On The Tee: Kailey Loftice
Team Member Spotlight: Kailey Loftice - Golf Simulator Design Specialist
By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Kailey Loftice grew up in Princeton, Texas, a small town of fewer than 18,000 residents in Collin County, and she’s been there most of her life. She attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and graduated with a degree in Construction Science Management, with a minor in Interior Design.
“I originally chose special education and wanted to teach and be a cheer coach. But after a year at Tarleton, I started looking into different career paths and came across the construction program, which was a fairly new program at the time. I was in one of the first classes to graduate and was one of the first few women to do so, as well. I was looking for something different and wanted to spark my interest in construction and design,” Kailey explains.
Kailey joined The Indoor Golf Shop team in the spring of 2023 and “has loved every minute of it so far”. As a Golf Simulator Design Specialist, Kailey designs spaces with custom golf simulators in a 3D software so customers can see it in their space and understand how it will look.
“I have also gotten the opportunity to manage the showroom remodel construction and get that ready for our customers to come see our products in person. I’m really looking forward to creating this great space for us! I also try to help with renderings, projects and drawings other coworkers may have as well,” Kailey adds.
Kailey is living in Princeton again, having returned from Stephenville in 2021 after her fiancé at the time and high school sweetheart graduated from Tarleton State University. They got married a few months later in December of 2021, and are celebrating 12 years together.
“My husband and I are actually building a house on my family’s land right now that we have had for more than 29 years,” she boasts. “We do have one fur baby – her name is Holly May and she is a white German Shepherd.”
When it comes to golf, Kailey played on her high school team and really enjoyed it. She didn’t play too much after that, until a few years ago when her husband wanted to try a new sport.
“I said we should play a round of golf and see how it goes,” she says. “It’s now something we love to do together or with a group of friends. We try to play often and play everywhere we travel. Recently we played in Jamaica, Alaska and on the Disney World Courses in Florida. We’ll also play in Phoenix this summer.”
Although her background is in construction, the program taught her so much more. She’s done a lot of work in 3D software and computer programs. She’s learned a lot on the job, as well.
“One of my classes was a full semester that consisted of building a wall, finishing it out and then tearing it back down. I took a lot of project management classes as well, and my Design minor has helped use construction and design to complete projects,” she explains.
She considers her professional internship at Walt Disney World as having best prepared her for this new opportunity at The Indoor Golf Shop.
“I knew it was going to be an amazing experience and I was determined to learn as much as possible. After all, Disney is my favorite place to be. During my time there, I was a construction manager on the resorts and renovated Animal Kingdom Lodge,” she admits.
She feels the confidence that the Disney internship gave her as a leader and woman in a male-dominated field has helped her dive into all tasks and look for additional possibilities.
“As an owner representative, we would ensure those rooms were as perfect as any guest could imagine and give them the best experience ever,” she states. “After my first internship, I knew I made the right decision to take the offer to extend my internship and get the opportunity to continue to learn from some of the best people out there who have the highest standards in everything they do.”
She credits Disney as the reason she holds her work to the highest expectations possible. Her previous job as a custom cabinet designer for high end homes is the reason why she loves creating spaces and designs for customers. The customer interaction, project management and software that she used are now skills she uses every day here at The Indoor Golf Shop.
When asked about her favorite aspect of working at The Indoor Golf Shop, she says she knew from her first in-person interview that this was a place to call home.
“Our founder showed up to my interview wearing a Goofy hat, which made all my nerves fall off and I was able to be myself,” Kailey says happily. “Ever since my first day here, I noticed that everyone is always so friendly and eager to be successful for the company and excited about the growth we have ahead of us. I enjoy coming to work every day and getting new projects to draw and send to clients. What I love most here is that everyone values your opinion and wants to hear your next great idea (even if it isn’t).”
