Timothy J. Drzewinski , PGA
PGA Professionals I Worked With
May 2014 - August 2014
Head Golf Professional
Chuck Dunbar
Assistant Golf Professionals
Andy Kohn
Glenn Fletcher
Jeff Wibben
Caleb Wilson
Chris Carey
Kelsey Jo Holsten
Michael Duncan
Jason Franklin
Positions
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PGA Intern
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Golf Shop Attendant
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Customer Service Representative
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Starter & Tee Captain
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Marshall
Pebble Beach Resorts
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Working at Pebble Beach Golf Links was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. It was a beautiful area with incredible people. I was able to shadow Golf Professionals that strived to be the best in the business. Not only did I learn how a resort operates, but due to the high paced atmosphere I was able to develop skills that would prove to be crucial in future jobs.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
As a member of the Customer Service Team I was responsible for duties such as bag drop, golf cart fleet management, customer service, practice facility communication and shuttling.
At the bag drop I was responsible for introducing guests from all over the world to Pebble Beach Golf Links. I provided directions to where to park and where to go to make sure they are well on their way to enjoying a great experience. This interaction was crucial for the overall experience because it was the first face they saw as they pulled up.
Golf carts were a crucial part of the operation. We were responsible for cleaning, parking and storing the golf carts every night. We were also responsible for bringing golf carts down to the Starter when needed.
The Pebble Beach Practice Facility was a little bit off site. Therefore it was the Outside Operation Staff's responsibility to get guests up to the practice facility when they wanted to go. We would shuttle guests up to the practice facility whenever requested and pick them up when the Practice Facility Staff would radio down to us. Communication between departments was crucial to ensure the highest level of customer service.
Customer service was an integral part of Pebble Beach Resorts. Our goal was to provide world-class service to every guest giving them a once and a lifetime experience. Therefore, greeting guests off of the golf course with a smile and charisma was important. We would shine guest's shoes and clean clubs and leave them with the notion that this resort is a place to come back to.
GOLF SHOP ATTENDANT
Inside the Golf Shop we had multiple responsibilities that affected the financial performance of the golf course. Some included being trained in the point of sale software, handling cash and credit card transactions, answering phone calls, managing club rentals, and communication with caddie services.
It was important that staff members were well trained with Springer Miller POS Software. I understood how to run financial statistic reports to ensure that the number of caddies paid for was the number of caddies that were used and that all transactions and the amount of cash on hand matched the reports. Springer Miller Software was a tool that was very helpful in providing world class service. We were able to search guest reservations, transactions, room numbers and telephone numbers so that we could perform the highest level of customer service.
Handling cash was a crucial part of the Golf Shop. Since high amounts of cash would go through the Golf Shop for greens fees and merchandise it was our duty to make sure that we made ethical decisions when handling cash. Running reports for the Accounting Department and having our own banks was a way to make every individual accountable for any mistakes.
Answering phone calls in a high paced operation helped me improve my time management skills as well as control periods of high stress and perform at a high level under pressure. Working in this atmosphere has improved my overall etiquette over the telephone.
Being a world class resort, club rentals were an important part of the operation and a great way to generate revenue for the company. Having over 50 sets of club rentals it was crucial that we managed club rentals and ensured that no clubs were damaged, lost, or stolen. Having an extensive club check by the Outside Staff and the Golf Shop we were able to have the most effective club rental management operation.
STARTER & TEE CAPTAIN
Responsibilities on the first tee were arguably the most important part of the operation because we interacted with every guest and provided the last interaction before they play the golf course. Some responsibilities included keeping records, organizing tee times, managing caddies, and announcing local rules and procedures to all players.
Keeping records was the most important part of this job. We were responsible for keeping track of caddies, cart numbers, and tee off times for all guests. This allowed us to be prepared with any future problems or issues with guests losing things in golf carts or customer satisfaction issues with caddies or pace of play.
The main task for the starter and tee captain was organizing tee times. This required high interaction and communication with guests. The starter would set up groups 10-15 minutes prior to their tee time by putting bags on carts or introducing players to their caddies. The tee captain would introduce local rules to each group and direct groups to the first tee when ready to tee off. The performance of these staff members was crucial to meeting tee time expectations.
Our caddie services was outsourced to Caddie Services, Inc. (CSI). It was important that our guests have caddies when expecting caddies. It was the starter's responsibilty to contact the caddie master if a guest wanted a caddie or if a guest who paid for a caddie had a caddie available. The starter would then take down caddie names per group and introduce caddies to players.
PRACTICE FACILITY
The brand new Pebble Beach Practice Facility and Learning Center opened midway through my internship. It has hitting bays with technologies that I had never seen before, multiple chipping and putting greens, and grass conditions that exceed any guest's expectations.
Inside the learning center there was Trackman, V1 Software, video screens, indoor hitting simulations, SAM Putt, and RoboGolfPro (as seen in the video above). I was able to experience these technologies and improve my understanding of them through the teaching professionals at the learning center.
This amenity was available for guest use and we were responsible in promoting it. This underrated part of my internship was invaluable as it introduced me to technology that would prove to be seen later on in my career.
"If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach. I've loved this course from the first time I saw it. It's possible the best in the world." - Jack Nicklaus
"They say it's the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world. This course was heavened designed" - Johnny Miller
