my job
By Laura French • jobslink@startribune.com
Introduced to golf at age nine or ten by his older cousins, "I used to pretend I was Tiger Woods on the golf course," Brandon Sigette said. "It was a good summer activity. I played a lot of baseball, too."
It wasn't until he was "about 22 years old" that Sigette developed a passion for the golf industry. "I started working for a PGA professional at Dick's Sporting Goods in Maple Grove," he said. "I caddied for him in section events and things like that and started to develop relationships with other PGA professionals. I realized they're just guys. Their common interest is golf. I decided I'd like to pursue this as a career because it's my one unwavering interest."
From the beginning, Sigette said, "I wanted to teach golf. I didn't just want to work behind a till. I wanted to be more hands-on with it. I worked for the Three Rivers Park District in their golf academy. I taught at Eagle Lake in Plymouth and then at Glen Lake in Minnetonka. That's where I was until I got the job as director of instruction at the three courses I'm at currently." Sigette works at the Oak Glen, Applewood Hills and Gem Lake Hills courses.
Sigette is currently a Class B member of the Professional Golfers Association. "It's almost like a graduate school program. I have online classes. You get credit for work experience. You basically have levels that you go through to become a Class A member.
"I'm really happy with where I'm at. The potential for my side to continue to grow is phenomenal. I learned from one of the best instructors at Hazeltine — Mike Barge. He's been very gracious in helping refine my teaching abilities. I set my sights really high. I told him, 'No offense. but I want to be the best instructor in the state.' He said, 'Well, Brandon, you're on your way.'"
Do golf pros follow different career tracks?
Normally people do a little bit of everything. Your head professional is the general manager of the entire operation, the entire golf course and how it runs. The director of instruction handles the lessons, the programs. There's one person inside, one person outside to create a better golfing atmosphere.
Why should people take golf lessons?
I'm big on getting people to understand the way the golf club should operate. Some people are gifted, and it comes naturally. That's not the truth for 85-90 percent of golfers. One of my big things is to teach people what they should be working on to get better. I've never had students say, "I'm too good." My market is all golfers, because they all want to be better.
How often do you play golf?
In the summer months, June until August, I maybe play once a week. In the shoulder seasons I get to play quite a bit. I got a couple rounds in March, and I play quite a bit in late September and October.
What's the best part of your job?
You may have heard it's like an addiction. When people hit that first really good shot, it's a different feeling. Instantly you want more — you want to do that again. When I can see they haven't had that feeling before and then they have it, I really like that. □
