Mike Woods Wins National PGA Merchandiser Award

Once people finish lining up in the “glass half-full” and “glass half-empty” groups, Mike Woods will probably be standing alone. Sure, he'd stand closer to the “half-full” group, but he'd be the smiling, optimistic one encouraging them to recognize that much more than they may have imagined can be accomplished with a positive, upbeat, constructive, team approach to problem solving.

Woods, Haggin Oaks Golf Complex's head golf professional, is this year's PGA of America's “Merchandiser of the Year” at a public facility. Woods' enthusiasm has served him well in his rise from a part-time employee at Haggin Oaks to his position as head golf professional-only the third person in that position in the 75 year history of the facility.

Today he oversees one of the largest golf retail operations in the country and heads a staff of a dozen PGA professionals and more than 90 retail employees at their 15,000 square foot Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop. The municipal facility boasts two championship golf courses, a state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor teaching facility, a 100-stall lighted driving range that is open 24 hours during the summer months, and enough junior, senior, group, and private teaching programs along with specialized instruction for disabled golfers to set a very high bar for others across the country.

“Mike has an amazing ability to take a team of people from different backgrounds, different motives, and different personalities and using our core values as a guiding principle, bring them together for the common mission,” explained Ken

Morton, Jr., vice president for retail and marketing for Haggin Oaks. Morton, Jr. continued, “Whether it's our 24-hour driving range team, cart staff, or our PGA professional crew, he has an innate knack of being able to cut through any noise and focus everyone on what's really important-our customer.”

True to form, Woods is the first to humbly move the spotlight from him to the other members of the Haggin team. “I'm excited for our team,” he revealed. “I'm enthused for our people that work tirelessly every day to deliver a memorable experience for every one of our customers. They deserve to get this recognition, especially in these difficult economic times we're experiencing.”

Woods, who didn't expect to make the golf business a career, is quick to recognize the impact of his mentor, Ken Morton, Sr., Haggin's director of golf who has spent the last 50 years at the facility. “After I graduated from college, Ken, Sr. invited me to lunch to talk about my future. He was gracious in explaining the business and its opportunities and I decided to give it a try.”

Woods was preceded in his role as head golf professional by two giants in the world of golf. Tommy LoPresti was Haggin's original head professional in 1928 when the course opened, followed by his eventual partner, Ken Morton, Sr. Haggin Oaks holds the distinction of being the world's only golf facility with two PGA Golf Professional of the Year winners-LoPresti and Morton. In fact, Morton, Sr. is also a previous two-time winner of the prestigious PGA Merchandiser of the Year award.

“That's a lot to live up to,” Woods said. “I'm very fortunate to have known Tommy LoPresti and to have worked for and with Ken Morton. Tom and Ken, Sr. were both 'Mr. Golf' in their eras. I can't help but look at all the awards and accomplishments and be very humbled. They are mentors for hundreds and hundreds of grateful people in our industry.”

Ken Morton, Sr. has marveled at Wood's career and said, “Every ten years or so, a person comes to work for us that is unique and special. This uniquely special person usually has excellent skills as a player, communicates at all levels, views the good of the game and the business of golf as being equally important, and is popular because of their personality and their charm. Mike Woods is one of those 'every decade' kind of hires. Fortunately, he is now a partner in Morton Golf LLC, so we and the golfing public can count on his talents being at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex for the long term.”

While others may look at awards as proof they're the best, the team at Haggin Oaks sees this award as a stiff challenge to continue to prove their worthiness. “There is much to be proud of here at Haggin Oaks,” Woods said. “The legacy and stability at this facility, beginning with Ken Morton, Sr. is indeed a separator. The expertise of our people is a separator. Our company culture and core values are separators. We deeply believe in integrity, personal growth, a caring and positive attitude and respect for each other.

“But all of that is nothing if it doesn't translate into each individual, one-on-one experience with our customers. Sure, we're excited about our award but it's not the end, but rather another beginning. We want to continue to be trendsetters, to stay ahead of the curve. We want to continue to lead, to grow, and to get better at what we do. That's who we are.”

Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop is located at 3645 Fulton Avenue in Sacramento, California. For more information, call (916) 481-GOLF or visit www.hagginoaks.com.