Stu Musgrave

A life long dedication to the game of golf and with business skills to match, Stu Musgrave continues the growing trend of CPGA professionals who are accepting general management positions at golf courses throughout Atlantic Canada. From his first swings as a ten-year-old junior at Seaview to his current position as General Manager at the Miramichi Golf & CC, Musgrave’s life has been totally involved in golf.

“When I was a ten year-old growing up in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, my parents wanted to get me involved in an activity. It came down to sailing or golf. Neither of them were golfers, although my father has taken up the game in recent years. They decided on golf for me, and soon after, I was introduced to the game by long time Seaview golf professional Lorne Jennex.”

Jennex’s son, Lorne Jr, and Stu began playing everyday, from dawn to dusk. Many days they would go to work with Lorne, when he opened the pro shop in the morning and come home with him when he closed at dark. “Being a junior golfer at Seaview was a great experience,” remembers Musgrave, “Lorne would give us lessons every Thursday and the club members really encouraged juniors to play. We were always around the club and Lorne would spend a lot of extra time helping us and answering our questions.”

Stu had a successful junior and amateur career. “ I played in two Canadian Junior Championships, first on the Juvenile Team in 1988 in Kelowna, BC, then on the Junior Team in Saskatoon, Sask. in 1990.” In provincial amateur play he placed in the top ten in both the 1994 and 1995 Nova Scotia Amateur, his best finish being third place in 1995, when the event was played at Abercrombie.

When Musgrave was in high school he started working at the Seaview pro shop, a job he continued, in the summers, while attending Bishops University in Lennoxville, Quebec, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history, all the while considering the possibility of a career in professional golf. “I had always been influenced by Lorne. I admired what he did and how he did it. I watched the way that he interacted with the members at Seaview everyday. And while attending Bishops, the local golf professional, Garth Smith, who coached our golf team, also inspired me. That is when I decided I wanted to pursue this sport as a career.”

In 1995 he began his apprenticeship under Jennex. Two years later Stu moved to Prince Edward Island where he worked a couple of seasons for Ron Giggey at Belvedere. He received his Class A qualification in the fall of 1998, then spent the following season as Associate professional with Ted Stonehouse at Bell Bay. During his time as an assistant professional, Stu won the CPGA Atlantic Assistant of the Year honours on two occasions. Wanting to test himself as a player, the new century saw Musgrave qualify to play on the Canadian Golf Tour, where he competed for two years before returning to Nova Scotia and accepting the position of Head Professional at Lingan Golf &CC in Sydney.

During this time Stu completed a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University College of Cape Breton in Sydney. Following a pair of years at Lingan, he now has the position of General Manager at the Miramichi Golf & CC, Miramichi, NB. “Getting to know the new facility and the day-to-day operation has been my main challenge since I arrived here in January. We don’t want to change everything, just fix things that are broken and try to get all the little things in place so our members and guests can enjoy their time here, to the fullest extent. It’s a busy job and a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too.”

In his position as general manager, Musgrave is responsible for overseeing the administration, course maintenance, golf operation and food beverage operation. He also works on the teaching and junior programs, along with Head Professional, Ken McBride. We have started a program in the local schools to bring the kids out to the golf course to introduce them to the game.

Musgrave believes that his best asset is his “people skills.” “I enjoy talking to the members, discussing things, listening to their suggestions and acting upon them. Being able to talk to people and making sure that our staff help them thoroughly enjoy their day is the biggest and most rewarding part of this business.”

Stu has had some memorable playing highlights in his career. “My two years on the Canadian Tour, competing against some of the best players in the world, some of whom are now playing on the PGA Tour, was a great experience.” In 2000 he tied for 15th at the Canadian PGA Championship, at King’s Riding Golf Club, Toronto. His total was 11 under par. At the 2003 CPGA Championship – now a Nationwide Tour event, he tied for 65th. “ Just getting to play against former PGA Tour players like Guy Boros, Tommy Tolles, Richard Zokol, and other guys who have been out there and won tournaments was a great thrill.”

Another vivid memory was at the Canadian Tour qualifying school, in the fall of 1999, at Thunderbird Golf Club, now Royal Ashburn. “Going into the last round I was tied for 32nd - just having made the cut. On the last hole I made a 40 footer, from the back fringe for birdie, with the tour commissioner watching, for a final round of 69, low round for the week. As I was in the first group to finish I had to sit there for two hours to see if my score was good enough to earn my tour card, which it was - by one shot. It was a pretty exciting, but nerve wracking just the same.”

On the local scene, Stu has won two Atlantic Tour Championships on the CPGA Atlantic Golf Tour, first at Covered Bridge in 2002 and then again last year at Moncton Golf Club. But, Stu is still waiting for his first Atlantic Zone Championship crown – an achievement that has evaded him for many years – he has finished as runner-up numerous occasions. In 2002, Musgrave was CPGA Atlantic Player of the Year.

Although he has more than average length off the tee, Musgrave counts consistency as his playing strength. “I’m not as long as some of the bombers, but I am not often out of play. My short game is good and when I get my putter going I feel that I can contend. When you can put all of that together, you should be able to win a golf tournament.”

Asked how he handles his game when he is not hitting it good, he admits, “You just have to grind it out. It really comes down to heart and wanting to win. When you get swinging poorly, just try to keep the ball in play. You always have a better chance of getting on the greens from the shorter grass, where you still have a legitimate chance to score well.”

In his spare time away from the day-to-day operation of the golf club, he is still busy with golf. “The past couple of years I have been focusing mostly on the business side of golf. I have been taking a lot of courses.” Currently he is working on a graduate studies Diploma in Golf Management from the Golf Management Institute of Canada. Stu is a member of the CPGA Atlantic Executive Committee where he serves as Communications Chairman. He is also a member of the CPGA Membership and Education Committee. As for community involvement, he hopes to get more involved with the local Rotary Club in the fall.

Inspired by a personal drive to succeed, Stu has a lot of things he would like to achieve in golf business. “I want to continue to promote the game, and help the facilities, that I am involved with, to succeed and achieve the results they want, while helping their members to enjoy their time at the golf club. I enjoy the challenge of my job as club manager and golf professional. More clubs are employing professionals to manage their operations, which is rewarding for the clubs and for the members of our Association. We are the leaders of the game and we must continue to take on more responsibilities in our careers.”

Stu and his wife Erin reside in Miramichi, New Brunswick.