Who Does That?

Kevin Roberts

Director of Golf

Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club, New Durham

You’d think Kevin Roberts’ job title is self-explanatory, but it’s not. “There is an industry joke that if you love to play golf then don’t go into the golf business,” says Roberts, whose job actually involves everything from member relations and placing orders for the pro shop to lots of paperwork. Though the golf season runs May to October, his job is year-round. Summer is his busiest time with more than half of the roughly 8,000 rounds of golf played at the club occurring in July and August, when he works 10 to 12 hours a day at least six day per week.

The private club boasts 350 members, the mix of which has changed during Roberts’ 11 seasons at the club, from mostly locals to more families with second homes in the area, including former professional athletes and successful business people.

And yes, the list includes famous names, but “we don’t tell people who is a member for their privacy,” Roberts explains. “It’s a really neat mixture of people.” Members pay tens of thousands for an initiation fee and an annual maintenance fee.

Roberts says the club serves as a welcoming committee for people moving to the area and says his favorite part of the job is talking with members. “Our job is to make sure we put them with the right people [for a round of golf] and get them in the right events. We help them get to know other members and get comfortable here quickly.” One source of potential new members is local real estate brokers, who were recently invited to an open house at the club.

The club has also hosted tournaments, including the New England Open from 2005 to 2008 (the first time it was held in NH) and the NH Amateur in 2007.

Every year Roberts is surprised when it’s early June, 70s and sunny, and there are only a handful of people on the course. “The nice thing about that is with customer service being a top priority here, you can really give the members a little more attention,” he says. During those times he’ll teach a few lessons, play a couple of holes with a member who came alone. “That is my most enjoyable times as I do get to go and play. We want them to feel like they are returning home, that this is your place to relax.”