EXECUTIVE PROFILES

JOHN JUNKER, CEO

John R. Junker is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Golf Properties. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Finance and a strong emphasis in Hotel/Restaurant Management, Accounting and Marketing. Junker’s employment history involves more than 23 years of management in the golf and resort industry. Coming from finance and banking background, Junker has specialized start-up projects, several consultations, development and operational management.

Junker started his career in 1986 as the golf operations manager at the Flying L Guest Ranch in Bandera, Texas, which was then a subsidiary of Property Resources Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After two years, Junker was moved north to the position of director of golf at Lake Arrowhead Golf Club in Wisconsin. Within a year, Lake Arrowhead was recognized and honored as a “Top 100 Public Golf Course” by Golf Digest Magazine and quickly grew to a multi-million dollar golf operation and development. Lake Arrowhead's golf operations became a model for future golf facilities. In 1990 Junker was promoted to manage Property Resources Corporations Golf Operations. This led to quickly rebuilding the operations of facilities, making them profitable and selling them. These ventures became highly profitable for Property Resources Corporation. After the sale of Lake Arrowhead in 1993, John transferred back to the Flying L Guest Ranch. Property Resources secured a management contract with Lake Arrowhead until 1995 that was headed by Junker. With the Flying L Guest Ranch the only remaining resort property owned by Property Resources Corporation, Junker became general manager of all operations. In 1994, the Flying L became profitable for the first time in its long history. In 1997, Junker purchased the Flying L Guest Ranch from Property Resources. Junker is the managing partner of the Ranch. With its rich history and under new ownership and management, the Flying L Guest Ranch became a world-renowned, multi-million dollar resort. It has become one of the most popular drive-to destination resorts in Texas. Southern Living Magazine featured the Ranch as one of it top four family vacations, and Family Circle rated the Flying L in its “Top 100 Family Vacations”. The Ranch’s golf course has been lauded as the No. 1 golf facility in its class by the San Antonio Express News in the categories of golf course, customer service and golf shops. Junker has added vacation ownership to their portfolio and has been recognized with a “Five-Star” and “Premier Resort” rating from Interval International.

In 2001, Southern Golf Properties acquired the historic Woodlake Golf Club and Lake Houston Golf Club. Both facilities were in need of professional management. Lake Houston Golf Club was sold, while Woodlake was retained. After a year of ownership, Woodlake was honored as the No. 2 golf course in its category in the San Antonio Area by the San Antonio Express News, just behind the Flying L.

During the summer of 2007, Junker partnered with Bryan Gathright, a longtime friend and a "Golf Magazine Top 100 Golf Teacher." Building up through the summer of 2008, Junker and Gathright’s management company – Southern Golf Properties – successfully consulted and managed restaurants, game ranches and golf courses. Among these clients, is the “777 Ranch,” one of the United State’s finest and well-known hunting and fishing ranches. Within a year, Junker’s company took the “777 Ranch” from an operating loss of more than $600,000 to a $680,000 profit. In addition, the “Cotton Gin Restaurant and Lodging” was taken from a $30,000 monthly loss to a profit position within three months. Southern Golf Properties was awarded the contract to manage the new Club at ConCan near Uvalde, Texas, Alsatian Golf Club in Castroville, Texas, The Golf Club of Seguin in Seguin, Texas, and the Utopia Golf Course in Utopia, Texas. In November of 2008, Southern Golf Properties was awarded the management contract at the Casa Blanca Golf Course in Laredo, Texas from Webb County. Latest management contracts include the Golf Club of Texas at Briggs Ranch in San Antonio, Texas, and Tierra Santa Golf Club in Weslaco, Texas. On October 1, 2009, Southern Golf Properties purchased Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville, Texas, the course and club designed by Golf Hall of Fame Legend Byron Nelson. Riverhill Country Club is now the home base for Southern Golf Properties. Junker is a Class A Member of the Professional Golfer’s Association of America. He has served on the Texas State Water Board for Region J for three years and has been on several boards serving the Bandera and San Antonio communities.  

BRYAN GATHRIGHT, PRESIDENT

Bryan Gathright, currently the Director of Instruction at the famed Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, Texas, has spent his life in the game of golf. Gathright has been a teaching professional since 1987 and his experience in golf covers more than 45 years.

Gathright attended Lamar University, in Beaumont, Texas, on a golf scholarship and earned his BBA in marketing. Upon graduation, he played professionally in more than 40 states and 15 countries. For the past ten years, Gathright has been named one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America. In addition, he is also one of the Top Teachers in Texas by both Golf Digest and Texas Monthly. Gathright was selected the 1997 and 2000 Southern Texas PGA Teacher of the Year. He has appeared on Golf Academy Live and numerous times on Golf Talk Live on the Golf Channel. Gathright also does a weekly radio show on KVET 1300 radio in Austin, Texas. The show is in its 17th year and is the longest running show on KVET during that time span. In addition, Gathright does numerous guest spots on ESPN radio, FSN Fox Sports, and XM Radio Channel 146 nationwide, as well as several television guest appearances.

He has had numerous articles published in Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, and many other newspaper and regional publications. Gathright’s teaching background is extensive and is highlighted by his selection as the original director of the Harvey Penick Golf Academy in Austin, Texas, where he had the unparalleled opportunity to work side-by-side with teaching legend, Harvey Penick. Additionally, Gathright developed the La Cantera Golf Academy in San Antonio, Texas in 1995 and directed its operations until 2002. He then moved to Oak Hills Country Club, where he remains today.

Certainly, if the ultimate measure of a teacher is the success of his students, Gathright has exceeded the standard. Gathright’s pupils include four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III, five-time LPGA winner and U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur Champion Dorothy Delasin. He also teaches former Nationwide Tour Player of the Year, Jimmy Walker and has taught former Texas Open Champion, David Ogrin. Gathright also works with numerous other top tour professionals, collegiate and amateur players. Gathright’s passion for coaching is exhibited in both his teaching players to further enjoy the game of golf and by passing along his years of experience in the game to young aspiring golf professionals.

MATT FAWKES, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Matt was born in Buffalo, New York, and began playing golf at the age of 13.  He is a graduate of Michigan State University and after college headed to Florida to pursue his career in golf.  In 1997, Matt joined the professional staff at the Plantation at Ponte Vedra and was named Head Golf Professional in 2000.  In 2004 Matt was offered the position of Head Golf Professional at Turner Hill Golf & Racquet Club in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  In 2006 Matt became the Director of Golf / Assistant General Manager at the Snake River Sporting Club in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  In 2008, Snake River Sporting Club was named the #2 New Private Course in the Country by Golf Digest and in 2009 the #1 Course in Wyoming.

Matt has been a Class “A” Member of the PGA of America since 1998.  While in Florida, Matt donated much of his time to working with junior golfers in and around the Jacksonville, Florida area.  Matt was Junior Golf Chairman of the North Florida Chapter PGA for 4 years.  He was twice named North Florida Chapter PGA Junior Golf Leader.  In 2000, Matt was named to the Board of Directors of the PGA Tour Junior Golf Foundation and in 2002 was elected President.