Jim Collins is taking over as the new Coyote Creek Golf Club
head professional to replace Steve Janisch
Jim Collins is taking over as the new Coyote Creek Golf Club head professional to replace Steve Janisch, who was released.
Collins, who has worked as the head pro at Parajo Valley Golf Course for the past three years, begins his stint of duty on Aug. 20.
“He’s a first class professional,” said Coyote Creek General manager Terry Clark. “He represents the industry very well. He is well respected in all of the Bay Area. He was selected over some of the leading candidates in California. It was a very thorough search.”
Collins’ duties will primarily be in management, and his golf lessons will be limited to five per week.
“It’s a nice career move for me going from head pro at Parajo to head pro at Coyote Creek,” Collins said. “It is definitely exciting for me.”
Collins has compiled an impressive life long golf resume. Most recently, he is finishing up his term as honorary president of the Northern California Professional Golf Association after serving as the president. He joined the Board of Directors in 1995 and then served as the secretary and vice president.
He starting playing golf at the age of 11, and called Lake Shabot in Oakland his home course. Collins was coached by Kelly Fry, who is part of the legendary Fry brother clan.
Collins attended Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland before graduating from Cal-State Hayward with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education.
In 1986, Collins turned professional after he was hired as the first assistant golf professional at the Sequoia Country Club in Oakland. He received his Class-A PGA membership in the spring of 1992 and then worked at Contra Costa Country Club in the fall.
Collins was appointed to the National Education Committee of the PGA America in 2000 and helped provide input for the education program.
And although his record is extensive, Collins is most proud of the fundraiser tournaments he worked with between 1992-1998 that raised more than $250,000 to help kids with diabetes to attend summer camps.
“That is what is really important in life, not this golf stuff,” Collins said.
His youngest son Matt, who is 11, has diabetes but still manages to do quite well for his football team.
His other son Ryan, 15, gives his dad a run for his money on the golf course with a low two-handicap.
Collins will still to commute from his home in San Leandro.
“It cuts an hour off my commute time each day,” Collins said. “Maybe now I will have time to hit a bucket of balls.”
Collins admits though he would not be able to answer any questions because he hasn’t had a chance to play the Jack Nicklaus designed course. But he said he plans to sneak in a round or two on Sunday.
“I haven’t spent a lot of time at facility,” Collins said. “But I like to work to continue to improve the customer service outside the facility and inside the facility in the golf division. I hope to increase the merchandise sales particularly in the area of hard goods by utilizing the state of the art range fitting to provide club fitting by PGA professionals.”
“More importantly, I’d like to bring a mission statement to the golf pro staff to empower the employees to perform better and provide better customer service.”
