There are many important aspects to being a successful club manager, but David Taggart aims to use the work ethic that he successfully employed in his previous role at the Dubai Creek Resort to drive the iconic club onwards and upward into the future.
“As a Course Superintendent and greens keeper you always aspire to set very high standards,” Taggert told Khaleej Times ahead of the $2.5m Dubai Invitational, the first DP World Tour event of 2024 which tees off on Thursday
“When you come from an agronomy background and you are used to working very long hours and setting high standards, much like a chef would in a restaurant, you are your worst critic.
“That’s an asset that I learnt in my previous role and one that I believe can help you move forward and make progress. It’s a work ethic which I use even today.”
The Creek’s new boss, who has vast experience in the golf industry having worked at leading clubs around the world, also believes that the strong team that he has behind him at the Creek which help him meet his goals.
“I’m very lucky to have a very experienced team to support me,” he said. “Many of the faces in the clubhouse have been there since the gates opened in 1993. The Creek has a real family feel about and I say that with pride. I think the Dubai Invitational offers the club the chance to shine this week.
“There’s a very high-quality field playing here this week and the club deserves them,” added Taggart of the club that reportedly has close to 20 founder members and 15 founder colleagues who joined the facility in the first year of opening.
Taggart acknowledged that his progression from Course superintendent to Club Manager was in many ways extraordinary.
“My transition is not a normal one,” he admitted. Traditionally you would have had to travel a well-trodden path of being a PGA Pro and director of golf and then rise up the ranks that way.
“But that does not change anything. My focus will be on the golf course and how to make it even better. I have a fantastic guy in Harry Wells who was my No 2 when I was course superintendent.
“My goal is to continue to support and work with Harry to make sure that he is given the tools he will require to push the golf course forward and continue to invest in it and make sure it can be the best version that it is,” added Taggart.
“I will also aspire to raise the standards in the club even higher/e have a great team here who are very experienced. We will try to get the best out of them, to give our guests a very warm welcome and to feel at home when they come to Dubai Creek.
“So the bottom line is to make sure that we continue to set really high standards for ourselves and for Dubai.”
Taggart also said that he was thrilled to host such a high-class field of international golfers during the Dubai Invitational, which is a prelude to next week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
“The invitational is an event where the players will be quite relaxed as it’s a Pro-Am format,” said Taggart. “So, we just want everyone to really enjoy the golf, surroundings and facilities in our club.
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“It’s great to see so many big players here, like Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and four-time Major winner and reigning Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Nicolai Hojgaard, Ryan Fox and Francesco Molinari.
“It will be a special experience to see some of those names at the top of the leaderboard during the week.”
Speaking to Taggart you can feel the strong emotional connection he has with golf and the passion that he brings to his role as Club Manager.