Derek Sprague’s journey in the golf industry began humbly in the bag room of Malone Golf Club in Northern New York. As a 15-year-old, Sprague couldn’t imagine that this part-time job would be the first step in a career that would lead him to the highest office in the PGA of America.
After working his way from the bag room to the golf shop during high school, Sprague continued working at the club through his education at James Madison University. In a remarkable display of ambition, the young golf professional submitted a proposal during his senior year stating he would return to Malone only if he could manage the entire operation. The club accepted, leading to a 26-year tenure that would become the foundation of his leadership philosophy.
Sprague’s success at Malone led to increasingly prestigious opportunities. In January 2016, the PGA TOUR recruited him to run Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. After just two years of impressive performance, he earned a promotion to general manager of the iconic TPC Sawgrass, where he remained until accepting his current role as CEO of the PGA of America in January of this year.
His time at Malone Golf Club and TPC Sawgrass proved his ability to transform struggling operations into success stories. At Malone, he rescued a club on the edge of bankruptcy following an expansion to 36 holes, eventually building it to serve over 850 members, including more than 100 Canadian members who required specialized cash registers with separate drawers for U.S. and Canadian currency.
The transition to TPC Sawgrass presented new challenges, including his first experience with a year-round golf season and the management of approximately 300 employees. The property also required financial rehabilitation, which Sprague and his team achieved within a couple of years. Additionally, he embraced the complex responsibility of hosting THE PLAYERS Championship, one of golf’s premier events.
When asked about the importance of teamwork in business success, Sprague is emphatic.
“Extremely. The most important asset a business has is its people,” he states. “My style of leadership is collaborative, and although it took me a few years to realize that training, developing and mentoring were keys to success, I’m a big proponent of that now after working at larger facilities like TPC Sawgrass and the PGA of America.”
Sprague emphasizes the universal importance of team development regardless of organization size.
“Even smaller organizations need to spend the necessary time to train and develop their teams. You will get much more out of your employees, but most importantly, they will too. They will love their work more and will want to be more involved,” he explains, adding, “As the old proverb goes, ‘Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.’”
His approach to hiring reflects a thoughtful, strategic mindset: “When you have an open position, spend the time to reimagine your team and the roles they play, and review your compensation and benefits like vacation, schedules and medical to make sure you are competitive in the marketplace.”
Looking toward the future of the organization and golf as a whole, Sprague exudes optimism.
“I am confident that our more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals will continue to do a great job of growing the game,” he says. “We are experiencing tremendous growth in recreational golf right now and our PGA of America Golf Professionals are in the center of that growth. They are the tangible connection to the game.”
He notes an encouraging trend in the profession itself: “We are also seeing a huge increase in people wanting to get into our profession, and employers are asking for more PGA of America Golf Professionals at their facilities because they see the value that we bring.”
Sprague is particularly proud of the educational initiatives headquartered at the home of the PGA of America in Frisco, Texas, describing them as “world-class seminars” that “continue to develop the latest in education to keep up with the industry.”
His vision extends beyond professional development to the championships that showcase the game’s excitement.
“I hope all of our championships for PGA Members and our major championships for golf fans alike continue to deliver exciting drama for all to enjoy,” Sprague says.
In closing, he emphasizes his commitment to inclusivity and collaboration: “I look forward to bringing the golf industry together and collaborating with the governing bodies of golf, so we can all enjoy this game at every level, whether you currently play, want to learn how to play or simply enjoy watching golf like millions of fans do every week.”