 |
Meet your Local Club Pro
PAT SUTTON
Head Golf Professional
Riverside Golf & Country Club, Portland
How many years have you spent at Riverside?
Overall, this is my 32nd year at Riverside. I started working in club care in the fall of 1973 when I was going to college. I started working as an amateur assistant in the golf shop in 1975. I turned professional in 1978 and became the interim head professional in November of 1983 and head professional in April of 1984. So this is my 22nd year as head pro and 27 years as a golf professional.
What do you think you'd be doing if not a golf professional?
I studied to be a sportswriter in college, so probably a job in sports journalism, or the sports media of some kind.
If you were king of the golf world for one day, what would be your top priority?
From a grass roots standpoint, to have everyone experience being a caddie or having a great caddie. The relationships and experiences that are formed between adults and kids, fathers and mothers and their kids can be amazing and life changing.
What's the most enjoyable aspect of being a club professional?
Forming relationships with people. From kids going through the junior program and growing up to be members, to the kids I hire in membership services growing up and becoming successful businessmen, and finally mentoring young assistant golf professionals, and seeing them move on to successful careers.
What's the most challenging aspect of being a club professional?
Having to be very good at all my jobs. Teacher, merchandiser, manager, administrator, golf tournament coordinator, psychologist, psychiatrist, mediator, negotiator, public relations coordinator, emcee, handyman, club-fitter, host and player. It's tough to be good at all of these, but I do my best. It's expected and part of the job.
If you, your club champion and Michelle Wie were in a Skins Game from your back tees, how would you fare?
At Riverside, I would hold my own with Michelle because of our tight, tree-lined fairways and small, very fast greens. But our club champion, Jim Pliska, has won our championship 10 times and is a great player. I think Jim might have a slight advantage. He plays more than I do these days, but hopefully I would give him a good match.
What's something interesting about yourself most of your members don't know?
That I am very sentimental. I'm one of those guys who tears up during Hallmark commercials.
How did you first get interested in collecting antique clubs?
In 1973, Dick Malpass, the superintendent at Riverside, decided to sell his golf clubs. He owned a set of MacGregor Tourney woods and irons. Back then everyone wanted a set of MacGregor's, so I bought his set. That was my first golf collectable purchase. I now collect antique golf books.
|
|
