Hale: Boot Ranch is a 2,000-acre private residential golf community in the Texas Hill Country. We provide members with Best-In-Class amenities and service. Members find Boot Ranch to be a peaceful sanctuary away from city life. My role in this story is to lead the 170 dedicated employee family in creating a proper service culture that leads members to want to call Boot Ranch home.
Hale: Golf was always part of the Hale family culture. My father was a very accomplished college All-American at Hardin-Simmons University and was my greatest mentor. My PGA golf career began in the early 1990s when I was fresh out of college. I was influenced by so many incredible individuals, including my uncle Richard Hale, who was a PGA of America Golf Professional previously at Borger Country Club; Golf Course Superintendent Dude Kincaid previously at Ross Rogers Golf Course in Amarillo Texas; Mickey Piersall, a PGA of America Golf Professional previously at Pampa Country Club; Past PGA of America President Joe Black; and Gary Ray, a PGA of America Golf Professional previously at Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas. These men made an everlasting impact on not just my career, but my life journey as well.
Hale: A person must have goals because without them we would never get out of bed in the morning! Goal-setting for me is a daily occurrence. I make lists of short-term goals and long-term goals and prioritize them. I break them up into personal, business and otherwise, and I track the progress daily. At the end of each day, I spend 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted time on the putting green clearing my mind and preparing for the next day, I have found this time to be some of the most valuable time of my day.
Hale: Technologies have changed the golf industry landscape. I am of a generation that began their careers without it and keep my persimmon woods in my office as a reminder - Ha Ha! Embracing this constant change in technology is important, as the new AI infusion has such great potential - especially agronomically. This modern age of golf course conditions and the increasing demands for better playing experiences put increased pressure on golf course superintendents. Geofencing is another incredible technology that enables the team to better manage their operations. I’m a big fan of this for golf cart fleets.
Hale: We are blessed to have a very supportive membership and ownership here at Boot Ranch. We are encouraged to challenge ourselves professionally and given the resources to do so. Personally, I have taken steps to learn more about golf property development and the lifecycle of a developed residential golf community. I have a greater understanding of the financial modeling and marketing necessary to set and meet the expected outcomes.
Hale: Boot Ranch is blessed to have six young aspiring assistant golf professionals who work under the most impressive PGA of America Head Golf Professional I have ever been associated with, Alex Rhyne. My advice to PGA of America Golf Professionals who are looking for the next chapter in their career is “Go For It!” Don’t hold back, even if you don’t think you have the knowledge or background needed. A general manager is a leader first and foremost - that is what owners, boards and members are looking for. If you have the support at home, the work ethic and the desire to lead a club, then you are the one. What drove me in this direction of general management was the opportunity for growth and the support I received from my family, co-workers and members. I have not had any regrets.
Emil Hale, the 2004 Southern Texas PGA Section Assistant Professional of the Year and 2014 Section Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities, is a Quarter Century PGA Member and the PGA of America General Manager at Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas.