Golfing Carousel

As it turns out, there have been plenty of comings and goings lately around the area’s club houses.

Mike Dunlap was fired as golf pro at Rogers’ Pinnacle Country Club. No replacement was named as of Feb. 13.

And ironically, Shadow Valley Country Club has already hired and fired a golf pro before the course has even opened. Tom Sheeley was fired at Charles Reaves’ planned course in southwest Rogers and replaced with Patrick Tubach, owner and golf pro of Dawn Hill Golf & Raquet Club in Siloam Springs.

“It’s tough being a golf pro,” said Mike Dunaway of Golfing Arkansas. “The golf business overall nationally is really not in good shape at the moment. People are just watching their money. “There are just so many that can drop $400-$500 every quarter.”

Dunaway worked closely with Collins and Big Sugar during its development. He believes the club will make it now that it’s addressed some problems, the biggest of which was budget overruns.

The changing of the guard is hardly limited to Northwest Arkansas golf pros. Chenal Country Club, a very prestigious Little Rock course, has also fired its pro.