Britain’s youngest golf club manager named as Ben Slater

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir August 4, 2020 19:07

A 22-year-old man is believed to be Britain’s youngest golf club manager today – and possibly ever.

Ben Slater, who was born in 1998, is thought to be one of a very few members of Generation Z (according to Pew Research, this applies to people born between 1997 and 2012) to manage a golf club in the UK.

He has been named as the trainee manager of Aberystwyth Golf Club in Wales, after recently graduating from the University of Worcester with a first class degree in sports business management.

He is set to be the club’s full-time manager / secretary before he turns 23.

Ben Slater

Ben, who plays golf off of a handicap of seven, said of his appointment: “It seemed too good to be true and the timing was unbelievable in terms of finishing my degree, as well as the current situation we are in with Covid-19.

“I’ve been here for three weeks as the trainee manager and everyone – members, visitors, volunteers and bosses – has been so welcoming.

“It’s a fantastic course, being one of Golf Monthly’s top five holiday courses across the UK and Ireland, and I am very excited for the opportunity given.

“My ultimate goal is to put Aberystwyth Golf Club on the map; not only for locals, but for everyone in the UK.”

Golf club managers in their 20s were almost unheard of until about a decade ago. In 2014 we revealed that Ellie Green, then aged 23, was the UK’s youngest golf club manager (at the time, just six years ago, she was one of the first from the millennial generation to take over a golf club), and in 2018 another 23-year-old was named as the new youngest: James Levick at West Essex Golf Club.

We’ve not heard of anyone under the age of 23 leading a golf club before – but if you are aware of any, please let us know in the comments (which are all moderated in advance).

It’s been quite a few months for young golfing records in Welsh golf clubs – in April a five-month-old baby joined Vale of Llangollen Golf Club.

And staying in Wales, in 2015 Andrew Minty of Langland Bay Golf Club became the youngest ‘golf club manager of the year’, aged, at the time, just 34.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir August 4, 2020 19:07
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16 Comments

  1. David S August 16, 13:44

    Great insight, we need more youth involved in managerial roles if we plan on appealing to the next generation of golfers. Great write-up!

    Reply to this comment
  2. Calum August 11, 16:04

    Great to see the younger generation being given opportunities like this

    Reply to this comment
  3. Glenn August 9, 13:32

    Congratulations- With youth comes ideas. All the best

    Reply to this comment
  4. Ben S August 7, 15:45

    Thank you everyone! The comments are much appreciated. Happy Golfing!

    Reply to this comment
  5. Dan L August 7, 10:21

    Congratulations Ben and good luck. I took the reigns at Hawkesyard Estate at the age of 21. This was reported in an article at the time by Midland Golfer Magazine after I’d taken over from the late John Bissell at the ripe old age of 82!

    Reply to this comment
  6. Scott B August 6, 21:50

    Fantastic news! I believe Get Golfing have some young Managers and Luke Welham is just 20 y/o at Warley Park.

    Reply to this comment
  7. Neil Sjoberg August 6, 16:20

    Well done Ben! Enjoy it -its the best job in the world!

    Reply to this comment
  8. Darshan August 6, 11:56

    Continue to focus on your personal learning journey,

    Reply to this comment
  9. AG August 5, 22:49

    Good luck to Ben. I was a Secretary /Manager at 23 in 1983. I was told I was the youngest manager in the UK at the time.

    Reply to this comment
  10. John G August 5, 21:35

    Well done Ben, great to see youth being given a chance, back in the early 2000’s there was only a handful of us in ours 20’s running clubs I believe, so any help we can be to younger managers don’t hesitate to get in touch.

    Reply to this comment
  11. Sue August 5, 11:14

    Good luck to Ben Slater. Good to see that clubs are willing to move away from the traditional 2nd career appointments and giving youth the opportunity

    Reply to this comment
  12. David Callen August 4, 13:37

    Best course I’ve ever been to! Recommend everyone in the area to visit. Congrats Ben you should be so proud!!

    Reply to this comment
  13. Neil R August 4, 13:16

    Fantastic… exactly where Golf needs to be!

    Reply to this comment
  14. Dave P August 4, 11:17

    Impressive young man and well done to Aberystwyth golf club for being so forward thinking.

    Reply to this comment
  15. Peter August 4, 11:00

    No !! Never, heard of anyone as young ! If qualified, why not ? It’s a young people’s world and they have great ideas, solutions and energies !! I even know a great few, who are great at relationships !! What more could you want !! The rest is easy and can be learned !!

    Reply to this comment
  16. Peter M August 4, 09:36

    All the best on a long and successful career

    Reply to this comment
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