Golf has a handy knack of inspiring its community, and even those outside it, to make bold decisions and embrace new challenges. In the case of dynamic father-and-son team, Phil and Mark Boulton, a mutual love of the game 
– along with the expertise and confidence absorbed through the PGA’s training and education programs – has seen both men take their careers in exciting directions.

Phil was appointed Head Professional at Moonah Links Golf Academy earlier this year, while Mark landed the role as Manager at Gardiners Run Golf Course just a couple of months ago. Yet you won’t catch the Boultons basking in their recent success for one second. Not when there’s a job to do. Not when their small corners of the local golf industry are there to be nurtured and developed.

"I took on the position of Teaching Professional at Moonah Links in February last year because I wanted to concentrate on coaching again. It has been so fantastic here that my wife and I decided to live and work at the academy on a two year contract as part of my promotion to Head Pro," says Phil.

Moonah Links Golf Academy was officially opened in 2003 and previously operated as the home of the Australian Institute of Sport. It still hosts elite golf programs and school programs, and it now also hosts an energetic Boulton family. 

"I’ll be there every day helping golfers of all standards from juniors and beginners through to elite golfers. We have world-class facilities with three purpose-built tees with target greens, an excellent 18-hole putting green and a specialist bunker area. It’s beautifully manicured and it’s being upgraded all the time."

Meanwhile Mark Boulton has been developing his knowledge base via the PGA IGI Advanced Diploma of Management, and busily getting up to speed on operations at Gardiners Run Golf Course, where he is determined to make a valuable and lasting contribution. 

"My job is to help continue on the solid foundations that have been laid since the club reopened here on the new course just over a year ago. I’ll be looking to make developments across social play, corporate events and of course memberships," he says. 

"It’s a really hands-on managing position and Barb Kelly, the General Manager, is a wonderful mentor. I’m excited to help reward the people at the club for all their efforts over the years and take the club to where it deserves to be."

It’s a tall order finding a more passionate, active PGA Member than Phil Boulton. Born in Victoria in 1955, Boulton grew up in West Brunswick adjacent to Peter Thomson and his family. Thomson’s father had a big influence on Boulton – who lost 
his own father when he was seven 
– along with the Club Professional 
at Royal Park, Bert Ferguson. It was here he started his Traineeship before transferring to New Zealand aged 
20 and becoming a Full Vocational Member in 1976.

"The golf club became a surrogate family to me," says Boulton. "Golf taught me a lot about humility, honesty and life in general. I realised in my Traineeship I would be a golf coach."

"Golf taught me a lot about humility, honesty and life in general. I realised around the time of my traineeship that I was going to be a golf coach."

Boulton spent 13 years as the Club Professional at Rosebud Park Public Golf Course. "I was never the best player out there, but winning the Portsea Pro-Am in 1990 was quite good for business at Rosebud Park, I can tell you."

He found his next calling as a founding member and General Manager of the On Course Golf Members Group. Following that he worked at Ivanhoe Public Golf Course as the Shop Manager. Still searching for more diversity, Boulton took up a position with the PGA of Australia as the first Senior Tour Co-ordinator, playing a key role in the development of the Legends Tour.

"The PGA has been wonderful to me. In 39 years of being a Member I’ve met some terrific people and formed lifelong friendships. With coaching I love the fact you can take a person who doesn’t know what they’re doing and give them an informed opinion that helps them understand their game and improve it," he says.

A few years ago both Mark Boulton and his father realised Mark needed a change of scenery. The late nights and early mornings of the hospitality industry were taking their toll, and the enjoyment had evaporated.

"He loved golf and deep down he always wanted to work in golf. When a position opened up for a Shop Assistant at Ivanhoe Golf Club, I asked Mark if he wanted to make the move. He didn’t hesitate at all. He took to the golf industry like a duck to water, he just loved it," says Phil.

Mark eventually moved to Kingston Links Golf as the Shop Manager, and it was around that time both his parents brought up the idea of enrolling in the PGA IGI Advanced Diploma of Management.

"The PGA IGI program has been excellent, I’m getting so much out of it. I would highly recommend
it to anybody. For me some of the modules have been particularly
useful because they cover areas I’ve previously not gained experience in. I was able to tell the board at Gardiners Run that even my weaker areas were things I was currently studying and building on," he says.

Along with such rapidly developing experience, Mark also believes some intangible qualities helped land him the job. "I think the work ethic and energy that I get from Dad played a big part in my successful application."