Vice President of Troon International: “Golf market in Vietnam is very promising!”  08:21, 09/07/2024

Would you please introduce yourself?

My name’s DJ Flanders, and I am originally from the United States. My family moved quite a bit while I was young, living in New Hampshire, Georgia, Germany, Hawaii, and Louisiana. So, I learned to adjust to different cultures from a very young age. One of the vast opportunities I opened myself and my family up to through my career was traveling to incredible destinations like Vietnam, which I have visited several times. The Vietnamese people are so friendly and welcoming.

What brought you to golf and your job at Troon International?

I was introduced to golf at a young age as my entire family played the game. When I was in High School, I worked at the local golf course picking up range balls, doing club repair, and spending some time in the golf shop. I knew I wanted to do something in golf as a career, so I attended the Professional Golf Management program at Mississippi State University. After leaving college, I was fortunate to join Troon as a 20-something assistant golf professional in Texas. Over the years, I have managed properties worldwide, including in the United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. I started in the Troon International corporate office as Director of Operations in February 2014, where I was responsible for overseeing Troon’s operations at some of the top golf courses outside the Americas. Since 2019, I served as the Senior Vice President for Troon International. In 2023, I was appointed Executive Vice President.

What does golf mean to you?

Golf is a compelling game; it gets you physically active, challenges your strategic thinking, gets you outside in fresh air, can take you around the world playing many different courses, and can connect people. The R&A ‘Good for Good’ initiative highlights golf's health and well-being benefits on a population. They are powerful states from the R&A, and at Troon, we fully support their initiatives and localize the messaging at our facilities and with the community stakeholders we serve. Aside from the positive trends of health, one area that I am very passionate about is serving the communities that we are in. More golfers mean more sustainable businesses and more benefits to the local communities such as the creation of jobs, or careers.

Before coming to Troon International, what experiences and skills did you have? 

My whole career has been with Troon where I started picking range balls at La Cantera Golf Club in Texas; Troon’s founder Dana Garmany always said he wanted joining Troon to be a career and not a job and I guess I am an accurate example of that. The journey to Executive Vice President has involved a significant amount of work over the years, with each different role at the company preparing me with the skills and experience for this role I currently find myself in. I take my own development seriously and continually strive to learn new things be that through reading about leadership, connecting with our facility leaders regularly and learning about the latest trends in the game and technology. This world is not static, and we have to keep moving with it. I am very blessed to be in my position and regularly participate in golf conferences around the world.

What is so special about the company that has motivated you to devote your whole life there?

Troon has a deep-rooted culture that values and respects associates (staff) at every level of the business. From associate centric programs to enable individual development to learning opportunities, which include our Leader Program, Troon’s Operating Manuals, our extensive Learning and Development team and resources, to placements and overseas assignments, supporting associates to thrive professionally and personally has curated a culture of loyalty. This extends to myself; I was open to opportunities as a young golf professional and Troon supported me, and my family, when I put my hand up for the next challenge.

At Troon we have a core set of values that guide us as a company, which have been adopted from Dana Garmany’s initial ideas of being kind, dedicated, energetic and inclusive. Our philosophy when it comes to our management approach is simple; create extraordinary member and guest experiences by delivering superior service, the finest playing surfaces, and outstanding amenities. This is the core of our Troon Golf and Troon Privé brands. We provide an alternative to self-management by contributing resources, expertise and working collaboratively with boards and owners.

What are Troon's most outstanding projects in the world and Asia?

We are extremely proud of our portfolio and typically, our facilities do outperform their local market. Locally to you, we have The Els Club Desaru Coast in Malaysia and Vattanac Golf Resort in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Both have multiple courses and will be fantastic for Vietnamese golfers to visit and Experience Troon. Furthermore, we host 20+ Tour Events at Troon locales so many will know of Kapalua in Hawaii (host of the PGA Tour’s season opening Sentry Tournament of Champions), and Finca Cortesin in Spain (host venue of the 2023 Solheim Cup). Flagships facilities internationally that we have been involved with for over 15 years are The Grove in London and The Els Club Dubai. Recently we have been engaged at LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort in Saipan as well as the soon to open Gold Hill Country Club in Seoul, Korea.

In Vietnam, has the company exploited the country’s potential?

We have been focusing on Asia for a while now and Vietnam is part of that, but it is a new market for us. We are excited to explore opportunities here and see how our third-party management model could create a positive path forward for golf course owners, their members, and guests.

What role does design and management play in the success of a golf course?

These elements are both equally important but in different ways. The design of the golf courses determines its playability or likeability. The management determines the experience for the golfer and the success in the eyes of the owner. Troon are typically more successful when we are involved from the start of a project as we can advise the owner and work with the designer to ensure the design is optimized both for operations and agronomy.

What to you think about the potential of Vietnam’s golf market?

Very promising! Obviously, you are blessed with world-renowned course designers and the golf tourism figures into Vietnam are positive, especially to the Danang region. Ensuring your facilities, capture the data and drive rate is also paramount as the golf tourism market is so competitive. It is always important for countries to focus on growing the game of golf to allow for sustainability in the golf industry and we look forward to contributing if we become engaged as an operator.

Are you concerned that Troon International is still so new here? 

Outside of America, we would still be considered new in many countries. Vietnam is a beautiful country with fantastic golf courses and whilst Troon is still new in this region, we are an internationally recognized brand and have a wealth of experience to bring to the table. As with anything new, it takes time to build trust and connection.

How will you convince investors to trust your brand?

Our industry knowledge and experience are a big drive for many owners and investors who want to start a conversation. It is also important to note that we don’t take a cookie cutter approach; each market is different and the way we approach opportunities is tailored as such. Having a range of very strong, global brands as our partners, our validated 34 years of experience, and skilled industry leaders amongst our 500+ corporate team and 35,000+ associates, qualify us as a trusted brand in this space. 

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Profile

Full name: DJ Flanders

DOB: 6th June

Famous quote: What gets measured gets done.

Hobbies: Music, Reading, Karaoke, Travel with my family

Handicap: 0

Company slogan: Deliver memorable experiences that cultivate lasting connections.

About Troon International

Our Troon International division operates 50+ courses in 23+ countries under the Troon Golf and Troon Privé brands. Over the past 10 or so years, we have had significant investment, which has led us to becoming the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company; we currently provide services at 875-plus locations in 35-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. Rory McIroy’s Symphony Ventures invested into the company in partnership with TPG Capital in 2021, joining existing investor Leonard Green & Partners. We now provide homeowner association management, have an award-winning food & beverage division, provide caddie services and technology as well as being the largest operator of racquet courts through Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International.

Visit: troon.com for further details.