Jim West, PGA, ARWC
PGA of America ExecuSearch & Career Consultant
Proudly Serving the Kentucky and Tennessee Sections
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Jim West, PGA has been a PGA Member since 1992 and is a trusted golf industry executive, recruiter and career consultant known for his integrity, discretion, and deep understanding of club operations and culture. Through PGA ExecuSearch, he partners with private clubs, resorts, and golf organizations to identify, evaluate, and place high-performing leaders—while also mentoring professionals as they navigate pivotal career transitions.
What sets Jim apart is his operator’s perspective. With firsthand experience in golf operations and leadership, he understands what success truly looks like in roles such as General Manager, Director of Golf, Head Golf Professional, and Director of Agronomy. He evaluates candidates not just on résumés, but on fit, emotional intelligence, leadership style, and long-term potential.
Jim's commitment to the golf community is evident in his service as an Officer of the Tennessee Section PGA and on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Golf Foundation. He has also made significant contributions through his chairmanship of the Tennessee Section PGA's Employment and Club Relations Committee, Education Committee, and Budget & Finance Committee. His professional excellence was recognized by the Tennessee Section PGA, which awarded him the Golf Professional of the Year in 2014, the PGA Professional Development Award for contributions to educational programs in 2015, 2016, and 2018, and the Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2017 for mentoring golf professionals.
As a career consultant, Jim is known for being candid, thoughtful, and deeply invested in the people he works with. He helps professionals clarify their goals, refine their personal brand, prepare for interviews, and make confident, values-aligned decisions. His approach is relationship-driven, not transactional—focused on strengthening clubs, elevating leaders, and improving lives across the industry.
In more than 34 years as a PGA Professional, the greatest privilege of my career has been helping golf industry professionals realize their potential and advance their careers. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing from a former assistant golf professional or assistant golf course superintendent who has grown into a successful leader, knowing I had the opportunity to play a small part in their journey.
Today, with the support of an exceptionally talented and dedicated team of career consultants across the country, it is an honor to connect outstanding professionals with exceptional opportunities and to provide trusted guidance to both candidates and employers. My mission is simple: to strengthen the golf industry by helping great people and great clubs find one another and create lasting relationships that elevate careers, organizations, and the game itself.
Jim and his wife of 33 years, Nikki, reside in Knoxville, Tennessee, and have one adult daughter, Dr. Katherine West Payne (Taylor) and a grandson Oliver Russell Payne.
When not spending time at golf facilities, Jim enjoys riding motorcycles, writing, cooking (especially smoking barbecue), boating, reading, collecting wine, and playing golf with his wife.
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