Meet the Golf Staff

CordeValle Golf Professionals are experienced members of the Professional Golfers Association and have taught golfers of all levels, all over the world. Instruction is fun and easy to understand. You will learn how to develop your skills and improve your play.

Director of Golf: Michael Marion

Michael Marion has been with CordeValle since the summer of 2010 and has nearly 20 years of golf experience. Michael is charged with managing the golf operations for both the private club and resort. In addition, he will be responsible for overseeing all major events at the resort, including the PGA TOUR's 2010 Frys.com Open in October, the 25th PGA Cup in 2011, and the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship in 2013. Marion has an extensive background working with private golf clubs and has been honored multiple times by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest as one of the top golf instructors in the country. In 2009 he received the Oregon PGA "Horton Smith Award" for his outstanding contributions to the PGA education programs. Marion most recently served as Director of Golf at Pronghorn in Bend, Oregon, which, under his direction, was named "#1 Golf Community in the Country" by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2009. While at Pronghorn, Marion was responsible for establishing and monitoring facility protocols to create unique and memorable experiences for members and guests of the course, and establishing the club's first caddie program.

Golf Course Superintendent: Tom Gray

Thomas Gray, golf course superintendent at CordeValle, has over three decades of experience managing nationally ranked golf courses throughout the United States and is a Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS). Gray joined CordeValle in 2006 from Olympia Fields Country Club, in Olympia Fields, Illinois, where he held the position of Director of Grounds and served on the steering committee for the club's $9.5 million renovations. Since graduating from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Crop and Soil Science more than two decades ago, Gray has enjoyed an illustrious career overseeing both public and private golf courses, including the prestigious Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan, where he prepared the course for the 1981 U.S. Senior Open and the 1985 U.S. Open. Thomas Gray currently serves on the USGA Green Section Committee, Golf Digest National Ranking Panel, and has held active positions within many other organizations, including President of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation 2000.

Head Golf Professional: Nick Bailey

Nick Bailey has been a member of the CordeValle Golf Staff since 2005. After graduating from high school, Nick attended New Mexico State University and completed the Professional Golf Management Program while earning his marketing degree. Nick passed his Playing Ability Test in his sophomore year at NMSU and turned professional shortly thereafter. With a record 300 students at NMSU completing the Professional Golf Management Program, there was a PGM mini-tour, which allowed Nick to develop and challenge his game even further. Nick graduated with honors in 2004 and returned to the bay area. After a brief attempt to play for a living Nick, joined the CordeValle team and earned his PGA Class "A" credentials and in 2009 was named Head Golf Professional.

First Assistant: Ray Otis

Born and raised in San Jose, Ray began playing golf at the age of 13. After a successful junior golf and high school career, Ray accepted a golf scholarship to The University of San Francisco and the University of Nevada. Highlights during his amateur career include winning the 1998 Lexus Fresno State Classic, participating in three United States Amateur Championships, 1998 runner-up in the Northern California Golf Association Amateur Championship and in 1999 was the NCGA Four Ball Champion. After a successful amateur career, Ray turned professional and played four years alongside future winners on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours. In 2006 Ray won the NCPGA Assistant Match Play Championship and was named the Northern California Professional Golf Association's Assistant Player of the Year. A year later Ray represented the NCPGA section in Florida at the PGA of America's Assistants Championship, finishing in the top 30. In 2009 Ray was elected into the PGA of America for membership. Ray has been helping to enhance the Member and Guest experience at CordeValle since 2006.