A Day in the Life of a Golf Professional: Ken Stasiewich

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Ken Stasiewich first got his start in the game of golf at age 12, using his city golf pass to get on the public links at the Riverside GC and Victoria GC.

It wasn't long after his fifteenth birthday before the young teen was shooting low numbers, and establishing himself as one of the premier juniors in the province. In 1981 he won the Edmonton Golf Association's Junior Open and a year later the Riverside Junior Open.

Prior to pursuing a professional career in the game, and joining the CPGA in 1988, Ken had won the Devon Junior Open and Club Championship, became the Devon Men's Club Champion, and went on to win the City Champion of Champions tournament at the Glendale G&CC.

While earning his Business Diploma at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Ken worked at the Stony Plain GC, Sturgeon Valley G&CC as well as Westridge Park Lodge. In 1992, he made the move to the Priddis Greens G&CC, southwest of Calgary, where he remains as the top Associate Professional today.

Stasiewich’s playing career continued throughout his Apprenticeship, and Ken still maintains one of the strongest game's in the province. As a professional, Ken has won eight individual events, and has partnered up to win another three team tournaments throughout Alberta and British Columbia. As well, he has claimed victory in some of the province's most prestigious championships including: the Alberta Assistants' Match Play Championship, the Alberta Assistants' Championship twice, the Edmonton Open Championship and the Edmonton Golf Association's Collier Invitational. Twice, Ken has been selected by the Alberta PGA to represent the province as part of the team competing at the Canadian PGA Assistants' Championship.

In 2000, he was successfully elected to the Alberta PGA Assistants' Board of Directors, and in 2001 became the Board's President, representing over 300 Assistant Professionals at all meetings of the Alberta PGA, and coordinating the activities and meetings of the nine elected Assistants' Board Members. Currently, Ken remains actively involved in the affairs of the Association, as a Member of the Alberta PGA Consumer Show Committee.

Working with one of the industry leaders and certainly Ken's greatest mentor, Head Professional Ron Laugher, Ken's career as a golf professional has only become stronger with each passing year. With his industry involvement and knowledge base ever increasing, as well as his growing scope of responsibilities at the club, most industry affiliates and Members consider Ken to be performing the daily duties of a Head Professional.

In recognition for his contributions to the Association and his dedication to the golf industry, in 2001 and 2003 Ken was selected by his peers as the Alberta PGA Assistant Professional of the Year.
Recently, he submitted an article to the Alberta zone and won the “Member Media Challenge” on his column describing a Day in the Life of a Golf Professional. The article outlines the various duties that one in Ken’s position faces each day in an entertaining script:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A GOLF PROFESSIONAL

By: Ken Stasiewich, Associate Professional, Priddis Greens G&CC

The life of a Golf Professional… the dream of many! No one can escape from being asked, “What do you do for a living?” As a Golf Professional, I know if I answer truthfully I will have to endure the long pause, the glazed over stare, the slow upward turn of the lips, and then patiently wait for the inevitable: “A golf pro, eh? Wow! I’d love to golf every day for a living! What do you do in the winter? Why am I slicing the ball? What is the best ball out there today? What exactly do you do?” It occurs to me that, number one: people LOVE to talk about golf and, number two: few people understand what Golf Professionals do. Listing the job’s responsibilities would read like a resume, so instead, let’s take a walk through the average day of the Golf Professional.

“HONEY! WAKE UP! IT’S 4:45 AM! YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR WORK!” my wife “calmly” wakes me. Reality strikes hard! My shower is quick, my deodorant is generously applied and “SHOOT!” my cotton pants aren’t ironed! Thank goodness for summer wool! As I drive to work (work being the pro shop not the first hole at the Players Championship which some actually believe) I pray that the beating rain miraculously disappears by the time I get to the golf course. As I approach the club and the dark clouds part I lift my hands towards heaven and cry, “Thank you!” The weather can be a friend or foe to the Golf Professional . But for now the weather is cooperating, there is no chance of frost, and tee times should run smoothly. I take a quick look at my day timer to refresh my memory … morning ladies league start at 8:00, club fittings at 8:30, meeting with a corporate tournament committee at 10:00, management meeting at 1:00, show samples of shirts for client at 3:45, lessons from 4:45-6:30.

I take a deep breath and look out the window at the first hole. The view is beautiful and it occurs to me how often I have taken this beauty for granted. My smile broadens when I see good old Carl Scott walking towards the pro shop with his precious 30 year old clubs trailing behind him. He always has a story to share! It occurs to me: golf is great, but golfers are greater! “FOCUS”, I tell myself. I check my emails...ouch! “Okay, deal with one email at a time!” I encourage myself. Here I go…and here Neal comes. Neal is a young new assistant to the staff and is a promising professional. He asks if I have time to review the work he has done on this weekend’s mixed tournament. I look down at my lengthy To Do list and answer, “of course”! He accepts my praise with a humble smile and he absorbs my suggestions like a sponge.

I return to the first “do” on my To Do list: Return Sandy’s call and confirm ball order and logo. As I pick up the phone Keith, a newer member, comes into the office upset about yesterday’s pace of play. I place the phone on its cradle and we take a little time to rectify the problem. As we walk out of the pro shop together, I take note of our staff: Dean is changing a floor display, Janice is helping a member try on a pair of shoes, Brent is answering the phone and Craig is checking in a guest! At the range, the outside service staff are on task and the back-shop employees are providing good service. I think back to the intense training I put the staff through in the spring to get to this place today. Wow… it was well worth the effort!

As I work my way back to the office, I look at my watch. It reads 8:15 am. The day has just begun. ..