Oswego Lake Country Club
Lake Oswego, OR
Head Golf Professional
ABOUT OSWEGO LAKE COUNTRY CLUB
Lake Oswego, OR | Established in 1924, Oswego Lake Country Club enjoys a long-standing tradition of being a warm, welcoming, and community-centric private club community. Our entire staff strives to provide an excellent member experience with a wide range of golf and social events, supported by member-centric best service, memorable dining experiences, and more.
The OLCC Mission states, “Provide a premium golf and social experience for today’s community of active and engaging members, families, and friends.”
About 15 minutes south of Portland, our club is in the suburban village of Lake Oswego, Oregon. Our 18-hole course tips out at 6,557 yards of golf from the longest tees as a par 71 (Rating 71.9/Slope 132.) Designed by famed architect, H. Chandler Egan, the course opened in 1925.
To maintain the member’s enjoyment and playability, OLCC recently completed the strategic “Vision 2020” capital improvement plan. This plan included significant changes to both our golf course and Clubhouse. Golf course renovations included removing trees, enhancing drainage, improving bunkers, and adding an “Augusta-style” bridge on our signature hole, the par-3 third hole. Clubhouse enhancements include an all-new bar, indoor/outdoor family dining, and casual areas, an outdoor covered area with a fireplace, and a beautifully fresh, lakehouse-style interior that is current in its aesthetic, yet honors the historic design sensibilities of a 1925 clubhouse.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Title: Head Golf Professional
Reports to: General Manager
Supervises: All Golf Department Staff
Position Description: The Head Golf Professional (HP) at Oswego Lake Country Club (OLCC) is expected to be the consummate professional, never losing sight of the primary objective of providing an exceptional golf experience for all the Club’s members, while at the same time growing the game and its enjoyment and being the true “face” of golf at OLCC. Amongst many key competencies, the following are absolute keys to success and being an ideal “fit” for the role:
A golf professional tho recognizes what a “premier member and guest golf experience” is to the OLCC membership and can continually evaluate, improve, and direct others to achieve that vision in a positive, energized, and intuitive manner
A service-minded leader who is naturally focused on the details as well as a continuous evolution to enhance and personalize service delivery to members and their guests, and who can instill those same virtues in his/her team
Someone who is a hardworking, lead-by-example, and very hands-on professional who sets clear accountabilities, provides thoughtful and regular feedback to staff members, recognizes the responsibility he/she has to develop and mentor those who support him/her, and creates and leads a culture around golf operations and golf staff development
Someone who recognizes that “making golf fun” leads to growing the game of golf and member retention
Strives for personal and professional excellence in life while constantly seeking opportunities to innovate and improve
Fully recognizes that he/she will be stepping into a role that few have enjoyed in the past and values the importance of understanding club culture
A naturally energized personality with high levels of integrity, pragmatism, progressiveness, and levelheadedness with a presence that conveys leadership, trust, and confidence
An outstanding communicator; current and innovative in engaging all member constituencies to participate and further enjoy the game and the entirety of the OLCC experience
Someone who understands merchandising and what members desire from their Golf Shop, and who can provide a premier buying experience.
Comfortable working in a highly collaborative manner with the GM and other Department Heads and providing thoughtful input and leadership to committees and the Board of Directors
Someone who has strong experience and competencies in organizing and managing golf events and external member outings
Someone who works closely with the course superintendent in coordinating course setup for events and scheduled maintenance, who demonstrates a strong team player leadership role and provides supportive communications about conditions, course plans, etc., with the membership
A capable instructor who can work closely with the Director of Instruction to develop a comprehensive player development program to apply to all golf levels including the use of video and technology innovations.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Position Success Traits
Anticipating an early 2025 start, the new Head Golf Professional will need to focus on and recognize the following expectations:
Develop a keen and deep understanding of Oswego Lake Country Club culture; and what needs to be accomplished to enhance or develop areas to support the aforementioned premium club experience.
Focus on significant engagement opportunities in the shop, in the practice areas, and in the clubhouse with as many members and staff as possible.
Dig into the overall details and requirements necessary to create a consistently high-performing operation and team.
Meet with every member of the golf staff to both “listen” to their desires and expectations, and provide clear direction and understanding of accountabilities and expectations of them. Be the coach who motivates the golf operations team to higher standards and the consistent execution of quality service standards.
Review and understand the full scope of merchandising and its opportunities in both hard and soft goods areas to ensure a strong understanding of member expectations.
Ensure that scheduled events are well planned, properly, and effectively communicated and coordinated with all necessary constituencies.
Significant Understanding of the Role of the Head Golf Professional
The Head Golf Professional (HP) will be ultimately responsible for the outcome, and execution by well-trained staff who are equipped to efficiently deliver the daily operational work of the Golf Department. In so doing, the HP must be able to perform and deliver the functions related to member/community engagement and service which both play an equally important role in the long-term health of the Club.
In the function of directing overall Golf Operations, the Head Golf Professional in the daily operation of the golf department, and other golf department management staff will execute/deliver the following:
Develop and execute a member-centric golf operation program aimed at successful member engagement to accomplish each of the following:
Member activation (increased participation, spend and similar)
Member retention (increased tenure, decreasing member turnover)
Member recruitment (increasing the overall member base when necessary, backfilling member turnover)
Track and verify all players and guests, golf cars, club care, lockers, handicap fees, and other charges necessary, and facilitate accurate accounting and recordkeeping
Oversee golf car fleet while ensuring proper maintenance and recordkeeping
Develop, manage, and execute an innovative member-centric tournament program that engages all member segments
Administer the Rules of Golf “with consistency and care” and educate staff and the membership similarly; promote and provide Rules of Golf clinics to the membership
Develop, maintain, update, and utilize the membership database including important dates, spending, sizes, preferences
Oversee retail merchandise concession in step with the mission of the Club, while maintaining profitability
Supervise physical inventories, present a diverse and desirable array of golf equipment, apparel, and accessories
Oversee the administration of the golf handicap program
Maintain a close working relationship with the Golf Course Superintendent and provide advice on course playability and tournament setup
Participate in and compile information from market competition using available benchmarking data for comparison studies to properly position the facility in the marketplace
For the purpose of member engagement (activation, retention, recruitment), play golf with the majority of members and/or guests as time permits (eg. playing in Oregon PGA Chapter Pro-Ams with OLCC members)
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Including, but not limited to, the following:
Be a current PGA Director of Golf, Head Golf Professional, or 1st/Senior Assistant with a minimum of five (5) years of experience from a recognizable, well-regarded club who has mentored under a strong and well-regarded Director of Golf or Head Golf Professional. PGA Class “A” status is essential. Most importantly, have the ability and experience to both describe and deliver a premium member and guest golf experience based on experience and history in such environments.
Possessive of clearly developed communication skills, including verifiable strengths in responsiveness, always-respectful delivery, and strong personal presence. Someone who is known for being accountable, taking ownership, and having a high-level ability to effectively interact and communicate in multiple means of communication with the use of technology.
Experience working in a similar private club environment vs. resort golf or daily fee environments. Be recognized as highly visible and interactive with members.
Have verifiable experience of performing at a high level in strong ‘service-delivery’ culture club environments where clear standards of hiring, training, orienting, and evaluating staff are in place and effectively used to support those cultures.
Have a clear passion for the game, its history, and tradition, where it can be clearly seen to positively benefit and enhance members’ enjoyment and respect for golf at OLCC.
Be referenced as leading by example in all that he/she does in his/her golf operation; essentially someone who recognizes that the golf culture is started with the appropriate and necessary tone at the top of the organizational chart. This includes being a good neighbor with other local quality clubs and golf professionals, always recognizing the ambassador role one plays.
Have excellent business acumen, being able to clearly outline his/her history of managing the financial aspects and outcomes of his/her operation. Goal setting, achieving objectives, and processes are critical success factors in this role.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Traits
Maintain PGA of America (PGA) Membership in good standing in an active classification
Preferably, a college degree, from a four-year university or a highly regarded PGM program
Fundamental knowledge of the game of golf, rules of golf, golf facility operations and tournament operations, handicap management, etc.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The club will provide a competitive salary range and benefits package commensurate with experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. This includes but is not limited to:
100% of lesson income for private (1:1) lessons and club fitting; 100% of group/clinic instruction for women, juniors, couples, men, etc.
Health insurance will be available per plan policies for the Head Golf Professional (HP) and family at a $80/mo fee (PPO option) or a high deductible health savings plan with no cost to employees and a $125-$425 employer contribution. Dental coverage is included; further, the HP will be eligible for both life and disability insurance per OLCC policies.
The HP will be eligible to participate in the Club’s retirement plan (401k plan, matched at 4%, qualify after one year, 100% vested when eligible).
Per OLCC policies, vacation/PTO for the HP will be one (1) week for the first year of work; two (2) weeks after 2nd year.
Tournament expenses allowance will be provided to the HP, with a focus on Oregon PGA Chapter Pro-Am entry fees paid when playing with different members throughout the golf season.
OLCC will pay the HP's PGA dues; HP will receive family golf/club amenities privileges based on member-centric practices per OLCC policies; similarly, the Club will fund pre-approved professional development/education expenses.
AT WILL EMPLOYMENT | It is important to know that Oswego Lake CC is an “at-will” employer. What this means is that you or the Club are free to end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, with or without cause, and that your employment is for no specified period of time. By applying for this position, the applicant acknowledges to have read this Position Profile document and understanda that this Position Profile generally identifies the boundaries of this position and is not intended to be an absolute accounting of the position.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
All applications MUST be submitted through the PGA of America's Career Services Department as described below.
Resume deadline is December 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time
Combine your cover letter, resume, references, and any supporting documents into one (1) PDF document with the following file naming convention: Last Name, First Name, Oswego Lake Country Club, Head Golf Professional
Please address all correspondence to - Mr. Monte Koch, PGA | ExecuSearch Lead
Monte Koch, PGA, CIC is the lead consultant for this search, please contact him with any questions.
Email: mkoch@pgahq.com
The employer does not wish to be contacted at this time
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