Jobs in golf

[jmo15]

Anyone work in golf mind sharing what they do? I am currently a CPA and always been interested in working in the golf industry. Whether it a be full time or a side gig. Let me know!

[Abh159]

I don't work in golf, but I have a number of friends who have over the years. Most have moved on to other careers because they realized that working in the golf industry leaves very, very little time to actually get to play golf. 

 

A few were club pros or teaching pros so when the course was open they were working (5-6 days a week minimum) not playing golf. Another was in sales for a large OEM. He spent 90% of his time either at demo days on various course's ranges or travelling to said courses. I remember him saying once that he spent 53 out of 60 days at golf courses over a two month stretch and only got to play one time. 

 

Of course there are always exceptions, but if you enjoy playing it might be best to stick to accounting/finance. Maybe you could find something in golf that still allows you to use your CPA?

 

 

[ScoPro]

The old saying in the industry is - So you want a job in the golf industry AND play golf? Become a tour pro

[BURKMI19]

10 hours ago, jmo15 said:

Anyone work in golf mind sharing what they do? I am currently a CPA and always been interested in working in the golf industry. Whether it a be full time or a side gig. Let me know!

jmo15 A good topic here.  From 2006-2014 I worked in the golf industry, both daily fee and private.  There are a lot of potential benefits to it such as free golf almost anywhere via the pga and private club member connections, free clubs, free clothes, travel opportunities.  Significant considerations however would be the time commitment, potentially low income, choosing between playing golf and having a social life.  When I was in my final season I was a Level 1 apprentice at a corporate owned 36-hole private country club, I worked 6-7 days a week and 70-80 hours during peak season.  Being married with kids I made the decision to get into sales and haven't looked back.  I've known a lot of PGA guys who end up divorced, alcoholics, and several other bad situations.  It can be a very rewarding profession, but I would just advise caution.  Maybe get a part time job with outside service to get some free golf somewhere?

[lefthack]

Similar, yet different. I am a software engineer who likes to play video games. I learned early in my career that working for a game company is the easiest way to kill my love of video games.

 

My guess (and based on others responses) is golf would be the same deal. It sounds awesome, but in reality, it would kill my enjoyment.

[smashdn]

@BNGL

 

He can shed some light on the greenskeeping side as well as maybe point you in the direction of careers that support the golf industry while not being directly tied to a single course (I am thinking equipment and chemicals or construction).

 

I took a golf course management class in college that was offered as a part of the turf program.  I was not following the turf degree path but needed an elective course and was interested in golf obviously.  Great class where I learned a lot.  Wish I had been a better student at that time in my college career and applied myself more to it and got even more out of it.

 

If you are currently a CPA you could definitely get over into the club management side of things.  The business side.  To dip your toe in, maybe solicit courses around you to do their books.  That might give you an idea if that side of things interests you.

[BNGL]

14 hours ago, jmo15 said:

Anyone work in golf mind sharing what they do? I am currently a CPA and always been interested in working in the golf industry. Whether it a be full time or a side gig. Let me know!

As @smashdn said if you are a CPA now you can easily (should be able to) find a gig working for a club or management company in that capacity. One of my better friends job title comptroller, and that was a high level private club in the Jupiter Florida area. You would be surprised at how much accounting goes on at golf clubs, especially bigger ones. 

 

As far as looking to play golf, it irritates me to no end hearing people say you never have time never have time never have time, just up and down about it. The hours can be long sure, especially in season, but there is time IF you make the time. But you know there's opportunity cost to everything, If I golf after work then I am away from home/the wife/the kids for 15-16 hours or won't be able to watch the game or whatever. If you make the time the opportunities to play are there, they might not be in the beginning, as you would just be starting out but in what industry are you just starting and able to take advantage of the work perks and not busting your tail to make it?!? 

 

Golf is about an 84 billion dollar industry, not all of us are pros or even golfers, there's chefs, masseuses, accountants, HR reps, custodial, event planners, club managers, facilities managers etc etc. 

[caniac6]

I went back to college in my 30s, and got a Turf degree. I was working as an assistant super, and I could play as much golf as I wanted. In the summer, when we had to spend a lot of time watching the greens, I didn't play much. There were some tough days, but I loved working at the course. I took a good pay cut, but I looked forward to going to work everyday. 

[jmo15]

3 hours ago, lefthack said:

Similar, yet different. I am a software engineer who likes to play video games. I learned early in my career that working for a game company is the easiest way to kill my love of video games.

 

My guess (and based on others responses) is golf would be the same deal. It sounds awesome, but in reality, it would kill my enjoyment.

Yes that makes sense. 

[Soloman1]

 

 

Be careful what you wish for.

[shoot4par]

3 hours ago, lefthack said:

Similar, yet different. I am a software engineer who likes to play video games. I learned early in my career that working for a game company is the easiest way to kill my love of video games.

 

My guess (and based on others responses) is golf would be the same deal. It sounds awesome, but in reality, it would kill my enjoyment.

 

I worked in many different parts of the golf industry growing up, burn out is a thing in almost every aspect. If you're gung-ho on the industry, I'd suggest being a tech rep for a major OEM or apparel company and work your way up. Its one of the few jobs that gives a reasonably comfortable level of income and allows you to be in the industry. Great club pro jobs are few and far between. Caddying doesn't give you great benefits because most are independent contractors and pretty much everything else is substandard from an economics perspective. Also, I'd like to reiterate that you don't play a lot of golf in the industry. Your weekends are busy and the best days are typically work days. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I'm an engineer in my day job and homebrew as a hobby. 

 

As such, because I'm actually pretty decent at brewing (been doing it since 2006), I commonly get people asking me if I've ever thought about opening my own brewery. 

 

Hmm... Give up a cushy office job that pays me damn well so I can work long hours, backbreaking labor, high stress of running a business, and low pay at a job that will probably kill any enjoyment I have of the hobby? Uhh... No. 

 

I don't know what CPAs make, but I understand it's a pretty good living... This is where I'd say to be a CPA and hit the golf course on the weekends lol...

[James the Hogan Fan]

1 hour ago, jmo15 said:

Yes that makes sense. 

 

I only worked for a year at a course as a basic laborer. Cut the grass, rake the sand, take orders, etc. Had a great boss in a great environment and suffered zero burnout.

 

The tasks were easy enough, the money wasn't but it was better than being unemployed, and my single greatest expense after rent, green fees, were completely eliminated. i was basically treated as a member. In the long summer evenings I could fit a round in after my shift and play to hole locations I had set a few hours before.

 

Would it have gotten old of it had continued? Maybe, but I'm really glad I did it. 

[jmo15]

16 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

I'm an engineer in my day job and homebrew as a hobby. 

 

As such, because I'm actually pretty decent at brewing (been doing it since 2006), I commonly get people asking me if I've ever thought about opening my own brewery. 

 

Hmm... Give up a cushy office job that pays me damn well so I can work long hours, backbreaking labor, high stress of running a business, and low pay at a job that will probably kill any enjoyment I have of the hobby? Uhh... No. 

 

I don't know what CPAs make, but I understand it's a pretty good living... This is where I'd say to be a CPA and hit the golf course on the weekends lol...

Haha!! Thanks to the people of GolfWRX for always setting me straight. Right now working from home so been able to hit the range at lunch. Headed to the course right at 5 to get in 9 holes. And weekends get to play full rounds. Hopefully this work from home thing is permanent!

[Hambone1]

Better to be a member than the golf professional at the club. 

[BURKMI19]

@BNGL I can accept the outside viewpoint of "if you want to you will make time".  As a young single guy with no commitments, the golf "service" industry is really ideal.  I would routinely be at the club from sun-up working and then play golf after, I didn't mind getting $10/hr because I got a lot of freebies.  The most important statement I learned during my time in the golf industry is "There are professional golfers, and there are golf professionals".  As a golf professional your primary duty is to the person signing your check to make them money.  I mean if you don't provide a positive net value to the owner or corporation you won't have a paycheck from them anymore.  A club professional isn't paid by the course they work for to play golf, so I learned very quickly that actually playing golf is literally at the bottom of the totem pole.  I was paid to work and provide profitable service to the company (club) I worked for, they don't care how much golf I actually played.  Their concern was how effective I was at filling the tee sheet, running events, selling inventory, etc.  They could care less if I was a +2 or 30 hdcp.  Think of this too, the only golfing requirement for a PGA professional is to pass a basic PAT (playing ability test) during the course of working towards Class A membership.  After that, you would literally never have to play another round of golf again because it doesn't affect how well you serve a club and add to their bottom line.

[Dr.Zevia]

I was a cart guy while in high school with unlimited playing, it was awesome.

I worked in retail golf while in college, money was a lot better but didn't get to play all that often.

Most people in the golf industry don't get to play all that much.

[Imp]

I browse here from time to time... https://employment.acushnetgolf.com/

OP: They're looking for a State Income Tax manager.... You said you're a CPA, right? 😉

 

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by Imp