Director of Golf Jason Whitehill
Susan Knox Wilson
Jason Whitehill, PebbleCreek’s Director of Golf (D.O.G.), knows what it means to work hard; he’s been doing it for years. He worked hard in high school – on his grades and his golf game – worked his way through the University of Nebraska at Kearney on a golf scholarship, then started his career as assistant golf professional at the Knolls Golf Course in Omaha, Nebraska.
In 1996 Whitehill moved to Arizona and for 18 years worked at Sun City Grand (an Active Adult Community in Surprise with 72 holes of championship golf), starting as Assistant Golf Pro and working his way up to Head Professional.
Whitehill became Director of Golf at PebbleCreek Golf Resort in December 2014. Since then he’s been working hard to grow our golf “business” and deliver to the bottom line. Our golf courses are an asset worth some $20M – but they are also expensive to maintain and operate, so Whitehill has to work hard to make sure there are enough golfers and revenue not only to cover operating expenses, but to plan for the future as well.
As Director of Golf, Whitehill has many roles to play:
The Golfer
Whitehill has to know all the aspects of the game. Rules, etiquette, safety and current events are just the beginning–he also knows what kind of grass the greens and fairways are made of and when best to aerate them; how to give a great golf lesson (although sadly, due to the demands of the job, Whitehill can no longer give lessons); and how to fit a player with the right set of golf clubs.
The Manager
The manager side of the job has a long list of responsibilities including making sure the facility runs appropriately and cost-efficiently. This means Whitehill knows about budgeting, legal issues, clubhouse administration and making sure his staff are doing their job; this includes the golf professionals and the course maintenance managers.
The Marketer
A successful golf course needs to have a following–if no one is there to play, there is no revenue. One of Whitehill’s top priorities is developing new players and he’s already successfully launched the PC Putter’s Club, the Ladies Beginners Clinic and a Golf Academy. Along with this comes marketing himself in the community to bring more attention to the golf course. Events like the recent PebbleCreek Golf Expo brought together golf specialty vendors from all over the country with more than 600 residents and valley neighbors.
The Businessman
Whitehill has responsibility for the pro shops at Eagle’s Nest and Tuscany Falls. He negotiates for merchandise and sets prices for items like tees, balls and gloves. Both shops are stocked with women’s wear, men’s wear and the most important equipment for the members and guests.
The Family Man
In addition to his dedication to his job at PebbleCreek, Whitehill is equally devoted to his family life. He has been married to his wife Stephanie for 10 years and they have two daughters Taylor (7.5) and Brooke (6). Whitehill and his family attend Christ Church of the Valley; the parents coach, and the girls play, soccer and basketball and they all spend free time on their fishing boat on Lake Pleasant and visiting extended family in Nebraska and Minnesota during the summer. Whitehill says he likes to golf sometimes, too!