Under Daryl Matheny’s leadership, Gold Mountain Golf Club has become a destination for both championship golf and community impact. (Pictured left to right, Daryl Matheny, General Manager, Dan (see below), and Head Chef Kevin Swanson)
For the past 13 years, Daryl Matheny has served as General Manager of Gold Mountain Golf Club, one of Washington’s premier public courses and a host to multiple U.S. Golf Association events. As Daryl prepares to retire at the end of this year, we recognize not just his leadership, but the lasting impact he’s made on the community.
Under Daryl’s guidance, Gold Mountain has become more than a top-tier golf destination. It is also a committed, inclusive employer in Kitsap County and a long-time partner of Holly Ridge Center.
Meet Dan: Redefining What’s Possible
Dan is now in his third season as a valued member of the Gold Mountain team. (Pictured: Regina, Adult Employment Services Community Coach, and Dan)
At the heart of that impact is inclusion in action. “Inclusion comes to mind—that’s one of our company values.” said Head Chef Kevin Swanson
Dan is a Holly Ridge Center Adult Employment Services client and a Gold Mountain Golf Club employee, now in his third season working with the kitchen team under Swanson.
“When I met him and got to feel his energy, it quickly escalated to the point where I didn’t have enough work for him,” he said.
Dan’s role expanded significantly over time.
“He transitioned into washing dishes and learning the ins and outs of where everything goes. Now Dan washes dishes, cleans the staircase from the basement to the main floor, maintains floor drains—both scrubbing and disposing of food caught in the screens—and presses French fries, which is a huge step.”
Support from Holly Ridge job coaches also played an important role in Dan’s success.
“Joel, his Holly Ridge job coach that first year, was a tremendous help,” Swanson said. “Regina, his current job coach, has been phenomenal—very inclusive, always on top of what I’m trying to teach Dan, and holding him accountable to it.”
Dan’s growth has not gone unnoticed.
“It’s got to the point now where I actually gave Dan a raise this year, and that’s because he deserves it,” he shared. “He’s definitely earned it—he works hard. He’s been a phenomenal team member since joining.”
Daryl, General Manager of Gold Mountain Golf Club, recalled how the partnership with Holly Ridge’s Supported Employment began: “They were banging on my door forever,” he said with a laugh, “and then they finally had me try it, and it was so rewarding. Not just to have the help, but like Chef was saying, they do a helluva job and they’re committed. You give them tasks, and they’re all over it.”
“I think not only getting a good, qualified team member, you get somebody that’s passionate about what they’re doing—and that shares that passion.” — Daryl Matheny, General Manager of Gold Mountain Golf Club
During the off season for the golf club, Dan volunteers in his community.
A Tournament Rooted in Community
That spirit of inclusion and community extends beyond the workplace.
One of the strongest connections between Gold Mountain and Holly Ridge Center is the Washington C.L.U.B. Charity Golf Classic, a statewide annual event benefiting Holly Ridge Center, Seattle Children’s, and the Diabetes Research Institute. The Washington C.L.U.B. Charity Golf Classic is a unique statewide event focused on having fun while raising money for charity. “C.L.U.B” stands for Contractors, Legislators, Unions, and Business—bringing together leaders from across Washington in support of a shared cause.
The 2026 tournament will take place June 17–18, continuing a long tradition of giving back. “Our experience with Holly Ridge goes back a long way,” said Daryl. “We have a tournament that was here before I started. It was called Dad’s Day back then. It ran on Father’s Day, and it was going on before I started in ’88.”
Over time, the event evolved. “It’s since been taken over by another group that’s raised the overall golf tournament itself, the experience, and the amount of money they raise, exponentially. It still has Holly Ridge as its local charity,” he said.
Daryl has remained closely involved throughout the years. “I’m able to not only be a part of the tournament that raises money for those three charities—watching everybody have a good time and raise all that money—but I also get to go to the dinner when they hand that money out,” he said. “You get people from each one of those groups that get up to talk about what they are doing with that money and how important it is.”
Those moments left a lasting impression. “It opened my eyes early on to how interwoven into the community Holly Ridge is, and how big an impact they have,” said Matheny.
A Game That Brings People Together
Long before he became a leader in the golf world, Matheny understood the deeper value of the game. “Early on, I was big into baseball, I was a swimmer… a little bit of basketball,” he reflected. “But I had some knee issues early on and couldn’t play some of these other sports. I had to focus my attention somewhere else and found golf—and it was a great fit for me.”
Daryl continued to reminisce, “I love the game of golf just as a game—how it challenged me, and how much fun it was when you hit a good shot and you’re trying to get better.”
But what kept him there wasn’t just competition—it was connection. “I was able to spend time with my dad. I was able to spend time with my uncles and my grandpa. I really, at that point, viewed it not even as a game, but as a way to bring different age groups together, different classifications together that you normally wouldn’t spend time with,” Matheny said.
Golf, in his view, became something larger. Daryl said, “It was a barrier-crosser for me—being able to bring different groups together and be part of something bigger.”
At Gold Mountain, that philosophy is reflected not just on the course, but in the workplace culture he helped cultivate…and the magic of the game remains. “It’s one of the most addicting things I’ve ever played, really,” Chef Kevin said.
“There is nothing better than hitting the exact shot that you were thinking in your head before you hit the shot,” Daryl agreed. “And that feeling—it’s what keeps you coming back.”
“Knowing it was perfect,” Chef Kevin added.
A Lasting Impact
As Daryl Matheny prepares to retire, his legacy at Gold Mountain Golf Club is defined not only by operational excellence or tournament success, but by the inclusive environment he helped foster and the partnerships he championed.
Through collaboration with organizations like Holly Ridge Center, leadership in events like the Washington C.L.U.B. Charity Golf Classic, and ongoing service throughout the Bremerton community, that legacy will continue—on the course, in the clubhouse, and in the lives of those impacted by the opportunities he helped create.
Daryl Matheny, General Manager of Gold Mountain Golf Club for the past 13 years, will retire at the end of this year. A legacy of leadership, inclusion, and community continues at Gold Mountain.