Golf club has new general manager
Before coming to Columbia County, Doug Cameron had been a golf professional for almost 13 years.
Doug Cameron, the newly appointed general manager and director of golf, will oversee all operations at Jones Creek Golf Club.
Photo by Billy Byler
When Cameron's phone rang on his first Saturday morning as Jones Creek Golf Club's new general manager and director of golf, he hesitated at the message on the other end.
"Someone said the ice maker isn't working," Cameron said. "Saturday morning at 8:30, I'm not used to that."
Cameron said that he took care of the problem and that no one went without ice that morning, but dealing with ice is a bit different from dealing with a bunker.
Cameron now deals with both.
After golf professional Gregg Hemann left last summer, Jones Creek Golf Club owners decided to merge three top positions into one.
According to Cameron, the owners, who also own Houndslake Country Club in Aiken and the International Golf Academy at Jones Creek, wanted to place one person in charge of each property.
As a result, the jobs of golf professional, clubhouse manager and general manager were merged into one position, now headed by Cameron.
"Quite a few courses do that," he said. "It's not incredibly common to merge the positions, but it's not rare, either."
Cameron originally moved to the area as the golf pro at the International Golf Academy. After Hemann's position at Jones Creek became available, Cameron was offered the job, but with some added responsibilities.
"This was not something I expected or was actively seeking," he said. "I'm very thankful to be here."
Despite Cameron's years of experience on the golf course, managing a clubhouse and overseeing a large staff are relatively new to the Western Michigan graduate.
Cameron said he's fortunate to have an experienced staff to help with the transition.
"My assistants are going to have to carry the load a little bit more," he said. "The entire staff has been very helpful."
Cameron takes over at Jones Creek in the middle of a membership drive. Coordinating with his department heads, urging guests to become members and planning budgets for 2006 are only a few of the new duties Cameron deals with on a daily basis.
Although his tasks involve plenty of paperwork, he said, he does not want to be limited to his desk.
"I'm trying not to stay in my office," he said. "I want to be out and about with the members and the guests."
Cameron said he would continue to give golf lessons, as he had done before while at the International Golf Academy, but on a more limited role.