, training, supervising, personal development, and corrective action in accordance with fair labor standards, safety and established policy

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: BA / BS degree, preferred.
• PGA Class A Member in good standing.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of management experience, preferably as a head professional or Director of Golf.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Ability to work varied shifts, including weekends and holidays
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to function well under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet established deadlines
• Must possess mature personal discretion and sound judgment
• Strong leadership abilities, sound judgment, superior problem solving and decision-making skills
• Excellent organizational, analytical and project management skills, with particular attention to quality and detail
• Interpersonal skills to deal effectively with all business contacts
• Professional appearance and demeanor