Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Management changes in works at golf course
FORT SMITH — Residents looking to enjoy Sebastian County’s Ben Geren Golf Course this year will notice a few changes in how it’s run and who’s running it.
Jay Randolph, director of parks and golf for the county, briefed the county Parks Advisory Board on these personnel adjustments at its meeting Tuesday. This included creating a new golf course superintendent position, someone taking over the position of assistant golf course superintendent and changing the title of the golf course marketer/pro shop manager position to assistant golf professional.
Randolph said his desired outcome from all this is to get the “right people” in place to accomplish these jobs and the projects they entail more efficiently and successfully.
Randolph said Sebastian County hired him to be its golf course superintendent in 2016. However, the county changed his position to also include the role of county park administrator in 2017, which caused him to have more on his plate the last several years with various park projects.
Randolph said the Quorum Court approved his request to separate the golf course superintendent and park administrator positions last year during its process of crafting the county budget for 2024. Randolph hired Jon Obermark, who had been assistant golf course superintendent at Ben Geren since about 2019, to fill the golf course superintendent role while he became director of parks and golf beginning this year.
The golf course superintendent — which works under Randolph’s general supervision as director of parks and golf — is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance, care and operation of Ben Geren Golf Course, according to the seat’s official job description.
Randolph said he and Obermark hired Jonathan Cox on Sunday to take Obermark’s place as assistant golf course superintendent. This position serves as backup to the golf course superintendent and is responsible for supervising the maintenance of the golf course greens, tees and fairways, as well as the golf course’s electrical water system, according to the job description.
Randolph said he is in the process of hiring someone for the newly named assistant golf professional position. This person will replace Paul Wanstreet, who retired as Ben Geren’s golf course marketer/pro shop manager as of Jan. 1.
While the assistant golf professional will still work in the pro shop, the person in that role will also be responsible for heading up the Ben Geren Youth Golf Academy program, Randolph said. Matt Brown, Ben Geren’s Professional Golfers’ Association professional, held that responsibility beforehand.
Other duties include doing the same for Ben Geren’s PGA Junior League, as well as making presentations to area businesses, organizations and civic clubs to raise awareness of Ben Geren’s facilities and promote youth, individual and tournament play, according to the job description.
John Martini, a Parks Advisory Board member, expressed his opinion that a female assistant golf professional would be the “best addition” for Ben Geren. He argued a woman would work significantly better with the youth and start attracting more high school and college girls to get involved.