Blair Kline’s journey in golf began at age 12, when he was pushing carts at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Washington. This eventually led him to work with Gay Brewer and build a career across the country that taught him what makes golf operations truly excellent. His most recent position as General Manager of Golf Operations for the City of Dunedin, Florida at Dunedin Golf Club, would present both his greatest challenge and his most rewarding professional experience.
Designed by legendary architect Donald Ross, Dunedin Golf Club opened on January 1, 1927. It has hosted 18 PGA Senior Championships, the first PGA Teaching Seminar in 1947, the first PGA Show in 1954 and the first PGA Business School in 1957.
By the time Kline arrived in 2023, the City of Dunedin had made a bold decision — restore the course back to the original Donald Ross design. Thanks to architect Kris Spence and contractor TDI Golf, Dunedin Golf Club won the award for Best Restoration Public for 2025 from Golf Inc. Magazine and was listed as Honorable Mention Best Restoration 2025 by Golf Digest. But for all the accolades and recognition, Kline knew something that many people outside the golf industry don’t fully appreciate — a championship course doesn’t maintain itself.
Ask Kline about Dunedin’s success, and he won’t start by talking about Donald Ross’s design genius or the restoration awards. He’ll tell you about his Golf Course Superintendents.
“None of this could be accomplished without the effort of the entire staff, from cart attendants to the head professional,” Kline explains. “If you think it could be, I believe you are mistaken. It takes a team, and every employee deserves recognition as a member of that team.”
But when it comes to the restoration and grow-in of the golf course, Kline points to his superintendents as the true stars.
“For me, through the restoration and grow-in of the golf course, it was the golf course superintendent,” he says. “During construction, our superintendent was Dennis Swander, and we were together every day talking and walking the course. Dennis spent an unbelievable number of hours growing in the golf course.”
Every day, Kline and Swander walked the course together, discussing drainage, turf conditions, bunker shapes and green contours. They weren’t just colleagues. They were partners in bringing a vision to life.
“Dennis then had an opportunity in Georgia out in the country, and it was perfect for him,” Kline recalls.
“My next superintendent was Scott Griffin, and Scott took all the good work up to that point and just advanced that,” Kline explains. “Apparently, he did a really good job, because he was grabbed by a local private club that needed help.”
“My new superintendent is James Larkins, and as we are in season, he is operating at full speed with no time for rest,” Kline says.
What makes Kline’s relationships with his superintendents work is his understanding of where credit belongs. While he manages the overall operation, coordinates with the city, handles member relations and oversees the golf shop and food operations, he knows that when golf course raters and influencers visit Dunedin, they’re coming to see the course.
“All of the good things that have come our way are due to the total operation, but most of the visitors are golfers, and that makes the golf course the star, which makes James the star!” Kline emphasizes.
This philosophy reflects decades of experience in golf operations. Kline learned that great leaders don’t hoard credit but understand that a golf club is a complex ecosystem where everyone plays a vital role. The relationships between Kline and his superintendents demonstrate that the general manager and superintendent connection is perhaps the most critical partnership in the entire facility.
Too often, general managers and superintendents find themselves at odds, competing for resources, credit or authority. Kline’s approach demonstrates an alternative — recognize that you’re on the same team working toward the same goal, and be generous with credit.
For a course with Dunedin’s history, this approach feels appropriate. The facility that helped professionalize the golf industry continues to demonstrate what professional excellence looks like in practice.
The restoration of Dunedin Golf Club back to Donald Ross’s original design is a remarkable achievement. But for Kline, the real achievement is simpler — building partnerships with superintendents who share his commitment to excellence and then making sure they get the recognition they deserve.
“James is as happy to be here as we are to have him, and I predict continued great things for the course,” Kline says.
It’s a statement that reflects mutual respect, shared goals and the kind of partnership that makes championship golf possible.
Today, Dunedin Golf Club stands as one of the top clubs in the Tampa Bay area. The 18-hole, par-72 course plays 6,745 yards and showcases Donald Ross’s design genius in its restored glory.
When visitors step onto the first tee and see the immaculate conditions, the perfectly maintained bunkers, the true-rolling greens and the lush fairways, they’re experiencing the work of James Larkins and the legacy of Dennis Swander and Scott Griffin before him.
“Come and see us and enjoy the entire team’s work!” Kline invites.
It’s an invitation to experience not just a restored Donald Ross masterpiece, but also a model of how golf operations should work. Championship courses require championship superintendents, and great general managers know how to recognize and celebrate that truth.