Off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts lies an 87-square-mile island by the name of Martha’s Vineyard. Hidden on this island is an 18-hole golf course by the name of the Vineyard Golf Club which is the only organic golf course in the world, meaning that they don’t use any pesticides on the course.
My time spent on the Vineyard was working Golf Operations for one of the best golf courses I have ever seen or played. The golf season is crammed into the months of July and August when we would do only about 110 to 160 rounds a day.
Having worked at a public golf course in Portsmouth, NH, 160 rounds doesn't seem a lot. However the clientele at the Vineyard Golf Club mandate a higher level of service given the significant joining fees and annual dues for the club. I was always busy getting members bags, greeting them on the range, or making sure the podium (where the most traffic is) is always looking clean and presentable.
Working fourteen hour shifts in the dead of the summer was brutal, but it was all well worth it in the end. I encountered people from all different types of career paths including CEO's, lawyers, musicians, and agents. Even though these people dealt with being the boss every second of their lives, when at the Vineyard Golf Club they were nothing but calm, cool and collective dealing with a young guy like myself. A few of the characters I've met include the agents for Jimmy Fallon, Tom Hanks, Jimmy Stewart and Jay Leno, NHL Hall of Famer Cam Neely (who is built like a refrigerator), actor Michael J. Fox and finally The President of the United States!
Needless to say that this summer spent on Martha's Vineyard and working at the Vineyard Golf Club was one of, if not, the best summer of my life. I would recommend working on this island for any college student in the summer or even a graduate who is looking to meet some people and to have a good summer after graduation.
** Joe Tenuta played varsity college golf at Albright College where he graduated in 2013 majoring in Communications. Contact at Joe at joeytens@gmail.com