Freddie Rexstrew; 10 Years of Being Attentively Inclusive with Troon
Name: Freddie Rexstrew
Title: Operations Manager
Facility and location: LA VIE Club, Muscat, Oman
Troon Value that resonates most with you
The Troon Value that resonates with me the most is “Attentively Inclusive”. Having worked in the International Division for over a decade the importance of this value with a variety of nationalities I have worked with is the one that resonates with me the most.
Q: What has been your favourite or most memorable cultural experience from your time living and work abroad?
A: I would have to say my most memorable cultural experience from my time with Troon International has been at Vattanac Golf Resort in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. With both courses having famous cultural expressions that include scale models of Khmer historical architectural sites. As well as the local Khmer hospitality is simply one of a kind, I couldn’t have been further from home and was made to feel so welcome so quickly.
Q: What/Who got you into the golf or hospitality industry and what was your first experience with the game/industry?
A: My father introduced me to golf from a young age, I certainly enjoyed driving a golf cart more than playing however caught the bug very quickly. My first golf job was at the age of 16 on a local Jurassic themed crazy golf putting facility, I spent most my time trying to break the course record and testing all the ice creams we sold. My first Troon property was at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi in 2013 as an intern straight out of university.
Q: What has been your career progression at Troon and what countries have you lived in along the way?
A: I have moved from a Golf Operations Intern at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in 2013 to Golf Operations Attendant at Saadiyat in 2014. I then moved to Abu Dhabi Golf Club as a Managerial Trainee in 2015. I then joined the pre-opening team Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, Jeddah as an Assistant Golf Professional in 2017. In the summer of 2018, I moved to Centurion Club, London as Director of Golf, during covid I joined Vattanac Golf Resort, Cambodia for four months in December 2020 and since March 2022 until now I am the Operations Manager at LA VIE Club, Muscat Oman.
Q: What is one food from those countries that you would consider a ‘must eat’ recommendation for those visiting?
A: I have a couple of local favorites from my various postings. I would say the Shuwa in Oman is a must try. When I was in Cambodia the local Pho was very good.
Q: What have you learned by traveling internationally and what advice do you have for others at Troon or within the hospitality industry about working internationally?
A: Within my 10 plus years with Troon I have worked in 5 countries with more than 30 different nationalities across all areas of the business. There have been a couple of those associates in the earlier days that really helped me to have a much broader outlook on life and understand how fortunate we are to be working in an environment that we love. International travelling has certainly changed me for the better and I would implore everyone to take the opportunity to do so.