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A Career in Review –
PHILIP HINDMAN By Mike Hess
F
or the last 42 years, Philip Hindman has served the golf community in both sales and as a golf course superintendent. Twenty-four of those years were dedicated to sales which trumped the 18 years spent as a Superintendent. This is surprising because, originally, Philip had no desire whatsoever to pursue a career in sales. Making it more ironic, he was one of the first ever sales reps for Harrell's outside of the state of Florida.
After he graduated from Mississippi State in 1979 with a degree in landscape architecture, Philip worked at a golf course in his hometown of Louisville, Mississippi, before moving to Arkansas to rebuild a golf course from the ground up. He stayed in Arkansas for the following two years, and then moved to North Port, Alabama where he was the Superintendent of Indian Hills Country Club for 11 years. Soon after resigning from Indian Hills, Philip began working with a company called Goldkist (which was shortly bought out by Southern States). Philip worked alongside a sales rep named Bob Dyer about 85% of the time. Bob ended up leaving Goldkist to start his own sod farm and asked Philip to take his place as a sales rep. Philip remembers responding, “Bob, I have no desire to be a sales rep.” However, he did step into that role, and little did he know, this would launch a very successful career. Bob Dyer met Jack Harrell, Jr. at a nursery show in Georgia. At the time, Jack was looking for two sales representatives to be the first expansion out of the state of Florida for Harrell's. Bob knew that Philip would be a great fit for the other sales position. As Philip recalls, “Bob called me and asked if I was happy at Southern States. I said, ‘Well no, not particularly,’ so he said he
Harrell’s Sales Team in 2014 – Philip third from right Philip with grandchildren, Grace Cotton and Cal Thomas
Al ab ama Tu rf Tim es > >> Wint er 2022
Philip with his wife, Mira
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