Help Wanted Signs of the Season
As Colorado’s golf courses transition from being mostly closed all winter to overflowing with guests this spring, they need help. Right away. Right now.
Mountain facilities that don’t open until April tend to pay best because the high cost of housing and goods there shrinks the pool of candidates. But there are openings all over the state in golf services, food and beverage, sales and customer service. If you’ve ever wanted to work in golf, now’s the time.
Here are five irresistible opportunities for someone who loves golf. Look for them in job listings at your golf course website, and be sure to check the perks. They may come with free or heavily discounted golf, range time, shop merch and food!
1. If you make a crowd-pleasing Bloody Mary: On-course beverage cart servers usually start with lower hourly wages, but imagine pocketing a dollar or two on every drink and the possibilities add up fast. Ideally, you know your cocktails. But if you know golf as well, you’ll do a better job of knowing when and where to drive up to a group. Some refer to this position as “cart girl,” but boys can do this too, so the generic term to search would be something like “golf beverage cart attendant.”
2. If you wake up cheerful: Many courses station their most outgoing staff members at the first tee, where they welcome players, give an overview of course rules and policies, and answer questions. Not everyone has these abilities at 6 a.m.! At CommonGround, Director of Golf Operations Ben Pennymon describes this position as “the face of CommonGround.” Look for terms like “starter” and “player ambassador.” Some clubs also utilize an on-course “ranger” or “marshal” this way.
3. If you love gardening: Every golf course superintendent I’ve ever met is sure he or she has the best job in the world! They’re up bright and early, enjoying views and wildlife while they take care of one of the garden spots of the state. Grounds crew members are in high demand, which means scheduling tends to be flexible, so you can work all morning and golf all afternoon. Have a drivers license for this one, which might also be listed with terms such as “greenskeeper,” “maintenance” and “superintendent.”
4. If you can sell with a smile: Golf courses usually have someone on staff year-round to work with customers on events, but in season they need help in the pro shop with servicing customers, managing the tee sheet and taking payments. Good sales qualities come into play here, especially when the line gets long and the pressure is on. If you’re good with fashion and golf gizmos, you might also be called on to help with buying or arranging merchandise. These positions may be listed as “golf shop sales” or “pro shop assistant,” “assistant manager” or “assistant professional.”
5. If you’re a little shy but really want to work at a golf course: Plenty has to happen behind the scenes of a busy golf course, most of it falling under “outside services.” Here, you may set up carts for the day, clean clubs, clean carts, take care of the driving range and serve as the wild card when someone else needs help. Look for “cart services” if you’re determined to stay out of the sun.
Of course there are also positions for golf instructors, bartenders, restaurant cooks and servers and junior camp assistants. And did I mention, don’t forget to ask about playing privileges!
Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She became a CGA member when she moved from Oakland, CA, to Littleton in 2016, and ghost-writes as “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant on golf for fun. Email her at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.
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