Located in Buckinghamshire, Wycombe Heights Golf Centre is one of ten golf clubs in the UK owned and operated by Burhill Group Limited (BGL). And with a master’s degree in psychology, the club’s general manager, Sarah Blunden, has probably one of the most interesting career paths in golf management today.

“My journey at BGL actually started completely by accident, back in June 2006 when I was a student at Plymouth University,” she recalls.

“One summer, while travelling back home for the holidays, I drove past Wycombe Heights, which was quite local to my family, so I decided to try out for a summer job there. Fortunately, I was offered the job, so I took a role working in the bar until it was time for me to go back to university.

“I finished university in the summer of 2008 having studied psychology, and gained a further master’s degree in the subject. At that time, my career path was very much pointing towards mental health and exploring neuropsychology.

“However, the recession then took hold and finding work became increasingly difficult. The number of openings in the NHS to gain the level of experience I required to progress on that career path were severely limited, so I had to look at other options.”

Throughout her time at university, Blunden continued to work various roles at Wycombe Heights, developing relationships with members, visitors, and staff at the club. Her first step towards management came in the form of a transition into the admin side of the business at the club.

“After spending some time working behind the bar, I made a move into the office to work in an administration role,” she said.

“From there, I gained lots of experience into the inner workings of the club and was eventually offered the chance to move into the role of membership manager, a position that meant I oversaw all the membership renewals and administration surrounding club memberships.

“I suppose during that time, I realised that I was growing increasingly fond of Wycombe Heights and working under the BGL umbrella. We had left the recession behind, so I no longer had that to blame for not pursuing a psychology career.

“Despite gaining my master’s degree and gaining a bit of experience within the field, I just didn’t want to change what I was doing, and every time I had thought about a change in career path another opportunity arose for me to progress with BGL.”

After spending four years as membership manager at Wycombe Heights, Blunden was presented with the opportunity to take part in a wider management training programme with BGL, with the goal of developing the next generation of general managers within the company.

The programme involved various training elements and large segments of shadow work at particular BGL venues, including Birchwood Park in Kent, where she oversaw a large-scale renovation to the club’s swimming pool and gym as deputy general manager. She also spent time working at BGL’s flagship venue, Burhill Golf Club, and Hoebridge Golf Centre in Surrey.

“Taking part in the management training programme was extremely beneficial to my personal development,” she admits. “I had the chance to work alongside existing general managers at numerous BGL sites, which gave me a great amount of exposure to the varying demands at different golf clubs.

“I was given the opportunity to learn about all the elements required to be an effective general manager within a safe environment, while working with fantastic teams of people throughout.

“Once I had reached the end of my training period, I found myself in a position where I was hungry to start the next part of my journey at BGL as a general manager. It was then, that the perfect role for me became available… general manager at Wycombe Heights Golf Centre, and I’ve been there ever since.

“I think it’s fair to say that I have developed and grown a lot, from the person that I was straight after finishing my training programme. You learn new skills and how to adapt within the workplace, while developing your own methods to effectively manage your venue.

“I’ve also grown massively in confidence, mostly because each day when I come to work, I know that I have a team around me that is also committed to making a success of the club. One of the most important things that we have tried to instil around the club is a friendly, welcoming, and inclusive environment – a new type of culture that can be adopted and enjoyed by everybody.

“We want members and visitors to cherish the time they spend at Wycombe Heights, and by developing an appealing culture we feel that we are taking a positive step towards improving the overall experience at the club.

“Changing the culture of a golf club takes time – we know that – as the team has to buy into what you are trying to do. Luckily for me, my team has been a positive driving force in creating the environment that we want for our members.

“It was an amazing opportunity for me to come back to a club that I know so well, when taking on my first general manager role within the group.

Aged 35, Blunden forged her path to the GM role at Wycombe Heights through years of working various roles within the club, and by making the most of opportunities presented to her by her employer, BGL.

However, to this day, there still appears to be a lack of women in general management positions within the golf industry, a subject which she passionately believes needs addressing.

“My initial reaction when I am asked about women in positions of power within the golf industry is one of anger, because I genuinely don’t believe this should be an issue or talking point in 2022. It is frustrating that we even have to have these conversations.

“However, I think the fact that it does still anger me is a big indicator that it is something we should be discussing. It is important to note though, there are some really great initiatives out there for women who want to get into the golf industry.

“The GCMA, for example, run a Women’s Golf Leadership Group, which is a great platform to develop the skills required to move into a management position within golf. It’s also fair to say that there are a lot more women seemingly moving into great positions within golf.

“I guess it’s not just about women being in those positions, but about them being more visible when in those positions. Better networking would be a great way for female leaders to help each other become more visible and understand that it is not just a male-dominated industry anymore.

“Golf is a fantastic business to work in, especially as a general manager. It is becoming increasingly diverse and provides new opportunities around every corner – I’d encourage anybody to be a part of it.

“Across the BGL Golf portfolio, we have three female managers within a total of ten golf and country clubs. I have to say that within the company that I work for, opportunities are available for everybody, and I have never felt that there has been a male dominance.

“BGL is a very progressive company that likes to develop its own people and present them with opportunities to further their careers, and I love being a part of that.”