Pearl Valley Club will have a new general manager from 1 June when Damian Wrigley moves from the position of director of golf.
For the past three years, Wrigley has overseen all golf matters, ensuring that the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course’s consistent ranking as the best conditioned in the Western Cape is maintained, as well as retaining its place as one of the country’s best courses to visit and play.
From 1 June, Wrigley will now oversee all aspects of the Pearl Valley Club, including food and beverage, maintenance, security, sports and recreation, the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, the golf shop and all related operations.
‘It’s about creating consistency between all departments in how we work, moving toward a unified goal and upskilling our staff to be able to recognise the importance of detail – getting the small things right and cultivating accountability,’ said Wrigley.
Compleat Golfer recently sat down with Wrigley to talk golf, Pearl Valley and more:
How were you introduced to golf?
DW: I was walking home from school one day and saw someone hitting golf balls in the park. Mesmerised by the flight of the ball off the club, I finally plucked up the courage to ask if I could take a swing. I then asked my folks if I could join a club. They said I could, on condition that I practised on the school field for a year. I kept up my end of the bargain and a year later I joined Clovelly at the age of 12.
Tell us about what happened between then and you taking up your position at Pearl Valley.
DW: Like many people, I took a gap year after school and it changed my life forever. I took up a job at Boca West Country Club in Florida. It was the perfect introduction to life off the course… I spent time behind the counter in the pro shop, I worked at the driving range and the bag drop and sorted out the golf carts. But on my return to South Africa, I didn’t pursue a career in golf. It was only after I spent some time in the restaurant industry that I was approached to join the team at Clovelly, where I worked on caddie development, course marshalling, and again, a bag drop. Fortunately, I managed to work my way through the structure there before being asked to interview at Pearl Valley.
But you do still make time for golf?
DW: Yes, I can still roll the rock a bit. No one is able to play as much as they want, but it’s important that I play with members, key stakeholders and people seeking to forge a new relationship. I probably get in two rounds and a few nine-hole runs a month, enough for me to remain competitive [laughs].
What’s changed since you joined Pearl Valley roughly three years ago?
DW: A lot, and at the same time, not that much. We continue to work alongside some of the best people in the industry, the course remains one of the country’s best and is a constant tourist attraction. The team has worked hard to make our members and guests feel welcome, relaxed and comfortable. We put a premium on the customer’s experience and celebrate that our guests have chosen to enjoy a round at Pearl Valley. We’d feel like we’d let ourselves down if anyone said the environment was cold or too much like a private club; we are simply not that way.
How easy, or difficult, has it been to get the Pearl Valley team on board with the board’s goals?
DW: It’s been easy. We have a great staff component here on the Val de Vie estate, where golf and the clubhouse form just part of the offering. Everyone here is aware of the vision, who our customers are and what kind of experience they seek. It’s our top priority to enhance the experience of a game of golf or a stay in the hotel surrounded by such natural beauty. We’re not over the top, but still attentive and available, and it’s great that everyone in the team has a role and a platform to share ideas and buy into the goals.
Tell our readers more about why Pearl Valley is a premium offering.
DW: We are indeed a premium course, but we’re open to the public and have affordable playing options at different times of the year. Our place in the golf world allows us to stock some unique equipment and apparel in our renovated pro shop. Alongside the Val de Vie Foundation, we host two golf days a year – our famous Vodacom Shop Celebrity Golf Day, which your readers have been following for a few years, with Compleat Golfer as one of our partners, and the Captain’s Charity. Those two days show the spirit of our members, residents and guests with their generous donations for our initiatives. The funds get plugged straight into our local communities, with the focus primarily on children. It’s been heartwarming to notice how talented youngsters from the community have been brought into the club, given the chance to play this wonderful sport and then moved into our junior academy and Swingfit programmes.
Why is Pearl Valley so special to you?
DW: So many reasons. It’s a Jack Nicklaus design for starters, the course can be set up to play as a championship layout or far more approachable for the guest. The varied layout and incredible condition of the course, even down to the grass, is all part of the package. From a golf point of view, the Golden Bear wants you to play shots around this course, which I love. Working here is something else; even the drive in from the gates down Jack Nicklaus Boulevard puts you in a new mental state. It’s almost impossible not to get sucked into the peaceful atmosphere, and at the same time, get psyched up for work every day. It’s just a beautiful area visited by interesting people from around the world.
