Hello, I'm Harry. I am an ex-AGMS graduate and proud member of the golf industry.
I have worked at some of the finest golf facilities around the world including; TPC Boston, Abu Dhabi GC, The Rosapenna Resort and The London Club, and have experience in all areas of the industry from golf course design and construction to greenkeeping, golf operations, management and coaching.
I pride myself on my strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to continuous growth; whether that be as an individual or applied to my work space.
I am entrepreneurial and energetic, and have experience founding and running my own business in the golf design/consulting space. From my work at Shorehill, I have learned a number of both industry specific and general business lessons which I would eagerly apply to this position.
Experience
I founded Shorehill with the aim of leveraging advanced technologies to enable golf facilities to become more sustainable, efficient and inclusive in their operation. We use app-based tracking of golfers to better inform decision-making by golf facilities, architects and consultants. The precision and reliability of GPS data allows for more precise and impactful decisions to be made on the course, thus ensuring the greatest possible outcome for projects of any kind.
My work at Shorehill has included:
-Creating proposals, pitching to potential clients and managing key projects. I have successfully worked with a diverse portfolio of stakeholders, from major championship venues to municipal facilities, architects and consultants in North America, Europe and Asia.
-Designing, building and testing our platform and smartphone application from scratch, despite having no prior experience in these fields. Both products are testament to my ability to quickly learn and implement new skills and technologies.
-Creating an international partnership scheme which includes; Keith Rhebb & Riley Johns, Richard Mandell, Chuck Ermisch, Brandon Johnson and The GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf.
-Press and public speaking opportunities including presenting at the EIGCA annual conference 2019, podcast appearances with Cookie Jar Golf and The Stick & Hack Show and features in Golf Course Architecture and BIGGA magazines.
-Conducting market research and consulting with key stakeholders to refine our technologies.
-Growing an extensive network within the architectural community through attending EIGCA and ASGCA events, BTME, SALTEX, The British Golf Show and exhibiting at The PGA Show.
-Managing marketing campaigns, brand building initiatives and wider business development.
-Teaching myself the skills needed to succeed including basic SQL and drone mapping systems such as DroneDeploy and Pix4D, and familiarising myself with other geospatial tools such as Planet, Mapbox and the USGS.
As with any small business owner, I have been tasked with everything from managing clients to product development; I have proudly learned new skills and exhibited versatility and quick thinking to grow the business. My work with Shorehill has provided me with a number of experiences which I can apply to my future work.
Analysing fairway bunker placement
Analysing approach shot dispersion
Analysing tee shot dispersion and safety margins
Using Shorehill to inform members of upcoming work to the practice facilities at Royal Liverpool
Customer Success Manager - Kiplot
2022-2023
Kiplot is a small but rapidly growing start-up providing large organisations with portfolio management software and support. As Customer Success Manager I was responsible for the day to day running of key accounts such as TSB, Abu Dhabi International Bank and 10x Banking.
While this was a departure from working in the golf industry, I believe it showcased my exceptional ability to carefully relationship manage, solve complex problems and adapt. Despite having no prior experience in the world of portfolio management, I quickly established myself as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders at several large financial institutions. I also experienced a small business growing at a rapid pace, and learned from the processes implemented to maintain consistency through a state of rapid change.
Value realisation using the Kiplot platform
Assistant Director of Golf - The Rosapenna Resort
2017
I served as Assistant Director of Golf at The Rosapenna during the 2017 golf season. My daily tasks included; managing the golf shop, assisting hotel guests and members, taking bookings, overseeing the golf academy and coaching.
The Rosapenna is the first golf resort in the world and is home to three highly regarded courses; many of the visitors travel from the US to play, while the facility itself is the primary employer in the small town of Downings. One of the key lessons I took from my time here was the ability to provide a first class, yet authentically Irish, welcome to visitors through very careful people management and training.
I deeply subscribe the ethos of The Rosapenna; to provide an exceptional service to golfers at all times, but to also maintain a personal touch. I apply this lesson to my managerial style, and to my coaching style too; I am always careful to ensure the experience as a whole is memorable, and never lose touch of the small, personal details which ensure golfers return time and time again.
My continued friendships with the Casey family (the owners of The Rosapenna), the staff and the membership stands as testament to my success in this role.
The 15th green complex, St Patricks Links
Overlooking the Sandy Hills & Old Tom Morris courses at The Rosapenna
Labourer & Project Secretary - CJW Golf
2016
I worked firstly as a labourer, then as a project secretary on 3 projects for Conor Walsh. I gained invaluable hands-on experience in golf course construction while improving drainage at Trier GC in Germany and then in rebuilding bunkers and surrounds in a renovation of the HS Colt designed Handsworth Golf Club. I changed roles for our work at Harborne GC in Birmingham; another Colt course requiring a historically sympathetic renovation following intense flooding. I balanced my responsibilities in construction with material ordering, construction planning, machine hire, site management and preparing bids for future works.
I believe that my experience with CJW Golf provides me with an invaluable insight into how architectural plans come to fruition in the field. I also witnessed pain points where decisions made on paper (or in CAD) by an architect misaligned with the aims and interests of the construction crew or maintenance team on the ground.
Harry Rountree's watercolour of the 1st tee at Handsworth for 'The Golf Courses of The British Isles'
Trier Golf Club
Other Experience
Golf Operations Intern - TPC Boston, 2015
Golf Shop Attendent - Abu Dhabi GC, 2014
Golf Course Maintenance - The London Club, 2014
TPC Boston
Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Education
University of Birmingham / Professional Golf Association of GB&I;
Applied Golf Management Studies BSc; 2:2
A-Level’s; A* A A B
GCSE’s; 2A*’s, 7A’s, B
Full UK Driving License
Drone Operators License
References
Bradley Grantham - Co-director of Shorehill
bradlay.grantham@bath.edu
Frank Casey Jnr. - Director of Golf & Co-Owner of The Rosapenna Resort
frank@rosapenna.ie
+353 7491 55000
Don Baldassare - Head Professional, TPC Boston
DonBaldassare@pgatourtpc.com