Chesterfield Golf Club’s Assistant Manager Jess Redgate reflects on her journey into golf and what her GCMA Support Manager of the Year nomination means.
When Jess Redgate joined Chesterfield Golf Club three years ago, she was taking a leap into the unknown. With a background in hospitality but no previous experience in golf, she quickly embraced the challenge and found her place in the industry. Her enthusiasm and commitment to learning soon became clear to everyone around her.
That dedication has now been recognised through her nomination for GCMA Support Manager of the Year. The acknowledgement highlights the contribution she’s made to the club’s operations and member experience, as well as her growing influence within the wider golf community.
Jess has built her success on communication and collaboration, developing strong relationships with members, colleagues and volunteers. Whether supporting junior initiatives, improving the ladies’ offering or helping deliver major club events, she brings positivity and professionalism to everything she does.
Here, she shares what the nomination means to her, the projects she’s most proud of, and how her involvement with the GCMA has inspired her career ambitions.
How did you feel when you found out you’d been nominated for GCMA Support Manager of the Year?
It was fantastic to be nominated for GCMA Support Manager of the Year. I joined the golf industry nearly three years ago, having no prior experience or history with golf. My perseverance and commitment have helped me reach this point in my career. To be nominated for this award is a testament to my love for this industry.
Are there particular projects, initiatives or qualities that you feel have made an impact to earn you the nomination?
I am very good at building relationships within the workplace, this ranges from our members to Board of Directors to the staff. My role at the golf club is very member-focused and has given me the opportunity to develop good relationships with our members. I am the point of contact on a day-to-day basis. To deliver a great member and customer experience I always remain positive, smile, have a can-do attitude and go above and beyond to guarantee this.
I worked closely with the Chair of the Junior Section to produce our Junior Handbook and Safeguarding leaflet this year. I am proud of this project, as collaboratively, we have produced an informative, encouraging and useful document for new and current members of the Junior Section.
I have been collaborating with our Lady Captain, past President and Professional to continually improve our ladies-into-golf offering with the goal of maintaining healthy numbers within the Ladies Section. I have particularly been working on retention of our new lady members by organising additional booster courses throughout the year and hosting a Women on Par event which has assisted with integration into the Ladies Section.
For the past two years I have built a strong relationship with the club Captains as I have taken the lead in event managing our Captains Week. I enjoy this project thoroughly as it creates a wonderful working relationship between myself and the current Captains.
Building strong relationships has been fundamental to my success at Chesterfield Golf Club.
What skills or attributes do you think are most important to succeed in a support management role at a golf club?
I believe there are many attributes required to succeed in a support management role at a golf club; these include excellent communication skills, great customer service and good people management. A highly important skill is organisation. Tasks are forever changing in a golf club environment, and it is critical to be able to adapt and reprioritise tasks and workload. Working in a golf club environment you must be adaptable and exceptional at problem solving. Every day brings a new and exciting challenge; I especially like to work Mondays, the busiest day in the office after the weekend. I enjoy unpicking a problem and finding a suitable solution.
How important do you think professional development and networking are for those working in club management?
I try to attend as many regional GCMA meetings as possible; these meetings are invaluable as they provide me with the opportunity to talk to other Golf Club Managers who may be experiencing similar challenges at their clubs. I find the speakers informative and diverse, and I am enjoying the ‘speed-dating’ style we have recently adopted in the East Midlands region.
Professional development has always been important to me throughout my working life. My history mainly sits in hospitality, and I was fortunate enough to work for companies who focused on development and training. After becoming Assistant Manager at Chesterfield Golf Club, my manager encouraged me to attend the GCMA Conference in 2023. I thoroughly enjoyed the theme of Team Culture; it highlighted the importance of having a positive working environment for all team members. I came away from the conference excited and thrilled to be working in the golf industry.
I completed the Principles of Golf Management course in December 2024; this course was particularly informative and demonstrated to me how multi-faceted the role of a Golf Club Manager is. This course has inspired me to continue my professional development with the hopes of becoming a Golf Club Manager. I have recently completed my Accreditation with the GCMA and achieved the level of Aspiring Manager. I am excited to continue my professional and personal growth within this industry.
What would it mean to you personally and professionally if you were to win the award?
It would be an honour and a privilege to win such a prestigious award. Professionally it would be a fantastic recognition from the GCMA to be considered Support Manager of the Year. This nomination has provided a challenge, and should I win, I believe it will widen the opportunities for me within the golf industry. On a personal level, being a working mother, winning this award would demonstrate to my children that hard work and determination have its rewards.
However, should I not win, I will not let this deter me from my goals and ambitions within this industry — I am very fortunate to have reached this stage.
GCMA Awards 2025
The winners will be crowned at the Gala Dinner during the Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition on 17th November 2025 at Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire. It promises to be a memorable evening of celebration, reflecting the vital role golf club managers and their teams play in the growth and success of the game.
