John Brautigam, second from right, with Butler Country Club members. Submitted photo

PENN TWP — For eight years, Butler Country Club golf pro John Brautigam has been pushing for more involvement among the membership.

And he’s succeeded.

“We had maybe 100 active golfers among our membership before John got here,” said Anthony Smaldino, a BCC golf member for 34 years. “There’s well over 300 golf members, and 80% of them are very active on the course now.

“The youth program, women golfers ... everything has spiked up. He’s made a tremendous impact at the country club on all levels, mainly because he treats everyone the same, whether a golfer’s handicap is 2 or 22.”

Brautigam, 39, who cut his teeth as a golf pro for six years at Oakmont Country Club under head pros Bob Ford and Devin Gee, is leaving BCC to become head golf pro at High Grove in Venus, Fla. That is a new 36-hole golf resort featuring lodging and dining. The courses will be walking only with caddie availability.

Brautigam’s intent — same as all Oakmont assistant pros — was to eventually become a head pro elsewhere.

“Our program is structured that way,” Gee said. “John is very gifted in the areas of golf operations and organizing. He built a great team in Butler, and he’ll do the same in Florida.

High Grove is built on 1,200 acres of citrus groves over large sand dunes in central Florida and is expected to open in January.

“It’s sad to see him go, but this is a tremendous opportunity for him,” BCC board president Dickson Forbes said. “This is destination golf. People will be traveling there for a golf weekend.”

Brautigam described the High Grove facility as a place where “people can come for lunch, play a round, have dinner, stay over, have breakfast, play another round, have lunch and go.

“They plan to cap the membership at 250 there. There’s already 100 signed up now. People will come to this facility from all over the country.”

“John is a great golf pro. He’s a better human being. He has a mission, a vision. He just wants everybody to enjoy the game of golf.”

Originally from Morgantown, W.Va., Brautigam majored in pro golf management at Methodist University in North Carolina. He served internships in Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Chicago. He’s worked at golf courses in Florida during the winter while working at Oakmont during the summer.

“Bob Ford worked courses in the winters in Florida, and I just went with him,” Brautigam said. “I learned so much at Oakmont. It’s a training program there, and I felt like I was ready to move on. I was willing to go anywhere.

“When the Butler job opened, an opportunity just down the street, it was close to family. I’ve loved it there. It took a monumental opportunity like this one to get me to leave.”

Brautigam is assisting in the transition of hiring a new head pro at BCC. He is not expected to complete his move to Florida for another couple of months.

“He’s brought in high-caliber people to Butler Country Club,” Forbes said. “Mike Labella is one if the best teaching pros in the country, and we have him. John is a great leader and teacher. His staff is so well trained that our golf program still runs smoothly when he’s not here.

“John learned under the best in Bob Ford ... and he learned well. We have big shoes to fill here, no doubt about that.”