Head Assistant Professional

THE HEAD ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITY AT ROYAL ASHDOWN FOREST GOLF CLUB

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious golf professional to progress their career at one of the UK’s most distinctive and historic clubs. Reporting to the Head Professional, the Head Assistant Professional will play a key role within a forward-thinking team shaping the future of golf at Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club, contributing across operations, retail, coaching, and member engagement. The ideal candidate will thrive in a member-facing environment, bringing energy, personality, and professionalism to every interaction while taking pride in the quality of their work and the relationships they build. The role offers genuine variety from coaching, club fitting and club repairs, and to leading from the shop floor as well as the opportunity to manage and mentor a small team of two Assistant Professionals.

ABOUT ROYAL ASHDOWN FOREST GOLF CLUB
Founded in 1888, Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club is a traditional members’ golf club set in the heart of the Ashdown Forest. One of the things that golf lovers most appreciate about playing here is that so little has changed over the club’s 130 year history. Heather, humps, hollows, pools and streams remain nature’s defence against shooting a low score. The stunning heathland layout of the Old Course is currently rated in the Golf World Top 100 Golf Courses in GB&I.

It is exciting times for the PGA Professional team at Royal Ashdown as the club builds a new team led by Head Professional Fenella Buss.  Working as part of the team responsible for retail, coaching and golf operations at the club, the successful candidate will,

·         Support retail operations including stock purchasing, merchandising, EPOS management, and daily shop activity

·         Lead club fitting services, delivering professional custom fitting sessions using modern technology and strong product knowledge

·         Oversee club repair and building services, ensuring high-quality workmanship and timely turnaround

·         Contribute to retail performance, promoting a strong sales culture and supporting KPI targets and stock control

·         Assist with golf operations including tee sheet management, competitions, societies, and tournament administration

·         Support smooth daily golf activity and coordination across departments, ensuring excellent course and practice facility standards

·         Deliver high-quality individual and group coaching across all abilities

·         Develop and grow coaching programmes, including beginner pathways, junior golf, and group initiatives

·         Support the Club Golf Academy, demo days, fitting events, and wider member engagement activities

·         Manage and mentor two Assistant Professionals, providing leadership, development, and day-to-day guidance while deputising for the Head Professional when required

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
·         Outgoing, confident, and personable, with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build genuine relationships with members and visitors across all demographics

·         Proactive self-starter with strong initiative, ownership, and a consistent “get things done” mindset

·         Adaptable communicator, equally comfortable engaging junior golfers, new members, experienced players, and long-standing members

·         PGA qualified (or working towards), with strong technical expertise in club fitting, club repair/building, coaching delivery, and competition management

·         Experienced in premium golf environments, with commercial awareness across retail, stock, EPOS systems, and readiness to step into a senior leadership role

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION
The successful candidate must have their PGA qualification and it is preferred that the ideal candidate is currently undertaking continued professional development

SALARY AND BENEFITS
A competitive salary.

ROYAL ASHDOWN FOREST GOLF CLUB WEBSITE: www.royalashdown.co.uk

Applications should be directed to Michael Herd, Head of International Search & Consulting at Kopplin, Kuebler & Wallace

Tagged as: PGA Professional