Troon International, the international division of Troon, is pleased to announce the appointment of Clinton Southorn as the organization’s new Director of Construction & Agronomy, effective from the beginning of October when he will take over from industry and 20-year Troon veteran Robin Evans.
Mark Chapleski, Executive Vice President, Troon International’s commented “While we are extremely sad to see Robin leave the office, we are delighted for him and his retirement which will see him return to Australia with wife Jan. Clinton has been a rockstar for us in the field for many years and we look forward to him transitioning into the corporate office and supporting our talented agronomists and ownerships across our regions.”
Clinton has over 20 years’ worth of experience in the golf and turf industry, 18 of which have been with Troon; from Brookwater Golf & Country Club in his native Australia, moving to Fiji and the Azores, to growing in Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Agalarov Golf Estates, The Els Club Dubai, and lastly being the Cluster Director of Agronomy across Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and Yas Links Abu Dhabi.
Looking ahead to his new role within Troon International, Clinton said: “I am very proud and excited to start the new role of Director of Construction & Agronomy, Troon International. We are extremely fortunate to have some exceptionally talented team members working within the Agronomy portfolio. The importance and focus will be to continue working closely with the associates to support them at their respective facilities and help them grow, along with the reputations of the Troon International Facility portfolio. Showcasing the importance of working with our owners, partners, and team members, makes for a privileged position and one I’m truly excited about starting”.
Clinton will start his new role in October, with Robin Evans on hand to impart his own invaluable expertise of 40+ years within the industry. Robin held Superintendent positions at the Whistler Golf Club, Canada, Sanctuary Cove Resort, Australia, and Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, where he oversaw the construction through to operations. Robin’s first role with Troon was to supervise the construction of the Greg Norman-designed Brookwater Golf & Country Club, before relocating to Dubai in 2001 to take on the Superintendent role prior to the opening of the Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai. Since moving into the corporate office, Robin has been involved in the development, construction, and agronomy services of over 30 projects across more than 10 countries including the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and India, where his experience has been instrumental in creating world-class resorts.
Speaking about the influence Robin has had on the wider Troon International agronomy team, Mark commented: “Over the past 20 years, Robin has built up a strong, highly respected professional reputation in the region and has been successful in increasing the Troon portfolio of world-class facilities through the Troon International division. Having the support of Robin and a close working relationship over the past 16 years, we say goodbye to a great friend and a true Troon rockstar.”
To find out more about Troon International, please visit: www.Troon.com/troon-international
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company providing services at 590-plus locations around the globe, including managing 640-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management, and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 610-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses, and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Honours Golf, OB Sports, Indigo Golf Partners, CADDIEMASTER, True Club Solutions, Cliff Drysdale Tennis and RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design. Troon-affiliated properties include Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells, California; Yas Links Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; The Club at Savannah Harbor in Savannah, Georgia; and Lake of Isles in North Stonington, Connecticut. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.