This week, we caught up with Golf and Business Operations Coordinator, Robert Silky. Robert is highly experienced as both a golf professional and agronomist through his work at Gold Mountain, Chambers Bay and Augusta National. He discusses the dramatic shift he is seeing in golf and why he’d like to play a round with the “father of amateur golf”.
What golf course do you manage and how long have you been there?
I am the current Golf and Business Operations Coordinator at Meadow Park Golf Course in Tacoma, Washington.
What inspired you to pursue a career in golf course management, and how did you get started?
I ended my baseball career in 2015 and immediately looked for another avenue to channel my inner competitive drive. I found golf and, after a year of playing and falling in love with the game itself, decided to pursue a career in the industry.
What are the biggest challenges you face in running a golf club?
Some of the biggest challenges, especially at a municipal course, are finding new and innovative ways to boost revenue through different programs, events, and tournaments while keeping the tee sheet available for the public patron.
What trends or changes do you see shaping the future of the golf industry?
I am already seeing a dramatic shift towards entertainment golf as opposed to traditional 18-hole or 9-hole formatted golf. The rise of technology and social media golf personalities has created more ways for the average golfer to interact with the game. It is both exciting and challenging to provide the right blend of traditional golf and innovative tech-based golf to capture the widest range of golf consumers.
If you weren’t working in the golf industry, what would you be doing?
I had a previous career as a groundskeeper at a Major League Baseball stadium and loved being part of big events on a regular basis. I could easily see myself doing that on a daily basis if I wasn’t working in golf.
If you could play a round of golf with three people dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I would love to play a round of golf with my dad, Tiger Woods, and Francis Ouimet. I always enjoy playing with my dad and have been at some incredible courses together. Tiger Woods would be a treat to see and potentially pick the brain of such a phenomenal golfer. Ouimet would be fun because I love golf history and would love to ask about how it felt to play golf in that era and play against some of his idols in golf.
Ever had a hole in one?
I have 2 aces! My last was during a Father’s Day round with my dad and father-in-law at Chambers Bay.
