Quick 9: Kyle Cramer, PGA, Head Golf Professional – Valhalla Golf Club

Valhalla Golf Club, the host of the 2024 PGA Championship, stretches across 500 acres of rolling hills and features impeccable course conditions.

Designed by all-time major Champion Jack Nicklaus, Valhalla’s quality is unparalleled. The Par 4 13th hole, the course’s most photographed, plays from an elevated tee to a densely-bunkered fairway, with an approach shot to a fortress of an island green.

We spoke with Kyle Cramer, PGA, Valhalla’s Head Golf Professional, about his role at the Club, and how this world-renowned facility leans on technology to provide an exceptional Member and guest experience.

How would you describe your morning routine to kickstart your day? 

In the mornings, I help my wife get the kids ready for school and make their breakfast. My wife is a school teacher, so our children go to school with her. After they leave, I like to spend some time catching up on emails and reviewing the tee sheet to make sure I have a good handle on what is happening at the club that day.

Has golf always been your first love? 

I started playing golf at a young age with my grandfather. It was a special way to spend time with him, which led to a special relationship between us. I did not start playing competitively until high school, but quickly fell in love with playing in tournaments and being on a team.

Tell us about your role at Valhalla. Why is it important?

As the Head Professional, you wear many hats. I enjoy taking care of people and organizing the operation to deliver a world-class golf experience.

Why has your course decided to invest in Tagmarshal?

As a golf-only facility, the club makes the golf experience its highest priority. A significant component of that is the pace of play, and Tagmarshal is a tool that provides us with accurate, real-time data with minimal input from the team. The ability to view all groups on the golf course in real time and identify problem groups is invaluable, as is the data the system collects in the background.

Since implementing Tagmarshal, how have your golfers responded to the on-course experience?

The pace of play has improved each year that I have been the Head Golf Professional at Valhalla. When we do have a slow group, the data Tagmarshal collects is very useful for educational sharing. Over time, the membership is much more aware that we are tracking the pace of play, and this helps ensure their group is playing on time.

Describe Tagmarshal in three words.

Easy to use.

What is your dream golf destination? Why? 

Australia. I would love to have the opportunity to play golf on the Gold Coast.

Your best golf moment?

Hosting the 2024 PGA Championship will be hard to top. Being the Head Professional for our association’s Major Championship was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If you could be a caddie on Tour, whose caddie would you like to be and why?

Scottie Scheffler. It would be great to watch one of the best ball strikers of all time every day, and I love his family values and how he treats his team like a family.