By Jeff Budlong, AlbertLeaTribune.com

FREEBORN &8212; The first time Matt Hallman stepped onto a golf course he swore it would be his last. Now, he has the perfect job and it happens to be just steps away from the first tee box.

Hallman is entering his second year as the general manager of Oak View Golf Club in Freeborn and to say that he is happy driving to the course every day may just be an understatement.

&8220;The first time I went out golfing I figured if I can&8217;t be good at it I&8217;m not going to do it,&8221; he said. &8220;But golf is an addictive sport and that is what got me going. Golf is a social aspect and a personal thing you strive to be better at.

&8220;I knew a lot of people here because I golfed here, but the people have been very accepting. This is a dream job; it really is.&8221;

Talk to him about his job and a smile rarely leaves his face.

Hallman had golfed at Oak View for years but hadn&8217;t considered even applying for the position when then General Manager Jim Beach decided to step down. That all changed with a little gentle prodding from friends and family who knew he was a born people person &8212; perfect for the job.

&8220;Some golfing buddies, my wife, my family they all said that I should apply for that but I didn&8217;t know,&8221; Hallman said. &8220;People kept telling me it was perfect for me and right up my alley and I thought about it for a while, but what really pushed me over the edge was when my wife told me I should do it. Your golfing buddies can say it all they want but you think they are just saying what you want to hear.&8221;

Hallman was one of four finalists for the job, but after two weeks had passed without word he was becoming more convinced he missed his chance. However, his patience paid off when he received a call he thought was a request for a second interview only to be offered the position on the spot.

&8220;It went from a lot of waiting to, boom, I got the job,&8221; he said.

Now, Hallman spends his days &8212; and many late nights &8212; from April to October helping run a golf course. It takes all of 30 seconds to realize that Hallman has a story or joke to break the ice with just about anyone and the golfers who are looking to escape the pressure and stress of everyday life for a few hours at the nine-hole 3,002-yard course appreciate that.

&8220;This is a PR job more than it is working, and I think that I am qualified for that with my experience of working with people,&8221; he said.

Currently, Hallman has nine people who work part-time hours helping him with various tasks throughout the week. His biggest responsibilities usually fall on tournament weekends, which are a staple at the course. There are already big tournaments at the course like the Camp Courage fundraiser, which brings in thousands of dollars for a good cause, but Hallman would like to get more competitive tournaments on the course.

He described his first year as a blur trying to get his hands around all the responsibility that came with the job. Most people think Hallman just stands behind the counter taking greens fees and giving out cart keys, but that is the start of it.

&8220;There is a lot of little things that go on behind the scenes &8230; from preparing the food, preparing all the receipts and daily tapes for our bookkeeper, do monthly inventories and organizing several tournaments here.&8221;

Hallman&8217;s transition to the golf course is surprising if only because he grew up in Indiana, where basketball is quite possibly the first, second and third favorite sport of its residents.

&8220;I lived in Indiana until I received a call from Bethany Junior College at the time and the coach asked if I was interested in playing basketball,&8221; Hallman said. &8220;Well, if you grow up in Indiana, that is what you want to do. So I came up here and played basketball.&8221;

He had some thoughts of returning home to Indiana after his first year but decided to go back and complete his commitment. He was then off to Mankato State for two more years before he married his wife, Stephanie.

Hallman worked a few odd jobs while raising a family that would eventually grow to four kids. He spent time working at Cub Foods in both Minnesota and Iowa before finding his way to Alden, where he still lives just minutes from the course.

He worked for a cell phone company during the heydays of the business for eight years, allowing Stephanie to stay home with the kids before he worked at the Albert Lea Tribune for two years.

He has found enjoyment in all his work because of the people he has had a chance to deal with, but at Oak View he feels he has found a home.

&8220;People always tell me it is ideal because they know I love basketball, and now I have a chance to watch my kids,&8221; said Hallman who will be adding the duties of Alden-Conger varsity golf coach to his responsibilities this spring. &8220;I am enjoying myself.&8221;