Bailey: Lake Merced Golf Club has a long history and great reputation in the San Francisco area. Founded in 1922 as a Jewish club, over the years LMGC has embraced diversity while also being home to some excellent amateur and professional golf.
In 2021, the club went through a complete golf course renovation conducted by Gil Hanse, who restored the course back to its layout of the 1930s when Alister MacKenzie did a lot of work out here on the original design.
My role at the club has been to help assist the Board of Directors with major capital project management (over $20M in capital spending since 2019), develop a strong PGA-focused management team and continually make the Lake Merced Golf Club experience better for members and their guests.
Bailey: I was 13 years old when I started working in golf, picking up golf balls on the range and marshaling the course on weekends. Over the years, I’ve had many great mentors, including PGA of America Golf Professionals, members at my home clubs and other personal contacts. As a younger professional, it was hard to see when someone close to me went from friend to mentor, but I would try to surround myself with people who were willing to share some of their time, knowledge and expertise. Looking back, I was very fortunate to have quite a few excellent individuals mentor me over the years (and still do)!
Bailey: A mentor of mine told me about 12 years ago that he would write down his goals, and by doing so, they had an odd way of coming true. Since then, at the beginning of each year, I write down my goals or update existing goals (a combination of short-term and long-term goals) that focus on work and life. Not all of them have come to fruition, but a lot of them have, and it’s been an amazing part of my life. I’d highly recommend writing down your goals if you don’t already.
Bailey: I believe the post-COVID resurgence of golf did amazing things for our industry, but one of the most important trends that I have seen is an increase in PGA of America Golf Professionals taking the lead in executive-level club management. Private club boards have seen the value in the PGA of America member’s understanding of the golfing experience. We have a strong history of problem-solving on the course, managing people and managing the tee sheet. All of this experience translates to us being able to lead from the General Manager’s position. We’ve also seen PGA of America Golf Professionals take on other senior leadership roles, such as membership director, clubhouse manager, assistant GM and more. With all that success, I hope to see more of our fellow members expand their reach within private clubs and golf courses.
Bailey: I pride myself on being a good listener, and that has helped me tremendously throughout my career as I learn more and more from those around me. I have also been purposeful in connecting with fellow GMs whom I respect and trust, building those relationships as we all go through very similar club issues. I’m very fortunate to have several close GM friends in the area, and we make it a point to get together at least quarterly for golf or drinks.
Bailey: Being in the GM/COO role has been the most rewarding part of my career over the past 10 years, as I have the opportunity to help shape the future of our club and the community. My best advice would be to keep learning every day. Don’t be afraid to get in there and break stuff, and understand that it’s okay to not know all the answers and to actually ask questions.
I’ve seen plenty of careers end because of egos or lies, but I can’t say I’ve seen one end by staying humble and telling the truth. The core responsibility of the GM is to be a problem solver. Learn the systems that make the club work. Learn how the club governance operates. And understand what makes your fellow employees tick (in good and bad ways). Before you know it, the opportunity will present itself.
Nick Bailey, the 2021 Northern California PGA Section Golf Professional of the Year, is the PGA of America General Manager at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, California.