2024 marked Sean Clark’s 35-year anniversary as a PGA Member. It has been an eventful career and the last 10 years has seen him leading from the front at Woodbridge Golf Club as its general manager.
As well as professional challenges, the 58-year-old has also stood strong during a cancer battle. Hertfordshire born and raised, Sean has had a fascinating life and here, he reflects on his journey, whilst sharing valuable insights for fellow PGA Members.
“I look back at my career and there’s things that I regret but there’s things I’m really proud I’ve achieved,” he says. “And I have a good lifestyle, a good work-life balance.”
How easy was the transition from the dual role at Royston to becoming GM at Woodbridge?
"The transition was smooth. I had two thorough interviews and wrote out business plans and all sorts for them. In the first couple of weeks, I ensconced myself in an office just to understand how the club was run. Then, I gave my report back to what, at the time, was the management committee, just to say, ‘These are my views, my findings, and this is where we’ve got to look at to shape the future’. It was a good thing to get my teeth into."
How did you approach it?
"The most important thing was bringing the courses up to scratch because they weren’t in good shape. I remember playing Woodbridge in the early 1990s and felt it was much better than it was when I came in 2014. One of my first jobs was to do second interviews for a new head greenkeeper. Ultimately, the management committee said to me, ‘What do you think of these four candidates?’ I gave candid reviews of each one and just said, ‘This guy I can really work with.’ Paul, our head greenkeeper, is still with us now."
What areas of the job have you found most difficult at Woodbridge?
"Change! Getting members and staff to appreciate that change is good. A lot of members’ clubs have long-term members who like it and want it just the way it was. However, you just have to say that the club has evolved over a period of time. We’re not in the old clubhouse; we’re in a clubhouse that’s 60 years old, and we need to evolve that as well, just the same way as the golf course."
When hiring new PGA Professionals, how much importance do you place on continued professional development (CPD) and higher PGA Excel designations?
"With recruitment and retention of staff at the forefront of my position, it is essential to try and have the ‘best in the business’. PGA Professionals now have opportunities to further their expertise through PGA Learn and PGA Excel, and as a club, we always look for those that have higher designations and a dedication to CPD. We conduct an annual review with our PGA head professional, outlining the club's ambitions, listening to his, and aligning the two parties to aid success."
What advice would you give to PGA Members that are thinking about becoming a golf club manager?
"First, immerse yourself in club life. Understand what’s happening within the club, not just in your shop or on your range. Understand what the members’ needs are – not just in retail or coaching. Get the knowledge of the course, sit down with the head greenkeeper, find out a lot more. Look at food and beverage, speak to the people in that area. Ask to attend some committee meetings. Ask the manager or secretary how the back office works, how accounts work. You might be running your own business as a sole trader or limited company, but when you are employing 20-odd people, it’s very different."
Facing up to cancer
"At the back end of 2019, I got diagnosed with aggressive bladder cancer. Within a month, I had the tumour removed and then elected to have the removal of my bladder, prostate, and lymph nodes, along with reconstructive surgery, in February 2020. I had a 12-hour operation and then 11 days in hospital, followed by a fairly lengthy road to recovery because COVID hit then.
"I was grateful to the club and the members for the support I received. I got a great reception when I came back in August 2020. I go for annual check-ups, and I’ve been clear now for nearly five years. I’d say to anyone, if you have any symptoms of anything, do go and consult your GP. Go straight away. Don’t hold onto anything. Your health is the most important thing to you."
