Versatility is a great word to describe Kevin McKinley and this attribute has allowed him to advance his career in the golf industry at a fairly young age. McKinley has become known in the Michigan golf Industry as the guy who will get it done whatever the task may be. McKinley currently serves as the PGA Director of Golf and Ski Operations at Treetops Resort where he reports directly to famed golf instructor and course designer, Rick Smith, the resort’s owner and managing partner. His rise to this position began when McKinley became Head Golf Professional at Treetops North in 2004. Three years later, the departure of the previous director of golf led to McKinley's promotion. Recently, the departure of the resort’s general manager required McKinley to assume additional responsibility at the resort including overseeing the food & beverage, sales and marketing departments until the search for a new general manager was completed.
Jordan Young began his golf career at the age of 7 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Strong junior play in Ontario earned Young a full athletic scholarship to attend Eastern Michigan University. While at EMU, Young won medalist honors at several NCAA events. He was a two year captain and was named Second Team ALL-MAC in 1994. Young began his professional career after college, qualifying to play the Canadian Tour, 1995-97. He has recently spent time learning from Jim Suttie, Jim Flick, Mike Malaska and Phil Blackmar. In 1997, Young returned to Michigan, married, and began work at some of the premier private clubs in southeast Michigan; Walnut Creek Country Club, 1997, Grosse Ile Country Club, 1998-2005 and Barton Hills Country Club, 2006. Currently, Young is the Director of Instruction at Fox Hills Learning Center in Plymouth, Michigan.
SInce 1997, Cris Cavitt has been the Head Golf Professional at Birchwood Farms Golf and Country Club in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Cris and his wife Anne and have 2 children. Adam is 14 and Alivia is 11. They live in Harbor Springs year around and enjoy the off season with the family. Harbor Springs is a fantastic place to work and raise our children. Birchwood has a very active golf membership. Most of the members are seasonal and come from all parts of the country. Cris says he and Anne and are very lucky to be a part of Birchwood and the community.
Jon Conklin is the head professional at Bucks Run Golf Club in Mt. Pleasant. He graduated from Ferris State University with a B.S. in marketing and a minor in professional golf management. He has been a PGA Member since 2005. Previous employment before joining the Bucks Run family, in January of 2009, was at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan and Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Florida.
Brian O’Neill is a lifelong resident of Harbor Springs in beautiful northern Michigan. Having worked at Boyne Resorts for over 20 years has had experience in hosting the Michigan Amateur Championship, Celebrity Tour event and many more as head golf professional at both The Heather and Ross facilities. The past 12 years has been spent teaching and training golfers of all abilities on the private teaching tee at the Country Club of Boyne. His teaching philosophy places focus on priority, prescription, and practice. Determining the golfers priority of what is keeping them from playing better and then building a program to improve through a solid prescription of practice. Students will see improvement much faster using this much more focused approach, and will have fun during the entire process.
Michael R. Fay turned professional in 1991, graduated NMSU's PGM in 1997. In the same year he became a Class A Member of the PGA of America. Some of Ray's accomplishments include: 2004 Difeo Lexus Shootout Champion, 2004 NJPGA Ricoh Clambake Team Winner, and 2002-2007 NJAPGA Board of Directors.
Scott Hebert is the PGA head professional at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Michigan. He was the winner of many championships and tournaments including the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship and T-11 in the 2010 National Championship, the winner at the 1997, ’99, 2000, ’01, ’02, ’06 Michigan Open. Though carrying the same spelling of his surname, is no relation to brothers Lionel and Jay Hebert, who won the respective 1957 and 1960 PGA Championships.
A 2001 Graduate of Ferris State University's Professional Golf Management Program, Ian joined the Manistee National staff in 2001. His work experience includes training under some of the best PGA Professionals in both golf instruction and golf equipment technology. Ian has spent time training in Dallas, Texas, West Palm Beach, Florida and closer to home in Cadillac, Michigan. His competitive career began playing for the Ferris State University Men's Golf team in 2000-2001. Ian continues to pursue playing most notably in Michigan where he has top ten finishes in the Michigan Open in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 and the Michigan PGA Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2009. Ian competed nationally at the PGA Professional National Championship in Bend, Oregon in 2007 and in French Lick, Indiana in 2010. Ian's first professional victory came in 2007 after winning the NMPGA Chapter Championship where he finished with a fifty-four hole total of seven under par. One of Ian's biggest playing accomplishments came in 2006, where he qualified for the PGA Tour's Buick Open held at Warwick Hills Country Club. Ian's career low round 62, career low tournament round 66. His determination and overall golf knowledge is easily transferred to our guest and his students. Customer service ultimately is what you will see from Ian upon your visit to Manistee.