Explore Big Sky sat down with Greg Wagner, Director of Golf and
Club Operations for Moonlight Basin, to discuss running a golf course on the
side of a mountain, meeting Jack Nicklaus and what keeps him in the Treasure
State.
After growing up in Vancouver, Washington, Wagner earned his
bachelor’s in business marketing and PGA golf management from the University of
Idaho. In May of 2014, Wagner moved to Big Sky to take on the role as Head PGA
Professional at The Reserve, one of the most challenging golf courses in the
nation. In his spare time, the recently turned 30-year-old enjoys fishing one
of his favorite honey holes and hunting with his black lab Goose.
Explore Big Sky: How
did you decide to take a job as a golf pro at The Reserve?
Greg Wagner: The job really found me. I was an
Assistant Golf Professional at Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara,
California, and was connected to Moonlight [Basin} through my job there. It was
truly a dream opportunity and I owe it all to the people that took a chance on
me as a young pro.
EBS:
What makes The Reserve unique?
G.W.: Besides the scenery? I’d say it’s the culture we’ve
created in the team that works there and the unique golf experience that the
course and the staff provide.
EBS:
Did you grow up playing golf? How did you fall in love with the game?
G.W.: Yes, I would go to the driving range with my dad as a kid
and then started playing the course in fourth or fifth grade. It wasn’t until
high school that I really developed a passion for the game.
EBS: Who
is your favorite professional golfer?
G.W.: As a little kid I was a big fan of Payne Stewart. Then of
course Tiger [Woods] became a spectacle and it was hard not to root for him.
Now I enjoy watching all of the young players on tour getting their first
victories.
EBS: What
was it like to meet Jack Nicklaus when he came out to help celebrate the
opening of the full 18?
G.W.: Meeting Jack was surreal. You can’t imagine all of the
little details he sees and the ideas floating around in his head when he looks
down a fairway from the tee box. It would have been amazing to see him play in
his prime.
EBS: What
is the biggest difficulty of operating a golf course in Big Sky?
G.W.: At the golf course,
the biggest challenge we face is the weather. They say that in Montana if you
don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. This summer in particular that was
very true. The weather plays a big role in the maintenance practices we can implement
at the course. We have an incredible team that keeps The Reserve in impeccable
shape at 7,000’ of elevation, which is no easy task. Add in rain, snow, and
lightning and it takes golf maintenance to a whole new level of difficulty.
EBS:What is one of the most memorable
moments you have had as a golf educator?
G.W.: When teaching golf, there is nothing better than when a
student has that “aha!” moment with something you are teaching them. Luckily,
I’ve been able to get a few students to that moment and it’s always rewarding.
EBS: What’s the best
piece of golf advice that you’ve received?
G.W.: When I was playing in a tournament in Arizona I met a
90-year-old woman that told me, “I just swing hard in case I hit it.” To this
day that has been the funniest and most memorable piece of golf advice I’ve
ever received.
EBS: Besides The
Reserve, what is your favorite golf course that you’ve had a chance to tee up
on?
G.W.: One of our Moonlight members was kind
enough to host myself and another pro at Riviera Country Club in [Los Angeles]
a few years ago. There is a lot of tradition there and it was my first time
playing a course that I have seen the pros play on TV. To this day it is one of
the most memorable rounds of golf I’ve played.
EBS: How
do your work responsibilities change when the course is covered in snow?
G.W.: You will find me at the Moonlight Lodge assisting with the
day-to-day operations of the club. I spend quite a bit of time planning for the
next summer season during the winter as well.
EBS: If
you weren’t a golf professional, what other career path could you see yourself
in?
G.W.: I can’t imagine I would be working in such a cool
playground like Big Sky had I gone down a different career path. It’s
interesting the people you meet and the reasons for where we end up. I do know
that if I was doing something different, I’d be trying to make a life work in a
place like this.
EBS:
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
G.W.: Hopefully still skiing off Lone Peak during the winter and
fishing the rivers around Big Sky in the summer. It’s hard to beat the
lifestyle here and I’m lucky to be a part of such a fun community.
