Jannik Oster: A 'knowledge bear' with passion and a forward-thinking approach to digital technology
At the age of 21, he became Germany’s youngest club manager – today, at 27, Jannik Oster heads the Cochem/Mosel Golf Club and embodies a new generation of leaders in the sport of golf. His story shows how curiosity, courage and passion can make all the difference.
He discovered golf at the age of ten and has been shaping club life ever since. Initially, he served on the board as youth representative for a long time. He rarely gets to put his 5.0 Handicap to use on the Course these days. That’s because Jannik Oster is a veritable fountain of knowledge: He holds more than ten qualifications, including the GMVD’s “Certified Club Manager CCM 4” licence, the DOSB Club Manager B qualification, and the DOSB C-Level Golf Coach certification, and is currently undertaking three further training courses at the IST Study Institute: Sports Economist (FH), Sports Business Administrator (IHK) and Golf Business Manager. “I learn something new every day. For me, further training isn’t an extra, but a basic requirement when you’re responsible for an entire club,” he emphasises.
Oster is currently both club manager AND head greenkeeper. As a result, he works daily from “six to six”, he says with a youthful smile and seemingly boundless energy. His working day is characterised by versatility – and by digital thinking. As a “digital native”, he recognises the opportunities modern technologies offer for member engagement and organisation. Whether it’s a WhatsApp channel for the community or digital membership management: Oster uses the tools that foster connection and streamline processes.
When choosing the club software, his requirement was clear: the highest level of professionalism. “We looked at the market and quickly realised that PC CADDIE is the market leader. That’s why we purchased additional licences straight away after taking over the facility in 2020,” he explains. Today, PC CADDIE handles not only membership management but also the till system for the pro shop, green fee processing, and the booking systems for the golf coaches and the indoor simulator. He describes his dealings with PC CADDIE as “super friendly and professional – exactly as you’d hope”.
With three staff members, Oster looks after the approximately 500 members and numerous green fee players, who either “pop over” from the neighbouring holiday park or, as Moselle tourists, “take a round of golf with us whilst on holiday”. For Oster, it is crucial that the golf club feels welcoming and appeals to new target groups: “Our USP is that everyone is welcome – from holidaymakers to young people from the local area. We want to reach a broad audience and make golf accessible to everyone.”
With his energy and openness to new ideas, Jannik Oster has already transformed the Cochem/Mosel Golf Club into a modern, vibrant meeting place – and demonstrates just how much potential golf has for the future when it is shaped with passion, the courage to break new ground and digital expertise – including PC CADDIE.
