Making the jump to GM from Super Cancel The title field is required!

1. Jamie Downton

   

   0 posts
   
   1/24/2012 7:01 PM

   I have had an interesting opportunity fall into my lap in the last couple of days. I received a call from a local course, who wanted to sit down and talk about their vacant GM position. As it turns out, they have not had one for a couple of years, and it seems as though they need a shake up, and some new blood to hopefully jump start the operation again....
   
   So, I am just wondering how many Super's out there have gone down this road, and wondering if you could provide some feedback (good, bad, ugly, whatever)
   
   I am a relatively young guy in this industry, and have spent 6 years now as a Super. It would seem to me that this is a somewhat of a lateral of a move, (if not a step down as far as course quality is concerned), however, it is a different direction in golf. This club is certainly struggling, although not hanging on by a thread as there are a few partners in this course, who have very successful local operations. I don't anticipate a significant jump in salary, but it would certainly be a challenge, and has certainly caught my attention....
   
   Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
   
   
   Jamie Downton AGS
   Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   1/24/2012 7:01 PM

   I have done it before and it appears I will be doing it again. It is very long hours, and in my case my focus was on clubhouse/member activities, not on maintenance. I was available for maintenance but I was more of a consultant to maintenance than a frontline person. I was fine with it before and I will be fine with it again. The difference is going from being a "Back-of-the-House-Person" to the "Front-Of-the-House-Person". Spend some money on clothes. They want you to dress the part.

   
   
   
   
3. Michael Vogt

   

   2 posts
   
   1/25/2012 8:01 AM

   Jamie:
   
   I have been a GM for a member-owned club in Illinois after being the superintendent at that club for 12 years. As Scott said, "the hours are long" and be mindful that you will be the face of the club, mostly hearing problems or fielding complaints, this will require you to be very extroverted and have the ability to be a keen politician. It's true these skills can be learned but the most successful GM's seem to have them built-in, this, for me, was one of the most difficult parts of the transition.
   
   The GM position will also require you to have a cursory knowledge of the food and beverage business. While I don't know what is the format of the F&B side of this club you speak of I had several F&B outlets at the club I was at (white table cloth to snack-bar at the pool). Very difficult to manage food costs – labor and continually train staff to achieve member satisfaction; you will be competing with every restaurant in town!
   
   Politically and financially you will be faced with leading the direction of a club through the most demanding times in a generation, with a definite shift in golf participation at most clubs and in some cases the reinventing of the club to serve different demographics than originally chartered.
   
   One of the most important parts of the move to being a GM is the ability to return to your original career as superintendent, if you find the GM business is not your style or preference, especially if your best efforts are less than successful in these difficult economic times for clubs and golf in general.
   
   Jamie, before making this important decision weigh the positives against the negatives. Please call me anytime with questions on this topic, (800) 365-2498.
   
   Good Luck, All my best,
   Mike

   
   
   
   
4. Kevin Girt

   

   0 posts
   
   1/25/2012 9:01 AM

   Jamie,
   I have all the confidence in the world that you'll be able to do it. But consider this, I was hired by a club on it's last leg in 2007, a goat ranch by no stretch. Irrigation was down to 20% operable do to people in position not knowing how to fix anything, so I started out with almost dead greens, dried tees and fairways and the soil in the roughs eroding and covering sprinkler heads 4 to 8 inches in depth. with in 6 months had the greens,tees and fairways back to the point where they sent the GM down the road and asked me to do both. You'll learn a ton about marketing and people skills and as long as you can have a couple of good key people in place to help with the work load, it can be fun. Anyway by 2009 Golf week listed us as the #5 course to play in the state but the owner kept cutting the money. Of the 8 guys I had in maintenance 6 being seasonal, only 2 made more than minimum and i had no assistant. The 3 people in the pro-shop made no more than 8.00 and didn't play golf and my salary was only 35000 a year with no insurance and On average I was putting in 80 hours a week. So, and this is the important thing--- If they are willing and able to let you have the key people in place and give you the time to learn all of the different facets of the business, By all means go for it, but if the money is going to be to tight, please take into consideration the fact you may have to work yourself to death.

   
   
   
   
5. Troy Sanders

   

   0 posts
   
   1/27/2012 3:01 PM

   Sounds as if it comes down to a personal decision. In this day and age, whether you have family or not, benefit plan, retirement, budget, future planning all must be taken in. Like the other guys mentioned, different hours, food and beverage and complaints are all there every day. Personality is another thing that you must consider, being a Superintendent you can kind of hide behind the scenes if you choose one day, hop on a mower and turn off the cell phone type days will be over.
   Good luck whatever you may decide, there are just too many variables to say go for it.
   Maybe there is someone in the area or your past that you can ask for some personal career advice?

   
   
   
   
6. Corp Chad B

   
   1/28/2012 1:01 PM

   If you are going into that position for more money, wrong reason. I have found over the years your job should be like your hobby, you need to enjoy it. If you take the position make sure you set yourself up for success, and don't take a positon that will not allow you to do that ( some places are just looking for a pawn). Check out the place throughly, financially, and what they are looking for. F&B will probably be a big issue, find out what they are looking for, and research what other courses in the area are charging for food and drinks. It will be a learning process, be calm and confident and you will do fine, if you take it.

   
   
   
   
7. David Smith

   

   0 posts
   
   1/31/2012 3:01 PM

   Jamie,
   
   I'm in my second month as the GM and it has been a real eye opener. Mike hit the nail on the head. I am seeking an F&B manager now and hoping to sway back to the golf course full time soon. It has been educational, enlightening, and extremely frustrating all at once. I do not envy those in the restaraunt business.
   
   Dave
   
   Fawn Lake Country Club
   Virginia

   
   
   
   
8. Wahlin Scott B

   
   1/31/2012 4:01 PM

   David Smith said: Jamie,
   
   I'm in my second month as the GM and it has been a real eye opener. Mike hit the nail on the head. I am seeking an F&B manager now and hoping to sway back to the golf course full time soon. It has been educational, enlightening, and extremely frustrating all at once. I do not envy those in the restaraunt business.
   
   Dave
   
   Fawn Lake Country Club
   Virginia

   
   
   My experience was that I could not get back to the golf course very much unless the situation was horrifying. The members want to see you and talk to you in the clubhouse. For many (I think) it is part of the overall experience. Even when you get a restaurant manager there will be those who want to talk to the GM only about anything that goes on at the club.

   
   
   
   
9. Jamie Downton

   

   0 posts
   
   2/7/2012 6:02 PM

   Thanks for all the great information Gentlemen. I did indeed accept the position, and in fact begin my new venture next Monday. At the end of the day, this was not a monetary decision, but rather a chance to spread my wings, and challenge myself with something I have never done before.
   
   Thanks again guys!
   
   Jamie Downton AGS