Director of Golf Jason Whitehill
Vickie Hamilton
Welcome to Jason Whitehill, PebbleCreek’s new Director of Golf as of December 1, 2014. Jason holds a Class A PGA membership and has over 18 years’ experience working at a multi-course community similar to PebbleCreek. “We are thrilled to have a golf professional of Jason’s caliber join our PebbleCreek team,” announced General Manager Bill Barnard.
With an infectious smile and energetic demeanor, Jason comes to PebbleCreek “with great excitement and enthusiasm” after many years honing his craft. After spending his younger years playing team sports, he was introduced to golf in his sophomore year of high school and immediately took to the idea of being able to play and practice whenever and as often as he liked. At 16 he worked on a course in the cart barn and picking balls, which afforded him the opportunity to play as many holes and hit as many balls as time allowed. What attracted him to the game? The challenge to continually improve and the interaction with people. He was driven to constantly make progress through more and more practice, while facing the fact that “you never really master the game, but can only face the challenge to get better and better.”
Jason also enjoys the people aspect of golf – interacting with the players and members of the community. Player development is important, states Jason, who initiated and developed a number of programs at his former site which targeted every level of player. “Everyone should fit in and have a place in the golf program,” he explains. Customer service and promoting “the enjoyment of golf” are priorities as well as improved communications with staff, golfers and community members. “I am looking forward to getting to know staff and working with them more closely.” Jason has set up You, Java and Jason meetings with small groups of staff to improve communications. “Together we can set goals. Our mission is customer service and to enhance the enjoyment of golf in PebbleCreek. The golf staff should be a team that works together as ambassadors of golf in PebbleCreek to achieve these goals,” explains Jason. He also hopes to set up periodic meetings for the entire community to learn more about golf.
Jason received a B.A. from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he was awarded a golf scholarship. After college he worked for a golf course in Nebraska. The golf pro knew the golf pro in Sun City Grand and agreed to lend out Jason to work there during the winter months. Little did Jason know at the time that he would end up staying 18 years, advancing through the ranks from the cart barn to being head pro of two of the four courses. “To a great extent, experience in golf management is transferable and I bring a lot of experience with me from my former positions. However, I want to work as a hands-on leader and to try everything from working in the cart barn, acting as a ranger and picking the balls to familiarize himself with the entire PebbleCreek golf program.”
“I am thrilled to be here in PebbleCreek and appreciate the warm welcome I have received. This is a beautiful community with a great golf program. I really look forward to meeting everyone and to working together to enhance the golfing experience in PebbleCreek.” However, golf is not the only priority in Jason’s life. When not working he enjoys spending time with this family – wife Stephanie and daughters Taylor, six, and Brooke, four.