What a wonderful time to be a part of North Oaks Golf Club. The visionary plan created by members in 2016, to chart the future of our Club, has already paid off with stunning updates to the clubhouse and patio area. The new dining and entertainment spaces are a hit with members, but now the real fun is about to begin.

It wouldn't be surprising to see Greg and Erin Stalsberg teeing off on hole no. 7 at North Oaks Golf Club this summer after enjoying dinner with their three children — McKenna, 12, Brynn, 8, and Callan, 6. After all, the hole is across the street from their house.

Golfing became more of a family hobby for the Stalsbergs six ago, when they first joined North Oaks Golf Club. Now that they are members, it's become their neighborhood oasis for all sorts of family fun.

If you’re a full-time student, it’s tough to balance a job year-round. That’s why seasonal jobs are such a great alternative. But it’s understandable why you wouldn’t want to go straight from the classroom to a summer job where you’re cooped up and missing out on the most beautiful time of year! Working a seasonal job at a golf course gives you the best of all worlds – a summer job to put cash in your pocket and gain work experience, all while having fun and enjoying that precious vitamin D. 

From the course to the driving range, a summer job at a golf club provides a variety of positions and responsibilities – and benefits that reach beyond your paycheck. Here are the top four benefits of working a seasonal job at a golf course:

"This is their club, and we want them to have an amazing time here." That thought guides Jessica Bader through every day in her new role as Membership Engagement Coordinator at North Oaks Golf Club, and it's the reason General Manager Phil Anderson created the new position in the first place.

"I’m thrilled to put more resources into ensuring our members are having an amazing time every time they are on the property," he explains. "We want to continue to take our engagement to a whole new level."

Jessica has plenty of local knowledge to make that happen. Since joining our team in 2013, she worked her way up to lead server in dining and events, and also spent a summer as our social media intern. Now, she's using that combination of skills, experience, and existing relationships to promote events to the membership – both in person and via social media.

"I'm reaching out to members, trying to get everyone engaged in our events, whether that be a wine tasting or golf or tennis. Basically, I'm promoting any event at the club."

As the sun rises over the first green at North Oaks Golf Club, Joe Jesmer and his colleagues begin their day of lawn care and course maintenance. Joe, 76, is one of the club's many seasonal employees. He works on the grounds crew with about 25 others, only three of which are retirees. And he loves every minute of it.

Joe is proof that seasonal jobs aren't just for high school and college students. Here's his story.

It was a crisp evening in early September. About 40 North Oaks Golf Club members made their way to the middle of the fairway, where they enjoyed an elegant meal and libations under starlight.

Each year, the club hosts a one-of-a-kind dining experience known as Farm to Fairway, and it's quickly become a favorite among members.

"It couldn't have been a nicer night," says Ted Risdall, a North Oaks Golf Club member. 

"It's one of those perfect package evenings," says Toni Rhan, another North Oaks member, and Farm to Fairway attendee. "It's a date night with my husband, away from our two small children."

When Chef David Owen Jones joined the team at North Oaks Golf Club, he brought with him a passion for locally sourced food.

"It was something I've known for a long time," he says. "I worked on a dairy farm in college. I knew where our food came from. And I grew up in a household where we ate very seasonally."

He didn't understand why some restaurants weren't serving local foods that were at the peak of their season. "It's become a buzzword, but not everyone practices what they preach," he says.

After becoming head chef at North Oaks Golf Club six years ago, he pitched the idea of cooking with locally-grown produce to the board of directors, and the transition to local, fresh foods began. Since then, David has not only been able to grow fresh produce on-site, but he's maintained an ever-changing menu with locally sourced ingredients and enhanced the food quality, too.

In 2007, Tom Lehman and his golf course design group renovated the North Oaks Golf Club course to make it more challenging for low handicappers and more playable and fun for the average golfer. Now, the club is renovating the clubhouse with something similar in mind — enhancing the experience for all members and guests.

“We’re doing a $4.5 million renovation of the clubhouse facility, including updating the exterior of the building, adding a couple buildouts, and re-appropriating all of our dining spaces,” says Phil Anderson, North Oaks Golf Club general manager. “So, it is a fairly big overhaul in resetting the clubhouse to match up with our members’ expectations for desired experiences.”