Jack Bietz, 22, has served as Director of Inside Operations/General Manager of the club for the past two months after he was approached by the club to take over as he interned with a financial firm. The club, which currently has between 170 and 175 members, has all 18 holes playable for the first time since 2009, and a newly built bridge adjoining the No. 8 tee box and No. 7 green has “already paid for itself.”
Despite his youthful look, 22-year-old Jack Bietz is holding down a pretty big job as Director of Inside Operations/General Manager of Jamestown (N.D.) Country Club, the Dickinson (N.D.) Press reported.
“I had someone recently tell me, ‘You’re running this place? You look like you’re 16,’” Bietz said, who has been in the position for the past two months. “I had to laugh at that one—16 is pretty young.”
Bietz had an internship at a big course in Sheridan, Wyo., lined up before the country club came calling. While interning at Thrivent Financial in Jamestown, he was approached about his interest in possibly taking over the course. Things unfolded quickly and before long it was a match, surprising even Bietz, the Press reported.
“I’m still not entirely sure how it happened,” he said. “Obviously, the golf industry is all I’ve ever done. So, I had the background, and obviously I was pretty familiar with things out here. I guess things just kind of just fell in place.”
The first month has been a learning experience. The PR side of things occupies a large amount of time, as do financial matters. Bietz hasn’t had much time for golf, although he did escape to Brainerd, Minn., with clubs in hand recently, the Press reported.
“I’d like to play more. The days are busy. I give lessons and I’m still trying to learn how to manage my days, and when are the good times where maybe I can have some down time, but it’s all fun,” he said.
The country club, which currently has between 170 and 175 members, has all 18 holes playable for the first time since 2009. Bietz praised the work of Course Superintendent Gordon Prasek, who has worked his magic despite limited means, the Press reported.
A newly built bridge adjoining the No. 8 tee box and No. 7 green also has been a key addition and has “already paid for itself.” They would like some rain, though, which Bietz admitted seemed odd after the wet spring, the Press reported.
On top of running the country club, Bietz has also added some coaching duties. He’ll pitch in at his alma mater, Jamestown Colleve, when the season rolls around, the Press reported.
“(The program) has come a long way. When I got there in 2009, we weren’t very good, but a lot of progress has been made,” he said. “I’m really excited about next year. We have a lot of good guys coming back. They’re going to be tough to beat. It sucks that I won’t get to play with them, but it will be fun to be around the team.”
For now, there’s plenty of work to do at the club, the Press reported.
“Obviously, it’s a lot different than being in college. This is the real world. I’m really busy, but that’s good. I enjoy it,” he said. “I’d rather be really busy and love my job than have an easy job and hate it. It’s a pretty good gig.”
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