Having worked at great golf clubs around the world, including Royal Liverpool, Bearwood Lakes and Yas Links, Dean Montgomery has taken on a new role as director of golf at Golf at The Hawthorn, just as it is about to open a luxury hotel. He is now shaping the west of Ireland’s newest five-star resort, blending championship standards with modern luxury.
As he prepares to shape the golf offering at Ireland’s newest five-star destination, Montgomery’s focus is on delivering a seamless premium experience that blends exceptional course conditions with the warmth of Irish hospitality and the vibrant spirit of Galway.
Your journey in golf began at a young age and has taken you to some of the world’s most renowned clubs, from Royal Liverpool to Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. Looking back, what has that journey taught you?
Each experience has taught me something different. Royal Liverpool, for example, is steeped in heritage and attracts a huge number of visiting golfers wanting to experience an Open Championship venue. That’s very different to somewhere like Bearwood Lakes, where the focus is entirely on the membership.
What’s been consistent across all those experiences is that the best places I’ve worked at are the ones with the happiest teams. You simply cannot deliver a great experience without a team that enjoys what they do.
You also learn so much from strong leadership. I was fortunate to work under Mike Shrieve at Bearwood Lakes, who had a huge influence on me. The best leaders inspire you to care, to take pride in your work and to bring energy into the role every day.
You’ve worked across both private members’ clubs and internationally recognised championship venues. How have those experiences shaped your approach to golf operations?
Even before working in the industry, I was fortunate to play some incredible courses. I always think back to Harbour Town in South Carolina, I had a caddie whose professionalism and friendliness made the entire day. That experience has stayed with me, and it’s exactly what I want for every guest at The Hawthorn.
Those emotional touchpoints are crucial. It’s not just about checking someone in and sending them out. It’s about understanding where they’ve come from, where they’re going next and adding value to their visit, whether that’s recommending somewhere in Galway or simply creating a more personal connection.
At Bearwood Lakes, I also learned the importance of truly knowing your members. Knowing a name isn’t enough, it’s about understanding people on a deeper level; their families, their interests and building relationships that go far beyond the transactional.
This role marks a significant move to Ireland for you. What drew you to Golf at The Hawthorn, and what made this opportunity feel like the right fit at this point in your career?
It was a combination of things; my Irish heritage, the culture, Galway itself and the reputation Ireland has for hospitality.
I’d always been open to moving to Ireland if the right opportunity came along, and projects like this don’t come around very often. When I looked at the ownership and their values, it was clear they genuinely care about both their people and the long-term success of the business. After meeting them in person and experiencing Galway, I was overwhelmed with excitement and knew it was a huge opportunity.
You joined at a pivotal moment, ahead of the opening of The Hawthorn by Galway Bay. How exciting is it to be shaping the golf offering as part of a wider luxury hospitality destination?
In golf, a lot of roles are about maintaining what already exists. Here, there’s a real opportunity to shape something from the beginning and influence what it becomes. That’s incredibly rewarding. It’s a truly exciting journey for all the team members here to be on, and it’s a pleasure to be a part of that journey.
Of course, you won’t get everything right, but having the support and environment to learn, adapt and improve along the way is hugely important.
The integration of a championship golf course with a five-star hotel is relatively rare on Ireland’s west coast. How do you see golf enhancing the overall guest experience at The Hawthorn?
At the leading resorts, golf isn’t just part of the offering, it’s central to it. Even for non-golfers, the course contributes to the overall experience through the views, setting and atmosphere. Having a strong golf product elevates everything else.
It becomes a key part of what defines the destination.
The course itself has long been admired for its coastal setting and design heritage. What is your vision for its evolution and how do you hope to position it among Ireland’s leading golf destinations?
It’s about refining rather than reinventing. Christy O’Connor Jnr’s vision is something we respect greatly, and the foundations are already excellent.
Our role is to enhance that experience by improving details, creating consistency and making the most of the coastal setting. We want the course to feel connected to its surroundings and deliver a clear identity.
For international golfers, Ireland offers an incredibly competitive landscape of world-class links and parkland courses. What do you believe will make Golf at The Hawthorn stand out within that mix?
It’s the overall experience. The combination of the golf course, the five-star hotel and the city of Galway.
The course itself is unique, sitting somewhere between links and parkland which gives it a character all of its own, and the coastal setting is stunning. Combined with the investment in the team and service standards, that’s where the real differentiation comes.
What I am particularly proud of is the condition of the golf course here. Our superintendent, Damien Coleman, has been here for nearly 20 years and his passion hasn’t wavered. It is one of the best conditioned courses I’ve ever seen.
As director of golf, you’ll be building and leading the team that defines the on-course experience. What are the key qualities you look for when assembling that team, and what kind of culture are you aiming to create?
Attitude, passion and care. I’ve been fortunate to inherit a strong team with the right attitude, such as Damien.
Beyond that, my responsibility is to give people the tools, support and clarity they need to succeed. I’ve benefitted from that kind of leadership myself and it’s something I’m committed to passing on.
Operationally, what does delivering a ‘five-star’ golf experience mean to you – from arrival to the final putt – and how do you ensure that consistency day in, day out?
It’s about every touchpoint. We’re fortunate to have people joining the wider hotel team from some of the best hotel properties in the world, and there’s a huge opportunity to learn from that. It’s about creating consistency, attention to detail and empowering the team to deliver at that level every day.
Data is also important to me and the team and having it to back up what we think is crucial. We have engaged the 59club to use as a measurement tool and for further training, and collecting feedback from guests will be central.
The ongoing bunker project is a significant undertaking, with a large portion of bunker surface area being removed. Can you talk us through the thinking behind it and how it will ultimately improve playability and enjoyment for golfers?
It’s about creating consistency and improving both playability and maintenance. Courses built in that era (the 1980s and 90s) often had a high number of bunkers and we are a good example of this with 114. The true challenge in the west of Ireland are the conditions, with Galway being famous for its wind. Taking that into account, the bunkers were too penal for that and the course length, which is 7,300 yards from the back tees. We are keen for golfers to enjoy themselves!
There was also a bit of an ‘identity crisis’ with a mixture of pot bunkers, which require a lot of maintenance and can become unsightly, and parkland bunkers, which didn’t really suit the style of the course. We wanted to establish a more cohesive identity, moving towards a classic, coastal bunker style.
The scope of the project has been about removing any bunkers that were strategically irrelevant and would only punish the club golfer and ensuring the ones that remain are in great condition. We will be left with around 60, which will allow the greenkeeping team to focus more on the areas golfers value most which are greens, surrounds and overall conditioning. The end result is a better experience both visually and in terms of play.
With The Hawthorn positioned along the Wild Atlantic Way and within Ireland’s famed golf corridor, how important is it that Galway Bay becomes a compelling base for international golfers exploring the country?
It’s hugely important. We’re surrounded by some of the best courses in Ireland, both north and south. Galway has been slightly overlooked in that conversation, but it offers something unique, a vibrant city, incredible scenery and access to world-class golf.
The Hawthorn Hotel will play a vital role, with it also offering something unique in terms of accommodation. Ireland is famous for its castles and manors, but we are offering more of a “modern luxury” experience, which is being navigated by a world-class team with experience from some of the world’s best hotels.
We see ourselves as a hub, a place where golfers can base themselves and explore the wider region.
Finally, as you look ahead to the opening of The Hawthorn and beyond, what are your hopes for what you and your team can achieve here over the coming years?
To become one of the leading golf experiences in Ireland. That’s not just about the golf course or the hotel individually, it’s about how everything comes together. Every touchpoint matters.
With the setting, the team and the vision behind the project, we believe we can become one of the standout destinations in Irish golf.
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