Graham Gilmore, General Manager and Director of Golf of Pine Needles and Mid Pines, sits down with Clicksuasion’s Alexis Taylor to discuss the planning and management placed into hosting of the Women’s U.S. Open at Pine Needles.
By: Alyssa Davis, Ashley Gardner, PhD, and Michael Barbera, PhD
Hello and welcome back to Catching Up with Clickuasion. I’m Alexis Taylor and here with me today is a very special guest. This is Graham Gilmore. Graham is the general manager and director of golf for Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club and the Mid Pines Inn. In case you didn’t know, Pine Needles is getting ready to gear up for their fourth time hosting the USGA’s Womens U.S. Open. As you can see, they are in full swing preparing for the Championship. So, Graham, what goes into planning this event?
Sure. Sure. Well, first off, thank you for the opportunity. We appreciate it. It’s such a neat experience with any kind of USGA event and luckily Pine Needles is hosting our fourth Women’s Open Championship and we are expecting the largest crowd to date. So, it’s kind of neat to watch everything kind of come to fruition. USGA does a great job of planning years out. Probably the past two years we really start kind of getting boots on the ground and then we’ve had their staff here for a good three to six months out here as their own site, really starting to set everything up and every detail that they kind of plan. It’s pretty amazing.
It’s fun. It sounds like it. So what is one aspect of planning the Open that most people wouldn’t expect?
Oh, wow. Um, a lot of aspects into it, but just the time and the effort that goes into so many different components of an event. You know, when we see something at home…on TV for a couple of hours, whether it’s the men’s open, women’s open, you kind of see the golfers and the golfer’s point of view. But it really goes into the guest experience, you know? And that’s something that the USGA does, and makes sure the player has a great time. But also, you know, the kids, there’s a huge junior initiative into making sure that they have a good time. But so many aspects that go into the months out planning who’s setting up. You know, some of the pavilions, who’s doing all the work that goes into it that I think we as people just don’t really see that side of it. But it’s a huge community that works on these things to make it happen.
That’s really neat. What is one of the most difficult or challenging aspects of putting together an event of this size?
There’s a lot, but right now it’s certainly the day-to-day to make sure that all these components can continue to happen while we’re still maintaining our current business – our current business levels while the Open is being planned. We’re in the middle of April, which is peak season.
Right? We’re in the middle of golf season in the middle of the home of American Golf.
So trying to make sure our legacy golf groups are still having a great experience knowing the golf courses are great here at Pine Needles in Southern Pines. But, you know, there’s certain things that we can’t do as normal. For instance, like right now, we’ve had to adjust our practice schedules. Certain things that, you know, a golfer coming to a retreat is expecting they might change it up a little bit. But that’s not an obstacle, no question.
Right. What is your favorite portion of the Championship?
This, the fruition of actual championship week. I mean, that’s to me, that’s the most, the most, exciting part to see everyone’s work for the past two or three years really come to fruition. And then you see all the great golfers that get to play this championship golf course to try to win the trophy. I mean, that’s when it’s kind of like you sit back and say, wow, this is work. Um, so that’s the most exciting.
No question. Awesome. I can only imagine how awesome things will be around here come May and June.
That’s right.
Do you want to go ahead and tell our viewers which dates the championship is scheduled?
Sure. Yeah. The championship is June 2nd through the fifth, so really the first full week of June. Um, you know, it’s going to be a great week. Uh, hope with the weather – Mother Nature will cooperate with us. And again, everyone’s hard work that goes into this will crown a great champion.
I really appreciate you chatting with me, Graham. And it was so great being out here and just hearing all of the things that are going into the U.S. Women’s Open. We really appreciate it. Thank you all for joining us. Stay safe. Stay well and we’ll see you next time.
