Brunt: Located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Sawgrass Country Club was established in 1974 and caught the eyes of the country as the host of the 1977-1981 PLAYERS Championship. Golf continues to be at the forefront of club activity at Sawgrass as the East-West course plays co-host to the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School presented by Korn Ferry and The John Hayt Collegiate Invitational. The Hayt is hosted by the University of North Florida and annually boasts one of the nation’s top men's collegiate fields.
Away from the golf course, the club is comprised of 1,475 memberships accounting for roughly 3,000 members who enjoy the fantastic amenities throughout the property. Those amenities include a newly constructed $25 million clubhouse, oceanfront beach club, fitness center, tennis facility and twenty-seven holes of championship golf that average 52,000 rounds a year.
The club is highly active and is supported by three hundred amazing employees. I am the PGA of America General Manager and Chief Operating Officer overseeing all operations. I collaborate diligently with my team and the Board of Governors to ensure that the club is consistently meeting expectations and moving the needle in terms of being one of the finest clubs in the country. With a large membership and wide range of demographics to satisfy, the job is difficult, but the environment is vibrant which makes this job well worth the time and effort.
Brunt: My golf journey is a little different than most, as I was not properly introduced to golf until my senior year of college - thank you Tiger Woods! Enamored by witnessing Tiger’s “better than most” putt on Saturday of the 2001 PLAYERS in person, I set off to buy my first set of clubs the following week. A serious addiction to the game led to an internship in the golf operations department at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, followed by my first assistant professional opportunity at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. From there, my golf journey led to Sawgrass Country Club where I started my tenure as a player services attendant and worked my way up the chain of command to my current role as the GM.
My career has been impacted by several PGA of America Golf Professionals, including several GMs, each making an impact in one facet or another. One GM who has been an incredible mentor of mine is Bill Hughes, MPGA. Mr. Hughes is the PGA of America General Manager at the Country Club of the Rockies.
When Mr. Hughes served as PGA of America General Manager at TPC Sawgrass, he was influential in our Chapter and Section and prioritized the best interests of PGA of America Golf Professionals in the area and worked to support our future. He was a service-minded individual who was always there to support me on my journey.
I would be remiss not to mention Greg Lecker, PGA as a mentor who encouraged me to understand and excel at every component of being a PGA of America Golf Professional, which has guided me to becoming a general manager. Mr. Lecker helped me focus heavily on the business components of our industry and offered insight that he obtained from his mentors to improve my leadership skills.
Brunt: There is no substitute for a solid team environment in our industry, especially when setting goals. Every goal is attainable and aligns with our mission. Once the purpose is identified, it comes down to execution. Did we meet our deadlines and goals? Did we exceed expectations? These are just a few of the questions that we consider to ensure that we hold ourselves accountable when setting goals to improve the club experience. If we can successfully answer these questions and the feedback from members and staff is positive, then we have done our job, and the goal was a success. From here we maintain or move forward and never take a step backward.
Brunt: The introduction of the waitlist to clubs that never thought they would be in such high demand has required discussion over the past few years. We have a waitlist to join our club, with the current number of candidates healthy and revolving at an excellent rate. However, our biggest challenge is our internal waitlist to upgrade to the full golf membership. The demand for golf access is extremely high and has required clubs to modify their tournament schedule and get creative with their membership models. There is a delicate balance to satisfy the new members, while also showing respect for the members who have been with the club for several years. With golf remaining continually active across the country, the waitlist challenge is far from going away anytime soon.
Brunt: Once you commit to becoming a general manager, your efficiency and time management must go into overdrive. Typically, we have been working as head professionals or directors of golf and now must focus on multiple departments, more staff members and the many demographics that make up your membership.
Upon accepting the role of general manager, I committed myself to maintaining my passion for golf and being an active PGA of America Golf Professional. I currently serve as the Vice President of the North Florida PGA - Northern Chapter and do my best to remain active within the golfing community, while also satisfying my responsibilities as general manager at the club. This has opened an amazing opportunity to expand my network and continue to learn and educate myself and my team. There are invaluable opportunities to get better when you have individuals with expertise in separate areas of club management sharing ideas and working together toward success.
Brunt: It is important for all PGA of America Golf Professionals and Associates to identify what they enjoy about being in the golf and hospitality industry. I have excelled in this industry because I love collaborating with people and have a passion for the business aspects of running a club. As PGA of America Golf Professionals, we naturally provide service and deliver high-level hospitality - it is what we do. If you have a powerful desire to serve your membership and enjoy the challenges and rewards of leadership, you have what it takes to become a general manager.