The Minikahda Club
Minneapolis, MN
Director of Golf
ABOUT THE CLUB
Minneapolis, MN | Founded in 1898, The Minikahda Club is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi and a premier club in the region. The City of Minneapolis has grown up around the Club. A group of young picnickers were so impressed by the spot they found atop a hill overlooking Lake Bde Maka Ska, they acquired the land and set out to form a club for social functions and golf. Today, The Minikahda Club is a year-round full-service club with a vast offering of social, dining and sport activities. The name Minikahda comes from the Dakotah, a combination of two words meaning, “by the side of the water.” The Club logo, in fact, depicts a Native American shield, similar to the artifact framed in the Clubhouse.
The Minikahda Club has approximately 1,250 members, comprising approximately 675 families and a single class of membership. The classic Ross design has played host to a number of major events including the 1916 US Open, the 1927 US Amateur, the Walker Cup in 1957, the Women's Amateur in 1988, the Curtis Cup in 1998, and the US Senior Amateur in 2017. To better prepare the Club for the future, a golf course master plan was approved in 2018. As part of that plan, the Club completed a re-grassing of its historic Donald Ross-designed golf course and replaced the golf shop with a new building that provides a year-round practice facility. The remainder of the course restoration work, led by Kyle Franz, was completed in the fall of 2021. The course is ranked among the best in the state by Golf Digest and was ranked #95 in Golfweek's Top classic courses in 2022. The Minikahda Club is working towards developing a comprehensive Campus Plan in the near future.
The Club employs approximately 260 employees during peak season, and approximately 180 during the off-season. From a financial standpoint, the Club is debt-free, has a substantial reserve fund, a waiting list for membership and is well positioned for success.
The Minikahda community is one that appreciates tradition and respects the obligation to build on its legacy by planning for the future, as evidenced by its Mission and Vision:
Mission: The members shall preserve, protect, promote and pass on The Minikahda Club legacy, traditions, and values and adapt and prepare for the future with sound financial management.
Vision: The Minikahda Club provides the membership a superior social and recreational experience based on the values of family, fellowship, integrity, respect, and inclusiveness.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Director of Golf will be responsible for the entire golf operation, including Men’s, Women’s, Mixed and Junior Golf programs and events/outings, instruction and player development activities, golf shop concessions/merchandising, outside operations, the club's caddie program, and on‐course activity. As part of this senior management team, the Director of Golf is expected to be the leading presence for The Minikahda Club golf staff-- attracting, training, and retaining a professional team consisting of a Head Golf Professional, two Assistant Professionals, two Teaching Professionals and a seasonal Caddiemaster. The Director of Golf will be an ambassador for the club, encouraging members of all abilities to play regularly and get full enjoyment out of the game; welcoming guests with respect and dignity; and insisting on the highest levels of customer service and hospitality. The club hosts approximately 27,000 rounds of golf annually.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
POSITION SUCCESS TRAITS
The successful candidate will be an excellent ambassador for the club in leading the entire golf operation and set an unparalleled standard of customer service.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, an excellent communicator, and a keen eye for attention to detail are some of the key traits necessary for success in this role.
Recruit, mentor, and support a strong team of Assistant Golf Professionals in conjunction with the Head Golf Professional. Encourage them to pursue professional development as appropriate, to compete in local/regional tournaments, and to provide a flexible contemporary schedule in line with today's private club best practices.
Build a strong instruction program for players of all abilities including outreach to introduce the game to members and families who currently do not play the game.
Support and develop a strong, continuously improving junior program which increases participation and broadens the pool of competitive, passionate younger players and families.
Develop and manage a full calendar of tournaments, social golf events and outings. The club currently hosts 4 outside outings annually.
Maintain a top-quality inventory of Golf Shop merchandise and equipment. Stay current with major manufacturers’ equipment/accessory trends, club fitting, and in‑shop merchandising practices that maximize profits consistent with a clear understanding of member needs and tastes. Golf Shop Revenue Budget for 2022 is $765,000.
Develop, implement, and control the annual golf budget to achieve revenue and cost goals. Ensure billing, accounting, and control practices meet Club standards.
Support and grow Minikahda's historic caddie program and the tradition of the Evans Scholar program which was started when Chick Evans won the 1916 U.S. Open at The Minikahda Club and now supports 1,000 caddies with full 4-year scholarships
Collaborate with Member Committees to ensure appropriate execution of the club’s vision for golf programs, services, and tournaments.
Stay current with actual and trending USGA rules. Officiate at various in-house tournaments/matches when possible.
Interact well with the other club department heads to maintain an environment of excellence throughout the club.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will be a positive and energetic individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership, interpersonal skills, and set's a service first culture. He/she will be an outstanding communicator, an accomplished leader and mentor, and have the ability to play the game at a high level.
The Director of Golf should have worked in a family-oriented, traditional golf club setting which has activities for all generations. He/she must be able to appreciate the needs of different genders, personalities, abilities and ages. Experience managing a club's caddie program as well as a proven record of mentoring and advancing staff are two key experience traits for the successful candidate. He/she will sponsor an atmosphere of inclusiveness at the Club by providing equal attention to juniors, beginners as well as those with low handicaps. Participation in PGA/LPGA activities is considered to be a plus.
The ideal candidate must also demonstrate his/her mastery of running significant components of an effective golf operation either as a Director of Golf, Head Golf Professional, or as a lead Assistant Golf Professional at a premier private club. While individuals with varying degrees of experience will be considered, the successful candidate must be able to clearly articulate past roles in cultivating an outstanding golf experience, with a member and team focused environment.
Familiarity with golf in the region is considered a plus, but not required. Class-A PGA membership is mandatory, and candidates should be proficient with the many ways that information technology (Jonas, ForeTees, Golf Genius, Excel, Word as examples) enhances communications in a contemporary golf operation.
And the ideal candidate’s resume and references will evidence not only these technical and collaborative aspects of his/her skill set but also examples of fresh thinking to excite and inspire both members and guests. Part coach and part ambassador, the prospective Director of Golf must demonstrate his/her potential to drive continuous improvement to the Minikahda Club's golf programming.
KEY ATTRIBUTES
Successful experience providing high-touch services in a traditional premier private club
A clear understanding of the The Minikahda Club, it's rich history, and the importance of the Member experience
Leader capable of attracting and developing a motivated, energetic and service-focused team with a proven record of success
Proven success in leading player development programming for all generations and abilities
Ability and willingness to skillfully address potentially controversial member issues
Strong communication/interpersonal skills and a high level of emotional intelligence
Interest in long-term commitment to Minikahda
Ability to handle difficult situations with ease
PGA Membership Mand atory
3-5 Years of Head Professional experience Preferred
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The financial offering will be commensurate with the selected candidate’s experience and include a combination of base salary, lesson income, and a performance bonus based on measures of overall performance which are set and reviewed annually with the General Manager/COO. Club benefits are at the top of the golf industry and include medical, dental, PGA dues, a retirement plan, and a more flexible workplace schedule than current industry standards for management level positions.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
All applications MUST be submitted through the PGA of America's Career Services Department as described below.
The application deadline is October 7, 2022
Combine your cover letter, resume and any additional materials into one (1) PDF file and attach the document below. Please use the following file naming convention: "Last Name, First Name, The Minikahda Club Director of Golf "
Address cover letter to: Ms. Louisa Bergsma, PGA, GM/COO
PGA Career Services Senior Director, Scott Kmiec and PGA Career Consultant Andrea Kloppman-Heit, PGA are the lead consultants on this search. All inquiries should be directed to their attention via email:
The employer does not wish to be contacted at this time
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