GolfPDX
Growing the Game in Greater Portland
About
GolfPDX was formed in late 2020 with a desire to bring a new vision to the City of Portland’s municipal golf program. The locally-based group is led by the partnership of BJ and Nathan Swearer. As a result of family moves, the brothers have called several states home, including New York, Colorado, South Carolina, Nebraska and since 2010, Vancouver Washington. During high school, the two played baseball, football and basketball together, and both would go on to play collegiate baseball. But golf was always their leisure sport of choice, participating in junior programs, competing in tournaments and always trying to beat their dad and younger sister during family outings. Combined, the brothers have played thousands of rounds of golf at hundreds of courses across the country, from local munis to private country clubs and high-end resort courses. As lifelong avid golfers and experienced veterans of the golf course management industry, they know how a successful golf course should look and operate.
BJ Swearer – Executive Director
The younger of the duo, BJ is a alum of Concordia University (OR) and attended Ashland University (OH) for graduate school, studying American History and Government. BJ started his golf operations career at the very bottom of the food chain, cleaning carts and storing members’ bags at Yankee Hill Country Club in Lincoln, Nebraska. From 2010 to 2020, he worked at Heron Lakes (Portland), moving up the ladder from pro shop assistant to Tournament Director. During those years, he was responsible for all tournament, outing and leagues, eventually setting property records for annual event sales. In 2015, he was asked to join the Heron Lakes Men’s Club Board as the Tournament Chairman, a position in which he continues to voluntarily serve. His dedicated efforts have helped revitalize the Club, growing membership from 245 members in 2015 to 406 in 2023, and bringing the Club into the 21st Century through the implementation of online technology and tools like GolfGenius.
Nathan Swearer – Financial Director
The elder brother, Nate attended and played baseball at the University of Nebraska, Kearney, where he studied business. He would return to UNK to earn his MBA and serve as a graduate assistant coach for the Lopers. Despite his much accomplished baseball career, he could pick up his golf clubs and without having swung them in months, still shoot near even par. Nate also worked with his brother at Yankee Hill CC but as a member of the maintenance crew, learning the ins and outs of taking proper care of a golf course. After moving to Vancouver, Nate served as the Financial Coordinator for HUBB, which was recently acquired by Intrado, and saw him transition to the position of Senior Account Manager. With his educational and occupational background in accounting and finance, Nate fills the essential budgeting and money management role on the development team. Together the brothers cover every necessary aspect of golf course management.