INFORMATION BRIEF No. 140 | May 2026

By Alistair Collier | The Business of Golf Magazine

THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE GOLF DIRECTOR AND SUSTAINABILITY

In a recently published piece, under CMASA’s ‘White Paper Article Series’, entitled “Are you leading or Catching Up?” by Francois Swart, he wrote that the club landscape is not simply evolving, it is being reshaped.

This same subject was discussed by a panel in a recent Golf Club Talk UK podcast, during which the panellists emphasised that the golf industry is evolving, and that the resulting changes are in effect an evolution, within a changing landscape for the game, thereby presenting pressures, and also opportunities, which will require, in response, the adaptation of leadership roles.

In February 2026, in Information Brief Number 137, we touched on the evolving leadership role of the course superintendent, and posed the question, what is the role of the director of golf, and how is it evolving? This is especially pertinent, as this is one of the key positions within the management team, and it is where careful thought is required regarding this role.

In this same context, a well-known golf and country club estate recently advertised the position of director of golf. The job advert ran into some four pages of detail, resembling more of a job description than an invitation to apply for the position.

Unfortunately, the breadth and scope of the role description smacked of the general manager or managing director abdicating his or her responsibilities, and possibly setting the new incumbent up to fail.

From a sustainability ESG perspective, the advert also misses its mark by a wide margin.

For example, in terms of environmental stewardship (“E”), all that is required for the incumbent is to oversee daily operations of the course, but is this not the role of the course superintendent?

In terms of social responsibility (“S”), the job advert touches on many aspects, such as marketing, training, customer service, member engagement, but who is responsible for setting procedures and standards, and thereafter measuring and reporting on the outcomes?

In terms of governance and financial sustainability (“G”) the job advert unfortunately conflates the strategic role and responsibilities of the board, into that of the role of the director of golf. For example, the advert states that it is the responsibility of the golf director to develop and implement marketing strategies.

Probably more important, in the discussion about an evolving industry, is clarity in terms of roles and responsibilities within the management team, including the director of golf.

For example, it seems that the aforementioned well-known golf and country club estate is looking for an extraordinary person to fill the role, and yet in the same context, the required experience and minimum educational requirements did not match with the calibre of person required for the role.

There is largely consensus that the role of the director of golf is evolving and being reshaped.

The evolution involves a move away for purely “grass-face” expertise, towards a much more complete grasp of the “business-of-golf” model, wherein the modern director of golf is now expected to be an expert in agronomy coordination, data analytics and sustainability, and within the context of the broader acknowledgement that there are formal pathways, to move the role from that of a “trade” to one seen as a “profession”.

If you have any queries, why not contact the John Collier Golf through our website or via email ajcollier@telkomsa.net?

Yours in Sustainable Golf
JOHN COLLIER