From Scotland to the Middle East... and back again

18/04/2024

Coming from a family with a strong golfing background, Callum Nicoll was immersed in the game from a young age. As an assistant learning his trade alongside his uncle at Turnberry, Ayrshireman Nicoll was given the perfect introduction to the rich and varied work of the PGA Professional and his career would flourish.

A fulfilling spell in the Middle East expanded his education while a move back to his homeland of Scotland to be the Director of Golf & Estates at Fairmont St Andrews is the latest addition to a CV of considerable distinction.

How did your journey with The PGA begin?
My uncle, Brian Gunson, was the director of golf at Turnberry when I was growing up so I was very lucky. When I was at school I would caddie there, then I moved into the shop and ultimately got involved with The PGA. It was perfect for me really. I left school at 18. I didn’t go to university or college and I turned pro with a handicap of four. The only real route for me was with The PGA and I started my training in 2000.

There was so much going on at Turnberry. We opened up the Colin Montgomerie Academy at the time while we had the hotel, international visitors and a championship course to deal with. We were also involved in tournaments like Open qualifying, Senior Open and Women’s Open. Being able to dive into so many areas of the business was a huge benefit for myself and the other assistants there.

You had an enjoyable spell at Prestwick before the opportunity arrived to relocate to Dubai with a post at The Els Club?
As offers go it was, as they say, a no-brainer. I remember, I was caddying for a friend at tour school at Dundonald. The rain was coming in sideways. I could barely open the car door to get the clubs in and Chris Brown, who was the director of golf at The Els Club, called and said there might be an opportunity coming up. I said, ‘when do you need me?’ I was there three weeks later.

How did your skills develop and expand in the Middle East?
Originally, I was appointed retail manager and I really got my teeth into that. Dubai was on another level to anything I’d been at before. There were huge numbers of visitor rounds, the clubs were new, the whole golfing experience was totally different. Being able to create a new network of friends and colleagues in that part of the world really helped my development. That region almost fast-tracks opportunity. It can be such a transient place with people coming in and out.

I was promoted twice at The Els Club went from retail manager to golf operations manager and on to head professional. It was a quick rise and you learn on the job. The biggest thing out there was working for people. I went from quite a small team at Prestwick to maybe 30 to 40 people from all backgrounds at The Els Club. That was a big learning curve for me and one of the most enjoyable parts.

And then Abu Dhabi came calling?
Again, it was an opportunity that was too good to turn down; the director of golf at such an iconic venue. That was in 2015 and I had an amazing three years. I was involved in three of the European Tour (now DP World Tour) events there which were some of the biggest on the circuit. I was involved from the start, in the contracting stage right through to the delivery of the event. It was an eye-opening experience.

You had some memorable moments as a player out there too?
Yes. I won six Order of Merit titles on the circuit for PGA pros there and I played in the Dubai Desert Classic and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. In Dubai, I remember playing a practice round with Ernie Els, who was The Open champion at the time. One of the local media outlets actually stopped me for an interview. Ernie was waiting for me on the tee rather than the other way round. We had a laugh about it. The golfers in those events were on a totally different level. I think I was right to go down The PGA route! I had an afternoon tee-time in Dubai and I drove in, looked at the leaderboard and saw that Rory McIlroy was seven-under through 12 holes. It hit me how seriously good these guys were.

What brought you back to the UK?
The London Club needed someone to close out the last eight to 10 weeks of the summer of 2018. I packed up my suitcase and 48 hours later I was on a plane and I didn’t go back to the UAE. I loved being back in UK and then I moved up to Rockcliffe Hall in the northeast. By that stage, I had a young son and wanted to be closer to my family in Scotland. I added ‘estates’ to my title so I could work with the estate manager and the team there.

I was involved in things like creating a walled garden, sustainable kitchen produce, bringing in beehives; all manner of things. I really diversified. You move with the times in this job and The PGA network is always there to help. One of the best things about The PGA is that everybody is just a phone call away. Everyone can relate to each other. The support is fantastic.

At that time, I also got involved in the Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) which bolstered my cv. A lot of people in the CMAE started as PGA pros so the network is intertwined. It’s a very close-knit community.

One of the best things about The PGA is that everybody is just a phone call away. Everyone can relate to each other. The support is fantastic.

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Presumably, the offer to join Fairmont St Andrews was too good to turn down?
Absolutely. A job in this location is like being at the centre of the golfing universe. Everybody who comes here loves being here. People from all over the world are buzzing to come here and get that Old Course tee time, which we can help facilitate. People are coming here for, possibly, a once in a lifetime experience. When they get on the Old Course and get their picture on the bridge, then that’s the No.1 box ticked. But the other rounds they play in the St Andrews area adds to the experience and that’s what we focus on. We have two great courses at the Fairmont, amid all the world-class golf that is around us. So, we have to keep our standards up and continue to push ourselves.

My philosophy

What are your working principles?
I remember getting told that we are in the happiness business. We are in the business of saying ‘yes’ and that’s something I like to instill in my team to create a good, positive culture.

What technology do you use?
My role is quite remote. I’m in the hotel, I’m outside, I’m in the clubhouse. I’m not fixed in one office. I would struggle without my phone and my tablet. That’s probably a common answer but communication now is so direct and immediate.

Who have been your mentors and influences?
There have been so many. I’ve been so lucky. Having an uncle who was director of golf at Turnberry was just the best start. Choosing the right leader to work with is just as important as choosing the right place to work. Every place I’ve worked, I’ve felt lucky. You can take the best bits from everybody.

What is the secret to your productivity?
Just a passion for what I do. You must have the desire to keep improving. The nice thing about working in golf is that when you get it right, it feels great. That gives you tremendous pleasure.