KNOW YOUR PGA PRO - Kyle Puttick

Kyle Puttick- Golf Director Kyalami Country Club

1. When did you qualify as a PGA Professional?

I qualified as a PGA member in 2009.

2. What made you choose this career?

I fell in love with the game of golf and I liked the idea of working in a field that I enjoyed but also that offered so many different roles. Once in the golf industry it’s possible to specialise in a number of fields, F&B, greenkeeping, retail, management, the list is almost endless.

3. Has it always been golf for you?

Growing up I played every sport under the sun and took up golf quite late but it was love at first sight and I’ve never looked back.

4. Did you ever play or did you ever want to play on tour?

I harboured some desire very early in my golf career but quickly realised how good you had to be to play for a living.

5. Who has been you mentor in the golfing industry?

I was fortunate enough to work under some great people in this industry and working under Jason Bird at Durban Country Club was a huge learning curve on the management side of golf, I still apply a lot of what I learnt then to my day to day now. I was also lucky enough to work with Paul Potterton at Beachwood/DCC and he is and was a shining beacon of how to treat your members and work with golfers when coaching.

6. You have been at Kyalami CC for over 5 years now, what have been your biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge at any new club is to learn about people and their habits. We are lucky to have some of the most understanding and welcoming members around and they helped guide me through the tough learning phases and welcomed me to Kyalami as a long lost friend.

7. Describe a typical workday for you at the club?

I am based in the shop and my day begins with opening and prepping our golf ops team for the day. I then assist with check in and manage the booking process and phone calls through the day.

8. With the golf courses open now, were there any lessons learned from the lockdown and if so, are you are doing anything differently?

Communication is key, we have learnt that members want to know what’s happening with their club and keeping them informed is paramount. We have switched to a new newsletter platform as well as empowering our members though the myhomeclub app which allows live push notifications so we can inform members of anything in a moments notice.

9. How is the golfing public, members and your staff responding to the new rules and regulations ?

Everyone has taken the pandemic very seriously and members, staff and guests alike have all adhered to and appreciated the regulations set out by government.

10. With consumers already being careful on how they spend their money these days (pre covid 19), what is your plan to attract people to the club now that we are on level 1 of the lockdown?

We believe that the quality of our golf course speaks for itself and should be on everyone’s bucket list. That being said we have also embarked on some upgrades to make a visit to Kyalami more desirable. An upgraded halfway house and improved offering, a new pizza oven and an expert pizza chef are just some of the things we have implemented to attract new business. On the golf course side we have invested in some new machinery to help maintain and showcase our course.

11. Slow play is one of the biggest problems in golf today, how do you manage slow play at Kyalami CC?

As I mentioned we have upgraded our halfway house and this has assisted in getting golfers through quicker. We also have increased our intervals between tee times as well as rethinking course setup which has contributed to a better pace of play.

12. The members of a golf club always come first. Do you agree with the phrase “The member is always right” ?

I think the member always has a right and we respect our members right to voice their concerns and opinions but just as we sometimes get it wrong sometimes members do too, it’s our responsibility to listen to our members and help them understand why certain things are done.

13. Does your position require you to be available on weekends, evenings, and holidays, and if so, does this place demands on your personal life?

It does and as much as this industry demands time from us over weekends and public holidays it’s important to make time for yourself and your family. I am lucky to have a very understanding and supportive wife who supports me which makes the journey much smoother.

14. What are your short & long term goals?

Short term I’d like to grow my business and evolve into a more all round offering as well as work on my golf a bit. Long term I would like to continue my education and start working with some schools in the area to bring the game to more people who don’t have access to it.

15. Covid 19 aside, what is your opinion on the state of golf in South Africa?

I think the game is strong but there is a real opportunity to grow the game and retain the new golfers who have discovered the game.

16. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I really enjoy golf and learning more about the game, I’m a keen reader and also enjoy a little sport.

17. Do you still get time to play?

Not as often as I’d like but I will be making more time in the new year.