New general manager says the golf club will be noticed.
Whether on the golf course or in his new position as General Manager of Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club, the discipline, experience and dedication behind Eric Slack have paid off and earned him an ace in his career.
The Slack from Forest City, Pennsylvania, learned the game at the age of 15. “I wanted to spend time with my father, who had recently started playing golf. The population of our little mining town was between 1,500 and 1,700, so golf for us was $ 10 for nine holes and a pull cart. “
He says he didn’t see golf as a career, but the more he played, the better he got. “I was actually the first boy from our high school to win our district tournament. I think a little bit of success in winning a tournament made me believe I could pursue it professionally. “
During his senior semester at Penn State University, Slack worked in the maintenance department of Penn State Golf Course, taking care of the greens, fairways and bunkers. “Shortly thereafter, I switched to the golf shop and was introduced to the professional golf training program by PGA of America. That piqued my interest and I started pursuing a PGA Class A membership. “
Slack then moved to Arizona in 2001 to work at TPC Scottsdale, which is considered the home of the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open.
“In 2006 I accepted the position of professional golfer at Forest Highlands Golf Club, where I worked for eight years. In 2014 he moved to Michigan to work as a pro head golf at Point O’Woods Golf and Country Club, ”he said.
When offered the position at Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club, Slack returned to Flagstaff in 2016, assuming his position as general manager seven months ago.
“We are very happy to have Eric as our new general manager,” said Dan Brinkman, President and CEO of Flagstaff Ranch. “Eric’s passion for providing quality products and services to our members, as well as his practical, supportive leadership style will enable Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club to continue its vision of being the most desirable golf and recreational community in Northern Arizona.”
“I think the Flagstaff Ranch is a hidden gem and we’re starting to see more awareness of the club,” said Slack. “We were voted 20th by Golfweek Magazine in 2019 and most recently moved up to 18th in Arizona. “We were recently informed that we will have a full-page feature in an upcoming issue.”
The history of the Flagstaff Ranch is remarkable as the Flagstaff Dairy was once on the property.
“As a kid, it was the most beautiful place ever,” said Flagstaff native Martin Zanzucchi, whose grandparents bought the Flagstaff dairy in 1929. It is a very special property and offers the best view of the peaks. We never hunted so there are so many large herds of elk and deer. When I play golf out there, I will remember funny stories about different parts of the property. “
The Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club currently hosts 20 major member golf tournaments and events each year. “We have weekly games for men and women, classroom clinics and junior camps, and a variety of social activities and programs for our non-golf members,” said Slack.
The Coca-Cola Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic will take place on May 14th in the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce. “Our biggest event is the gentlemen’s guest, The Lumberjack,” said Slack. “It’s the second week of June and a three-day golf tournament where our members and staff can introduce the club to their guests.”
Approximately 20% of the Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club are year round residents and members. “Membership here is a great group of people. The personality of our club is that we are a bit more relaxed even though we offer a high level of service and a high end condition of the golf course, ”he said.
Options include a restaurant serving specialties such as fish fries, cajun, and other dishes prepared by Chef Lee Begay and Food and Beverage Director Jamie Adams.
The Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club offers a limited number of non-residential memberships as well as a trial membership that allows individuals to experience the club for a season before committing to full-time membership.
“I just enjoy all aspects of club administration, working with our staff and membership boards, the golf department, golf maintenance, marketing, membership, sales, and food and drink,” said Slack. “I am very happy to see joy on the faces of our members and guests. I’m a bit of a people lover and I enjoy making people happy. “
Slack lists former Flagstaff Ranch general manager John Ott as one of his mentors. “When examining the candidates for general manager, Eric was superior to the other candidates. He is extremely organized, professional and very knowledgeable about the golf business in a high end country club. It’ll be a challenge, but he’ll do a great job. “
Slack and his wife Mindy, a merchandiser and buyer at Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club, have a 10-year-old daughter named Ellie.
Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club opens for the season on April 23rd. For more information, contact Membership Director Max Wallace at 928-226-3126.
My last celebration:
That would be our daughter Ellie’s 10th birthday. She’s a bit of a golfer too.
Advice that I did not follow:
While working at Penn State Golf Courses, I told a colleague that I had accepted a job at TPC Scottsdale and was moving to Arizona. This person, who will remain nameless, told me that he thought it was a bad idea and that I should stay at Penn State to get more experience before moving on to a large facility like TPC. Needless to say, I took the job.
My favorite book:
When I started getting into the business, I read books on leadership. My favorite is John Maxwell’s “Developing the Leader In You”. I still have it on my shelf.
Hobby I want to explore:
I would say I’m already exploring it: fly fishing.
What I learned from the pandemic:
People really wanted to go outside. At the beginning of COVID, golf proved to be a haven for people as they could still go outside and play and the weather was so nice. FBN
By V. Ronnie Tierney, FBN
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