For Richard Winstead, a simple piece of advice from his father has served him well throughout his 30-year career in the golf industry.
“He told me to listen and then think before I speak,” Winstead said. “I have tried to always remember that. A quick reaction is almost always met with rebuttal and negativity while listening to all aspects of a situation and thinking about things even for a minute will prove to be a much better way to go.”
As the head golf professional and general manager at Woodcrest Golf Club in Manlius, Winstead knows being a good listener and critical thinker is key in a customer-driven business like golf. For his high level of service to his club members as well as his many contributions to the Central New York PGA Section, Winstead will be the 35th inductee into the CNY PGA Section Hall of Fame on Dec. 6 at Drumlins Country Club during the section’s end of the season awards ceremony.
“It is the highest of honors, one that I won’t take lightly and will cherish forever,” Winstead said.
Winstead, who is currently serving as the CNY PGA Section president, began his professional golf career in 1983. Since that time, he has made several contributions to the CNY PGA Section, including having served or chaired every section committee, mentoring and advising fellow PGA professionals and being at the forefront of youth golf initiatives like the Junior League Golf.
“I also take pride in being on the ground floor of opening and establishing Woodcrest as a great golf facility in my community,” he said. “But possibly the most rewarding is the fact that over my career 11 individuals that were members or students decided to pursue the golf profession as a career and are now or soon will be Class A members of the PGA of America.”
For Winstead, it’s not work if you enjoy what you are doing for a living. He said the best part of his job is the people. Winstead has been the head professional at Woodcrest since 1993.
“All aspects of my job involve people,” he said. “Whether it be the members and guests coming to play Woodcrest, my co-workers at the club or my fellow professionals in the section, the game of golf has brought us all together. The greatest of all games has given me the opportunity to in some small way influence a few, but has given me so much more along the way.”
For more information on the CNY PGA, visit cny.pga.com or visit its Facebook page.
