Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile:
Atlanta Athletic Club
Johns Creek, GA
The Club and its storied history
Founded in 1898, Atlanta Athletic Club (AAC) outgrew its original homes
downtown and at its former East Lake property. As the Club’s membership
gradually moved northward, the Club moved with them during the late 1960’s
and early 70’s, to its current location in Johns Creek. Today, AAC boasts two
Championship golf courses, a nine-hole par 3 course, a 42,000
sq.ft. athletic center, four indoor and twelve outdoor tennis
courts along with a premier stadium court, a significant
multi-pool complex and a magnificent traditional clubhouse
with multiple dining and meeting spaces.
Certainly, the history of AAC is synonymous with
Championships. Most recently, the Club hosted the 2014 U.S.
Amateur, prior to that, PGA Championships in 2011, 2001
and 1981, and has hosted the U.S. Junior and Women’s Amateurs, the 1976
U.S. Open, the Mid-Amateur, the Junior World Cup,
and the 1963 Ryder Cup Matches. AAC will host
the Palmer Cup in 2017. Additionally, AAC has
been the host site for several championship tennis
events over the years.
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club
Spanning more than 500 acres, the property that makes up AAC is renowned
for great golf over its manicured landscaping and dramatic vistas. Atlanta
Athletic Club is deserved of its consistent ranking as one of the Top Ten Clubs
in the United States. The greatest amateur golfer of all time, Robert Tyre
Jones, Jr., called AAC his home club and served as its President in the mid-40’s.
John Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named, was the first athletic
director at the Club. And, a number of well-known names in golf and tennis
have called AAC their home, and have added to the legendary history of the
Club.
Atlanta Athletic Club Facts:

The Club’s operating budget is approximately $20M, with a $3.3M Golf
and Grounds operating budget.

The Full Member initiation fee is 60,000, with Dues of $7,692 annually.

AAC is formed as a 501-C-7 not for Profit Corporation.

Approximately 55,000
rounds of golf are played
on the Rees Jones
renovated golf courses
annually.

There are approximately
190 Full Time
employees, and nearly 400 during the peak summer months.

The Club is governed and operated under a GM/COO model, with the
Director of Courses and Grounds reporting directly to the GM/COO.
There are 9 members on the Board of Directors, each serving a fouryear term, and a President and a Chairman, each serving two years.

Standing Committees include: Golf Athletics, Heritage, House, Finance,
Membership, and Tennis. The General Manager/COO is an ex-officio
member of each standing committee.

Direct reports to the Director of Courses and Grounds include:
Highlands Golf Course Superintendent, Riverside Golf Course
Superintendent, Par 3 and Irrigation Superintendent, Landscape
Superintendent, Equipment Superintendent, Administrative Assistant.
For more insights on the Atlanta Athletic Club, please visit its website
at: www.atlantaathleticclub.org
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club
The Role
The Director of Courses and Grounds (Director) reports directly to the
General Manager/Chief Operating Officer and has responsibility for all day-today operations of Atlanta Athletic Club’ Golf and Grounds. The Director will
lead and manage their department to ensure superb golfing conditions
favoring firm, fast and green conditions while embracing members and guests
from the moment they reach the club property with impeccably maintained
grounds. In addition, the Director will provide innovative and relevant
leadership in perpetuating and fostering an educational culture of developing
and producing future Superintendents. As a principal objective, the Director
will provide members and their guests with a golf experience that will be
ranked among the finest in the country.
AAC has enjoyed a long, very successful history with its present (and retiring
in May after 27+ years at the Club) Director. The Golf Course Maintenance
department will continue to operate and even further improve upon high
levels of golf course conditioning and member satisfaction. Consequently, the
new Director must have a natural style of “sincere engagement” with
members and staff with a love of the game of golf along with a relentless
attention to detail.
Position Highlights:

Overall maintenance, operations and management of the golf courses
and grounds to provide the membership with an outstanding golf
experience on a daily basis.

Supervising the preparation and maintenance of the golf courses,
practices facilities, trees, landscapes, and golf course maintenance and
grounds personnel.

Interacts closely with the GM/COO and Director of Golf to ensure that
member expectations are met or exceeded.

Protects the club’s assets including the golf courses, grounds and
water rights/use.

Interacts with Course Superintendents, Assistants and the Director of
HR pursuant to the appraisal, discipline, and/or discharge, of any
employee.

Supervising the maintenance and repair of the golf course
maintenance equipment.

Participating in all aspects of long-range planning involving golf
course and related operations.
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club

Serves as a mentor in executing the training and further development
of all senior staff, and other personnel.

Ensures that a positive and healthy working environment exists
throughout the department, one that is free of safety risks and all
forms of employee harassment.

Ensures that the proper and timely maintenance of necessary
agronomic, regulatory, and employee records.

Oversees the preparation of annual departmental operating and
capital budget forecasts with input and oversight from the GM/COO
and CFO.

Ensures the adherence to budget forecasts and reports regularly to
the GM/COO and CFO regarding budget to actual results and
variances.

Turfgrasses on the golf courses are Champion on the greens, Zoysia on
fairways (Diamond on Highlands, Zeon on Riverside) Tifton 10 in the
roughs.

Robert Trent Jones designed the Highlands original back nine; Joe
Finger designed the front nine. Rees Jones redesigned the course for
the 93rd PGA Championship.

The Riverside Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and
redesigned by Rees Jones in 2003
Qualifications & Experience

An overriding sense of quality consciousness that pervades every part
of the club's operations, both within and outside the clubhouse. This
includes most importantly a well-selected, competently trained, high
quality, courteous and efficient staff. The need is for an accomplished
team builder, as well as a passionate, charismatic and dynamic leader.

A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience as Golf Course
Superintendent with experience providing exceptional golfing
conditions.

Experience with Champion greens is preferred, as is multi-course
operational involvement in one’s past work.

Involvement with traditional, member-driven, golf and country clubs
with top reputations is most attractive.

Proven leadership qualities with demonstrated ability to provide
Championship conditioning and effectively direct, coordinate and
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club
control all facets of golf course maintenance with an operating budget
of approximately $3.3M.

Sound overall financial management and administrative skills with
particular strengths in the internal controls, financial controls, general
accounting, budgeting, management information, and critical success
path planning areas.

Exceptionally strong formal and informal communication skills, both
in writing and speaking. Communication with the GM/COO, peer
Department Heads, Direct Reports and Members along with personal
visibility is highly important parts of the Director’s responsibilities.

Personal interest in golf, and a deep understanding of golf and its
history and traditions is of particular interest in the AAC setting, due
to its long-standing involvement in championship golf.

A network of people for research, contact and networking in
agronomics and golf course maintenance.

A take-charge person with exceptional passion for AAC. Highly visible
to the membership and staff alike, approachable, mature, and wellrounded as a manager and leader. A problem solver, who can
effectively evaluate technical agronomic issues along with general
administrative issues.

Able to effectively use the GM/COO and Director of Golf as sounding
bodies to better achieve members’ expectations.

Able to build a cohesive management/agronomic team, which is
geared to provide exceptional golf and grounds conditions as well as
with mutual respect for each other.

Capable of a high degree of initiative, creativity and resourcefulness in
directing the activities of the golf course maintenance activities.

Decisive, a good delegator, but one who also follows up as necessary
on what is delegated.

Preferably, a golfer that understands the game of golf and how
maintenance practices impact the experience. Someone with an
appropriate and respectful style and commensurate sense of humor.

The ability to accept criticism respectfully and evaluate action options.

Spanish language skills are viewed as an asset.

A doer with great drive, energy and staying power who through
personal example encourages others to get things done. Committed.
Possessed a high sense of work ethic. Knows when to be seen.
Director of Courses and Grounds Profile: Atlanta Athletic Club

A college graduate in Turf Management, with Certified Golf Course
Superintendent (CGCS) designation being viewed as highly desirable.
Salary: Compensation package commensurate with experience and
qualifications. An excellent benefits package will be offered as well as
expenses for GCSAA related travel for national conferences, meetings and
educational and professional programs.
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