DUBLIN — Growing up in Mount Vernon, Darren Workman was involved in many different activities. He played basketball and was active in his church youth group among other things. One thing he didn’t do was play golf competitively.
Fast forward 12 years, and Workman is on his way to being a pro — literally.
Workman is in his first season as assistant pro at Muirfield Village Golf Club, site of this week’s Memorial Tournament. His path after high school was a long one, but it led him back to Central Ohio.
“I never played golf in high school; I never played golf in college,” said Workman. “After I graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, I decided I wanted to get into the business, so I moved to Arizona and went to the Golf Academy of Arizona. I spent the last four years out there, working at the Paradise Valley Country Club.”
Workman’s story is one anyone can take heart in. He went from being an average golfer, and with a little hard work and determination, turned it into a career.
“It was funny because I just happened to see (an advertisement for the Golf Academy of Arizona) on the Golf Channel,” said Workman. “It was just random one day. I thought, ‘That looks interesting. I think I’ll look into that.’ I got the information, and it was about a three-month process by the time I mailed stuff in and they mailed stuff to me. It was a lot like the college application process.
“They are accredited. They are not directly affiliated with the PGA, but they are an accredited college, which is my next step — to get accredited with the PGA. I’ve got about a year and a half left before I get my Class A certification.”
Workman moved to the Phoenix, Ariz., metro area to go to school and begin working at Paradise Valley. He worked his way up the chain before finding his way back to Ohio.
“I started in outside service and worked my way up to assistant (pro),” said Workman. “My head pro out there actually knows Larry Dornish, the head pro here (at Muirfield Village), and since I was looking to move back, they got together and helped me out. ... I started here on April 1, which was my first official day.”
Workman, while happily living in Arizona, was single. He managed to get reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Ami (Doenges), who had randomly moved to Phoenix in the summer of 2007. After a short time dating, the two were married on March 15, 2008. Slowly but surely, they made the decision they wanted to move back closer to their families.
That desire, and his work at Paradise Valley, ultimately led him to Muirfield Village.
“Me and my wife wanted to make the move, and everything just kind of fell into place,” Workman said. “When I made the move to Arizona, I wasn’t moving to Arizona. I planned to go out there, go to school, get some experience and move on. I got married in the process and we wanted to settle here in Columbus to be close to family. We wanted to get back and this opportunity opened up for us.
“It all worked out for us. There was no job posting; you’ll never see this job thrown out there. When we decided we wanted to move back this way, I started sending out resumes. I sent them to all the private clubs in the area, and this happened to be the only one that responded. I interviewed, but I never actually interviewed. I did a 20-minute phone interview with Larry, and he hired me. I got a good recommendation; my work speaks for itself.”
Coming back to work at Muirfield is an opportunity that most golf nuts only dream of. Even though he has only been there for a short time, Workman has already got to experience why.
“The last time I was here, I was in high school, so that would have been 1997,” said Workman. “This is a different world, being on the other side. Actually working at this facility and being inside the ropes, behind the scenes, is pretty cool. To be involved with such a world-renown facility, not too many people get that opportunity to work here, let alone play here and be on the grounds. It is quite an honor to work here.”
Workman is wearing many different hats during the Memorial Tournament. While he normally gives lessons, he is busy overseeing the sales tent this week, supervising the staff, checking ticket sales and keeping the inventory stocked.
Being part of such a prestigious tournament is a great opportunity. Meeting the tournament’s founder, Jack Nicklaus, is just one of the perks Workman has got to experience.
“The respect I have for the game and the respect I have for Mr. Nicklaus is second to none,” Work man said. “I wouldn’t say I have always dreamed of this, but it is an honor to be a part of this. I’m not of the Tiger Woods generation. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, but I was growing up as Jack was finishing his career. He was the driving force behind me enjoying the game and being around it. Ultimately, getting to work here is just second to none.
“I got to meet him at the Memorial Club Tournament, which happened last week before this tournament. He was very nice, gave me a handshake and welcomed me to the club. He was very heartwarming and very outspoken. It just makes you feel important when the man shakes your hand and welcomes you.”
Muirfield Village surely won’t be the last stop on Workman’s journey. He is working toward PGA certification in hopes of one day being a head pro himself.
“Once I achieve my Class A certification, I will be able to take over my own facility, which is the direction I am looking to move in,” Workman said. “It has been great to have guys who have been in the business for a while to work for. Larry has been in the business 40 years. They can help me with anything I need or anything they want to teach me. I can get kind of the inside scoop as far as tips to help the members. It is something I can take with me from facility to facility.
“The plan for me right now is to stay here for the year. From there, I could move on to get another experience under my belt or, hopefully, I can stay here if they will have me back. There is another opportunity for another season. Most assistants stay for two to three years and then move on to a different facility. It is not unheard of to stay longer to get more experience. To ultimately get the head pro position, you need three or four different experiences under your belt.”
