Weiss first female head pro at Pinehurst
Competing in North Carolina as a teenager set Gabrielle Weiss on a journey which has culminated in her becoming Pinehurst Country Club’s first female head golf professional.
Weiss was playing in the 2010 US Girls Junior Amateur at the Country Club of North Carolina when her spectating parents fell in love with the place and promptly decided to retire there, relocating from Pennsylvania.
Since that family move to Pinehurst at the age of 16, the iconic club has been a constant in Weiss’ life. She represented the Pinecrest girls’ team and continued to play and work during vacations from James Madison University in Virginia.
Three days after graduating in May 2018, Weiss became a full-time employee in Pinehurst’s main golf shop, and now, at the tender age of 23, is blazing a trail as Pinehurst’s first female head professional.
“It means so much to me,” said Weiss in an interview with The Pilot, a community newspaper in North Carolina. “This place is so special to me, growing up here my late years in high school and seeing how it’s transformed.
“Every time I left to go back to college, I hated driving away from this place because I just wanted to be here all the time. I thoroughly enjoy being here.”
Weiss has made a huge impact in a short time at Pinehurst, particularly on the women’s section.
Three years ago, the ladies’ Nine and Wine evening events struggled to gather 10 players and was in danger of being cancelled; now it is thriving with more than 100 taking part over two courses each time.
“I do think I have a different perspective than some of the male golf professionals here,” said Weiss, who is getting married at Pinehurst in August. “That’s been a real great thing to take on as my duty.
“In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve made it a point to grow women’s golf. That’s been my main focus.
“I do think it’s important that if you are involved with golf to stay with it and keep elevating it for women in the game.
“It’s a big responsibility to be over so many golf courses and so much responsibility, but there’s so many folks that are opening their arms to me saying, ‘hey, if you need any help, let me know.’ That’s been so incredible so far. I’m looking forward to what I can learn.”
