Profile

Dallas Desjardins

As General Manager and Head Professional of a golf course, overseeing areas including the pro shop, guest services, driving range, food and beverage and turf grass, can be a daunting task; but, when you have actually worked in all aspects of golf club operations, you bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to your job. This is the situation for Dallas Desjardins, who is in his first year as General Manager and Canadian PGA professional at Summerside Golf Club, Summerside, PEI.

“I learned, early on, not to focus on just one aspect of the golf industry and I have gained a great deal of experience from working in golf shop operations, food and beverage and course maintenance. At our club, the three key people who report to me are the managers of these departments and with our combined training and first hand experience we provide a great product for our members and guests at Summerside.”

Dallas is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. During his career he has worked in guest services at Jasper Park Lodge Golf Resort in Jasper, Alberta and on the turf grass crew at Riverside Golf Club in Saskatoon. He was Assistant Professional at The Eagles Glenn in Cavendish, PEI for five seasons and most recently performed Assistant Professional duties, for two seasons, at Fredericton Golf Club, Fredericton, NB.  His formal training was taken at Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI where he earned diplomas in Golf Club Management and Golf Business Management. In 2008, Dallas was a winner of the prestigious Tex Noble Award for scoring the highest mark on the Canadian PGA Class A examination. This exam is the final criteria required to become a fully qualified Canadian PGA member.

“On going education is vital to keep ahead of current trends in both our industry and our market. This is not limited to golf specific education but a great general knowledge so we can be more forward thinking in increasing the attractiveness of our product.”

Dallas reports that he and his club will be promoting several initiatives this season to increase the membership and social activity at Summerside Golf Club.

“We have started a more comprehensive program in junior development. We want the juniors to feel welcome at the club and increase our junior membership. This year, when a junior buys a membership they will receive instruction, including a skills competition once a week, mini tournaments once a week and lessons once a week for eight weeks, during the summer months. We want them to feel comfortable coming to the club and taking part in all these activities. In the off season we are also striving to bring golf into local schools.”

“Another priority this year is to increase the ladies membership. We will have a program for the ladies similar to the junior program. We are offering a one day a week membership where they can play every Tuesday afternoon, including golf instruction during the first five weeks, followed by two weeks of on course instruction, including everything from etiquette, to how to book a tee time to pace of play and strategy. We have received a great deal of interest in this program and may need to extend our offering.”

“With a goal of increasing our members social activities, we are planning some interesting occasions at the club this year, including a lady’s fashion show at the beginning of the season. Also, we have plans for a fine dining night, featuring a local chef, who will produce a five course meal with complimenting wines. These events will be open to our members and their guests and allow them to enjoy having a full service golf club in their community.”

For both members and daily fee players, Summerside Golf Club has a friendly environment.

“We pride ourselves on our friendly customer service, going above and beyond for our customers, whether they are members or daily fee players. We have fast paced rounds and the course is conveniently located just 1 kilometer west of Summerside.”

For more information on the Summerside Golf Club, please visit their website at www.summersidegolf.com

In 2004, Dallas and partner Justin Dawson of Green Gables won the Fox Harbor professional best ball event. He tied for second at the 2006 CPGA Atlantic Assistant Professionals Championship and was third in the Nova Scotia Open the same year.

“Although I don’t play as much as I once did, and my game isn’t as sharp as it used to be, I find that as long as I am able to practice my short game, my long game is still decent.  I’m a good scrambler and work well with what I’ve got.”

Dallas recommends short game practice to anyone who is looking to maintain consistency in their game.

"There is a need to work on the short game, more specifically, chipping and pitching - that is where strokes get wasted. So, if you can fine tune your touch to get closer to the hole, your game and your scores will become more consistent."

Since moving to the east coast, he has also experienced a most memorable moment in golf.

“My most memorable moment was definitely playing Highlands Links in Ingonish, Nova Scotia for the first time. I am a bit of a golf course architectural buff and to play any Stanley Thompson designed course is always a treat, but to play his “mountains and ocean” course in Cape Breton was truly an amazing experience for a land locked boy from Saskatchewan.”

When he has time away from work, Dallas enjoys time with his wife, Tammy and daughter Jorja. A wine aficionado, he advises that his best cellared bottle is 2003 Clos de Corton Grand Cru.

Whether it’s the golf industry, the game of golf or life in general, he advises, “If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.”