As told to Holly Tishfield
Stefan Brunt, a North Florida native and University of Florida graduate, has dedicated his career to the golf industry, rising to General Manager at Sawgrass Country Club. His passion for hospitality and community has made Ponte Vedra Beach both his home and the heart of his professional journey.
Tell me about your background.
I'm native to North Florida. I grew up in Gainesville and graduated from the University of Florida. I'm happily married and have two kids, Avery and Evan. After college, I've spent the majority of my life and my career in the golf industry, primarily here at Sawgrass Country Club. When I was still in college, I did an internship in Amelia Island and that opened me up to Jacksonville. I had the opportunity to move here, to take my first job at Sawgrass, and that was my first real introduction to living here. I've been at Sawgrass since 2007. I left for three years but ended up coming back and I've been here ever since. I started as a cart attendant and worked my way up to where I am now as General Manager.
What was appealing to you about the Jacksonville area?
I’ve always had an attraction to Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach, but working at Sawgrass was an opportunity that came up through networking. I took the opportunity when it was available and I really haven't turned back. Ponte Vedra has been a great place to live, a great place to raise my family. The schools are great, the people are nice, it was a hidden gem when we found it.
What has kept you at the Sawgrass Country Club throughout the years ?
It’s the people that I enjoy the most. Being able to provide that service and hospitality, it's a fantastic membership that we have here. It's really enjoyable to come to work and spend time there– whether I’m inside, outside, running tournaments, or in my position now running the club, I get to work with so many great people. That's what's been the attraction for me to stay here as long as I have.
Would you say you've seen Ponte Vedra change over the years?
Absolutely. I think Ponte Vedra alone, along with Sawgrass, was a comfortable, easy going environment. It had very little traffic that used to take me just minutes to get to work, now it takes me half an hour. We used to call it our little slice of heaven, and now everybody has found out about it. With Nocatee growing and the attraction to the area, I think a lot of young families have moved here and, of course, a lot of retirees, as well. So, I think that the Club and the area has grown in a healthy way. You're not seeing big buildings, you're not seeing the natural beach vibe get taken away, but there are more people here enjoying it.
What do you enjoy the most about what you do?
I really enjoy the events that we're able to host. We’re a very large club with almost 3000 members. The events that we host, the ability to be a part of The Players Championship, it’s always an exciting time for us. It's fun to put on a show. The enjoyable part is the anticipation for big member tournaments that we host. Those are the good times. We're in the entertainment business as well as running an operation, so we get to entertain and we get to put our best foot forward and put on a show.
