A prominent and influential role at any golf club, the appointment of a general manager is always given a great deal of consideration. Tasked with providing a first-class experience for the membership and visitors, and encompassing everything from finance and HR to marketing, the decisions made can have a huge effect on the successful running of the club.
It is therefore typical for most clubs to choose an established figure with a track record of success. This has led to many people from the corporate world transitioning across to golf and taking up prominent positions. However, St Enodoc Golf Club in Cornwall has chosen to buck this trend and has put its faith in 26-year-old George Tunbridge.
Tunbridge may be young in years but he has already been around golf for two decades, having grown up playing in Essex where his dad was club captain at Crondon Park Golf Club. Playing to a high level throughout his teenage years, he then went on to study sports management before moving to the Middle East and working at the renowned Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.
Following a successful stint at The Berkshire Golf Club, Tunbridge has now taken up the position of general manager at St Enodoc and is bringing fresh ideas to a club that is steeped in history, having been founded in 1891.
“If you look at the generation that preceded me, a lot of general managers would have previously been generals in the British Army or would have had success as a businessman. They may not have had any links to golf other than perhaps playing casually,” explains Tunbridge.
“Whereas I went to Bournemouth University to specifically study golf club management and every job since graduating has been within the game. It is something I have dreamed of doing since I reached the age of 16 and realised that I wouldn’t be able to make it as a professional.
“I got my handicap down to two as a teenager but there was that crunch point where I realised I wasn’t good enough. I was playing for the county with guys like Todd Clements and it was clear he was a level above. But the nice thing is that I have stayed in touch with a lot of the guys I played with, many of which still work in the game, so we have a great network.
“It’s the same with a lot of the guys who were on my course at university. Many of them are working in golf so we can bounce ideas off each other. I’m the only one who is already a general manager as it’s quite unprecedented. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind.”
Young but experienced
Tunbridge may have already landed his dream role, but he has packed a lot into his short career. Employed by Troon in Abu Dhabi, he worked at the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and at Yas Links, an award-winning golf course designed by Kyle Phillips.
These modern clubs rely heavily on golf tourism and felt the full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately leading to Tunbridge deciding to return to the UK. Hired by The Berkshire Golf Club, he continued to learn about golf management by taking care of handicaps, booking and competitions.
He was also fortunate to work under a manager who recognised his ambition and encouraged him to explore his options. “Michael Newland was the club secretary and he was fantastic as the nature of the industry is that you often have to wait for someone to retire in order to move up. He encouraged me to travel and explore new opportunities, which led to me travelling down to Cornwall on holiday in 2022 and playing at St Enodoc with a friend who was a member,” says Tunbridge.
“I fell in love with the club and the lifestyle in Cornwall and I was fortunate that the opportunity came up to be deputy general manager. I got lucky in the interview process and then after a few months Simon Greatorex decided to move a bit closer to home and I became interim general manager. It all happened very fast.”
Now, having been in the position for several months, Tunbridge is putting his own mark on the club and is working tirelessly to promote the two stunning links courses. While there are already 1,800 members, the challenge is attracting golfers to an area of the country that is not the most accessible.
“We have a big and very diverse membership that includes residents and those with a holiday home in the area, but we also want to promote the club to those who don’t often think of travelling to Cornwall,” reveals Tunbridge.
“We’re very lucky that we have the Church course, which is ranked as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world, but we also have the smaller Holywell course, which consists of nine par 3s and nine par 4s that add up to just over 4,000 yards.
“One of the par 3 is statistically the toughest par 3 on the facility as it has a tabletop green. It’s incredibly hard to hit despite only being 160 yards. But it’s a great course with some stunning holes and the great thing is that if you’re new to the game you can rent some clubs from the pro shop and have a really enjoyable game. The course is a massive asset to the club and I am really trying to promote it more since coming in.”
Working together
Tunbridge is also working closely with his peers at Trevose Golf & Country Club and Perranporth Golf Club as he bids to entice visitors to the region to play at all three clubs. “From day one I have been trying to create this network as Cornwall is just such a fantastic place. It is so vibrant and there are so many fantastic golf courses in close proximity to one another,” he explains.
“We want people to come to the region and enjoy a great golf trip. On top of the incredible course, visitors will discover that there is no feeling of snobbiness or elitism. Everyone at our club is extremely welcoming to everybody so we want more people to visit us.”
Creating a welcoming atmosphere is particularly important when it comes to attracting aspiring young golfers. Clubs can be an intimidating place for those who are new to the game and Tunbridge is determined to ensure that the old stuffy stereotype does not ring true at St Enodoc.
There are numerous membership options for younger players, which is helping to produce a wealth of young talent.
“We have subsidised memberships up until the age of 30 and student members get a ridiculously good deal. Currently, it costs less than one green fee so you get incredible value for money,” adds Tunbridge. “We also have a fantastic junior organiser who makes sure our younger members are entered into competitions and is helping them do really well.
“It wasn’t that long ago that I was a junior at a club and the game has given me so much so I want to make sure our younger players are taken care of. Our teaching professional Mark Arrowsmith does a lot of work with local children at schools to help grow the game and it is definitely working as we have more than 100 junior members.
“I know how intimidating and daunting it can be when you first get started, especially seeing the price of playing golf, so to have a good junior program and a variety of price points is so important.”
