Taft Leaves for Seattle, Watson Named New Director

By Shane Sharp
Regional Staff Writer

June 1, 1999

TUCSON -- Lindsey Taft, Director of Golf at Heritage Highlands since its opening day, has fled Tucson for the green pastures of Seattle. Exit Taft, enter Robby Watson, named as Taft's replacement by Western Golf Properties, Inc. Like a good major league baseball organization that likes to homegrown its talent on the farm and promote from within, Watson comes from Heritage Highland lineage. Watson joined the Heritage crew as a First Assistant in 1996 - before the course even opened to the public.

Watson's next move was to Head Golf Professional a year later. As director, Watson will be responsible for the daily operations of the club. Whereas Taft was somewhat reserved, Watson seems to always be grinning ear to ear, ready to talk about the course or anything else for that matter.

In other news, Watson's promotion left the Head Pro job open, and Western has filled the position with one Jim Cunningham. Cunningham is responsible for the pro shop operations and the organization and coordination of group events and tournaments.

Having just played in a scramble at Heritage Highlands under the Watson/Cunningham regime, I can testify to the fact that Western Golf Properties has found the right men for the job.

The tournament I played in was well organized, the course was in fantastic shape, and as always, the service was well above par.

Cunningham is a graduate of the Professional Golf Management Program at New Mexico State, and prior to his new position at Heritage, Cunningham was the Head Golf Pro at the Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. Never ones to miss a Colorado connection here at golfarizona.com, we must also mention that Cunningham once held the Head Golf Pro job at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.