New golf pro makes a hit in Saratoga

The Saratoga Resort and Spa is pleased to welcome PGA professional Matt Daubner as its golf shop’s new retail store manager and golf instructor.

Daubner is originally from Michigan, and throughout his career he has worked at golf courses and pro shops for various country clubs, resorts, and public facilities throughout the nation. He has been able to work at different golf facilities in Michigan, Florida, New York, and the U.S Virgin Islands.

Daubner’s extensive resume has included pro shop retail experience, golf instruction, tournament scheduling, and a weekly local television show titled “Green Tips with Matt Daubner,” with which he gave golf instruction. He said his love for golf began at the young age of 6 from watching and playing with his father.

“I started playing with sawed off clubs when I was six, and my dad was a phenomenal golfer who helped me develop a love for the sport,” Daubner said. “I played junior golf and high school golf as a kid, and I also played tournaments while in high school and college. I just ended up loving golf and was able to make a career out of it.”

Daubner recalls being fortunate enough to receive his first job as a golf professional shortly after college graduation.

“I worked for a golf course for a couple of summers while in college, and when I graduated I ran into the general manager of the Pine Knob Golf Club in Michigan, where I had worked before,” he said. “He said the golf pro wasn’t coming back and offered me the job, so I started running the golf facility. That same year, I also got the chance to work as a golf pro in St. Croix, (U.S.) Virgin Islands down in the Caribbean for the winter.”

At the Saratoga Resort and Spa, Daubner currently takes care of golf membership needs, golf association needs, merchandising in the pro-shop, tournaments coming up, and golf lessons and clinics.

“It’s fun coming to work, and I love the resort atmosphere because people are coming to have fun, relax and leave some of their baggage from home behind,” Daubner said. “It’s fun to see the different people and personalities every week, and I just like dealing with the public in general. I get to do a little bit of all the things I like to do, and it’s all in beautiful country.”

Before coming to Saratoga Daubner had previously worked for Golftec, an interactive golf-teaching center in Michigan, but left to take care of his mother who was experiencing health problems. He later decided to get back to work doing what he loved, and found out about the Saratoga Resort and Spa’s open position on the Professional Golfers Association website.

“When I saw this job out here, I was excited because the description contained everything I liked to do, such as running the pro-shop and doing other golf-related things,” Daubner said. “It’s a nice fit for me personally, and in my profession, work is fun and it should be. I feel like taking this job is me going back to my roots.”

Throughout his career, Daubner also worked with several celebrities at his various facilities.

“I have given lessons to actor Ed Harris, and I also got to play golf with actors Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas,” Daubner said. “Back in Michigan Willie Nelson would play my course, because there was a music theater he’d play just a block away on the same property. I feel fortunate that I was able to work at some very nice facilities where celebrities would play golf.”

As another bonus, he also got to rub shoulders with professional golfers and other athletes where he worked.

“I worked at a facilities where professional golfers like Beth Daniel, Karrie Webb and Jim Mackay, as well as other professional athletes like hockey player Mario Lemieux, were members,” Daubner said. “It’s fun to be in that kind of environment and meet all those people.”

With Saratoga being the smallest town he has worked in so far, Daubner said he is enjoying the peaceful, quaint atmosphere, and not looking to move anytime soon.

“I’m looking to make a home here because the job is everything I want, and I like everybody here and the small-town life,” he said. “I have gone into other jobs not looking to be there forever, but with this job I have no reason to want to leave. The townspeople are friendly and workers care about the resort, and I’m looking forward to growing with the facility. It’s just nice to be around friendly people who care.”