Golf Course Management: The Complexities Of The Career

It's easy to picture a golf course manager as someone who just makes sure everyone is having a good time playing, but golf course management is actually a complex and challenging career. Anyone who wants to enter this field should understand just how many different hats he or she will be wearing and how many different types of jobs they will be doing to make sure the facility they manage is running smoothly and their customers are happy.

The most obvious focus of the work is Operations; keeping the day to day working of a course, country club or driving range running smoothly. Operations management includes everything from making sure the course opens up on time to making sure cart rental is handled properly and that caddies are lined up for patrons. In the end, it is all about making sure that things happen without a hitch so that patrons are happy and can enjoy playing the game without worries.

The nuts and bolts of Business and Accounting are never far from the mind of a successful course manager, from tracking inventory in the pro shop to knowing what the monthly cash flow is in each department of the course, the manager will oversee millions of dollars and will need an in-depth understanding of how to budget and allocate funds. Fortunately, a bachelor's degree offers business and accounting courses that prepare students for handling all of these details.

Actual course management is another part of the job that contributes to the success of a facility. It requires knowledge of everything from pest management to course design and renovation to make sure the course is always in peak condition and able to compete successfully with other facilities. Changing environmental requirements must also be a concern for anyone in course management.

There is also a portion of managing that requires the same skill set that is needed to successfully run a fine restaurant or hospitality suite. Food and beverage management is taught at academies as a part of the curriculum so that managers can oversee everything from beverage service at the driving range to catering of weddings and banquets in the dining facilities at the club house. These courses will also cover the essentials of ordering and organizing the preparation of the proper quantities of food for special events and tournaments. Decor, inventory and understanding cooking and wait staff needs are all a part of making sure that those dining or drinking at a club's facilities will have a memorable experience.

Marketing and Publicity is essential to successful management. No matter how smoothly the business runs or how fabulous the food and drink service is, if you aren't consistently bringing in new business and successfully retaining the current customers, you won't grow the business. This is why management schools prepare students with courses in marketing, public relations and media relations. Developing strategic partnerships, designing and promoting tournaments, promoting in-house activities and special events and encouraging community outreach are all a part of the success of any club or course, and an experienced administrator will excel in these areas.

Finally, Human Resources are crucial to being the best possible administrator. Recruiting professionals who are the right fit for your green, finding chefs and wait staff who will be an asset to your club's restaurant and understanding how to properly train and retain employees are all crucial skills. You will also need to understand complex payroll, safety and worker's compensation issues. A university offering a bachelor's degree in this industries management will cover all of these areas thoroughly in its coursework.

It's obvious that it takes a well-rounded, highly educated individual to run a country club successfully. A strong business sense is needed in addition to a love of the game and genuine people skills in order to pursue the long term goals of a growing golf facility. Today's academies offer a balanced blend of classroom work and on the greens instruction to prepare students in order to enter the field of golf course management prepared for anything.