For the last decade, Michael Jory has had to deal with the envy of friends and acquaintances thanks to his job as PGA general manager of D'Andrea Golf Course. Jory spends his days at one of the most beautiful courses in northern Nevada, and he gets to promote a sport he loves.
It's an amazing day's work.
But it's also harder than most people imagine, Jory says, and it's a career that challenges him in ways he never imagined.
Jory grew up near Monterey, Calif., and his foray into the golf world came when a friend, whose father was head pro at Cypress Point Golf Club, suggested he look at the PGA management program. Jory was out of school, and trying to find what he wanted to do. He loved sports, and had just started playing golf, so he gave it a shot.
Before he was allowed to enter the management program, however, he had to learn to play golf ... really well. Once that happened, the coursework was much larger than just 18 holes.
"You learn budgeting, marketing, operations, merchandising, tournament management; so much to learn. But it was good. Honestly the people who play golf for a living are such a small percentage. The business and management side of golf has a lot better chance of making a living," Jory says.
Jory worked at courses in California before coming to Reno to open D'Andrea. Both he and his wife Jennifer are from coastal California, so the landscape of northern Nevada was quite a shift for the couple. But Reno has grown on them.
"It was really different," Jory says, laughing. "The landscape, the seasons; we weren't used to the weather, coming from San Diego. But the quality of life here is so much better. Plus, there's no traffic."
The challenges of the golf industry have kept Jory on his toes, if not on the golf course.
As the game faces a demographic challenge as Baby Boomers, who make up the majority of active golfers, start to leave the game, Jory is convinced the key is to mix things up, and that's given him a whole new role to play.
"I worked as a pro at a couple courses in California, and pros do a lot, but not development like this. I never thought I'd be in development and expansion, but being part of a startup was fun," he says.
D'Andrea's future is in diversification, Jory says.
This year, the club plans to break ground on a 9,000-square-foot events center which will capitalize on the property's views to entice weddings, parties and special events to book the facility.
Plans also include a swimming pool and fitness center in the second phase of the development. It's all part of the big picture to open up golf to everyone.
"(The game of ) golf has some deterrents," Jory explains. "It takes a lot of time, time you're away from your family. But if I can bring my family to the club, and they can go play and have fun too, nobody has to feel guilty. The key for the future is more amenities. We need to offer something for everyone."
To that end, D'Andrea is branching out with jazz nights in the Bighorn Grill, plus working to get new people into the game with its $99, Get Golf Ready lesson package which is designed to help people learn the fundamentals of the game, or for those who need a refresher. The idea is to make the game accessible and get people comfortable being on the course.
Not that Jory spends much time on that course. He says the biggest misconception about his job, the one that causes that envy, is that he's out golfing every day.
"Maybe twice a month, if I'm lucky. This is a very intricate business, and I have to stay on top of it," he says.
Like most industries, the business of golf has had to adjust to the economic downturn. Jory says D'Andrea executives looked at every aspect of its business to see how they could keep costs while not cutting the quality people have come to expect from the course.
"We've addressed everything. We've cut our operating costs, changed hours to match the heavy period, adjusted food costs. But we're focused on the golfer. If quality goes down, people notice. We want to give Ritz service with Holiday Inn pricing," he says.
But with all the challenges facing the industry and the extra work that goes into keeping things running smoothly, Jory admits it's still a really great gig.
"People are generally in a good mood and pretty happy when they're at a golf course. Plus I have this beautiful view. It's a good environment to be in," he says.
Then he laughs, and adds, "But really, if you want to play less golf, get into the golf business."
Business golfer
Who: Michael Jory, PGA General Manager, D'Andrea Golf Course
Family: Wife, Jennifer, and a 9-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter
He says: "I love my view from the first tee. But everyone else is playing and I'm just watching."
