Although he’s currently focused on preparing Torrey Pines Golf Course for the U.S. Open, Mark Woodward, CGCS, golf operations manager for the city of San Diego, wants to continue to serve the golf course management community. He will do so after the championship in his new role as c.e.o. of the GCSAA. He will begin his duties in Lawrence, Kan., July 1.
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Woodward’s selection by the GCSAA board of directors comes after conducting a national search to replace Steve Mona, who became the chief executive of the World Golf Foundation March 3. Woodward is the first golf course superintendent to serve as GCSAA’s permanent chief executive.
Woodward, who first achieved the status of certified golf course superintendent in 1986, says he wanted the job because he’s a 30-year member of the GCSAA, serving as a committee participant, a member of the board of directors and 68th president of the association in 2004. He has thought about this type of job for years, he says.
“I knew I was going to be looking at other options after the U.S. Open,” he says. “This was my ‘retirement’ job. The timing is right. I wasn’t planning on staying here much longer after the U.S. Open, and my boss here knew that when I was hired.”
Without a doubt, Woodward presented the best fit for the association, says GCSAA president David S. Downing II, CGCS.
“Mark was the clear choice as he met all of the criteria we had established for the position," Downing says. "He is very passionate about our profession and association. He knows us. He knows where we want to go and has the business acumen and relational skills to take us there. In the end, we hired Mark because of the skills and passion he brought to the table, the fact he is a certified golf course superintendent was an added bonus.”
Woodward oversees three golf complexes for the city: Mission Bay Golf Course, an 18-hole executive track; Balboa Park, an 18-hole course and a 9-hole executive layout; and Torrey Pines, a 36-hole championship golf course.
As golf operations manager in San Diego, Woodward developed a five-year business plan that resulted in generating an additional $3 million in revenue from 2006 to 2007, including the implementation of the Advance Tee Time program that added $500,000 in revenue in the first year. His plan resulted in creating 20,000 additional tee times for the public golfer. Previously, tee times were predetermined and only a small percentage was available to the public. So, he reduced the number of tee times held by groups and hotels. Because of that structure, the city’s golf course operation built up a reserve fund for golf course improvements such as irrigation.
Woodward also changed the fee structure of the city’s courses. As a result, residents pay what it costs to produce a round of golf, and nonresidents pay three to four times what residents pay.
But not everyone was happy with his plan.
“There were 1,200 signatures on a petition against my business plan,” he says. “I received threatening e-mails and phone calls and was called names in the newspapers. A lot of people were mad at me. But I always kept it professional. Later, people apologized for the way they treated me.”
The c.e.o. job at the GCSAA is another position in which Woodward will have to deal with politics.
“Every job I’ve had since Mesa was political,” he says. “My job here is more political than my job in Mesa. The political realities at munis are challenging, but I thrive on that. I’m used to politics. It’s an interesting part of the job. It’s nothing that intimidates or frightens me.”
Woodward was named to his position in San Diego in January 2005 after serving 31 years in various capacities with the Phoenix suburb of Mesa, Ariz. His last position there was parks and recreation administrator, which included the oversight of two golf courses, a tennis facility, the Chicago Cubs spring training home, a minor league baseball training site, a park ranger program and a cemetery.
His department in San Diego has hosted numerous high profile events including three junior world golf championships, three city amateur championships, three PGA Tour events and the upcoming U.S. Open – on top of the three golf facilities hosting 260 golf outings annually. From a golf course standpoint, Woodward has implemented a management plan that has produced drastically improved course conditions and enhanced environmental stewardship.
As for Woodward’s plans at the GCSAA, he intends to continue with most of Steve Mona’s programs, but he’ll bring a different perspective. During his first 100 days, Woodward plans to meet with staff and review metrics, goals and services in place. One area Woodard wants to look at closely as head of the GCSAA is the muni segment because it typically struggles. He also says he wants the association to maintain the partnerships, relationships and programs it has. He’ll also be learning the strengths and weaknesses of the staff.
Woodward, who earned a master’s degree in business administration, says he hasn’t been a typical superintendent dealing with agronomic issue daily for 25 years. He has plenty of experience managing large crews and budgets.
And for those who might be critical of a superintendent being chosen c.e.o., Woodward has one thing to say: “Look at my credentials. They speak for themselves. I met all the criteria the board had for the position.”
In conjunction with the search firm Spencer Stuart, the GCSAA considered more than 50 individuals, from various aspects of the golf business and outside golf.
"We, as a board, interviewed eight people face to face had four finalists and worked our way to hiring Mark," Downing says. "We seriously considered candidates that were not superintendents."
Feedback from GCSAA members has been positive, though.
“I was absolutely shocked" – in a good way, says Don Hearn, former president of GCSAA.
Hearn was pleasantly surprised by the confidentiality of the selection process.
“The process was confidential,” he says. “Under a lot of circumstances, that doesn’t end up happening, but in this case it did, which was great. There were no rumors, and nothing was going on behind the scenes. They ended up doing exactly what they said they would do: They said they would make a decision when the time was right, and they did exactly that.”
Hearn never thought a past president would be in the c.e.o. position.
“I’ve always had high regard for him,” Hearn says of Woodward. “Hopefully, he’ll bring us to bigger and better things as we go along. I’m anxious for Mark and happy for him. I’m looking forward to him being great.”
Steve Cadenelli, former GCSAA president and golf course manager at Cape Cod National Golf Club, has known Woodward for a number of years but wasn’t on the board when Woodward became active.
“He always commanded a great deal of respect from the fellow board members and Steve Mona,” Cadenelli says. “He was always a classy man of high moral character. It’s good for our profession that someone from within the profession was chosen.”
Cadenelli says Woodward understands the business side of golf as well as the need for increased membership, so he should be a good fit for the role.
“There’s a limited number of people who have the expertise and breadth of experience to make the move into the c.e.o. position, and he’s certainly one of them,” he says. “He’s a sharp guy.”
As for the future, 55-year-old Woodward, who signed a three-year agreement, would like this new position to be the last stop of his career path.
“I’ve been around the business a long time and have a lot to give back,” he says.
To read more about Mark Woodward’s career, click here.
