Description

Overview

Metropolis Country Club is seeking an exceptional PGA Professional to become the next Head Golf Professional of one of the NYC Metropolitan area's most distinguished Private, Member Owned golf clubs. Metropolis combines an extraordinary golf heritage, a nationally recognized course, a highly engaged membership, an outstanding professional staff and a warm, welcoming Club culture.

The Head Golf Professional is a senior leadership position at Metropolis, with full responsibility and authority for the Club's golf program and operations and an important role in the broader life of the Club. We seek an engaging and emotionally intelligent communicator; an accomplished player with a strong commitment to teaching and player development; a creative leader of people and programs; and an experienced operator capable of managing every aspect of a first-class golf operation.

Club Details

•     Facility: Private, Member-Owned

•     Number of Holes: 18

•     Total Annual Rounds: 18,000 (three-year average)

•     Member Families: 360

•     Golf Outings / Private Events: 22 (three-year average)

•     Annual Merchandise Sales: $500,000+

•     Caddies: 75 (independently managed by CaddieMaster)

•     Golf Staff: 16-20

•     Golf Carts: 50

•     Practice Range: Yes

•     Short Game Area: Yes

•     Primary Golf Season: April-October

•     Club Founded: 1922

 

A Club Investing in Its Future

Metropolis has invested more than $30 million over the past 15 years to address virtually every major long-term capital need of the Club.

•     2011-2025 - A Ron Forse-led restoration of the Strong/Tillinghast golf course

•     2024 - New water-management infrastructure

•     2025 - New golf course maintenance facility

•     2023-2026 - Enhanced practice facilities

•     2023 - New pool complex

•     2025 - Upgraded racquet facilities

•     2026 - New summer staff housing

•     2026 - Comprehensive renovation and refurbishment of the clubhouse

•     2026 - New main parking lot

These investments reflect a Club that deeply respects its history while continuing to invest in the quality of the member experience and its future. The Club is now developing its next 10-year capital plan, including a significant bunker restoration project, and the Head Golf Professional will play an important role in that process.

 

A Remarkable Professional Legacy

Golf has been central to Metropolis since its founding in 1922. The course traces its origins to Herbert Strong and was subsequently shaped by A.W. Tillinghast. The recent extensive restoration by Ron Forse recaptured the character and strategic qualities of the Strong/Tillinghast design.

The Head Golf Professional position has an extraordinary history. Just six individuals have combined to serve as Head Professional for virtually all of the Club's 104 years, including World Golf Hall of Fame members Paul "Little Poison" Runyan, Jack Burke Jr. and "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper, followed in the modern era by legendary Met Section professional Gene Borek and, since 2007, Craig Thomas, accomplished tournament player and the 2026 Met PGA Professional of the Year. That continuity reflects the importance of the position and the long-term relationships our professionals build across generations of members.

Experience Required

We are interested in accomplished PGA Professionals, including outstanding assistant professionals ready to take the next step in their careers, who demonstrate excellence in the areas that matter most to Metropolis. The strongest candidates will demonstrate:

• A warm, approachable, and highly visible member-service orientation with outstanding communication skills.
• An accomplished playing background, a continuing commitment to competitive golf, and a strong understanding of teaching and player development across a broad range of skill levels.
• A genuine hospitality mindset - service oriented at heart, with an instinct for anticipating member needs.
• The leadership ability to recruit, mentor, develop and work effectively with outstanding PGA professionals and high-performing operational teams.
• Strong golf operations, golf shop operations and merchandising, and financial-management experience.
• Experience and creativity in developing and overseeing programs, tournaments and experiences that engage golfers with differing abilities and interests.
• PGA Class "A" membership and a demonstrated commitment to the broader golf community.
• The confidence to lead, the judgment to listen, unquestioned integrity, respect for tradition and a genuine desire to make Metropolis his/her long-term professional home.

Essential Responsibilities

The Head Professional will lead the professional staff and oversee:

•     Tournaments and outside outings.

•     Teaching, instruction and player development across all skill levels.

•     Golf shop operations and merchandising.

•     Practice facilities.

•     Member communications.

•     Budgeting and financial management.

•     Golf-related technology and systems.

•     Recruiting, mentoring and developing the professional staff and outside services team.

The Head Professional and professional team must be equally comfortable working with our exceptional low-handicap and competitive players and our much larger population of enthusiastic recreational golfers, including many couples and a particularly active women's golf program. With a recent influx of young families, junior golf is also becoming an increasingly important part of the Club's future.

Playing with members and teaching across this full spectrum are important components of the professional team's role. We want a professional who understands the needs of an accomplished player, can communicate simply and effectively with a developing golfer, can create engaging instructional opportunities, and genuinely enjoys getting to know members and their games.

The position requires close and regular engagement with members and collaboration with the Club's other senior leaders. We seek operational discipline, accountability and creativity, with a continuing focus on making golf engaging, inclusive and enjoyable.

The Head Professional reports to the General Manager/COO and works closely with the President, Board and Sports Committee, as well as collaboratively with our outstanding Golf Course Superintendent and other members of the Club's leadership team.

Transition

After 20 excellent years as Head Golf Professional, Craig Thomas will transition to Director of Golf beginning with the 2027 season. Craig has earned enormous respect and affection throughout the Metropolis and Met PGA communities and will remain an important resource to the new Head Professional, Club management and leadership, providing institutional knowledge, perspective, experience and counsel. As Director of Golf, Craig's role will be to support the new Head Professional's success, enhance interdepartmental communication and coordination, and provide continuity and counsel as needed.

Application Instructions

• All applications MUST be submitted to golfprosearch@metropoliscc.org and will be held in strict confidence.
• Resume deadline: September 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM Eastern Time.
• Combine your cover letter, resume, references, and any supporting documents into one (1) PDF using this file naming convention: Last Name, First Name, Metropolis Country Club, Head Golf Professional.
• Address all correspondence to: Search Committee, Metropolis Country Club, golfprosearch@metropoliscc.org.

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence.

Please include a thoughtful cover letter addressed to the Metropolis Country Club search committee describing your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why Metropolis is the right fit for you (and your family) and why you are the right fit for Metropolis.

Benefits

Health insurance; disability and life insurance; dental and vision offered; PGA dues; playing privileges; education; relocation.