NATCHEZ &045; Marvin Gray’s job is about a lot more than playing or teaching golf.

As the PGA professional at the Duncan Park golf course, he’s in charge of just about every aspect of the course’s operation, from the pro shop to running tournaments and all the business aspects of managing a small business.

&uot;To be a PGA professional, being a good player is part of it, but that’s not everything,&uot; Gray said. &uot;There’s so many things involved. I strive to be all those things, and sometimes I’m stronger in some areas than others.&uot;

And recently, the PGA recognized his work by naming him a Master Professional, a great honor for a member of the PGA. Indeed, Marvin is one of only 19 Master Pros in his specialty, general operations.

General operations involves all aspects of managing a golf course, from making strategic business plans (which Gray did in his thesis to fulfill a requirement for Master professional), overseeing the pro shop, running golf tournaments and planning and supervising construction and maintenance of the course.

&uot;(Being a Master Pro) means &045; the golf business is always evolving. There’s always a new set of challenges,&uot; Gray said. &uot;I feel fortunate to have met these requirements and honored to have worked at a lot of good places and with a lot of good people to accomplish these goals.&uot;

Gray played golf and studied business administration at Mississippi State, already knowing he wanted to make golf a career. Gray became a PGA professional in 1994 and spent time at a number of courses in the South.

In 1997, he came to Duncan Park.

&uot;I decided to go into the golf business a long time ago, before I even went to college,&uot; Gray said. &uot;I never really thought about anything else.&uot;

In 2001 the PGA unveiled a new program, the Certified Professional program, that will give its members the opportunity to further their education in one of several areas: golf instruction, retail (of golf equipment), executive management, ownership/leasing, golf operations (running tournaments and other events) and general management &045; the area Gray studied to become a Master pro.

Gray was part of a study program started in 1991 that eventually led to the Certified Professional program. He completed numerous requirements, including his thesis, a strategic business plan for the Duncan Park Golf Course he finished in 1999.

Apparently, the plan is working. During his seven years at Duncan Park, the golf course has averaged a net profit of about $30,000, a significant improvement over previous years when losses were routine.

Last year the course lost money and this year probably will as well, but most of that is due to plant closings in the area that took customers away and a poor economy in which people have less money to spend, Gray said.

Gray has ambitious plans for the future of the golf course. Part of that will begin Monday, when construction will begin on a new 10,000 square-foot practice green next to the clubhouse. That green will replace a much smaller practice green near the first tee.

Future plans include an extensive remodeling of the course that had been originally discussed in 1998 shortly after Gray came to the course.

In the meantime, Duncan Park has a host of events scheduled for the near future, including an adult-junior scramble tournament Saturday. And Marvin Gray will be there, managing the course and making sure everything is going smoothly.