FARMINGTON HILLS – Glenn Pulice decided as a 13-year-old caddie that he wanted a career in the golf business.
“It evolved from there, from wanting to be the golf professional at a private golf club in Detroit, which happened, and then it started changing some after I started working in the public golf sector, first at Rattle Run Golf Club and now I’m in my tenth year here at the Royal Oak Golf Center,” he said. “I’m so happy to be in a position to impact getting new people into the game, especially women, families and children.”
Pulice, 59, a PGA professional and the general manager at the Royal Oak Golf Center, has been named the 2021 Golf Association of Michigan Club Services Representative of the Year. The GAM annually presents the honor to a club representative who demonstrates outstanding service to golf in Michigan.
“I couldn’t think of a more deserving person to be honored as the GAM Club Services Representative of the Year,” said Mary Jo Green, director of communications for the GAM who nominated him for the award.
“Glenn has been an active and valued member of the GAM Diversity & Inclusion Committee since its inception. He supports and promotes Youth on Course at his facility and has always been willing to help out the GAM whenever we have asked. He works tirelessly with the Midnight Golf Program and junior programs at his own facility, including donating golf balls, clubs and his own time and money to help grow the game.”
Pulice has been the director of golf for the award-winning Midnight Golf Program since 2004. With his direction the Royal Oak Golf Center welcomes 25 high school golf teams for practice sessions and has partnered with Martin Siml of Detroit’s Renaissance High School in his effort to bring back high school golf in Detroit schools.
In addition, the facility leads an effort for Siml in gathering donated clubs and has donated significant amounts of equipment as well. Royal Oak Golf Center also has fielded a PGA Junior Golf League team for four years, and Pulice and two other staff professionals provide a comprehensive lessons program for adults and children, ages 5 and up.
“From ownership on down here we are all about inclusion and figuring out ways to do more to get more people involved in golf,” he said. “And everything I’ve learned in the golf business, having Midnight Golf as part of my live, living in Detroit, the combination of those things has helped give me the initiative and understanding of the importance of getting young people into the game.”
In 2021 the Michigan Section PGA awarded Pulice the 2021 Professional Development Award given annually to a PGA member for outstanding contributions to professional education, leadership, networking ability and contributions to grow and strengthen the image of a PGA professional. In 2020 the Michigan PGA also made him the third winner ever of its Distinguished Service Award.
Pulice, a PGA professional for 35 years is a 1985 graduate of the Ferris State University Professional Golf Management Program. With his involvement the Royal Oak Golf Center continues to expand toward having 45 covered and heated tees for its practice range and 102 total tee practice areas including the outside spots. An 18-hole miniature golf course is also on site.
“We are open to groups to utilize our space to learn and practice,” he said. “We have the facility, the ownership and the means, motive, expertise and willingness to do that. I tell groups this – we start with a yes and figure it out.”
Learn more at GAM.org
-Greg Johnson greg.johnson@emailgam.org