James Hinckley
Engagement, finance and family
Ever since his father, Jim Hinckley, founded Century Golf Partners in 2005, James Hinckley has been involved with the course investment and management firm in one way or another.
For 20 years, he has established relationships with Century’s team members, whether he was in school, college or focusing on his own career at companies such as GE Capital, NBCUniversal or Deloitte.
So, when he accepted an opportunity to join the family business as a principal in April 2025, Century’s team members weren’t surprised. Not only was Hinckley dedicated to assisting his father, but he was also well prepared for the role because of his experiences at his most recent employer, Boston Consulting Group.
“Joining my dad to help continue the legacy he and his partners built was both a privilege and a natural fit,” he said. “My background at BCG aligned with Century’s focus on growth and member experience, which gave me a unique perspective to contribute to the company’s next chapter.”
At BCG, he led projects in customer loyalty, marketing and growth strategy for the organization’s hospitality and retail clients. In addition, he redesigned loyalty programs to deepen engagement, developed personalization strategies to elevate customer experiences and created new growth concepts in challenging markets.
“I had to determine how to best serve our members, position our clubs, grow the brand of our courses and grow in a competitive environment, each of which is now at the heart of what I do at Century,” he explained.
“Every deal or club visit is a reminder of how special it is to contribute to a family business that I’m passionate about, while working with my father in the golf industry too.”
James hinckley
Through his current role as principal, Hinckley helps lead new business development and strategic growth initiatives. While doing so, he identifies and evaluates acquisitions of private clubs, public courses and resorts. He sets market priorities, builds partner relationships and serves as a thought partner to Century’s operations teams, too – on everything from member experiences, to data analysis, to team member development.
“Everything we do is collaborative at Century,” he said. “I work alongside an exceptional team to shape opportunities and support the company’s long-term strategic direction.”
To help Century achieve its long-standing strategic goals, Hinckley focuses on identifying opportunities to strengthen and diversify the company’s portfolio. In particular, he analyzes markets to determine which geographies and types of clubs the company should prioritize.
“Ultimately, my role is to make sure every deal not only makes financial sense, but that it also aligns with Century’s long-term vision of delivering exceptional value for our members and partners,” he said.
Additionally, Hinckley expands Century’s management contracts under the Arnold Palmer Golf Management brand. Through these expansions, Hinckley seeks out opportunities for Century to use its expertise and culture in various ways with one key goal in mind: adding value to its management contracts and partnerships.
“Everyone at Century enjoys helping craft creative solutions that result in win-win outcomes for clubs, owners, members and partners,” he said.
While providing win-win solutions to customers, Hinckley has been especially drawn to Century’s people and culture. He loves working with each of his colleagues in a culture that he considers collaborative and values-driven, enabling him to learn from experts every day.
Of course, he also enjoys working closely with his father, whose leadership and vision have helped shape Century’s success the last two decades.
“Every deal or club visit is a reminder of how special it is to contribute to a family business that I’m passionate about, while working with my father in the golf industry too,” he said.
Chris Lewis
