Do you work in the golf world? Or Wish You Did?

[funkyjudge]

7 minutes ago, Siamese Moose said:

Damn Doug, I didn't realize you were that much older than me. You sure as hell don't look it!

OK; looks like you're in Cincinnati, a place that I have visited many times and where I have played golf. Do I know you?

[Rob Person]

4 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

I worked many years in the golf industry, including a 4.5 year stint with Golfsmith (including working in their “tour van” on the Senior Tour), plus more than 30 years as a Professional Clubfitter and Clubmaker, during which I spent several years working for ACCRA Golf, Graphite Design, and KBS Golf at numerous tour events and majors plus several FedEx Cup tournaments.

During my time working in the equipment trailers for the three shaft manufacturers, I worked at a handful of U.S. Open Championships, a couple of PGA Championships, and several senior majors. I did club work for many of the top PGA pros during that time, including but not limited to: Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland, Padraig Harrington, Tony Finau, etc. It was hard and demanding work, but also generally a lot of fun.

These days, at age 75, I am “semi retired”, but I still maintain a few OEM equipment accounts, including Tour Edge Golf (Fitter/Dealer), Fujikura Golf (Charter Dealer), and Mitsubishi Chemical (shaft dealer). I also continue to do clubfitting and building work, but on a very selective basis. I am affiliated with a local indoor golf facility with four bays and top-level simulators, which is owned and run by a PGA Professional. I used to do fitting work at this location, called Baylinks Golf, at least 3 or 4 days a week, but since recovering from two cancer surgeries in 2020 and 2023, I have cut back to working more like 4 days per month.

I like to keep current and do at least a bit of clubfitting work, and I suspect that I will continue to do so for several more years, unless I become physically unable to do it.

Can I just say how awesome this was to read?

[Siamese Moose]

4 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

OK; looks like you're in Cincinnati, a place that I have visited many times and where I have played golf. Do I know you?

Rob Westendorf, aka My Greens Stimp At 2 on the old GEA, and the old Golf EF prior to that. Played in the Greg, and I think we were both at one or more of the Ravines outings.

[funkyjudge]

12 hours ago, Siamese Moose said:

Rob Westendorf, aka My Greens Stimp At 2 on the old GEA, and the old Golf EF prior to that. Played in the Greg, and I think we were both at one or more of the Ravines outings.

Rob,

Ravines outing(s), roommates at a GEA World Woods outing, several editions of the "Greg", and many tasty samples of your home-brewed beers. No further explanation necessary! I just didn't know that you were Siamese Moose.

[Siamese Moose]

8 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

I just didn't know that you were Siamese Moose.

Some years ago I named my home brewery Siamese Moose, after my cat Moose, who was Siamese. Since then it's the username I use almost everywhere (despite getting a cease and desist from Moosehead for using it for beer stuff).

[Swood1994]

I’ve always wanted to get into the business side of golf from an analytics perspective. The emergence of statistics and trends and all the data on the broadcasts really intrigues me. I’ve tried applying for a couple analyst positions but I think they were old job postings. I always keep my eye on the oems and even the tour website to see if something pops up. I think in those positions you get to talk and work golf everyday but it’s not on the course so it won’t ruin the actual sport for me. That’s just my opinion so maybe one day I’ll be able to test the theory out. 

[Rob Person]

Yesterday was an absolute shtshow with the carts...lol

Apparently the software that we use for the GPS systems and geo-fencing, scheduled a forced update at 12 pm instead of 12 am, causing EVERY cart to lock out. Tee times went late, golf stood still for about 20 minutes, upset customers, etc etc. Club house had to override 150 carts and set them all to staff cart mode. This meant NO geo-fence. I had people driving in areas that they shouldn't, even had one drive right up on the tee box! Grrrr. Thankfully no stuck carts or green area incidents that I was told of...

Once they saw STAFF MODE on the screen, it was like a scene from a movie where someone released the cell doors in a prison... hahah

[Rob Person]

Got a call last night from the scheduling manager asking if i could work today.

2 of the high school aged valets at the course got into in a fight.  Apparently they had an agreement to pool the tips and split them at the end of the shift. One did not, leaving the other one a bit angry. Aggressive words turned into raging teen hormones, which led to a brawl at the front of the clubhouse, In front of guests. 

Needless to say, they are no longer employed.

Anyone else ever witnessed or been a part of golf course rage that turned violent?

[ZackS]

3 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Got a call last night from the scheduling manager asking if i could work today.

2 of the high school aged valets at the course got into in a fight.  Apparently they had an agreement to pool the tips and split them at the end of the shift. One did not, leaving the other one a bit angry. Aggressive words turned into raging teen hormones, which led to a brawl at the front of the clubhouse, In front of guests. 

Needless to say, they are no longer employed.

Anyone else ever witnessed or been a part of golf course rage that turned violent?

Definitely had to deal with some teen attitude but never a fight. 

[stevehernes]

I just wish i would. These days i've contacting couple of employment agencies and asking them to help me making my dream come true. Looks like i will have another chat with the braintrust customer service next week and hopefully they can offer me something.

Edited May 21 by stevehernes

[SloSwingUpNorth]

I work at the counter at a course near my home. Great retirement job, comes with free golf and the older folks who frequent the course say I am kinder than  the HS kids who work the weekends.

[mikesamson65]

I work in the golf industry and it’s great from April through October however the opposite hours from October to April i starve c

[pineneedlespro]

I have worked in the golf industry (since 1967) and still do---not enough space here to go into the details.

[mikesamson65]

Good guess, I’m actually a golf professional in the Chicago suburbs. 

[Rob Person]

Today was not a fun day today.

starteeld off easy enough,  tee times rolling out smoothly, players keeping pace, cart girls a little extra peppy due to 2 corporate group outings scheduled... the usual...

Well, a guest had a backside accident, and didn't quite make it into the bathroom in time.  But still somehow rendered the bathroom and the cart he was on inoperable! Needless to say there were alot of "that's not my job" nonsense. Of course I got stuck with retrieval and cleanup duties.   Not a fun morning at all...

ALSO, next week we host the PGA tour America's Q school tournament!  So lots of players have been walking 18 holes, so if you know any players or follow someone in particular,  let me know!!!

[Rob Person]

Pretty cool day yesterday for me while working at the GC.  We are host to the PGA Tour America's circuit, and getting to see these guys in action was phenomenal to observe.  

 

[buckpillar]

MY plan is to retire, get a job at Nemacolin woodlands resort near me, get paid doing something I'm very passionate about and play free golf, what can be better, also continue teaching building clubs etc. 

[funkyjudge]

I began clubmaking work after a 4-day class at Golfsmith in 1988, and Golfsmith hired me full-time to teach clubmaking and shop safety in 1997, which I did until 2001. I also worked on the Golfsmith tour van during that time, and continued doing that for Accra, KBS and Graphite Design through 2016.  I have also been a fitter or fitter/dealer for Ping, Mizuno and Tour Edge, and still hold fitter/dealer status for Tour Edge Golf.

I am also a Charter Dealer and Professional Shaft Fitter for Fujikura and still hold fitter/dealer status with True Golf (True Temper, Accra, Project X, HZRDUS, and Aerotech/SteelFiber), as well as Mitsubishi.

[Rob Person]

Oh look!  Everyone's favorite machine to see at a golf course! (sarcasm)

Yup, one of the 9 hole courses is getting punched and sanded today.  Thankfully it is closed for 3 days so I won't hear too many complaints!

[Philpug]

We have a saying in the ski world .... "People get into the ski industry so they can ski more, then people get out of the ski industry so they can ski more." "Ski" can be replaced with "golf" ... "People get into the golf industry so they can golf more, then people get out of the golf industry so they can golf more."

I didn't read the whole thread, so sorry it this is a repost.  

Edited May 29 by Philpug

[Rob Person]

6 hours ago, Philpug said:

We have a saying in the ski world .... "People get into the ski industry so they can ski more, then people get out of the ski industry so they can ski more." "Ski" can be replaced with "golf" ... "People get into the golf industry so they can golf more, then people get out of the golf industry so they can golf more."

I didn't read the whole thread, so sorry it this is a repost.  

 Not a repost!  And its entirely true!  

[SirPrised]

I'm in the very unusual and fortunate position where I should be able to collect a nice pension at 55 and if all goes well would stand to make more money working elsewhere than I would adding more years of service credit to my pension. I also have a background in my younger years of being both a Swim Coach and a Ski instructor so I'm hoping as I get closer to my "retirement age" I can pass the PAT and become a PGA professional.

I think I'd love to teach lessons and do club fittings, but it would be too difficult to walk away from my golden handcuffs at this point to make a career change. Plus, I've let my handicap slip too much to pass the PAT, I need to get on that! 

[Golf_Teacher]

Back in 2022, I left my job leading education research to become a golf instructor and performance specialist. I love golf and I love teaching and learning. I studied and continue to study TPI, Trackman Univ., Golfzon Leadbetter, and the National Association of Sports Medicine, earning certifications in all of these.

 

Finding a reasonably paying job has been a major challenge. So much so that I’ve started to apply to jobs in my previous profession.

[Rob Person]

5 minutes ago, Golf_Teacher said:

Back in 2022, I left my job leading education research to become a golf instructor and performance specialist. I love golf and I love teaching and learning. I studied and continue to study TPI, Trackman Univ., Golfzon Leadbetter, and the National Association of Sports Medicine, earning certifications in all of these.

 

Finding a reasonably paying job has been a major challenge. So much so that I’ve started to apply to jobs in my previous profession.

Welcome to MGS!!!  I can only imagime that It's definitely a tough market to break into, and even harder to maintain a status in.

 

[Golf_Teacher]

Thank you.

I’ll add that I have several active opportunities teaching, and those would be my first choice. 

[Rob Person]

I had the most unusual complaint today. And it wasn't until I was searching my photos that I remembered this...

A distinguished foursome of women, let's just say they were very well matured, got to the second hole today as I was passing by.  One of the ladies flagged me down. They were all upset about the bunker in front of the green . They found it extremely offensive.

I didnt know what to say, so I took a Pic and told them I would address the concern with the pro shop.

There is literally nothing I could do to rectify the issue they were having.

Does your course have an offensively shaped  bunker?

[sirchunksalot]

4 hours ago, Rob Person said:

I had the most unusual complaint today. And it wasn't until I was searching my photos that I remembered this...

A distinguished foursome of women, let's just say they were very well matured, got to the second hole today as I was passing by.  One of the ladies flagged me down. They were all upset about the bunker in front of the green . They found it extremely offensive.

I didnt know what to say, so I took a Pic and told them I would address the concern with the pro shop.

There is literally nothing I could do to rectify the issue they were having.

Does your course have an offensively shaped  bunker?

I'm offended by every bunker on the course in playing if they have them. They are pretty and frame the course well but I can't get out of one to save my life. Looks like they have room to the left of they want to avoid it. 

I do wish they would have given you a better explanation of their issue, that would have been good to hear. 

[Rob Person]

3 hours ago, sirchunksalot said:

I'm offended by every bunker on the course in playing if they have them. They are pretty and frame the course well but I can't get out of one to save my life. Looks like they have room to the left of they want to avoid it. 

I do wish they would have given you a better explanation of their issue, that would have been good to hear. 

I was being subtle, but they said it looked like a giant butt!  

I was going to suggest to them that when God needs to think, he plops down right there.

[poprocksncoke]

Well then, they wouldn't want to play this course.......

 

[Rob Person]

21 minutes ago, poprocksncoke said:

Well then, they wouldn't want to play this course.......

 

Hahah!  I know there are a few fallic shaped bunkers I've seen out there on the webs.