Roland Thatcher stood at a pivotal career crossroads in 2017. One signpost pointed back to life as a tour professional, where he made 154 starts, collected two runner-up finishes and 11 Top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR, won three Korn Ferry Tour titles and amassed $3.6 million in official earnings during a stellar 17-year run. The other signpost directed Thatcher to spend more time with his family and pursue a second career as a PGA of America Golf Professional.
Growing tired of the travel, time away from family and the pressure of re-qualifying for PGA TOUR status each year, he pursued life as a PGA of America Professional.
“I would say I had a long and mediocre career on the PGA TOUR,” reflects Thatcher, now 47 and serving as the PGA of America Director of Golf at Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas.
“Toward the end of my playing career (pictured above), it was evident I had to work very hard to maintain my status as a tour professional,” says Thatcher. “My two kids were young, I was traveling 25 weeks of the year, and I couldn’t foresee missing out on their development. So, I started looking for other options.”
Roland Churchill Thatcher IV, named after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was born in Hampton, Virginia, but has lived off the fifth hole at TPC at The Woodlands in Houston since age 2. After attending a summer golf camp as a youngster, Thatcher became enamored with the game.
He earned All-SEC honors all four years of his collegiate career at Auburn University and won the SEC individual championship as a senior, while being named second-team All-American. Thatcher met his wife Lindsey at Auburn and used collegiate success as a springboard to the Golden Bear Tour, Nationwide Tour, Buy.com (now Korn Ferry) Tour and eventually the PGA TOUR.
But after nearly two decades of competition on various tours with mixed results, Thatcher was ready for a change of scenery – and a new career in golf.
“Eventually, it’s not much fun if you’re missing cuts, missing your family and not accomplishing your goals. It takes a toll,” he explains.
Thatcher found a trusted mentor and friend in Mark Steinbauer, PGA, who was the Director of Golf at Bentwater Yacht and Country Club an hour north of Houston. Steinbauer hired Thatcher as an entry-level staff member and thought he would make an excellent teacher. However, Thatcher quickly fell in love with all aspects of golf operations and management.
“Mark was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I took to golf operations and developed an eye for setting up a course and creating a good environment for club members,” recalls Thatcher.
His yearning for learning didn’t stop with the traditional PGA Education courses necessary to secure his Class A-1 credentials. Thatcher also completed the PGA Specialized Program and became certified in Golf Operations.
“I wanted to lay the groundwork by learning everything I could about golf operations – everything from agronomy to food & beverage, to interacting with employees and club members, to budgeting and managing a facility,” he notes.
“I found the PGA Specialized and Certified courses incredibly useful. I’m a very competitive person by nature, and I was motivated to learn everything I could to be competitive with my peers as a PGA Professional. I wanted to build a broader knowledge base to show that I wasn’t just relying on my playing career to qualify for a job.”
Thatcher’s resolute approach to golf and his education credentials have helped him land many golf professional jobs in the Houston area – Head Professional and later Director of Golf at Bentwater Yacht and Country Club; Head Professional at Grand Pines Golf Club; Director of Golf at The Woodlands Country Club, where he lived for most of his life; and now Director of Golf at Lakeside Country Club.
“The benefits of PGA Education classes are many, and helped me gain the knowledge I needed to qualify for the employment opportunities I have enjoyed,” says Thatcher. “I was fortunate to have a fairly long career as a player, but that is behind me now. I feel comfortable and confident as a PGA Professional taking care of club members.
“Just as I was motivated to put in the work to succeed as a player, I’m equally motivated to succeed as a PGA of America Professional.” —Roger Graves