Director of Golf Group Sales
HOW DID YOUR CASA DE CAMPO JOURNEY BEGIN?
After playing collegiate golf, I went through the 3 year certification to become a PGA & LPGA Class A Professional. While it is rare to attain both certifications (only a few hundred in the country), I believe having both association’s network is invaluable in business. I went on to become the first female Head Golf Professional in the history of Ritz-Carlton/Marriott Golf. The 17 years I have been a PGA & LPGA Professional which unknown to me would prepare me for the sales role I am currently in. My most recent position was overseeing a travel program for PGA Professionals. I was lucky enough to travel all over the world and build relationships with thousands of the most influential Teaching & Club Professionals. Casa de Campo was one of our clients and by far my favorite destination.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOLES ON EACH COURSE?
Teeth of the Dog® , one of Pete Dye’s masterpieces and ranked in the top-100 courses in the world, is my favorite golf course I have ever played. The most beautiful holes are what we call “the Heaven 7” (Nos. 5-8 and 15-17) because you feel like you are hitting off the side of the ocean. Hitting a bad shot in this brilliant setting is no big deal!
The 27 holes at Dye Fore have a completely different aesthetic with great character. Several holes overlook the Chavon River and Altos de Chavon, but I particularly love the stretch resting on top of our 230-slip Marina. With 63 holes of golf, there is never a repetitive or dull moment in golf at Casa de Campo.
OUTSIDE OF GOLF, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY AT THE RESORT?
I think planning an epic day filled with adrenaline is the way to go. Start the day with a helicopter ride to view the beauty within the gates our 7,000 acres has to offer. The helipad is next to the Equestrian Center which has over 200 horses. After a trail ride, take your personal golf cart (comes with every room or villa) over to the marina and go on a deep-sea fishing excursion, rated top 10 best place in the world to fish for Blue Marlin. Recharge by having lunch in a private cabana at the newly remodeled Minitas Beach Club overlooking the ocean. On your way back to your golf cart, stroll through the new family pool complex with boutiques, food trucks, ice cream shop and family fun zone. Head over to take on the 245 acre shooting center or play a match at one of our 13 tennis courts (10 lighted). And for those of us that aren’t up to speed to play Polo, we even have donkey polo with stadium seating, a favorite activity to many of our groups 8 or more. Head over to Altos de Chavon for dinner at La Piazzetta, a gourmet Italian restaurant with handmade pasta and strolling musicians. Wind the day down by taking a stroll through Altos de Chavon, a beautiful 16th century Mediterranean cobblestone village with a world class art school and museum. And you must take a look at the 5,000 seat Grecian-style amphitheater where many top musicians have performed. Head back to your private villa and end your day by dreaming of golf on one of our three courses the next day.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT CASA DE CAMPO?
My role as Director of Golf Group Sales is to continue developing new group business for our legendary golf courses and bring people to Casa de Campo. I also serve as a brand ambassador representing the resort throughout the year at a variety of pro-am and exclusive invitational golf tournaments to build new relationships. Once guests visit the resort for their first time they are hooked and tend to come back every year so I also maintain these golf group relationships and serve as their personal customer service liaison with the resort when rebooking. Whether it is a guy’s golf group, a couples trip, ladies golf getaway, a pro-am, a corporate golf group or a celebrity charity tournament, we custom build each package to tailor the exact needs of the client. In my 4 years with Casa de Campo, we have custom built golf group packages from as little as an 8 person group to as many as a 500 person celebrity golf group, both just as important to us. Each package is custom built and make “the Caribbean dream” truly one of a kind.
HOW HAVE YOUR WORK LIFE AND GOALS SHIFTED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?
The priority has been checking in on our clients and keeping lines of communication open to see how they are doing during this difficult time. Golf is one of the few outdoor activities sanctioned by health and government officials, so while our resort is temporarily closed, we are very busy with fall bookings.
It is encouraging to see a surge in golf across the world with people picking the game back up and new golfers being introduced to the game. We are also utilizing new online resource platforms to make ourselves better business professionals when we come out of this. This has been a time for us to work harder than ever, build relationships, learn new practices and be more prepared than ever for when people begin to travel again.
WHAT SHOULD VISITORS LOOK FORWARD THE MOST AFTER REOPENING?
With 7,000 acres inside the gates of Casa de Campo, the resort offers the most spacious environment a guest could ask for. Many guests have told us that our resort never feels crowded because of the massive size of the property.
Besides 247 hotel rooms, Casa de Campo offers a wide selection of private villas, the preference of high-profile celebrities, elite professional athletes and dignitaries who frequent the resort for optimal privacy.
All eight of our restaurants offer open-air dining to enjoy the tropical Caribbean outdoor climate. Whether you’re dining at the Minitas Beach Club overlooking the ocean or at La Casita at the Marina, the quality and attention to detail is unmatched.
What makes Casa de Campo so special is not only the world-class activities throughout the beautiful Caribbean landscape, but the thoughtful people who truly care about their guests. Visitors of all ages and interests can look forward to an amazing experience while creating lifelong memories at Casa de Campo. We look forward to welcoming back guests with open arms to discover the mystique of Casa de Campo.
