Facility: Chambers Bay GC
Hometown: Born and raised in Puyallup, WA; currently Tumwater, WA
PGA Member Since: 2004
At age 12, Brent Zepp told his grandmother that he was going to be a golf professional. At age 14, he started working at Meridian Greens in Puyallup, WA. By age 16, he was working in the golf shop.
“I knew at this time my career path was in golf,” said Zepp. Many PGA professionals inspired him early on, including: Travis Cox, Rusty Fancher, Kevin Myers, Warren Orr, Michael Phillipart, Ron Hagen, Ron Coleman and Jeff Brinegar.
Zepp graduated from the San Diego Golf Academy. He began his career is 1998 at Meriwood GC in Lacey, WA, becoming a PGA apprentice soon after.
When Oki Golf purchased Meriwood, they also opened The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie (then called Vicwood), with Zepp becoming the first assistant professional there. He had many opportunities with Oki Golf, including achieving PGA membership in 2004 and his first Head Professional job at The Golf Club at Echo Falls. After a few years at The Golf Club at Newcastle, he landed at Chambers Bay.
“Now as the Head Professional at Chambers Bay, I am truly having the time of my life… promoting the great game of golf in great ways every day!”
The biggest promotion so far has, of course, been the US Open. We asked Zepp to tell us a little bit about what it was like hosting the largest professional golf event ever in the Northwest.
“I tell people that hosting the US Open was a dream,” said Zepp. It was a dream that took seven years from beginning to end. Simply having the title of a “future host site” was the first experience that Brent got to add to conversations and guest experiences at Chambers Bay. Then there were the many planning sessions with the USGA.
“It was always fun to sit at dinner with Mike Davis and others, and hear many great stories from their perspective inside the ropes.”
As the event drew closer, Zepp’s job changed dramatically. On May 25, 2015, the public course closed for final preparations, transforming into a major venue that would host 40,000 spectators per day during the championship.
Zepp’s main role became hosting all practice rounds, and working with the player services team to provide the players with anything they needed. Zepp would meet the players as they arrived and introduce them to the facility. He shuttled players to and from the course. As the weekend before the championship arrived, he booked the players’ practice round tee times for the championship week.
“I was fortunate enough to host personal practice rounds with Tiger Woods and Phil Michelson,” said Zepp.
There were also the television appearances.
“One of the great highlights was being on with q-13 local fox affiliate live for six shows throughout the week talking all things US Open,” said Zepp.
It was this promotion of Chambers Bay and the game of golf that exemplified Zepp’s leadership in the US Open, earning him the Western Washington Chapter Golf Professional of the Year Award.
We asked Zepp what his leadership goals are for the future.
“I plan on continuing mentoring the staff at Chambers Bay and developing our team into the best service team there is in golf,” he replied.
“Brent has been a great mentor and friend. His direction has helped make me a confident PGA professional,” noted Ryan Young, Director of Instruction at Chambers Bay.
“I also plan to continue building relationships in the golf industry and the PGA,” added Zepp, who plans to become more involved on the Section level and eventually at the PGA National level.
We know we can expect great things of Brent Zepp in the future!