Staff members at North Shore Country Club gather: (left to right) Tyler Lawson, Zach Tucek, Shaun McElroy, Sydney Emmel and Eric Emmel
Shaun McElroy reached an impasse.
There wasn’t necessarily one moment that convinced him to take a lengthy look into his work-life balance and the role PGA professionals serve in an industry that has systemically treated its club pros without common decency. For the 38-year-old head professional at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois, an accumulation of frustration occurred over a long period of time.
One of the first times it hit him was in 2013, when he couldn’t attend the wedding of his wife’s sister. McElroy, then the director of golf at a previous club, had to stay behind because six women were competing in the ladies’ club championship and his general manager would not let him travel to Seattle for the weekend. He was a first-year director of golf and felt the pressure of protecting an ascending career, ...