‘Bermudians - fancy a career in golf?’

How many jobs give you the opportunity to travel the world and meet some of the most high profile and influential people in the world?

A career in the golf industry can offer just that and director of Turtle Hill Golf Club at the Fairmont Southampton Resort wants to encourage more Bermudians to consider such careers.

Mocklow has had the privilege to travel to over 100 countries around the world doing what he loves best and he wants more Bermudians to have the opportunities that he has had.

Speaking to the Bermuda Sun, he said: “If someone asked me to put in order the benefits of a career in golf I would say the travel opportunities first — there is a golf course in every country in the world, give or take a few.

“When opportunities come up you get to travel the world — in my role I have been able to visit over 100 countries through golf. I can’t think of many other careers that could have given me that opportunity.

“You will meet the most phenomenal people — working at one of the hotel golf courses in Bermuda you get to meet people you would probably never get to meet in real life — captains of industry, people that are going to potentially influence your life.

“Not a day goes by that we don’t have the CEO of a Fortune 500 company walk through the doors of a golf course in Bermuda. When you do get a chance to meet them, who knows where it will go from there.”

Mocklow contacted the Sun after reading our article about how the island’s scuba diving operations were looking for more
locals to recruit.

All 15 positions at the Fairmont golf club are taken up by Bermudian staff and Mocklow said that the other golf operations around the island mainly recruit Bermudians too. So while there is no lack of local staff, Mocklow believes that more should take advantage of the reputation that Bermuda has for its world class golfing.

“We’ve got some really good players so let’s get some really good operators. Go away and learn the industry.

Bringing local talent back

“It’s about bringing local talent back to Bermuda and help drive it and make it successful.

“I want them to be enthused and driven — when a job is a second job  you tend to treat it that way. My team here and every team in the golf industry here, it is their primary job — I just want to see more.”

There are numerous types of career options in the golf industry from player assistance, retail specialists, turf management and mechanics right up to golf superintendent and director of golf.

“I’ve got a Bermudian superintendent,” explained Mocklow. “He left Bermuda at a young age went away, discovered the art of turf grass management, worked as an apprentice, made his way up and after 15 years he was running the agronomy (turf management) for a six hole semi-private club. To bring that talent back to Bermuda that is where I see the opportunity for Bermuda.

“Go and investigate the world of golf and see what you can learn — there will be opportunities back here. There are seven golf courses, six are operational another planned for Morgan’s Point. One hosts a very big event, we have a big event here in March.

 “You don’t have to be an insurance underwriter or an actuary — not
everybody is Einstein. You don’t even have to stay here and work — there will come a point in your career you want to come back to Bermuda and the industry would benefit from that.

“If you are passionate about Bermuda and you are passionate about the industry, it is automatic that you should be passionate about seeing successful Bermudians.” n

Job availabilities at Fairmont are often advertised online job board and application process. For more information contact email [email protected] or call 239-6663.