general managers
A GM with a rare
sense of humour
David Newbery
[email protected]
O
NE of the first things you notice
about Wyong Golf Club general
manager Glenn Howard is his
wonderful sense of humour.
That can be rare in an industry where
general managers often give the impression
they have the weight of the world on their
shoulders … and many do.
Still, Howard, 53, balances the pressures
of his job by keeping an open mind and not
taking himself too seriously.
He got into golf club management, he says,
by being in the right place at the right time.
“I starting working life in the IT industry
before a mate got me a job playing cricket in
England,” he told Inside Golf. “That was in 1987.
“Four years later, I was deported for
overstaying my visa by two years and when
I came home I was virtually unemployable
because the IT industry moves so quickly.
“So I did a couple of computer courses and
applied for a job at Hawks Nest Golf Club
north of Newcastle.
“They wanted someone with IT experience
because they had bought their first computer
system and my job was to set it up.
“Five weeks into the job, the general manager
went on stress leave and never returned.
“The president said, ‘how do you think you
will go in the job’,” Howard explained.
“I said, ‘give me the keys to the safe and
we’ll see what happens’.”
strength-to-strength making good profits
each year.
“I had eight terrific years at Hawks Nest – it
was a great experience, wonderful staff and
members. In many ways it was sad to leave
yet exciting to star