When he recently went to the annual Deer Park Masters as an official with the PGA, Brian Inglis from Falkirk was so impressed with what he saw that he ended up securing a new position with the Club.
Brian, who had been working with the PGA at Gleneagles, and previous to this ran his own golf consultancy in England helping clubs survive the recession, is the new Golf Sales Manager at Deer Park.
The Club has also recruited Natalie Dewar from Livingston as its new Sales & Marketing Manager. Natalie has a degree in Marketing & Festival Events from Napier University and was previously working in the Marketing Departments at the Festival and Kings Theatres in Edinburgh.
She and Brian join Wedding and Events Planner Natasha McAlister who has been at Deer Park for nine years. The trio will work very closely together in the coming months to promote Deer Park as a venue and to promote the value in golf and leisure membership across the board.
Said Brian: “Coming from the Central Belt I was always well aware of Deer Park as something of a jewel in the crown for the area, an amazing golf course and a club that is very well run and good at what it does. I happened to be at the Deer Park Masters a few months ago and was told that the existing Golf Sales Manager was leaving. I was chatting to General Manager Stuart Cruickshank who said did I fancy applying for the job myself!”
“Needless to say I jumped at the chance as Deer Park is a great name. The Masters is a fantastic tournament, I was very impressed with the running of it and having been working at the PGA this season, I knew what it meant to the pro’s who take part every year. I would call it one of the most ambitious fixtures on the Tartan Tour.”
Brian continued: “Everything moved really fast and here I am as the new Golf Sales Manager. I am very excited about my new role which coincides with the appointment of Natalie as Sales and Marketing Manager too. Together with Stuart Cruikshank, who does a brilliant job as General Manager and who knows Deer Park like the back of his hand, and Natasha, who is the face of weddings and functions, we feel that we are in a great position to continue to build up this Golf and Country Club. We are approaching the autumn winter season and it’s a good time to plan ahead after what was a very busy summer with several new Golf Events for Deer Park, including Ladies and Senior Tartan Tour professional events.”
A former Stirlingshire County player, Brian mostly plays socially these days, while still holding a low single figure handicap. He has played almost 400 of Scotland’s golf course over the years, so certainly knows his way around.”
“I believe I know what today’s golfers is looking for,” he said “ I ran the Golf Course and associated Members Club at Oatridge College for eight years. When my wife moved down south with her job I set up a consultancy advising golf clubs through the difficult down turn. It was very good experience.”
Natalie Dewar highlighted what she saw as continuing potential in the golf and leisure sector. “We have carried out research and have found out that many keen golfers right across Central Scotland are currently not members of any golf club, having perhaps let their membership of other clubs lapse in the past few years. We offer excellent value for money and I am on board now to improve and implement an autumn marketing campaign. We are very much planning to claim some of this business.”
Deer Park General Manager Stuart Cruickshank said: “We are delighted to welcome Brian and Natalie to the club. Both know the area well and bring a wealth of experience. I think they will work brilliantly with Natasha.”
“Many clubs are still feeling the effects of the recession,” said Stuart. “Brian and Natalie understand how clubs can fight back. Those without a leisure side to the business were particularly badly affected. Having our thriving leisure side at Deer Park has been invaluable to us.”
“My new team has the aim of reminding local golfers that there is real value in being a member of a golf club. You are indeed joining a community – it’s been proven that joining a cub enable golfers to play more regularly and improve their skills. It’s also a way of building more exercise into your routine,” said Stuart. “Our 6727 yard, par 72 course at Deer Park is in great shape too. We have carried out a great deal of landscaping and drainage work over the past two years.”
Submitted by director
