At Old Edwards Club, we have assembled a team of some of the country's finest professionals dedicated to two main goals: helping you improve your game and ensuring you have a great time on and off the golf course. Whether you are new to Old Edwards Club or looking to lower your handicap, our professional golf staff is available to provide helpful instruction and tips to enhance your skills. They can even join you for a round or two.
If tennis is more your style, our tennis pro is ready to offer lessons or engage in a quick match. When you're in the mood to relax, our hospitality team will greet you with delicious food and drinks in the clubhouse, all set in an atmosphere of friendly camaraderie.
Administration
Jerry West
Director of Operations
Jerry fell in love with the game of golf at a very young age. Spending time with his father and friends was an escape while growing up in the mountains of NC. This passion turned into a professional career in the early nineties upon
graduation from Catawba Community College with a degree in Recreational Grounds Management and Agronomy. Positions at Cullasaja Club, Highlands Country Club, Highlands Cove, and Old Edwards Club over the last 25+ years have allowed Jerry to follow his passion and beat the alarm clock every morning. Old Edwards Club is one of the premier destinations for golfers, club members, and guests alike, and Jerry hopes to spend many more years creating raving fans and growing a game that has become his life's passion.
Bridget Henson
Accounting Manager
Bridget has lived in North Carolina for over 20 years and graduated from Western Carolina University in 1996 with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing. She has worked for Old Edwards Club since its inception in 2008 and
strives to create a balance while working with the Club's membership and accounting departments.
Bridget lives in Cashiers with her husband Brandon and has two children, Ethan and Samantha.
Kristen Overstreet
Membership and Activities Coordinator
Kristen is a dynamic professional poised to take on the Membership and Events Coordinator role at Old Edwards Club and GlenCove. With a solid background as a manager at Elements, The Spa, and the Fitness Center, Kristen brings a wealth of experience in hospitality and customer service to her new position, creating memorable experiences for members and guests alike.
Outside of her professional life, Kristen is an avid adventurer who enjoys exploring the great outdoors. Whether hiking through scenic trails, chasing waterfalls, or embarking on new travel adventures with her two beloved dogs, Koda and Bailey, Kristen embraces every opportunity to immerse herself in nature and create lasting memories. Her passion for exploration and commitment to exceptional service make her a valuable addition to the Old Edwards Club and GlenCove Team.
Golf Course & Golf Shop
Jordan Kenter
Director of Golf
Jordan's passion for the game of golf is exceeded only by his love for his family. As a member of the PGA since 2005, Jordan, along with his wife Debbie, moved around the country working at several prestigious facilities including,
The Vaquero Club outside of Dallas, Iron Horse GC in Whitefish, Montana, CordeValle GC in California, and Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club in Cashiers. Jordan loves to teach players of all levels and is a PlaneTruth and PGA Certified instructor. Jordan and Debbie have been married since 2002 and have two wonderful sons, Chase and Blake.
Drew Newstedt
Head Golf Professional
Originally from Winston Salem, North Carolina, Drew graduated from Campbell University in the spring of 2017. During his time at Campbell, Drew worked two seasons at Wade Hampton Golf Club. Following graduation, Drew spent three years at the
Reserve at Lake Keowee in Sunset, South Carolina. Drew is a member of the PGA and possesses a strong passion for the game of golf. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his fiancé Allie and their son, Will.
Sophie Madden
Director of Instruction, LPGA
Originally from London, Sophie has played golf most of her life and was lucky enough to represent her country numerous times. She moved to the United States to play college golf at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2015.
While there, she received a Bachelor of Science in Business and was a four-time All-American with multiple individual wins. After a successful college career, she decided to turn professional and won the 2021 South Carolina State Open as well as winning on the Men’s Minor League Golf Tour. As the pandemic impacted the world, Sophie utilized the opportunity to further her skills by enrolling at Florida Gulf Coast University to pursue her career in teaching and was elected into PGA membership in 2023. In her free time, Sophie enjoys playing golf alongside her fiancé, who is also a professional golfer, playing pickleball, and spending time with their dog Ernie.
After taking lessons from some of the best instructors in the world, Sophie believes anyone can play the game and become the player they want to be.
Delaney Hawkins
Retail Manager
Delaney Hawkins joined the Old Edwards Club family from Amelia Island, Florida. Growing up, Delaney spent her summers in Western North Carolina. Her love of the area brought her back to college at Western Carolina University, where
she studied and earned her degree in Business Management. Delaney has grown and advanced with the Old Edwards Hospitality team during her tenure. This season she is again ready to help you find the perfect apparel and gear needed on and off the course.
George Mason
Golf Course Superintendent
George’s 20+ years of golf course management began during his summer vacations in high school when he worked on the golf course maintenance crew at Conestoga Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After high school, he continued working
on the golf course part-time and began pursuing a business degree. After two semesters at a local college, the golf course superintendent and greens chairman at Conestoga Country Club helped convince him of what he had suspected all along, a career in golf course management is what he truly wanted to pursue. George promptly applied and was accepted into the Golf Course Management program at The Pennsylvania State University. Penn State allowed George to complete an internship at The Merit Club in Libertyville, Illinois, under renowned golf course superintendent Oscar Miles. Working with Oscar and his team at The Merit Club, George established a solid agronomic foundation and a better understanding of all that goes into managing turfgrass at an elite club. Upon graduation, George headed south for the mountains and accepted a position as an assistant golf course superintendent at Highlands Cove. George was promoted to head golf course superintendent after two seasons, and his services were retained when the Old Edwards Hospitality Group purchased the golf course at Highlands Cove in 2008. Since then, George and his team have consistently raised the standards of the course while also overseeing an entire golf course renovation, a complete bunker rebuild, and the grow-in of a par 3 course. He considers himself incredibly fortunate to be working at a club that constantly wants to get better and understands the amount of time and resources it takes to maintain a course at such high standards. Outside work, George enjoys working in his yard, following his favorite sports teams, and spending as much time as possible with his wife, Erika, and two daughters, Morgan and Emily.
Food & Beverage
Jacky Cabler
The Grill Room Head Chef
Jacky is a South Florida native. After growing up in Boynton Beach, she attended the Hilton College at The University of Houston and the School For Culinary Arts at The Art Institute of Houston. She then returned to Boynton Beach to raise
her daughter, Emmalee. Jacky worked exclusively on management and culinary teams in Houston and South Florida private country clubs. After beginning seasonal work at Old Edwards Club in 2012, she fell in love with the area where she spent time with her grandparents as a child. Jacky now resides full-time in Cashiers and brings her passion for cuisine to Old Edwards Club and GlenCove.
Silvia Lovern
Restaurant Manager
Silvia, from Conyers, GA, attended the University of West Georgia, majoring in Marketing and Foreign Education. She has 11 years of experience in the Food & Beverage industry, starting from a small Mexican restaurant near her college. She worked as a bartender, server, and Manager-In-Training at Longhorn Steakhouse.
In August 2022, she moved to Franklin, NC, and started her career with Old Edwards Hospitality Group as a banquet bartender and bartender throughout the properties. She became Clubhouse Supervisor in June 2023 and accepted The Grill Room Restaurant Manager position this March. She looks forward to the great opportunities that the new season brings.
Jonathan Austin
Clubhouse Manager
Having lived in North Carolina for over thirty years, Jonathan's restaurant and hospitality experience are homegrown with his North Carolinian roots. In his early years in Chapel Hill, Jonathan was the F & B Supervisor overseeing 3
restaurants at Galloway Ridge. He then moved on to the Food & Beverage supervisor at Pazzo Italian. Later, he became the Senior Bartender and trainer at Carolina Brewery. Jonathan discovered Highlands in 2014, where combining his Food & Beverage background and his time spent in the United States Marine Corps brought values and skills to Old Edwards Inn and Spa. He incorporates those leadership and discipline qualities daily. During his time at Old Edwards, Jonathan completed the MIT Program, an intense year-long management training program offered by OEHG to its most promising young leaders. After completing the program, Jonathan honed his passion and talents for guest services as a Banquet Captain and became the Bar and Beverage Manager for the company shortly after that. He looks forward to this season as Clubhouse Manager at Old Edwards Club. Jonathan's greatest passion is his family--his wife Sophie, son Julius, and daughter Eloise.
Rebecca Jackson
Assistant Clubhouse Manager
Hailing from Shelby, North Carolina, Rebecca's roots run deep in the hospitality industry. Armed with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Western Carolina University, she has been an integral part of the Old Edwards Hospitality Team for several seasons.
Starting as a server, she worked her way up the ranks to become a supervisor, restaurant manager, and now, the Assistant Clubhouse Manager. Her passion for delivering exceptional dining experiences is palpable, and she is eager to extend this commitment to our esteemed membership. Rebecca is excited to continue her journey with Old Edwards and eagerly anticipates the new opportunities each season will bring.
Tennis & Pickleball
Robin Keener
Director of Racquet Sports
Robin Keener brings a wealth of tennis/pickleball teaching & playing experience to Old Edwards Club. She is certified as a USPTA Elite Tennis Professional & as a PPR Pickleball Professional. Her teaching and facility management skills resulted in her selection as Florida Tennis Professional of the Year.
She is widely recognized as one of the most successful professionals in Florida, teaching adult tennis & pickleball clinics. Robin also spent over a decade as a USPTA FL Certification Tester evaluating prospective Tennis Professionals. Robin’s playing career spans the globe. She has played internationally on numerous USA National Tennis Teams serving as the Team Captain of the squad that won an International Tennis Federation Silver Medal in Durban, South Africa. She has been ranked as high as #6 in the ITF World Singles Tennis Rankings. Her domestic accomplishments as a tennis player include a #1 National USTA and a #1 National USPTA ranking in both singles and doubles. Robin has been ranked #1 in every Florida age division she has competed in. Her success on the court stretches back to her college career, where she was named both Team Captain & MVP two years in a row while playing Division I tennis at Rollins College.
Real Estate
Jennifer Blake
Highlands Cove Realty, Broker-In-Charge
Jennifer graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in business marketing. After college, she managed the clubhouse, now The Grill Room, at Old Edwards Club. Then, she decided to turn her passion for the Old Edwards lifestyle into a new career and became a Broker and Rental Manager for Highlands Cove. When the real estate agency changed ownership in 2013, she was promoted to Broker-in-Charge.
Jennifer specializes in real estate in Old Edwards Club, Highlands Cove, GlenCove, and Norton Ridge by Old Edwards. She also helps buyers and sellers with luxury properties in the surrounding communities across the plateau. She is a dedicated professional and leads a team of top-tier Brokers committed to offering exceptional service in every transaction.
Testimonials: Our experience with Jennifer as Broker-in-Charge was "First Rate" from start to finish. We were able to complete the process earlier than expected. She is very impressive and a highly skilled real estate professional. - J. Graham
Jennifer Blake and I have worked together for over eight years on various deals as a seller and a prospective buyer. She is highly effective and always demonstrates the requisite levels of tact and decorum. Jennifer is patient and diligent when working with all parties. In some very cumbersome and complex transactions, she is poised and remains a pleasure to deal with. Her ethics and professionalism are beyond reproach. I highly recommend her to buyers and sellers in Highlands and Cashiers, NC. - J. Bragin
For more information, contact Jennifer at [email protected] or at (828) 226-3030.
