RJH Golf Course Management Services Inc.

It would be easy to describe Robbie Hellstrom as a somewhat nomadic soul. It would be just as easy to describe him as a maverick. He is in fact a trendsetter without parallel. That much, as trite as it may sound, is true. His close friends prefer to call him “Doctor” or “The Godfather” and they will tell you that he is fast, intelligent and reflective. He on the other hand will tell you that he is nothing more then an explorer. Yes this may sound out of touch with today’s language used to describe those in the Golf & Recreation business (or for that matter the business world period) but none the same to him it is the one he believes best applies. Others in the industry will tell you he is the best golf business person they have ever met.

Having had the opportunity to watch his career grow I can tell you he is a person of complex nature rooted in deep thought, a visionary, with exceptional ability to focus and who is also very concerned about humanity. It is in essence an oxymoron of the public figure.

“There is no question in my mind that he operates on a different plain for everyone else. When people tell you it can’t be done you go and get Robbie,” Dana Fry

In a business where how far you can hit the ball and how low your handicap is counts the most Hellstrom, at the young age of 37 has forged a rock solid reputation as one of the leading experts in how to build and manage the business side of golf. “I never intended to build something specific with my career when I got started. In fact I had little expectations other then, whatever I was going to do, I was going to do it the best it could possibly be done. I had no idea my career would grow the way it has,” he says. “This business has undergone such an incredible change over the 14 years I have been in it. I’m glad to have been part of the process in some little way,” he concluded.

“There isn’t a lot that looks the same about this business except the grass is still green and the ball is still round.”

As the golf business has forged its way into the mind set of 10’s of millions throughout North America. So has the demand come for leading business people to take on the challenge of curbing and molding the business to the needs of the participants. Very few of the average every day golfers see the business side of golf and most never even give it an afterthought. If one was to look back 15 years ago and try to imagine what the industry was like they would be hard pressed to see how it has managed to come this far. There isn’t a lot that looks the same about this business except the grass is still green and the ball is still round. There is certainly no question that the golf industry has experienced monumental growth and that this growth has had an enormous impact on players. The industry has seen the evolution of the high end Public and Resort Courses, the amalgamations of courses into big house operators like ClubCorp and American Golf in the US and ClubLink in Canada. We have also witnessed what seems like endless arrival of new courses. Add on the factor of a significant reduction of private and semi private golf clubs along with the emergence of new segments of the population participating in the game and you now have a totally redefined sport and business.

“What I do know is that for every project I have worked on I have had only one objective in mind; provide the owner or developer with a world class facility which they would be proud of.”

During this time Hellstrom has positioned himself in a way unlike many others. He has taken on the tough projects and tackled the tough issues. He has garnished as many enemies as he has friends. But by all that he seems unfazed. “ I can’t speak for everyone nor would I like to try he said recently in an interview with “Perspective Business” what I do know is that for every project I have worked on I have had only one objective in mind, provide the owner or developer with a world class facility which they would be proud of”. From the developers to the owners to the operators you will find consensus on the professionalism and competency he has brought to their projects. “It was clear in my mind that there was no one that could have delivered what he did for us at Tremblant” said Roger McCarthy the former President & General Manager of Tremblant Resort referring to Hellstrom’s construction and operation of its two renowned courses Le Geant and Le Diable. “There is simply not anyone like him in the business. I have been around for 35 years in this business and can say that I have never met anyone so committed and so dedicated to the successful outcome of a project,” said Peter Webber Golf Counsel for ASC.

Where Hellstrom’s distracters mainly come from is within the industry itself. He has garnished a reputation for being very demanding and having exceptionally high expectations from the people he works with. One of the largest segments he is said to have a problem with has been with golf Professionals. “There was always this belief that I didn’t like golf pro’s, he said. That was never actually the case. I just always believed in building great teams and surrounding myself with the very best individuals possible. It just seemed I came in contact with Pro’s who believed their merit and value was based upon their swing and their Hob Knob abilities and not their business talents. The problem seemed to be that I couldn’t care how far they could hit the ball or how politically astute they were what I cared about was what they could contribute to the business. If they just wanted to teach golf I was fine with that and totally respected their ability. But if they decided to make themselves business professionals then I had an expectation and I certainly wasn’t willing to lower it for them or anyone else. Now that may sound harsh so it’s easy to see where the reputation came from, he concluded.”

“It was clear in my mind that there was no one that could have delivered what he did for us at Tremblant” Roger McCarthy

One thing you quickly learn about Robbie is that no matter how demanding he is or how high is expectations where he always held himself to even higher standards. “There is no question in my mind that he operates on a different plain for everyone else. When people tell you it can’t be done you go and get Robbie,” said Dana Fry the award winning Architect of Hurdzan/Fry. “The way he operates creates difficulty for those who might want a free ride or only give 80%. When you work with him he won’t accept that and if you look at those that have stayed on for the long haul with him you see a lot of predominant individuals who are now VP’s GM’s, Superintendents and Directors in some pretty highly recognized organizations” said Kim Draper a long time associate of Hellstrom’s. I don’t think for one minute that he is concerned about the detractors, he is more interested in growing his own knowledge while sharing as much of his as he can with those who are truly interested in growing,” he concluded

Many see the industry on the verge of losing a substantial contributor. Though he has only been at it for 14 years his accomplishments would take up to much room in this article. There have been rumors concerning his health and also his outside interests which lead many to believe that he will leave the golf business. Because of the fact he is such a private person not many are able to say what are in his plans. Martin Piche a long time friend, business partner and confidant told me the following, “I won’t be surprised to see him leave the business. Look at what he has achieved, there isn’t much left for him. The guy is so intelligent and so dynamic that he always has to have something to challenge him. Also you have to realize the talent he has is a business talent that has value anywhere in the business world not just in golf”.

If he leaves it will be a loss for golfers. The role he has played in developing some of the standards in excellence related to design, construction, operations and services are experienced by hundreds of thousands of golfers each year. To lose someone who is always thinking about the golfer and their experience will be a very sad loss.

CAREER AT A GLANCE

• Joined Water World Hot Springs out of school as their Construction/Maintenance Manager.

• Joined the Arundel Golf & Country Club as Assistant Superintendent owned by Hockey legend Dickie Moore.

• Joined Development GolfMont as the Director of Operations overseeing the Construction and operation of the Grahame Cooke Designed Balmoral Golf & Country Club.

• Joined Intrawest Corporation at the Tremblant Resort to oversee Summer operations including the Development, Construction and Operations of the Thomas McBroom designed Le Geant Course and the Hurdzan/Fry designed Le Diable Course. As well as all other summer activities including Tennis and Beach complex operations.

• Began consulting on various other Intrawest owned projects including Stratton Mountain, Mont Ste Marie, Grey Wolf

• Started his own Firm in 1997 and immediately signed on with Intrawest, ASC, Brudenell River developments and Vallee des Forts. These projects included the Coordination of the 1999 Export “A” skins game featuring Daly, Duval, Couples & Weir. Course set up and preparation for the Clinton-Chrétien golf Day. The construction of the Dundarave golf course and the Brudenell resort Golf academy. The construction of The Vallee des Forts Golf & Country Club.

• Took over the restructuring of the Valley Ridge Golf & Conference centre and the construction of the Valley Ridge Golf Academy

• Organized the Academy inauguration with PGA tour Player Richard Zokol and LPGA tour Player A.J. Eathorne.

• Took over the General Managers Position at the Vancouver Golf Club.

• Coordinating the Wayne Gretzky & Friends invitational.