Byron Cotter, SaddleBrooke TWO Communications and Marketing Committee
Mike Karpe, SaddleBrooke TWO’s newest PGA Professional, is a key addition to the staff of the newly acquired MountainView and Preserve golf courses. Mike has been heavily involved in the transition of the courses to SaddleBrooke TWO ownership, including the recent hiring of 29 people, mostly part time, for the pro shops and the courses.
Mike grew up in the Twin Cities, where his father got him started playing golf at the age of 12. By age 13, he was caddying at the North Oaks Golf Club (a northern suburb of St. Paul), and then started working in the club’s service room. Mike attended Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC, where he went through that school’s PGA Professional Golf Management Program. On completion, he returned to Minnesota, but soon decided to head to a year-round golf climate. He went to work for the Gallery Golf Club in Marana in 2006. One of Mike’s highlights there was hosting the 2007 and 2008 World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship. In March 2017, Mike became the Director of Operations for the Southern Chapter PGA. He joined SaddleBrooke TWO in mid-December of 2017.
One of Mike’s key goals is to improve the golf experience on the SaddleBrooke TWO courses. He arrives early each day to set up the golf staff for success, and to assist with any situations that may have arisen overnight. He was excited to see over 200 members of SaddleBrooke TWO golf clubs on the MountainView course helping to remove invasive Poa Annua grass from the greens. Mike foresees many additional initiatives, both on course and off, to enhance the player experience.
Mike has recently started his golf instruction programs, and is still continuing his focus on making certain that SaddleBrooke TWO’s golf business is running smoothly. If you’re a golfer, or thinking about taking up golf, give the Golf Shops a call and get acquainted with Mike. He’s the young guy with the big smile.