Saad was introduced to golf at an early age by his father and has been playing ever since. After completing his degree in business, he was looking for a professional challenge that meant something to him on a personal level and he discovered it on the golf course. His love of the game led him to look towards the importance of this growing sector within the tourism industry as the place to accomplish professional success in a field he felt connected to. However, he had never worked in a golf club or on the course for that matter, so in order to gain a competitive edge; he decided to further his business education specializing in the field of golf management.
It turns out Les Roches Marbella was the perfect fit and from what he tells us; “The Golf postgraduate program at Les Roches Marbella has contributed significantly to my professional achievements in the Golf industry”. His choice has thus far served him well as he has been advancing his career with Troon Golf since finishing school. During his first year in the golf management field he took on the position of Golf Operations Manager at Troon’s Mazagan Beach Resort in El Jadida, Morocco where he worked until being promoted in June 2012 to Golf Director of Oued Fes Golf. Under his current appointment he is in charge of launching and managing the operations of the new world-class golf resort located next to the King’s Royal Palace in Fes. He explains that this is an ambitious project aimed at making Oued Fes Golf a popular and sought after golf destination around the world. However, as he tells us in detail below, there was plenty to learn before he achieved this admirable position.
Upon beginning his studies in 2006, Saad wanted to take full advantage of the resources available to him at LRM. He understood and retained the value offered by the courses in the lecture room, the training on the golf course, and especially the practical experience during his internship. In his words, “From the faculty members who let us draw on their inexhaustible source of knowledge to the quality of classes and the job / internship opportunities offered; the program was well worth it.” In his opinion, the success of the program lies in the combination of essential subjects and professional work experience through the internship program at collaborating golf establishments.
Saad carried out his internship at Finca Cortesin Golf in Casares, Malaga, an idyllic location at the center of Southern Spain’s renowned “Costa del Golf”. Talking about the experience, he says that his ”cross-internship was a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in golf management and most importantly to put the academic skills learned at Les Roches Marbella into practice”. It was at Finca Cortesin where he learned the responsibilities entailed in golf management by working alongside their expert staff in daily operations. He emphasized this importance saying, “The internship collaborations, golf courses and golf establishments are critical in making the postgraduate program at Les Roches Marbella as successful as it is. Not only do they provide the students with professional experience in the Golf industry but they also prepare them to take on job positions that require leadership and managerial competencies.”
Five years after graduating from LRM, Saad Naimi is at the forefront of his profession. His hard work has led to the challenging Golf Director position he now holds with Troon Golf at Oued Fes Golf and it gives us great pride to have Les Roches Marbella alumni working on such a distinguished project. From the Alumni Association, we would like to wish Saad great success in his latest golfing venture.
For more on Saad Naimi please see his feature in Golf Business News
